U2 goes back to school to put on a show where it all began 50 years ago

LONDON (AP) — Irish band U2 returned to school Friday to put on a surprise class in rock and roll where they formed a half century ago.

The band ripped through a seven-song set including an encore of “With or Without You” for hundreds of students in the schoolyard of Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin and a crowd of others who got word of the gig or — like a construction crew several floors up a nearby building — were lucky to be within earshot and have a bird's eye view.

“We escaped the lab — how’s the experiment going for you?” Bono said as he pointed to the science classrooms.

The band got its start at the school 50 years ago when a 14-year-old Larry Mullen posted a note on a message board reading: “Drummer seeks musicians to form band.”

Originally known as Feedback, the group consisted of singer Paul Hewson, now Bono, guitarist David Evans, known as The Edge, and Adam Clayton on bass.

The rest, as they say, is history, though it would be a couple of years before they settled on the name U2 and not until 1980 that their first album, “Boy,” dropped, featuring “I Will Follow,” the first tune they played for the enthusiastic children.

The 30-minute gig was not quite as secret as it may have seemed. A camera crew was rolling, international news media were gathered and a group of 32 students accompanied the band on stringed instruments for the hit, "One.”

It was part of a promotional push for their new album, “Carnaval De Luz,” which features a duet between Bono and Dolly Parton, who died of cancer last month.

They later performed from a balcony to a crowd of fans on popular Grafton Street in central Dublin.

Students, some sticking their heads out of classroom windows, screamed and cheered. They captured the moment on their phones and sang along to the familiar tunes. Some yelled, “I love you Bono!”

Bono thanked his captive audience but noted they had “nowhere else to go.”

As he counted down the signature start of “Vertigo,” with “uno, dos, tres, catorce” (one, two, three, 14), he quipped: “If you’re taking Spanish lessons, don’t take them from me."

In a tribute to teachers, he became philosophical about his time at the school, saying it was where the band began the “humblest and hardest lesson” of learning how much they needed to be taught.

“Part of that started here and the sense was that maybe all we needed was around us, just under our feet — if we could see it in our mates, our wider community that was going to help us get through the next 50 years," he said. "So we want to thank them — and the wider community around this rock ‘n’ roll high school.”

Members of the crowd take photos on their phones as U2 perform an impromptu concert from a balcony in central Dublin, Ireland , Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

U2 perform an impromptu concert from a balcony in central Dublin, Ireland , Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Members of the crowd take pictures and video on their phones as they watch U2 perform an impromptu concert from a balcony in central Dublin, Ireland, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

U2 perform an impromptu concert from a balcony in central Dublin, Ireland , Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

U2 perform an impromptu concert from a balcony in central Dublin, Ireland , Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey ’s Democratic lieutenant governor resigned Friday after the governor demanded he step down over accusations of inappropriate behavior with women and ethics lapses.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill had given Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell until Friday to bring an end to a scandal that threatened to be a drag on her fledgling administration.

Sherrill said she was committed to changing what she said was a longstanding problem in state government with people turning a blind eye to sexual harassment.

“There has been a culture in Trenton, probably since the birth of our nation, to sweep this under the rug,” she said at a news conference announcing the resignation.

“That is not the kind of government I’m running,” she added. “When I say there is a culture change taking place, I mean it.”

Republicans have hammered Sherrill for weeks on the investigation into Caldwell, who serves as acting governor in her absence. He also oversees elections as New Jersey’s secretary of state, and his resignation comes weeks ahead of midterm elections that will decide who controls Congress.

Sherrill picked Caldwell, a Methodist pastor and former president of Centenary University, as her running mate last year. They took office in January, but within four months, Caldwell had become the subject of an anonymous complaint about his behavior with women.

She called for him to resign on Thursday after a law firm she hired concluded he behaved inappropriately around women.

Caldwell has disputed the allegations and initially showed no signs he would leave office willingly. His attorney did not respond to a request for comment after the resignation was announced.

In New Jersey, a governor can’t fire the lieutenant governor because the post is independently elected. But the state's second-in-command can be impeached and removed from office by the Legislature. A governor can strip a lieutenant governor of nearly all duties and responsibilities, effectively sidelining them from the administration.

Sherill said Caldwell chose to resign because he cared about their agenda and the challenges facing the state, but she declined to say whether he expressed any remorse.

The law firm’s report released Thursday said Caldwell committed several violations of state policy. It said Caldwell, 66, made an advance toward a staff member’s friend and when he was rebuffed told the staffer, “you young women are looking for young sperm.”

The report said Caldwell had tried to get a promotion for a state employee he was dating and brought personal guests to the opera and other ticketed events without paying for them, as required by ethics rules.

In a letter included in the report, Caldwell said he suspected his relationships with women were being subjected to extra scrutiny because he was a single Black man.

Caldwell’s lawyer, Thomas Calcagni, previously said his client “categorically denies” making the sperm statement but acknowledged that Caldwell had recommended the woman for a promotion, although he denied ordering anyone to promote her. Caldwell denied other claims, including that he gave out his business cards to women for inappropriate reasons.

Until a new lieutenant governor is named, state Senate President Nicholas Scutari will step in as acting governor if Sherrill is away or unable to perform her duties.

In neighboring New York, a similar impasse has played out over the past year between Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and her estranged Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, who launched a caustic primary challenge to unseat her only to withdraw from the race as the election neared.

Hochul is now running for reelection in November with Adrienne Adams, the former speaker of the New York City Council, as her replacement lieutenant governor nominee.

Marcelo reported from New York.

FILE - New Jersey Democratic Gov. elect Mikie Sherrill and Lt. Gov. elect Dale Caldwell celebrate during an election night party in East Brunswick, N.J., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

FILE - New Jersey Democratic Lt. Governor elect Dale Caldwell speaks during an election night party in East Brunswick, N.J., Nov. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)