NOVEMBER 4: U2's 1st time at Rockpalast / Edge breaks a guitar string / "Rattle And Hum" premieres in LA / the largest concert in Christchurch / Adam sings a whole verse of "When Love Comes To Town" / promoting Best Of / 87th 'VERTIGO' show: Bono´s homage to Elvis-a fan dressed as Elvis-Edge breaks a string during 'Wild Horses'-Edge´s reaction with crowd´s reaction / U2 rehearsing in Brisbane (The Saints Are Coming) / Edge's interview about 'The Saints Are Coming', the video, to U2.com!

"October" tour - november 4, 1981 - U2 perform in Berlin, Germany at the Metropol. The gig is filmed for the German "Rockpalast" concert series, and is the U2´s first appearance. The crowd is unresponsive, and Bono kicks over his microphone stand in frustration at the end of the show. The show is broadcast on WDR TV on march 6, 1982.

"The Joshua Tree" tour - november 4, 1987 - U2 perform in St. Paul, Minnesota at the Civic Center. During "Spanish Eyes", The Edge breaks a guitar string, and Bono improvises while The Edge gets a new guitar, "Our love...needs a new guitar, in your Spanish Eyes, I met The Edge, he hasn't changed a bit, he's still breaking guitar strings, like he used to do..." Bono introduces guitar technician Steve McAllister on his birthday, and demands that he play with the band during "People Get Ready": "I want to introduce to you one of the peoplethat gets us ready...for you. Without this road crew, without these people hanging from lights, we are nothing, and never will be." The crowd accompany Bono and sing "Happy Birthday" at the end of the song. Support is "The BoDeans".

"Rattle And Hum" premieres in LA - november 4, 1988 - U2 attend the North American premiere of "Rattle & Hum" in Los Angeles, California at the China Theater. The movie also opens in over 1200 movie theaters across North America the same day. The police refuse to give permission to U2 to perform at the China Theater, fearing a mob scene with the thousands of fans who have come to see U2 play. In spite of police objections--they perform "When Love Comes To Town" (Edge strum a rough version), "Stand By Me", and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". Scenes from the premiere are carried live by CNN. Proceeds from the night go to Amnesty International.

"LoveTown" tour - november 4, 1989 - U2 perform in Christchurch, New Zealand at Lancaster Park. The show is the largest concert ever in Christchurch, even though it doesn't sell out(20,000 of 60,000 tickets remain unsold). Tonight's version of "All Along The Watchtower" contains parts of Neil Young's "Like A Hurricane". Support is B.B. King.

"ZOO TV - Broadcast" tour - november 4, 1992 - Vancouver - Canada - B.C. Place Stadium. This night is much better for the band. Under the backdrop of ZooTV covering the US elections, the band play an inspired performance - the problems of last night seem to be forgotten. "Goodbye, George Bush," Bono says to the vidi-walls, "I don't think we'll miss you that much..." Larry adds vocals to "Dancing Queen" and Adam sings a whole verse of "When Love Comes To Town"(far too fast for Larry and Edge to follow) - the band actually have trouble keeping up with the pace Adam plays and sings at. Bono notes that the second show in Vancouver really "f---ed up the scalpers", as the addition of the second night left them with many tickets. During the encore, Bono asks the crowd, "I don't want to be Elvis tonight, I want to be Bono tonight...You love me for who I am, don't you? I don't have to put on all this shit for you, do I? It's hard..." Support is B.P. Fallon, "The Sugarcubes", and "Public Enemy".

U2 goes on radio to promote Best Of collection - november 4, 1998 - U2 takes part in a 2-hour interview special to be syndicated on worldwide radio. The band speaks with fans who submitted questions on the Internet. The radio program will air in most countries within the next week.

87th 'VERTIGO' show - November 04, 2005 / Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Arena - Damian Marley - Bono´s homage to Elvis / a fan dressed as Elvis / Edge breaks a string during 'Wild Horses' / Edge´s reaction with crowd´s reaction! City of Blinding Lights, Vertigo, Elevation, The Electric Co. - Send in the Clowns, The Ocean, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - In a Little While, Beautiful Day, Miracle Drug, Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, Stuck In a Moment You Can't Get Out Of, Love and Peace or Else, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Bullet the Blue Sky, Miss Sarajevo, Pride, Where the Streets Have No Name, One - Can't Help Falling In Love. Encore(s): Walk On (acoustic), Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, With or Without You, All Because of You, Yahweh, 40. Stuck In a Moment is dedicated to Michael Hutchence. Bono channels Elvis during Love and Peace, his voice and moves imitating The King. During Sunday Bloody Sunday, Bono takes a red/white 'Coexist' flag from a fan and drapes it over Larry's bass drum. Bono gets 'lost' while kneeling blindfolded during Bullet, and crew member AJ Rankin comes on stage to guide him to the mic stand. A fan dressed as Elvis dances at the tip of the ellipse while Bono sings 'Can't Help Falling in Love' on the main stage after One. Edge breaks a string during Wild Horses, and much of the song is played with no guitar. **** Photos flickr

U2 rehearsing in Brisbane (The Saints Are Coming) - November 4, 2006 - The band did not rehearse outside yesterday; rather, they have been rehearsing inside a room at the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre. U2 have been commuting between QSAC and their hotel on the Gold Coast via helicopter. A rumour doing the rounds is that they have extensively rehearsed The Saints Are Coming, a song by The Skids that they recently recorded with Green Day. A member of U2's crew reportedly informed fans gathered outside QSAC that U2 will be rehearsing on stage from 2pm Sunday, and a full dress rehearsal will take place at some point on Monday night, but security around QSAC will be tight. Guitarist, Dave "The Edge" Evans says they haven't finalised their set for their Aussie gigs, "it'll take us a while, it'll take us a few shows. We have a few ideas in the works but nothing I can tell you right now". Look for: Sign language, The Edge leaves his mark on a fan's shirt here. Ms Stuart, who lived in Dublin in 1997 and worked in a restaurant owned by Bono. When her hero walked in to his restaurant one day, Ms Stuart ignored all protocol and asked to have her picture taken with him. Bono did not mind then and he did not mind yesterday when he signed the photo from 1997 and talked with Ms Stuart. Later in the day, about 120 people, from toddlers to grandparents, lined obediently around the hotel driveway. Each band member came out and signed autographs, kissed babies and talked to fans. Bono said the band was loving Queensland and looking forward to performing as a group for the first time in six months. Look for: DEVOTED. Bono signs Karen Stuart's photo from 1997 here.

Edge's interview about 'The Saints Are Coming', the video, to U2.com - November 4, 2006 - "NOT AS SEEN ON TV" - Edge spoke to U2.com today about the response, 'We thought we might get people's attention but we never thought it would be this big'.

In the week since it was first broadcast on You Tube, 1.2 million people have so far watched the video for U2/Green Day's version of 'The Saints Are Coming' making it one of the most watched videos on You Tube.

Chris Milk shot the video at Abbey Road studios in London and at the reopening of the New Orleans Super dome in September.

The live and in-studio scenes are spliced with images of American military aircraft bringing supplies to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Milk used actual news footage from Hurricane Katrina combined with CGI fighter jets, helicopters and tanks. The video is overlayed with fake cable news headlines 'US Iraq Troops Redeployed to New Orleans'

Edge spoke to U2.com today about the response, 'We thought we might get people's attention but we never thought it would be this big'.

If you haven't seen the video­ watch it (U2.com)

The track was released for download earlier this week and is currently No.1 on iTunes in the UK, the commercial single is in stores on Monday, with proceeds going to Music Rising.

Photo 1. Photo 2. Photo 3. Photo 4.