U2's "Songs of Innocence" tour has had a number of interesting events/incidents already, but the band's humor took the fore on Wednesday when the band brought on a Bono-impersonator for the song "The Sweetest Thing."
Joe Hier is a Los Angeles native who sings in the cover band Hollywood U2, which is described on its website as "the world's greatest U2 tribute band." The group also claims to be endorsed by Ryan Seacrest and Mark Cuban, which may be true, considering its appearance on the television program The World's Greatest Tribute Bands. Indeed, Hier looks like the frontman, if only because of some casual cosmetic work before the show. He was sporting the older, longer haircut but sorted pink sunglasses that were spot-on Bono.
And how did he sound? Not too bad. You're not going to get the pair confused if you close your eyes but we wouldn't mind having Hier at the front of our arena act. He didn't spend too much time actually performing at the concert...Bono handed Hier the microphone occasionally for the song's hook, but for the most part the replicant wandered the stage, shooting video on his iPhone (the video was streamed to a big screen at the Los Angeles Forum).
Sounds like a relatively good time for the band, in light of recent events. Guitarist The Edge fell off the stage at the first show in the "Songs of Innocence" tour but fortunately didn't suffer any significant injuries (such as those that Bono himself suffered in a bike accident last year, delaying the current tour). The band was also hit with a bombshell earlier this week when longtime tour manager Dennis Sheehan died. He had been with the group for more than 30 years.
