U2 released new single “Atomic City” today (Friday, September 29). The song arrives as the band prepares to start their U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At The Sphere residency in Las Vegas tonight.
Not only do the song’s lyrics shout out Las Vegas, but “Atomic City” was a nickname chosen for Las Vegas by the Chamber of Commerce in the 1940s. The video for the Steve Lillywhite and Jacknife Lee co-produced cut was filmed in the streets of Las Vegas earlier this month.
“This is the world premiere of ‘Atomic City’ a rock ‘n’ roll 45-inch tradition of late 70’s post punk if you are interested…Blondie, The Clash,” U2 frontman Bono told the crowd assembled at the video shoot about the band’s first single since 2021. While drummer Larry Mullen Jr. is featured on both the track and in the video, he will not perform with U2 during their residency at The Sphere. Bram van den Berg will be behind the kit backing Bono, guitarist The Edge and bassist Adam Clayton at the new Las Vegas venue.
“It’s really tricky for him. And he came in the night before we recorded it in Sound City. So many stories in that studio,” Bono revealed of Larry Mullen Jr.’s participation in the sessions to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1. “Larry went the night before to just make sure,” Bono added. “He didn’t know if he could play for an hour or… he didn’t know if he could play for 15 minutes. And he just played up the storm.”
Check out U2’s “Atomic City” video below:
