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THE BAND
ACHTUNG BABIES started out in 1993 in Rome. They debut for the first time at Palladium Theater, where they put on the very first U2 Tribute event in the world, that is to say a live concert with a repertorie entirely dedicated to the Irish band.
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The existance of a band dedicated exclusively to U2's music quickly attracted thousands of U2 fans in Italy.
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With the news spreading, Achtung Babies began performing constantly in Rome first and around Italy then, under a collaboration with U2's Official Italian Fans Club (U2Backstage), and then even in cooperation with Universal, U2's Record Label. In fact precisely Universal involves the band in many important promotional events nationwide, including the presentation of the Italian shows of U2's POP Mart Tour, in which occasion Bono personally says hi to the band during an interview on Radio Dee Jay Network.
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In the meantime, Achtung Babies' tour schedule grows more and more, and the band appears in many interviews with news papers and radio shows, as well as tv appearences: in RAI news, musical shows on Swiss television, Spanish national TV (where they even appear on prime time news), Turkish TV, and on several music shows by Mediaset, including an entore report on the popular show le Iene. Among many more tv appearences, it's worth mentioning a full concert filmed and broadcast on satellite tv Match Music and most importantly the PIM (Italian Music Awards), where Achtung Babies share the stage with international acclaimed stars such as Vasco Rossi, Litfiba, Skunk Anansie and Ligabue, and received the Best Band of the Year Award on behalf of U2.
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National press and media rave about Achtung Babies as they're considered a brand new project, completely indipendent and self-financed, able to reach without a record label or production, results considered unattainable even for artists with large budgets and industry benefit.
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Achtung Babies keep resulting nice to people, thanks to clamorous promotional actions: in 1997 they rented a jet to fly over the crowd during U2's concert in Rome with the message "Greetings from Achtung Babies!", or when in 2001 were chased by the police in Rome for playing in front of the Birman Embassy in support of Aung San Suu Kyi, or when in 2007 stopped the traffic putting on a show in the main street in Bilbao, Spain, or when in 2009 play on the roof of the Collestrada Mall in Perugia.
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Achtung Babies is the first U2 tribute to performa abroad their country, with lots of tours in Spain, Turkey, Switzerland, Holland, France, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Croatia, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Monaco.
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In 2001 they perform 162 concerts, and throughout a 25+ years old career, they're often mentioned in books and music magazines, and are proposed various kinds of deals with record labels in Italy and abroad they've always declined to be coherent with their original project. For the same reason in 2006 they decline and invitation to perform for Big Brother to keep intact the only reason behind the project: testify love and passion towards U2's music. Besides the offers from music industry, many more pestigious multinational companies have turned to Achtung Babies, and as a result, the band have performed in many occasions for popular brands such as Audi, Philip Morris, Unicredit, Mtv, Ford, Ferrari, Harley Davidson, Ducati and many more.
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ACHTUNG BABIES
Christian Bono
vocals
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Edo The Edge
guitar, backing vocals, keyboards
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Stefano Larry Mullen Jr.
drums
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Luca Adam Clayton
bass
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Alex Petroni
manager
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In 2004 U2's Label becomes partner with the band for an italian promo tour through the French chain FNAC, where ACHTUNG BABIES perform the first preview of Vertigo and a few more tracks from the album How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, earning a headline in la Repubblica, italian major newspaper: "Achtung Babies forerun U2!".
In 2005 they're invited to play for the prestigious Stabile Theater in Turin, and in november 2007 they perform for the Ski World Cup in Tarvisio and soon after that Universal Records Italy officially asks the band to promote during their gigs U2's upcoming releases, inlcuding the movie "U23D".
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In March 2012 the band put on a theatrical performance titled "Ghandi meets U2", and in may the same year they fly again to Dublin for another performance in Ireland.
In 2014 the band have reinvented the concept of tribute once again, touring Spain staging The History Mix Tour, a 3 hour show including 5 sets from 5 different eras/tours from U2's career, with period specific repertoires and costumes, giving the audience a unique and unforgettable experience!
Throughout 25+ years of history and approximately 2000 gigs, Achtung Babies' idea has inspired dozens of clones in Italy and worldwide, remaining the first U2 Tribute, progenitor of a phenomenon which has become over the years a music genre in its own right.
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