U2's half-time performance at the US Super Bowl became a moving tribute to
those who lost their lives on September 11th.
The band performed Beautiful Day, MLK and Where The Streets
Have No Name.
As Beautiful Day wound down and MLK opened, a giant screen scrolled the
names of victims in the attacks, introducing the opening chords of 'Where
the Streets Have No Name.'
The names reflected in overlapping patterns across the stands, which were
dark save for countless camera flashes.
The set was in contrast to glitzy halftime shows of the past, the effects
were limited to strobe lights and all attention was on Bono as he pulled
back his lapel to reveal an American flag to the roars of the crowd.
'Most emblematic,' reports the New York Times this morning. 'There was Bono,
fresh from the World Economic Forum, where on Saturday he had a formal
debate with Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and lobbied for the cancellation
of third-world debt. He led U2 in a live performance during the halftime
show, a one-man walking, talking, singing symbol of how politics and
entertainment mixed here.'
Sunday's pregame lineup opened with the Boston Pops. and the pregame lineup
also featured Paul McCartney, Barry Manilow, Marc Anthony, Mary J. Blige,
Patti LaBelle, James Ingram, Wynonna, Yolanda Adams and Mariah Carey.
The pregame show also included a video of current and former star players
reading the Declaration of Independence. In another video, former presidents
Carter, Clinton, Ford and Bush joined Nancy Reagan in quoting Abraham
Lincoln.
McCartney, who was in New York when the hijacked planes struck the World
Trade Center, sang his Sept. 11-inspired song, ''Freedom.''
More news and reports as we get them.