Watch U2 Perform ‘Desire’ With Local Tribute Act
U2 fans saw double during the band’s concert in Toronto Monday night, when the Irish rock outfit brought out local tribute act Acrobat for a spirited performance of the Rattle and Hum hit, “Desire.”
A fan-shot video captured the performance, which found Acrobat taking lead on the song while U2 stood nearby watching, before ultimately being drawn in by their lively impersonators. To close out the performance, Bono helped Acrobat’s frontman, who performs under the name Gabrielvox, belt out the final vocal and harmonica wails of “Desire,” before pointing to his doppelgänger and admitting, “I’ve always wanted to meet you. Love your early work.”
As U2FanTours.com points out, Acrobat also boasts bassist Mark Baker, a longtime U2 fan who joined the group onstage during the Montreal stop of their Innocence + Experience World Tour. Baker stars in the documentary U2 BROTHR — also his Twitter handle — about his experiences as a U2 superfan and member of Acrobat.
U2 have been heavily interacting with fans throughout their Innocence + Experience tour. In Phoenix, Bono corralled one superfan to play guitar during a rare performance of Joshua Tree deep cut, “In God’s Country”; and not long after, in Los Angeles, U2 invited Joe Hier, the frontman for the cover group Hollywood U2, onstage for a rendition of the 1998 single, “Sweetest Thing.” Later in U2’s L.A. stand, Bono spotted an Elvis impersonator in the crowd during a technical delay and brought him onstage for an impromptu performance of “Can’t Help Falling In Love.”
U2’s Innocence + Experience tour continues July 10th with a four-night stand in Boston. The band will then close out their North American leg with an eight-night stint at New York’s Madison Square Garden starting July 18th. U2 will return to the road this September for a number of international dates.