Live Performances
The song took on further meaning as a supporting, uplifting anthem following the September 11th attacks in 2001. It was performed live in-studio during the America: A Tribute to Heroes television benefit concert on September 21, 2001, and that performance earned the band a Grammy nomination. The first performance for a live audience following September 11 was at the University of Notre Dame on October 10, 2001, where the band brought on stage members of the New York City Police and Fire Departments. The song's uplifting nature led to it being used frequently to close concerts during the Elevation Tour. Live versions of the song were released on the concert films Elevation 2001: Live from Boston, U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle, and U2 360° at the Rose Bowl. During the Vertigo Tour, it appeared rarely, typically in an acoustic format. It was snippeted after "Running to Stand Still" on the Vertigo Tour at the dates closest to June 19, the birthday of Aung San Suu Kyi. The song was a regular part of the setlist for the U2 360° Tour. Prior to the tour, the band asked fans to bring masks of Suu Kyi to concerts and wear them during performances of "Walk On" in support of her. Also, during the same tour, in some cities such as Hannover, Barcelona, Coimbra and İstanbul, Amnesty International and One volunteers went on stage and walked on the outer circle of The Claw during the performance of the song, carrying either Suu Kyi masks or Amnesty International lanterns. In June 2012, Bono performed the song live for Suu Kyi during the Electric Burma concert in Dublin in her honour.
Read more about this topic: Walk On (U2 Song)
Famous quotes containing the words live and/or performances:
“The soul of me is very selfish. I have gone my way after a fashion that made me the center of the plan. And you who are so individual, who are so independent a spirit, whose soul is also a kingdom, have been so loyal, so forgiving, so self-sacrificing in your willingness to live my life. Nothing but love cold have accomplished so wonderful a thing.”
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)
“At one of the later performances you asked why they called it a “miracle,”
Since nothing ever happened. That, of course, was the miracle
But you wanted to know why so much action took on so much life
And still managed to remain itself, aloof, smiling and courteous.”
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)