U2 wow crowds with rooftop gig

12 April 2012

Veteran Irish rockers U2 mimicked the Beatles by performing an impromptu gig live from the top of a London landmark.

The band took to the roof of BBC Broadcasting House to belt out some of their best known hits much to the astonishment of commuters passing below on their way home.

A crowd quickly gathered to watch Bono and the rest of the band as they went through their paces.

The BBC reported that as many as 5,000 onlookers gathered to watch the gig. Fans danced, clapped and sang along, with many taking pictures on their mobile phones.

The gig was broadcast live on DJ Chris Evans BBC Radio 2 show.

All the band were wrapped up against the chilly February evening except for The Edge, wearing a short-sleeved lumberjack shirt and woolly hat.

The band performed for 20 minutes singing new song Get On Your Boots taken their new album No Line On The Horizon. They also sang perennial favourite Beautiful Day, Vertigo and another new track - Magnificent.

Bono told the crowd: "This is a great honour. This is the first time we've played these songs to people, so we hope we don't screw it up."

U2 formed in Dublin in 1976 and have gone on to have nine number one albums in the UK and 22 Grammy Awards.

Their latest album No Line On The Horizon will be released on March 2.

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