The curtain coming down was exactly the point. It was to show how those people were fallen. This wasn’t just for the Super Bowl, this was done every night during their tour at the time. Biggest live rock band of all time, still the biggest rock band in the world 45 years on. Longest running band of all time with the same line up. Just sold half a million tickets to their 25 show run in Vegas, with over a million ticket requests. No one touches them live.
the names go up to heaven. what a way to salute the victims. the song asks to break free, and to let go of whatever holds you back. at that time, America was hit in the heart, thus the stage made extra sense. and there was only one band to rebuild belief in "no matter the grief, you will arise one more time". when the curtain falls down, Bono sings "Love Love Love", nailing it.
U2's performance was so emotional- I watched this live, and it was so powerful. IMO no other band could have done this show at the emotional and energetic level they did. Growing up in Ireland, the members of U2 knew all too well about war-within their own country-and of loss. U2 are all about peace and kindness to EVERYONE- and they delivered when we needed it.
What a performance from U2 So much to take in and it’s regarded as the greatest superbowl halftime show ever. They also played Beautiful Day before this song. U2 were one of the only acts to carry on touring after 9/11 . Their second leg of the Elevation tour started on the 10th of October less then a month after 9/11 . Most artists cancelled their tours , they didn’t know how to approach the disaster that had happened. Totally different in U2’s case , u2 put their arms around America and used their music as part of the healing process for the country. They played 3 dates at MSG at the end of October 2001 . Shows that some say are the greatest u2 shows ever. They brought various members of the New York fire service, police and Ambulance workers all on stage. U2 are like no other artist. Especially live, they can touch someone’s soul and bring out pure emotion like no other. Bono used to say at the time “ the goal is soul “ and he was right. Bono also organised a charity single , a cover of what’s going on. That had all the big worldwide stars singing on. Their album at the time all that you can’t leave behind was huge. It came out in 2000 but some of the songs related so much to the horrible scenes on 9/11 . Songs like walk on , peace on Earth , when I look at the world , New York etc . The whole album had a new meaning after 9/11 . It sold 12 million copies and flew back up the charts in America after 9/11 . U2 again putting their arms around America with their music The NFL did not want U2 to display the names of the dead on stage. They were even unsure whether to have a half time show. The whole show was U2’s design to honour the dead. U2 demanded the show they wanted and the NFL caved into their demand. There’s a documentary about the whole performance that explains it all. The curtain falling was a symbol of these people will never be forgotten all you need is love to go forward , love each other and everything will be ok , carry it each other. Great analogy from the son in the video Great review Poor parenting for not introducing U2’s music to your son 😃👍
Hey Guys, this is Dan T. Than you for reacting to this! The dad's reaction to the screen falling was a a valid response but it was not what U2 intended. The song was written with the idea that you can tell a lot about a person by the street they grew up on. Often, because of the neighborhood they live in, you'd know if they are catholic or protestant, black or white, Muslim or Jew (ect). Heaven (3 of the band members are quite spiritual in a rock and roll way) could be a place where these differences would mean very little and be a place where there would be clear unity. The screen falling demonstrated these names goint up to heaven. This is why THIS song performed at THIS time resonated with so many people. I remember being in a video bar during that show and the room went silent as the names started to scroll. I saw one grown man openly weeping. I STILL get emotional when I watch this. Your Dad WAS on point about there being so much unity and patriotism at this time and I miss it as well.
also you got to look at it, the names were still being projected even as the curtain fell down. It also represent that even when the curtain fall, those names still being projected upon the American people. Still rising and projected unwavering.
The names ROSE as the curtain FELL. All that was left was a hole in our HEART. But the song says "I'll show you a place with no sorrow or pain...where the streets have no name.(heaven)" perfect imagery for such a tragic event.
Also consider the fact that U2 is from Ireland, not America, so a great show of respect and unity from the world. And opening his coat to show the flag was epic and showed how the world was with us.
The banner was nothing to do with the superbowl or anything like that. That was entirely Bono and U2's idea. U2 were the first band to resume their tour in the United States after 9/11. They also did not create a stage special for this event like many seem to do. They just took their arena stage and put it in this giant stadium. The stage itself is actually heart shaped.
The curtains fell, not so the names would fall, but so they would go into the giant HEART that formed the stage. We knew here in America all about the sudden, and violent destruction of those two towers falling, and the utter devastation of the loss of life that brought. To see it presented this way did not cause us any further pain. The curtains fell into bright, shining lights, into the giant heart, and into the music of a band that wears it's spiritual foundations firmly on it's sleeve. "Where the Streets Have No Name"---a prayer that we all will go to a place where we will not be known or judged by where we come from, but upon our humanity.
