Bono took part in an annual charity busking event in Dublin last night (December 24), performing U2’s ‘Running To Stand Still’.
Every Christmas Eve, musicians take to the city’s Grafton Street to busk and raise money for local charities working to end homelessness. The event is organised by Glen Hansard and has been running for a decade.
This year, the fundraising session couldn’t take place on the street due to COVID-19 restrictions and so was live-streamed from Dublin’s St Patrick’s Cathedral instead. All proceeds raised from the event will be donated to Simon Community.
Bono performed U2’s ‘Running To Stand Still’ for this year’s stream, backed by guitarists, a pianist, a drummer and a violinist. The track was originally released in 1987 as part of the band’s seminal album ‘The Joshua Tree’. Watch it below now – Bono’s performance begins around the 12:16 mark.
Other performers at 2021’s Simon Busk included Hansard, Damien Rice and a rare appearance by Shane MacGowan to play The Pogues’ ‘Dirty Old Town’. You can donate to Simon Community here.
Meanwhile, Bono recently teamed up with Scarlett Johansson for a new version of U2’s classic hit ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’. The Irish musician and the Hollywood star joined forces to record the song together for the movie Sing 2.
Johansson plays Ash the porcupine in the film, while Bono voices a rock star lion named Clay Calloway.
U2 also contributed a new original song to Sing 2’s official soundtrack. ‘Your Song Saved My Life’ appeared on the tracklist alongside hits including Prince’s ‘Let’s Go Crazy’, The Weeknd’s ‘Can’t Feel My Face’ and Coldplay’s ‘A Sky Full Of Stars’.