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"U2 invited thousands of Canadian fans onto the set of their latest video, for the upcoming single &amp;quot;City of Blinding Lights,&amp;quot; last night in Vancouver. Those who arrived in time were treated to an impromptu performance of tracks off the band&amp;apos;s blockbuster album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb -- and some surprising antics from frontman Bono.\r\nThe band&amp;apos;s official Web site announced yesterday morning that the first 4,000 fans to show up to Vancouver&amp;apos;s GM Place at 3 p.m. would be given a chance to attend the &amp;quot;exclusive filming.&amp;quot; At entry time yesterday evening, an incredibly enthusiastic group of approximately 3,000 to 3,500 people was ushered into the venue and set up stage-side for the shoot. The new video was being directed by Alex and Martin, who won a Grammy for their work on U2&amp;apos;s &amp;quot;Vertigo&amp;quot; and who produced the White Stripes&amp;apos; acclaimed video for &amp;quot;Seven Nation Army.&amp;quot;\r\nOnce onstage, U2 launched immediately into &amp;quot;City of Blinding Lights,&amp;quot; playing it through a few times for the cameras. Things then grew sillier than expected, with Bono joking to guitarist the Edge that the performance must be their audition for &amp;quot;Pop Idol.&amp;quot; The band then launched into the &amp;quot;Hokey Pokey,&amp;quot; encouraging the crowd to join in.\r\nThe mega-band then decided to treat the audience to impromptu but passionate renditions of &amp;quot;Vertigo&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;All Because of You&amp;quot; before leaving the stage. With the small but vocal crowd calling out for an encore, U2 came back to perform &amp;quot;Sometimes You Can&amp;apos;t Make It On Your Own&amp;quot;, which Bono dedicated to his father.\r\nThis same week, Bono publicly chastised Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin for failing to meet a commitment to increase the country&amp;apos;s foreign aid. He vowed to be &amp;quot;the biggest pain in his ass&amp;quot; until the commitment was met, asking listeners to call Martin&amp;apos;s phone number (which he announced on-air) and complain.\r\nU2 will play a pair of sold-out shows at GM Place in Vancouver tonight and tomorrow."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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