As an outsider, I love and respect your country. I love America and I am glad that America still exists and America will always be great.🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸❤️❤️❤️🦅🦅
U2 was one of the very few bands that kept touring the autumn after 9/11. Saw them that November, their show was a more important mass than usual. NFL people saw them in NYC that autumn and that's why they were offered to do that SB half time show in New Orleans.
This is the greatest Super Bowl halftime show EVER! Not even close. Micheal, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, The Rolling Stones, The Boss, none of them can hold a candle to U2.
Fue un antes y un después de U2 luego de semejante tema y lo que significo el 11 S... La intro, lo que significa el tema, inevitable que se te erice la piel... Único!! ❤🇦🇷🙏🌠
The falling curtain was of course intentional. A symbolism of the towers but what I just now realized, its that the names falls not anywhere, but in the middle of the heart (stage shape), our hearts. Saw it live (I was 23 at the time), listened many times since and still feeling new things about it. Wow ❤
In some way I’m happy for the younger generation who was either too young to remember 9/11 or was born after. You don’t know what it was like to go to the airport to pick someone up at the gate. You don’t know what it’s like to never have to feel worried that your country would be attacked - you always felt safe here at home. You never had to worry about two of our tallest buildings fall and kill thousands of people. You never had to worry about someone highjacking your plane and using it as a weapon. 9/11 was the end of perceived innocence and the start of what I think of as the new age of violence. I will never, ever forget that day or visiting New York just a few months after. I had the same reaction looking at the devastation as I did when seeing the Grand Canyon - my brain just couldn’t process that it was real.
What was going on during that SB halftime was a superb heeling moment for USA. On a more modest aspect, I can tell you that the guitar sound of The Edge on this video is one of the best I have ever heard on UA-cam for Streets HNN !!! 👍💥
I like the story of being worried about conceiving a child at the time of 9/11. My wife and I were already expecting our first at the time. 9/11 is the date of graduation from our child birthing classes. I still have the card with the date stamped on it. Carry it everywhere.
I too am Irish and I know without a doubt that neither Bono nor U2 meant anything but respect in letting the curtain fall down at that moment. They wanted to let the world see that yes 3000 people died that day and the manner in which they died was heinous but not to forget them or gloss over how unbelievably awful it was. Sometimes its' so dreadful that you have to stop, make yourself watch and then go forward as a country. Ireland is only a wee Island but we've had more than our fair share of atrocities over the years but with the help and support of a lot of great people and countries around the world, we've managed to stick to our hard won peace agreement that was brokered in 1998. It's not always easy but we've hung in there because peace always trumps ( no pun intended ) bloodshed.
This was January of 2002 ; lbelive it's the Superdome in New Orleans. U2 were in the midst of their Elevation tour and they started their presentation by playing Beautiful Day ; and yes , this is the first Super Bowl that the Patriots won with Brady as their QB.
The current fell to show how they died and that they were loved and missed it was a call to action u2 is amazing for a group from Ireland they have always been there for the unloved
The song has a dual meaning as Dan says below. In the context of the song and the time of this performance, I believe that the place "where the streets have no name", is the New Jerusalem from the Book of Revelation". If you listen to the beginning of the video, you can hear Bono saying a prayer. "Lord, open up my lips so that I might show forth thy praise". So, the choice of this particular song matched with the falling curtain points toward heaven.
Yes I know , am from UK, my boys are from Ireland republic, apart from 2 of them, do you want to go on. I hate petty people, Dave and Adam are Welsh and English
I believe rhe names collapsing represented not just the buildings collapsing and the generic lives lost but the fact that all the names on there represented the loss of individual people.
Great reaction. Not sure if it was mentioned, but they took this gig for free. Another artist, an American, who I will not name, wanted a huge pay. The NFL went with the better option.... Not just monetarily, but substance. Even if the screen fell to represent the towers falling, it's not disrespectful. It actually happened. I watched the actual towers fall. It was a powerful symbol.
10:40 To me the falling canvas was also very emotionally intense, but more because it felt as a symbol of giving over all those names, those people to eternity. I feel like if you're taking art 1:1 to life you're doing it wrong. I'm sure it's very culturally dependant on how you interpret it though.
I agree with the other comments. It was meant to be the towers falling, and how they went. My opinion with others. Hard to see but It was meant for everyone to see and live it once. Bless all the names. U2 knew what they were doing, message with the flag was it is time to?
