ABOUT
HOLLYWOOD U2
As Seen On THE WORLD’S GREATEST TRIBUTE BANDS TV SHOW
Based in Los Angeles, Hollywood U2 was founded by lead singer Joe Hier (aka Hollywood Bono who is originally from Boston) in 2003. The band has toured the world performing to sold out crowds in such countries as United States, Singapore, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, France, Mexico, to name a few and they recently performed for the US Marines in Japan. Their vast experience has taken them around the world, captivating crowds of 10,000 plus.
In 2016 Hollywood U2 received the Hollywood FAME Producers Choice Award for Outstanding U2 Tribute and were nominated as “Best Tribute Band” at the LA Music Awards.
Bono invited the lead singer Joe Hier up on stage to sing “The Sweetest Thing” with him and U2 during their Innocence and Experience Tour and this performance made headlines around the world. (see below for more info).
Hollywood U2 were chosen to perform on Mark Cuban’s TV show “The World’s Greatest Tribute Bands”, and are the only U2 tribute band to-date of the TV shows 5 seasons to be officially selected (see below for more info).
They were invited by NAMM 2018 to open the show with an impromptu surprise rooftop performance for attendees. As they performed “Where The Streets Have No Name” up on the Anaheim Convention Center Rooftop balcony, many thought it was U2 and this caused a big stir on Social Media.
Hollywood U2 is an entertainment favorite with clients such as, Microsoft, Google, Harley Davidson, California Wineries, Country Clubs, Visa, MGM, Caesar’s Palace to A-List Celebrities and many more.
As U2 fans, they take pride, care and detail in performing a U2 tribute show that pays tribute to the many great tours and music of U2. Performing the songs with heart, passion and accuracy. They perform U2 tribute shows from using just one look to multiple looks incorporating ZOO TV, Elevation, Vertigo, Joshua Tree 2017 to U2’s current look. As U2 continue to reinvent themselves Hollywood U2 take great joy in presenting a show that honors U2’s past as well as their present. Their goal is to bring the heart and message of U2’s music to lovers of great music everywhere. As Lead Singer Joe Hier points out in all of his live shows, “We’re very big U2 fans and the message we’re bringing to you is Love. The word love is in almost every U2 song. That’s really something. That’s the message”.
A little more about the band…
Bono himself invited the lead singer Joe Hier up on stage to sing “The Sweetest Thing” with him and U2. This took place at The Forum in Los Angeles on May 26th, 2015 and made International news and headlines and has been covered by Rolling Stone, LA Times, The Daily News, NY Times, Chicago Tribune, etc. In a KROQ radio interview a few days later, they spoke about it and Bono said, “He was the split of me and he sang beautifully”. The Edge said, “He knew the song better than we did”. The Wall Street Journal listed this performance as number 2 out of the “Top Ten Must See Performances” of U2’s Innocence and Experience Tour. This list included performances by Lady Gaga and Bruce Springsteen.
In 2012 Hollywood U2 got the call to perform on Mark Cuban’s AXS.TV show “The World’s Greatest Tribute Bands” (hosted by Katie Daryl) becoming the only U2 tribute band to-date of the TV shows 5 seasons to be officially selected to perform. They performed an extended 90min Live TV Broadcast on Season 1 (2013) and and made history on the TV show by being the first band invited back by popular demand to perform another extended 90min Live TV Broadcast for Season 5 (2015). Joe Hier returned a third time for another live performance and sang the Bono and Frank duet, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” with Gary Anthony (Las Vegas Frank Sinatra Impersonator).
From the sunglasses and costumes to the compelling vocals of the world renowned Joe Hier (Hollywood Bono), Hollywood U2 are consummate musicians who bring the look and sound of U2 & true heart of U2 to every performance with the precision and excitement, of a U2 concert. This show is as close as you can get, aside from hiring the real U2. While they can bring any era of U2 to fans they specialize in bringing the iconic Zoo TV tour, Vertigo tour, Elevation tour, Joshua Tree 2017 30th Anniversary tour and up to the current Innocence and Experience tour to U2 fans with costume changes, props and video content. Their vast experience has taken them around the world, captivating crowds of 10,000 plus. They have countless glowing reviews from Major Corporations, Fans & Celebrities and are a must see for all U2 fans. They are available for corporate, public and private events, weddings, clubs, summer concerts, casinos, arenas, T.V. and film performances, etc.
JOE HIER (AS BONO)
LEAD VOCALS / GUITAR / HARMONICA / PERCUSSION
Joe Hier is a multi instrumentalist, and performed as a guitarist in various bands in Boston. He was adopted at birth and always wondered where his natural love of creating music came from. He remembers being a small child barely reaching up to a piano and pressing the keys. He had an instant love for this instrument and later found out that his biological grandfather and mother both played the piano.
