When/Where Was This Picture Taken?
11 Apr 2008
Have a look at this, please:
Sarah, the photo editor at Omnibus, asked me if I knew when or where this photo was taken. The caption included with the photo only says, Bono on stage, cutting up an American flag and throwing it back into audience.
First, that’s a white flag, not an American flag. Other than that, the main question is … when and where was this taken?
I gave Sarah a guess, but thought I’d turn to you, the ultra-smart U2 fans following this blog, to see if you know more about the photo than I do. I’m guessing you do. :)
Let me know in the comments, please!
You know this, but wasn’t there a bit in the 80s for awhile of taking the orange and green out of Irish flags and saying he only saw white? One side is already cut, and the angle would be obscuring the third color so only white is visible to us… I don’t have a guess as to where, but I wonder if something like that is what’s going on at least.
Yeah, I think it is an Irish flag. It looks like it was taken during the Unforgettable Fire tour but I can’s say for sure.
Based on the cymbals that Larry is playing (Paiste RUDEs), this was during the Unforgettable Fire tour. Also, he added the timbale (left-hand drum over the bass drum) during this era and kept it for quite awhile (I believe he dropped it on the Zoo TV tour.
I also recall what the others have stated.
I agree with the others but my first inkling that it was the Unforgettable Fire tour was Bono’s hair. His hair is usually a dead give away. But yeah, it’s leaving just the white on the Irish Flag. That’s why it was such a big deal at Slane that he wrapped himself in the entire Irish Flag.
That photo appears on page 60 of “U2 Live A Concert Documentary” (3rd edition). It was taken December 9, 1984 at Cleveland Music Hall (Unforgettable Fire tour). By the way, that’s a white towel, not a flag – but cutting a flag is a much more dramatic caption!