Whether or not the curtain of names dropping was like the Towers, I don't know. But if it was, it was right to do. It should not be comfortable. Many lost their lives, can't sugar coat that.
Think you are imagining something unintended. If anything the falling of the curtain with names should remind us of how fragile and brief life really is.
The curtain falling represents the breakfast Bono had that morning. He wanted scrambled eggs but they brought him sunny side up and he was heart broken so he went to the back to speak with the chef and tripped and FELL down, so...
Still no idea why people react to things they know little about. It just seems embarrassing. I realise the US is insular about the world but other countries do exist. 9/11 hurt you and all the free world, but maybe once in a while look at an atlas and see other countries.
Americans are the world's caregivers. Somehow in our "insularity" our massive relief efforts (from private churches and citizens humanitarian efforts) reach out to every corner of the globe when natural disasters strike. Get off your smug anti American podium and either acknowledge our compassion or roll up your sleeves and do it yourself for your neighbors.🇺🇸🌎🌍🌏🇺🇸
these 4 guys from Ireland are the best Live Band EVER.
The curtain coming down was exactly the point. It was to show how those people were fallen. This wasn’t just for the Super Bowl, this was done every night during their tour at the time. Biggest live rock band of all time, still the biggest rock band in the world 45 years on. Longest running band of all time with the same line up. Just sold half a million tickets to their 25 show run in Vegas, with over a million ticket requests. No one touches them live.
They only did the curtains falling and the names at the Super Bowl and for their NYC shows on the tour, other than that it had symbols of their album
40 shows in Vegas! Lots of people went multiple times.
the names go up to heaven. what a way to salute the victims. the song asks to break free, and to let go of whatever holds you back. at that time, America was hit in the heart, thus the stage made extra sense. and there was only one band to rebuild belief in "no matter the grief, you will arise one more time". when the curtain falls down, Bono sings "Love Love Love", nailing it.
U2 is simply the best band of the last 40 years and the biggest live band of the last 35 years.
Não se pode interferir em algo com uma longa trajetória por causa de alguns instantes.
No one wanted to perform for this event but they did and did it with class!!!
U2's performance was so emotional- I watched this live, and it was so powerful. IMO no other band could have done this show at the emotional and energetic level they did. Growing up in Ireland, the members of U2 knew all too well about war-within their own country-and of loss. U2 are all about peace and kindness to EVERYONE- and they delivered when we needed it.
What a performance from U2
So much to take in and it’s regarded as the greatest superbowl halftime show ever. They also played Beautiful Day before this song.
U2 were one of the only acts to carry on touring after 9/11 . Their second leg of the Elevation tour started on the 10th of October less then a month after 9/11 . Most artists cancelled their tours , they didn’t know how to approach the disaster that had happened.
Totally different in U2’s case , u2 put their arms around America and used their music as part of the healing process for the country.
They played 3 dates at MSG at the end of October 2001 . Shows that some say are the greatest u2 shows ever. They brought various members of the New York fire service, police and Ambulance workers all on stage.
U2 are like no other artist. Especially live, they can touch someone’s soul and bring out pure emotion like no other. Bono used to say at the time “ the goal is soul “ and he was right.
Bono also organised a charity single , a cover of what’s going on. That had all the big worldwide stars singing on.
Their album at the time all that you can’t leave behind was huge. It came out in 2000 but some of the songs related so much to the horrible scenes on 9/11 . Songs like walk on , peace on Earth , when I look at the world , New York etc . The whole album had a new meaning after 9/11 . It sold 12 million copies and flew back up the charts in America after 9/11 . U2 again putting their arms around America with their music
The NFL did not want U2 to display the names of the dead on stage. They were even unsure whether to have a half time show. The whole show was U2’s design to honour the dead. U2 demanded the show they wanted and the NFL caved into their demand. There’s a documentary about the whole performance that explains it all. The curtain falling was a symbol of these people will never be forgotten all you need is love to go forward , love each other and everything will be ok , carry it each other. Great analogy from the son in the video
Great review
Poor parenting for not introducing U2’s music to your son 😃👍
Hey Guys, this is Dan T. Than you for reacting to this! The dad's reaction to the screen falling was a a valid response but it was not what U2 intended. The song was written with the idea that you can tell a lot about a person by the street they grew up on. Often, because of the neighborhood they live in, you'd know if they are catholic or protestant, black or white, Muslim or Jew (ect). Heaven (3 of the band members are quite spiritual in a rock and roll way) could be a place where these differences would mean very little and be a place where there would be clear unity. The screen falling demonstrated these names goint up to heaven. This is why THIS song performed at THIS time resonated with so many people. I remember being in a video bar during that show and the room went silent as the names started to scroll. I saw one grown man openly weeping. I STILL get emotional when I watch this. Your Dad WAS on point about there being so much unity and patriotism at this time and I miss it as well.
also you got to look at it, the names were still being projected even as the curtain fell down. It also represent that even when the curtain fall, those names still being projected upon the American people. Still rising and projected unwavering.
