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Bono, U2 & A Heart Valve Disease Coincidence?

Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Page last updated: March 21, 2024

As you may know… Bono, the lead singer of U2, recently shared that he had heart valve and aortic aneurysm surgery performed by Dr. David Adams at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. You may also know that I am a huuuuuuuuuge U2 fan.

So, when U2 announced “Achtung Baby”, their 40-show residency at the new MGM Sphere in Las Vegas, I needed to go.

Bono Sphere Singing U2 Performing at MGM Sphere (Las Vegas)

This past Saturday night, I was lucky to see U2 perform “Achtung Baby” which is a live reboot of their gear-shifting, transformative and fantastic 1991 album which includes One, Mysterious Ways, Even Better Than The Real Thing, The Fly, Ultra Violet, Zoo Station, and So Cruel.

The concert also featured many generational, iconic and fan-favorite tracks spanning U2’s brilliant career that stretches over four decades. Yep, the set list included With or Without You, Beautiful Day, Vertigo, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, Angel of Harlem, Pride, and even… MLK.

A Disneyland Experience for U2 Fans?

Without being a spoiler, I will simply say the show was extraordinary.

Wait, let me rephrase that.

The “experience” was extraordinary.

This was no ordinary show. This was magic.

“It’s like we’re at Disneyland for U2 fans,” said Robyn, my wife.

Adam & Robyn Pick Robyn & Me at U2’s Achtung Baby (MGM Sphere)

The band was tight.

Bono never sounded better. The Edge shredded. Adam dropped thick and therapeutic bass lines. And, Bram Van Den Berg did a great job filling-in on drums for the recovering Larry Mullen, Jr.

The sound and the special effects within the new Sphere, which cost $2.3 billion to construct, forced me to reconsider the future of live music — and, in a good way.

Sphere U2 Bono

I’ve read that the curved Sphere screen has over 260 million pixels and more than 150,000 speakers.

I literally gasped and awed throughout the 2-hour show as my eyes and my ears processed the elegant, the digital and the mind-blowing integration of light, color, more light, more color and, most importantly, U2’s music.

What’s That Word Behind Bono???!!!

There was one specific moment during the concert that made me stop, shake my head, squint my eyes, and reflect.

During “The Fly”, the second track on the set list, the screen flashed several text messages to the crowd.

Valve Text at U2 Sphere Show with Bono “Valve” Text On Sphere Screen During “The Fly”

Then… To my surprise… There… Right behind Bono… Was the word… “Valve”.

I don’t know if this was a crazy coincidence? Or, something else?

But, it definitely amplified the joy of this special night!!!

Written by Adam Pick
- Patient & Website Founder

Written by Adam Pick - Patient & Website Founder

Adam Pick is a heart valve patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. In 2006, Adam founded HeartValveSurgery.com to educate and empower patients. This award-winning website has helped over 10 million people fight heart valve disease. Adam has been featured by the American Heart Association and Medical News Today.