U2’s lead singer Bono and the band’s guitarist, The Edge, dropped by NPR’s offices for a special stripped-down Tiny Desk performance.
The duo kicked off the set by playing their 2000 hit, “Beautiful Day.” They also dedicated “Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of,” which was also from their album, All That You Can’t Leave Behind, to the late INXS singer, Michael Hutchence.
Bono and The Edge also brought the Duke Ellington School of the Arts choir along with them, adding an emotional backing layer to the songs with their harmonies. The camera frequently panned to the students who were in the studio crowd off to the side. After every song, the audience happily cheered — and it was just a great energy all around.
They also played “In A Little While” before introducing the Hutchence tribute.
“All of these years trying to avoid a desk job,” The Edge joked. “I’m getting into it.”
“This song’s actually a song about friendship sort of. Edge and myself were discussing earlier how we’ve gotten a little maybe more intolerant as we’ve gotten older of our friends. I’ve made the mistake of putting my friends into categories,” Bono added. “You should never do this. The really difficult ones, you have to be careful what you say around them kind of.”
Finally, U2 closed the set out with “Walk On.”
Check out U2’s Tiny Desk performance above.