While U2’s guitarist “The Edge” may be fond of pushing the boundaries, last night he went too far. As the Irish rock band wrapped up the first show on their latest world tour in Vancouver, the British-born musician literally fell off the edge of the Rogers Arena stage. The 53 year-old rocker whose legal name is David Howell Evans is OK, although it’s certainly a memory that will stick with the 19,000 fans watching his fall.
“Didn’t see the edge, I’m ok,” said The Edge…about the edge (it’s confusing) via Facebook. The mishap occurred while Edge was walking down the stage’s runway during a performance of their anthem I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. After accidentally walking off of the…threshold, and hitting the neck of his guitar on the stage, The Edge climbed back onstage to complete the show.
It’s recently been rough going for U2, who are touring to promote thirteenth studio album Songs of Innocence (yes, the controversial one that Apple automatically downloaded to millions of smartphones last fall). Bono, who has had his own tumbles offstage (most infamously while walking backwards at a 2001 show in Miami), nearly ended his career in a November bike crash that shattered his eye socket and broke his arm in six places.
“Didn’t see the edge, I’m ok!!
Posted by U2 on Friday, May 15, 2015
Playing in rock bands certainly brings lots of occupational hazards but falling off the stage probably isn’t what first comes to mind. That said, The Edge joins a club which includes Aerosmith’s Stephen Tyler (head, neck and shoulder injuries after a slip in 2009), Frank Zappa (a paralyzed arm and a broken rib after a fan pushed him off the stage in 1971) and Meat Loaf (broken leg after falling off the stage in 1978). Thankfully, The Edge got away with just a few scratches on his arm.
The band’s Innocence + Experience global tour, which continues tonight, will take them to 19 cities from Vancouver and New York to Amsterdam, Barcelona and London this year.