Immigration at the U2 Joshua Tree Tour Concert

Irish rock band U2 is currently on tour in the United States.  The Joshua Tree Tour hit Los Angeles this past weekend, playing two nights at the Pasadena Rose Bowl to sold-out crowds. As a lifelong U2 fan (think 6th grade binder covered in pictures of Bono and The Edge), I was there and was – as always with this band – deeply inspired, entertained and moved. 

Of possible interest to blog readers were the references to immigration at various junctures during the concert. The band has long highlighted broader social justice themes, and so it was no surprise to see excerpts of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous, “I Have a Dream” speech on the screen early in the evening:

Later on, the screen featured a dubbed-over Western cowboy video clip that included references to Trump and the wall, as well as video footage of a Syrian teenage girl and scenes from a Jordanian refugee camp:

The LA Times also reviewed the concert in this article. Photos above were taken from my phone. The band heads to Texas next — it will be interesting to see how the crowds there react.

-JKoh