February 2009
At this year’s Grammy Awards event, one of the undisputed highlights was U2’s performance of “Get On Your Boots” from the new album, “No Line On The Horizon.”
One remarkable aspect of the performance was the video, directed by Catherine Owens and edited by Adam Jenkins of bicoastal Union that accompanied it.
The video evokes a combination of old-fashioned Americana and 60s psychedelia that seems suited to the song's quick rhythm and socially conscious lyrics.
Bono's rock-and-roll swagger brings an element of frivolity to a song that is actually quite serious and at times frightening (Night is falling everywhere/Satan loves a bomb scare).
"Working on this project was similar to doing a music video, in that it was a case of matching visuals to the pacing of the song," says Jenkins.
"The difference was that the imagery had to complement the four blokes playing in front of the screen not on it."
"(visual effects house) Loyal Kaspar provided amazing material to work with," Jenkins continues, "and it was a very collaborative process. Bono provided a basic plan for the band's onstage blocking. He wanted the introduction up until the Edge plays his intro guitar lick to be quite manic. When the lyrics came in, he wanted the words to appear on full-colour palets. The chorus, breakdown, intro and outro were our moments to show off; that's where the band gave us full reign to really push it."
While the initial video was created for the Grammy's, U2 loved it so much they asked Union to re-edit a version for their performance at the BRIT Awards in London. Additional versions have been created for performances in Germany and France. "According to wikipedia, there's 3166 countries in the world," muses Jenkins, "so G-d help us if U2 goes on tour."
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