Sure, they got to open the Grammys onstage with Kendrick Lamar, but U2 was only warming up for its grandiose solo performance. Only Bono and company weren’t exactly performing alone — they made a point of making sure the Statue of Liberty was clearly visible in the spotlight beside them.
Seldom opposed to being a little extra, U2 rocked out its 2017 cut “Get Out of Your Own Way” on an outdoor platform overlooking New York Bay, with Ellis Island and its famous monument in plain view. The track’s bombast came through loud and clear, and its arena-worthy guitar swells held their own on the high seas. Undoubtedly, the quartet had enjoyed quite the evening since beginning the Grammy telecast at Madison Square Garden in midtown Manhattan.
But its meaning didn’t end there. Camila Cabello introduced the performance and shouted out America’s immigrants, specifically those in the country under the DREAM Act. With the status of DREAMers under siege by the Trump administration, the Cuban-born artist — who emigrated to America at age five — did her best to make Lady Liberty’s meaning especially clear: “These kids can’t be forgotten and are worth fighting for.”