Hey Man, They Had To Rap Up Halftime Show And Move The Stage So They Had To Do It Quickly
The names ROSE as the curtain FELL. All that was left was a hole in our HEART. But the song says "I'll show you a place with no sorrow or pain...where the streets have no name.(heaven)" perfect imagery for such a tragic event.
Also consider the fact that U2 is from Ireland, not America, so a great show of respect and unity from the world. And opening his coat to show the flag was epic and showed how the world was with us.
U2 put their love for America on full display that night.
The curtain falling was the point. The country was in mourning, it represented how we remember but life goes on.
One of the top three live performances ever.
The banner was nothing to do with the superbowl or anything like that. That was entirely Bono and U2's idea. U2 were the first band to resume their tour in the United States after 9/11. They also did not create a stage special for this event like many seem to do. They just took their arena stage and put it in this giant stadium. The stage itself is actually heart shaped.
The curtains fell, not so the names would fall, but so they would go into the giant HEART that formed the stage.
We knew here in America all about the sudden, and violent destruction of those two towers falling, and the utter devastation of the loss of life that brought. To see it presented this way did not cause us any further pain.
The curtains fell into bright, shining lights, into the giant heart, and into the music of a band that wears it's spiritual foundations firmly on it's sleeve.
"Where the Streets Have No Name"---a prayer that we all will go to a place where we will not be known or judged by where we come from, but upon our humanity.
As an outsider, I love and respect your country. I love America and I am glad that America still exists and America will always be great.🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸❤️❤️❤️🦅🦅
u2 music is timeless and passionate the edge those guys are great musicians too
U2 was one of the very few bands that kept touring the autumn after 9/11. Saw them that November, their show was a more important mass than usual. NFL people saw them in NYC that autumn and that's why they were offered to do that SB half time show in New Orleans.
The single GREATEST SuperBowl half time show. Will never ever ever ever be beaten.
This is the greatest Super Bowl halftime show EVER! Not even close.
Micheal, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, The Rolling Stones, The Boss, none of them can hold a candle to U2.
Fue un antes y un después de U2 luego de semejante tema y lo que significo el 11 S... La intro, lo que significa el tema, inevitable que se te erice la piel... Único!! ❤🇦🇷🙏🌠
Still is and will always be the best SB performance ever.
From North side of Dublin....the First band in the world....PAUL, DAVID, LARRY, ADAM.....U2......❤❤❤
The falling curtain was of course intentional. A symbolism of the towers but what I just now realized, its that the names falls not anywhere, but in the middle of the heart (stage shape), our hearts. Saw it live (I was 23 at the time), listened many times since and still feeling new things about it.
Wow ❤
In some way I’m happy for the younger generation who was either too young to remember 9/11 or was born after. You don’t know what it was like to go to the airport to pick someone up at the gate. You don’t know what it’s like to never have to feel worried that your country would be attacked - you always felt safe here at home. You never had to worry about two of our tallest buildings fall and kill thousands of people. You never had to worry about someone highjacking your plane and using it as a weapon. 9/11 was the end of perceived innocence and the start of what I think of as the new age of violence. I will never, ever forget that day or visiting New York just a few months after. I had the same reaction looking at the devastation as I did when seeing the Grand Canyon - my brain just couldn’t process that it was real.
What was going on during that SB halftime was a superb heeling moment for USA. On a more modest aspect, I can tell you that the guitar sound of The Edge on this video is one of the best I have ever heard on UA-cam for Streets HNN !!! 👍💥
It’s called symbolism guys. Wasn’t disrespectful at all. If anything it was a tribute.
Shit man...when the curtain falls before the last chorus.....Goosebumps. Tremendous.
Showing my age but I find it hard to believe people have never heard of either the band or this track.
This was the perfect song and performance for that moment in time. I’ll never forget it.
The curtain drop was part of the show plan ENDING!
I like the story of being worried about conceiving a child at the time of 9/11. My wife and I were already expecting our first at the time. 9/11 is the date of graduation from our child birthing classes. I still have the card with the date stamped on it. Carry it everywhere.
