Bono And The Edge Trailer: Nostalgia And A Trip Home

Today Disney+ has released a new trailer for the upcoming docu-special "Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, with Dave Letterman." Not only are we getting a chance to watch U2's Bono and The Edge head back to Dublin, but they're also taking the talk show host with them for his first-ever visit to Ireland. The band members have been friends with Letterman for 25 years, but they've never been off U.S. soil together. 

The whole thing is set to coincide with the release of U2's new album "Songs of Surrender," which is "a collection of 40 seminal U2 songs from across the band's catalog, re-recorded and reimagined." The use of "reimagined" is interesting here because, in the trailer, Letterman mentions the changing of lyrics to some of the songs as things have changed in their lives. He introduces the band members to a crowd at a concert, which it appears the audience doesn't have much info about. Not only that but — well, someone had to say it — The Edge says he loves Letterman's "new look," which is something akin to Santa Claus. (That last part was all me, and probably you as well.)

The docu-special comes from Disney Branded Television, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville, Brian Grazer and Ron Howard's Imagine Documentaries, Neville's Tremolo Productions, and Letterman's Worldwide Pants. It's not only a concert special but a tour of Dublin from two hometown guys and their buddy. 

The trailer makes me think of the Paul McCartney episode of "Carpool Karaoke," where he plays a concert in a bar in his hometown in Liverpool. That made me cry (shut up, because I know you did as well), so I'm actually really excited about this.

This U2 concert with Letterman as a guest takes place at the top of O'Connell Street on Dublin's Northside. Letterman also "checks out the legendary Forty Foot swimming spot on a freezing cold morning and rides the DART commuter train north from Co. Wicklow." Apparently, he even inspired "a brand new U2 song written by The Edge and Bono and narrowly escapes having to perform at a sing-song at the legendary McDaid's pub off Grafton Street with an equally legendary bunch of artists and musicians, including Bono, The Edge, Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová, Imelda May, Loah, Saint Sister, Grian Chatten of Fontaines D.C., and Dermot Kennedy, whose voice Bono describes as a 'sonic boom.'"

This all sounds very dramatic, and as a U2 fan, I'm pretty excited about it. The new album (which one can assume will not be forced onto your iPhone this time) will have songs like "With Or Without You," "One," "Beautiful Day," "Sunday Bloody Sunday," and "Invisible," with new arrangements and some new lyrics. They were all re-recorded in sessions over the last two years. The first track, "Pride (In The Name Of Love)," is available to listen to now. 

"Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, with Dave Letterman," as well as the new album, is set to premiere on Disney+ on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2023.