U2 play Get On Your Boots at the 2009 Grammy Awards

U2 opened the 51st Grammy Awards with Get On Your Boots. Starting out behind the band, Bono threw familiar shapes against the backdrop of a large screen showing images – different from those used in the video – and the lyrics to the song. Later he moved out in front near the crowd, removing his trademark shades to reveal his new mascara-look while belting out the final bars of the song: ‘Let me in the sound, let me in the sound…’

Unfortunately, the crew didn’t hear his plea. Sound is apparently not the main priority for the Grammy Awards organisation.

U2’s new album set for ‘early 2009’ release

U2.com reveals the new album won’t see the light of day until next year. The band has decided to continue working on the 50 to 60 new songs they’ve written.

Bono: ‘I’m always the one who underestimates how easy it is to simply ‘put out the songs now’, if it was just up to me they’d be out already! But early next year people will be able to start hearing what we’ve been doing. We want 2009 to be our year, so we’re going to start making an impression very early on …’

Up till now many fans had assumed a 2008 release in time for Christmas. Says Bono: “It has to be our most innovative, our most challenging … or what’s the point?”

Read more at U2.com.