U2 Stadium Tour: Larry Mullen Jr. Returns to the Drums

Mullen returns to the kit

Rehearsals for a new U2 stadium tour are under way, with founding drummer Larry Mullen Jr. back behind the kit. According to a Rolling Stone interview reported by NME and Paste Magazine on September 29, the band confirmed it is preparing a U2 stadium tour, a run of huge shows that will see Mullen play every date, his first full touring commitment since major surgery forced him to step aside. The back and neck operations were the reason he sat out the band's residency at the Las Vegas Sphere in 2023 and 2024, where Dutch drummer Bram van den Berg filled in. Paste reports that Mullen's condition stems from a congenital facet-joint fusion, made worse by decades of drumming, which left him with chronic pain and eventually required the high-risk procedure.

Mullen was frank with Rolling Stone about the physical limits he still faces. He said he is unsure whether he has recovered enough to play night after night without problems, adding that even an hour on stage would be enough for him. Bono told the magazine he hopes the whole band stays well and that Mullen in particular keeps hold of his fitness. Listening back to recordings of the rehearsal sessions, Mullen said he had been pleasantly surprised by what he heard, noting that the band did not sound old. The U2 stadium tour will be the first chance for fans to hear the full four-piece together since his operations.

The drummer's return was previewed by two surprise appearances in Dublin last week. The band played at their former high school, Mount Temple Comprehensive School, where Mullen once posted a notice seeking musicians to form a band half a century ago, and performed from the balcony of a cafe. Paste reports that the school show marked the band's 50th anniversary on September 25, with the group joined by 32 young string players representing each of Ireland's counties. Those low-key appearances were Mullen's first live performances since the surgeries, a prelude to the U2 stadium tour to come.

Carnaval De Luz and what comes next

The tour news follows the band's announcement of their 16th studio album, Carnaval De Luz, unveiled on September 24 and due out November 13. The 12-song record, produced by Jacknife Lee, is described by the band as a messy, provocative and sacred collection of songs about spirituality, friendship, freedom and endurance. Bassist Adam Clayton told Rolling Stone the album is the culmination of the work the four members have been doing across five decades. It follows two six-track EPs released earlier this year, Days of Ash and Easter Lily, but will be the band's first full-length record since 2017's Songs of Experience, arriving in a year when major releases such as Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore (Showgirl encore adds four songs) continue to dominate streaming.

The album carries some striking details. Paste reports it includes what is described as country star Dolly Parton's final vocal recording, alongside a song inspired by Spanish singer Rosalia. The punky single Silencio was released as a preview last week. Bono said the group chose to make "the drums louder" and build "a bigger fire" for the album, arguing that when the world is in darkness the music has to shine brighter. The Edge added that for the U2 stadium tour, the band has around 11 new songs drawn from the album and this year's EPs penciled in for setlists, and that alongside the stadium dates the group is also considering more intimate shows to present the new material.

No locations or dates for the U2 stadium tour have been announced yet. U2 remain one of the few acts with a record of selling out the largest venues on several continents, a scale also on display in recent major tours such as Olivia Rodrigo's Unraveled tour (Rodrigo launches Unraveled tour). Mullen's return means the four musicians who answered that school noticeboard notice are rehearsing together again, this time with a new album to play.

For younger listeners, U2's profile may owe more to streaming playlists than the arena shows that built the band's reputation. The Sphere residency introduced the catalogue to a new audience, and the new record will test whether the group can extend it with its classic lineup intact.

Sources: NME reporting on the Rolling Stone interview (nme.com), Paste Magazine (pastemagazine.com).