U2 Rocks Dublin Downtown From Hotel Rooftop

9.28.00 - Reuters

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Veteran Irish rock band U2 proved Wednesday it could still draw a crowd as several thousand people jammed central Dublin to watch a rooftop gig.

Fans, braving wind and rain, strained for a glimpse of their musical heroes as the band performed a selection of hits from its forthcoming album "All that you can't leave behind."

The gig, taking place 100 feet above street level on top of the Clarence Hotel, evoked memories of a U2 performance on a hotel roof in Los Angeles 13 years ago.

Police struggled Wednesday to contain the crowd, which spilled into two of Dublin's main roads along the banks of the River Liffey.

A roar erupted as lead singer Bono saluted the onlookers, who could only see the foursome in silhouette, framed against a gray and cloudy skyline.

Not all spectators were pleased though.

"This is just total insanity," a U.S. tourist said as she struggled through the crowd, lamenting that she could barely hear the music over the din of fans and traffic.

U2 filmed their video of hit single "Where the Streets Have No Name" on the roof of the Million Dollar Hotel in Los Angeles in 1987. Bono produced a film, directed by Wim Wenders and released earlier this year, named after the decaying hotel.

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