The Irish rock band U2 played to over 5,000 people in a surprise rooftop gig at BBC’s Broadcasting House on Friday 27th February 2009.  Broadcast RF supplied a HD wireless downlink from a HD Cineflex mounted on a night equipped AS355 helicopter which provided superb aerial coverage of the gig which was watched by millions across the world wide web and at home on live TV.  Two 7GHz HD wireless cameras were also supplied as well as a HD wireless roving camera system which generated live camera shots of the huge crowd at the surprise concert.



 

The foursome played a rooftop concert which echoed The Beatles 1969 performance on the roof of their Savile Row Apple Headquarters.  It’s not the first time U2 have done this having performed behind the Million Dollar Hotel on a liquor store rooftop in Los Angeles where they shot the video for “Where The Streets Have No Name”. 

 

U2 also made an earlier appearance on Radio One’s Live Lounge in the basement of Broadcasting House.  A HD wireless camera was used and broadcasted live on BBC’s website.  U2 played to a specially invited audience some of their new tracks on the album, and also some vintage tracks which they are famous for.

 

Donald Begg, BBC Technical Manager stated, "Broadcast RF are my first port of call for RF, they just get on and do it.  Knowing they are on my job gives me great confidence that all the RF camera links will work perfectly.”

 

Nik Brown, RF Helicopter Engineer stated, “The HD RF kit worked faultlessly, it never gave the BBC director any hesitation in just cutting to us at any point during the concert.”