The Edge’s Solo Sistine
It might surprise you to find U2’s The Edge attending a conference on regenerative medicine. Might surprise you more to find he was attending said conference at the Vatican. Perhaps most surprising of all would be him being the first to perform contemporary music in the Sistine Chapel!
Back in 2006 his daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. Edge joined the board of the Angiogenesis Foundation (angiogenesis is about the body’s ability to generate new blood vessels) a year later.
Various reports indicate he performed Leonard Cohen’s “If It Be Your Will” along with U2’s “Ordinary Love”, “Yahweh” and “Walk On”.
ROME, Italy — U2’s lead guitarist The Edge became the first rock star to play in the Sistine Chapel on Saturday, performing an unplugged set with the backing of a young Irish choir.
The musician, whose real name is David Evans, was invited to play in the 15th century chapel for the participants of a conference on regenerative medicine, which took place inside the Vatican.
“When I was asked to perform in the Sistine Chapel I didn’t know what to say, because usually there’s ‘this other guy’ who sings,” The Edge told the audience, referring to U2’s lead singer Bono. “So it took me at least, well, 30 seconds to agree to it.”
It was reported that the Pope did not attend the conference but Edge did get to visit with him briefly.
