U2 turned 50 and threw a party on Grafton Street 🎂

Hi friends,

Last Friday, U2 turned 50, and Dublin did not do it quietly. This week's episode is our full recap of the day, and it's out now for subscribers, 2pm EST for everyone else.

🎧 Listen on Apple, Spotify & everywhere · ▶️ Watch on YouTube or here ⬇️

No Side A or Side B this week, just one fast run through the whole celebration:

• The 5am Stationhead "party." We set alarms. We downloaded an app. We got up at 4:30… to listen to U2 songs we already own.

• Back to school. A surprise set at Mount Temple, where it all started, with 32 young string players from Music Generation (one from every county in Ireland) and the live debut of "Silencio."

• Grafton Street from the Bewley's balcony. Eleven songs over a shut-down street. Edge sang "Falling Slowly" for Glen Hansard, the king of Grafton Street, and we're still not over it.

• The encore the fans picked. 4,999 people sang Happy Birthday, then called for "40," and the band played it (with Edge on bass and Adam on guitar).

• Our questions for Bono over whiskey and cake. Is there any 1976 Bono left in 2026 Bono? And what would the day have looked like without a new album to promote?

Plus a quick update on Hillary's foot, since so many of you asked. She's on the mend. Thank you for all the love. 💚

Coming up: Next week we dig into "Silencio" properly, plus the Carnaval de Luz album announcement. November 13 can't come fast enough. Until then, we're posting a new clip from Dublin every day this week on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, so come say hi.

Two new things on our site: we have a store with some cute stuff in it, and we've revamped our Patreon. If you want a little extra content and a way to support the show every month, take a look at the new tiers. Please and thank you! 🙏

👉 Shop the store · Join us on Patreon

Were you on Grafton Street or up at 4:30am with us? Hit reply and tell us. We read every one.

Kissing lips and breaking hearts,
Jenny & Hillary
The Garden Tarts