Bono uses U2’s Sphere residency to pay tribute to Alexei Navalny

Bono has paid tribute to Alexei Navalny during a recent Las Vegas residency show with U2.

• READ MORE:  U2 live in Las Vegas: a dazzling opening night at the $2 billion Sphere

The moment took place on Saturday night (February 17), during the band’s show at the Sphere as part of their ongoing residency. It was just before they launched into a rendition of Crowded House’s ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’, that Bono paid his respects to the Russian opposition leader, who was imprisoned in a Russian penal colony and suddenly died on Friday (February 16).

“Edge and I got to stand with some of the people in Ukraine as they stood in that train station, which was a converted bomb shelter. We got to stand with some of the people of Ukraine as they waited for the train to arrive with the rest of the free world on it,” he began the speech to the crowd. “They’re still waiting for some of that train to arrive. America, you’re so generous… but let’s get these people what they need.”

“Next week it’ll be two years since Putin invaded and tried to destroy the hard-won freedoms [of the Ukrainian people],” he added. “Next it’ll be Poland, next it’ll be Lithuania, East Germany — who knows where this man will or won’t go.”

“To these people, freedom is not just a word in a song. For these people, freedom is the most important word in the world — so important that Ukrainians are fighting and dying for it. And it’s so important that Alexei Navalny chose to give his up.”

The comments refer to Navalny’s decision to return to Russia in 2021, where he was immediately arrested and imprisoned on charges of corruption – charges which have been widely reported as being fabricated and issued in an attempt to silence his criticism of Putin.

As reported by Rolling Stone, in 2022 Navalny was sentenced to nine years in prison, and an additional 19 years were added to his sentence in August. His imprisonment led to widespread protests against Putin throughout Russia.

He survived at least two documented assassination attempts, and was found dead on Friday.

“Apparently Putin would never, ever say his name,” Bono continued on the night. “So I thought tonight, the free people, from here, people who believe in freedom — we must say his name. Not just remember it, but say it.”

The frontman then led the crowd in a chant of “Alexei Navalny”, going on to launch into an acoustic performance of the Crowded House song.

The rock band commenced their Sphere residency last October, and was previously extended into 2024 due to high demand.

Elsewhere, U2 are also said to be working on a new album. In an interview in November, Bono said that the record was “somewhat tied” to the medical status of drummer Larry Mullen Jr., who has been recovering from neck surgery, and pulled out of playing at the band’s Las Vegas Sphere residency.

Bono had previously said that the new album would be “an unreasonable guitar record” with “big choruses”.