Epic. I am from Hong Kong ❤
I too am Irish and I know without a doubt that neither Bono nor U2 meant anything but respect in letting the curtain fall down at that moment. They wanted to let the world see that yes 3000 people died that day and the manner in which they died was heinous but not to forget them or gloss over how unbelievably awful it was. Sometimes its' so dreadful that you have to stop, make yourself watch and then go forward as a country. Ireland is only a wee Island but we've had more than our fair share of atrocities over the years but with the help and support of a lot of great people and countries around the world, we've managed to stick to our hard won peace agreement that was brokered in 1998. It's not always easy but we've hung in there because peace always trumps ( no pun intended ) bloodshed.
Greatest Super Bowl show ever!
There is a documentary on how U2 put this together, it’s amazing how the honored the fallen
Actually guys it was u2 s idea with the banner names
U2 forever❤❤❤
I do be so surprised when nobody heard of u2 i just crack up lpl😅 good review
This was January of 2002 ; lbelive it's the Superdome in New Orleans. U2 were in the midst of their Elevation tour and they started their presentation by playing Beautiful Day ; and yes , this is the first Super Bowl that the Patriots won with Brady as their QB.
The current fell to show how they died and that they were loved and missed it was a call to action u2 is amazing for a group from Ireland they have always been there for the unloved
The song has a dual meaning as Dan says below. In the context of the song and the time of this performance, I believe that the place "where the streets have no name", is the New Jerusalem from the Book of Revelation". If you listen to the beginning of the video, you can hear Bono saying a prayer. "Lord, open up my lips so that I might show forth thy praise". So, the choice of this particular song matched with the falling curtain points toward heaven.
As far as I know, "Where the Streets have no name" is a reference to Heaven.
Bono wrote it after a trip to Africa
Hey guys, there is a short documentary on UA-cam about this performance. How U2 designed the set etc. also why U2 chose this song. Hope this helps 👍☘️
I saw it years back but haven’t been able to find it, can you link it??
Uk to us, god bless yuu, u2 the best
They're from Ireland dude, not UK......🤦♂
Yes I know , am from UK, my boys are from Ireland republic, apart from 2 of them, do you want to go on. I hate petty people, Dave and Adam are Welsh and English
I believe rhe names collapsing represented not just the buildings collapsing and the generic lives lost but the fact that all the names on there represented the loss of individual people.
Great reaction. Not sure if it was mentioned, but they took this gig for free. Another artist, an American, who I will not name, wanted a huge pay. The NFL went with the better option.... Not just monetarily, but substance.
Even if the screen fell to represent the towers falling, it's not disrespectful. It actually happened. I watched the actual towers fall. It was a powerful symbol.
God Bless America!!
10:40 To me the falling canvas was also very emotionally intense, but more because it felt as a symbol of giving over all those names, those people to eternity. I feel like if you're taking art 1:1 to life you're doing it wrong. I'm sure it's very culturally dependant on how you interpret it though.
I agree with the other comments. It was meant to be the towers falling, and how they went. My opinion with others. Hard to see but It was meant for everyone to see and live it once. Bless all the names. U2 knew what they were doing, message with the flag was it is time to?
Edge is the 🎸 🐐
Whether or not the curtain of names dropping was like the Towers, I don't know. But if it was, it was right to do. It should not be comfortable. Many lost their lives, can't sugar coat that.
Think you are imagining something unintended. If anything the falling of the curtain with names should remind us of how fragile and brief life really is.
BEST HALFTIME SHOW BY A MILE...........That one dedicated to all the black, hip hop performances was HORRID!!!!!!
What a performance, compare thoa to the garbage of the last 5 years
The West was beautiful at the turn of the millennium. 😢
The curtain falling represents the breakfast Bono had that morning. He wanted scrambled eggs but they brought him sunny side up and he was heart broken so he went to the back to speak with the chef and tripped and FELL down, so...
have you said three towers? lol
I don't think that banner was rotating. Just saying..
So what you’re saying is we need a common enemy. 🤔
U2 are “Irish”. Just to be clear.
“How America can rise to the occasion.” Uhm…. They’re Irish.
Still no idea why people react to things they know little about. It just seems embarrassing. I realise the US is insular about the world but other countries do exist. 9/11 hurt you and all the free world, but maybe once in a while look at an atlas and see other countries.
Americans are the world's caregivers. Somehow in our "insularity" our massive relief efforts (from private churches and citizens humanitarian efforts) reach out to every corner of the globe when natural disasters strike. Get off your smug anti American podium and either acknowledge our compassion or roll up your sleeves and do it yourself for your neighbors.🇺🇸🌎🌍🌏🇺🇸
America died along time ago Africa is coming