U2 front man Bono joined Snow Patrol on stage at Ward Park in Bangor last night with Friends star Courteney Cox watching on.
The Northern Irish band were the headliners of an all-day concert, organised by Bangor man Gary Lightbody, which also saw sets from Foy Vance, Two Door Cinema Club, who release their from their new album False Alarm in June, and Ash.
Bono joined Snow Patrol to perform U2 song One in front of the estimated 35,000 crowd in what is being described as a tribute to the relationship between Northern Ireland and the Republic.
#bono joined @snowpatrol @garysnowpatrol for a special version of #one #wardpark3 #wp3 pic.twitter.com/eF1hhOSlWH
— Claire Williamson (@clairewilliam22) May 25, 2019
"No them, there is only us," the U2 singer sang to the crowd.
The Belfast Telegraph reports that Lightbody introduced the song, saying that although Ward Park 3 was a day celebrating the best of Northern Irish music, they also wanted to "pay homage to the great music that comes from the Republic".
As the opening chords of One sounded out across the venue, he said "only one song for these heady times".
What. a. moment . 😍 total surprise move - Bono just strolls on stage with Snow Patrol in Bangor ✨✨✨ pic.twitter.com/5B94zTWwxK
— Judith Hill (@JudeHill_utv) May 25, 2019
Courteney Cox was at the show supporting her Snow Patrol boyfriend Johnny McDaid. The pair announced their engagement in 2014.
During a performance of their song Take Back The City, Snow Patrol also paid tribute to murdered journalist Lyra McKee, projecting a picture of campaigners at a same-sex marriage parade in Belfast carrying a large cut-out of Lyra’s name in rainbow colours.
When you go to see Snow Patrol at Ward Park, Bangor and Bono turns up. pic.twitter.com/9c50xpoENR
— James Neill 🔶🇪🇺🇬🇧🇮🇪🌎🗳️ (@jneill) May 25, 2019
Lightbody is due to join the final leg of a "walk for peace" from Belfast to Londonderry in memory of Lyra today.
Snow Patrol play Dublin's Malahide Castle on Friday June 7.
