ASH will be joined tonight by U2 (pictured) for a free concert at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall to rally youth support towards the ‘Yes’ vote in the upcoming referendum on the Good Friday agreement.
The two Irish rock bands will perform live and also introduce the audience to Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble and SDLP leader John Hume as the men responsible for a new era in Northern Ireland’s history. The concert is expected to draw an audience of 2,000 Catholics and Protestants from all over Northern Ireland.
Ash, who come from Downpatrick, say they were all born during the troubles and want to see Northern Ireland move towards a better future. U2’s Bono, from Dublin, is a personal friend of SDLP leader Hume and says he is anxious to do all he can to help the ‘Yes’ campaign.
The concert marks the first joint appeal from high profile ‘Yes’ campaigners from opposite sides of the community like Trimble and Hume. Mr Trimble says: “I’m delighted that groups of such eminence as U2 and Ash are coming to Belfast to have a concert in support of the Yes campaign. John Hume and myself are very much looking forward to being there.”
Tonight’s concert will be broadcast live on the internet starting at 18.30 BST (17.30 GMT) on the BBC website.