Never initially intending to take the stage as a front man, Joe enjoyed playing guitar in various original bands in Boston with Jimmy Page and The Edge being his 2 all time favorite guitar players. He was invited up to sing a song on stage with friends in a cover band and being a big U2 fan he chose a U2 song. The audience was floored with his look and sound being naturally so close to Bono. After that, many times he was asked to start a U2 tribute band. However as a fan of U2’s music and with great admiration for Bono as a performer, Joe was very reluctant to. As he put it he didn’t want to be “One of those guys walking around like they’re Bono”. However, as some say “imitation is the highest form of flattery”, so with that in mind he started to think, “as a U2 fan what would I want to see and hear from a tribute act?” That’s when he started to put together his idea of a U2 tribute show that encompasses all that is great about U2 and he founded Hollywood U2 in 2003. Originally a carpenter by day and a musician by night, he was also writing and recording music for Film and Commercial spots. He eventually relocated to Los Angeles and started his U2 tribute band Hollywood U2.
Joe does not dress as Bono unless he is performing for a show or an event. It was his wife (who ironically has the same birthday as Bono’s wife) who encouraged him to dress as the Vertigo Bono for U2’s i.e. Tour. She said “It’s 10 years since the Vertigo Tour, I think Bono may get a kick out of seeing his younger self”. Sure enough Bono saw Joe and said “ I saw myself, Bono where are you?” He pulled Joe Hier up onto the stage to sing “The Sweetest Thing”. Joe said of this experience “I wasn’t up there as a Bono Impersonator, I was up there as a fan. At the time I had two tears in my rotator cuff and had been in extreme pain, which was tough and without monitoring I couldn’t hear a thing on stage. However it was a magical moment and I just remember feeling very humbled that Bono would trust me with his crowd and microphone. I appreciated the love and acceptance of the crowd that night as one fan to another. It was an amazing gift that Bono gave me and I continue to be inspired by him and U2. Thank you Bono!” This performance made headlines around the world from Rolling Stone Magazine to The Wall Street Journal, etc.
Joe continues to tour throughout the United States and the world with Hollywood U2 and astounds crowds with his live performance and unmatched look and persona of Bono. Joe prides himself on bringing U2 fans the multiple iconic looks and personas of Bono (most of the costuming is made by Joe and his wife) bringing fans all the U2 hits and more that span U2’s successful career.
When he is not performing with Hollywood U2, Joe works on a stop frame animation children’s show he created with his wife and writes music.
STEVIE ADAMS (AS THE EDGE)
GUITARS, KEYBOARDS & BACKING VOCALS
Is a Los Angeles-based Pop/Rock guitarist with a unique style and powerful sound.
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Stevie is a well-respected live performer and studio session player who has recorded and shared the stage with a wide variety of artists including; Mick Fleetwood, Steve Lukather, Michael Hossack (Doobie Brothers), Myron Dove (Santana), Lindsey Buckingham, Peter Bardens (Camel / Van Morrison / Rod Stewart), and countless others.
Stevie also composes music for Film, Television, Advertising, and Interactive Media. His work has been featured on Fox, ABC, NBC, the Los Angeles Emmy Award Shows, and the Ani-FX Animation Festival, amongst many others. As a long-time lover of U2’s music – and a guitarist who has an insatiable appetite for experimentation with guitar tones and textures – Stevie has found Hollywood U2 to be the perfect place to apply his talents.
In his own words: “I have to say that I’m absolutely loving this band! I’m finding it to be a very rewarding and challenging experience each and every time I take the stage to perform these great songs and emulate the sound and look of one of my favorite guitarists.
CHAS ALM (AS THE EDGE)
GUITARS, KEYBOARDS & BACKING VOCALS
A veteran of the U2 tribute world for 20 years and affectionately known as “The Chedge”, Chas has loved U2 since he was inspired to play guitar after first hearing the song “Bad” in 1985.
He saw the band in Tempe, Arizona in December 1987, where the shows were filmed for Rattle and Hum and since then, he’s lost count of the number of shows seen in the years since. Shows that include the night in Los Angeles when Hollywood Bono was brought onstage to sing “The Sweetest Thing” with U2!
Chas has been committed to authenticity as The Edge, having spent thousands of hours studying live footage of U2, dialling in guitar tones, and perfecting the many different live versions of songs. Having performed close to 110 different U2 songs over the years, it all still comes back to the 1st song. “All I ever wanted to do was play the song “Bad” with a band and try to make it sound like The Edge. Now, I’m blessed to experience that every night.”
MICHAEL P. ROVATSOS (AS ADAM CLAYTON)
BASS
Michael hails from New York originally (moving to SoCal in 2004) and has been playing music since he was a young teen. He has led and performed with a variety of original rock groups and has played well-respected venues on both coasts and internationally. Playing bass is a passion for Michael but he is also a multi-instrumentalist who composes, records and produces on an on-going basis.
In 1985, already a big U2 fan, Michael caught U2’s ‘Live Aid’ performance as it was happening and was mesmerized. His favorite member of the band (then and now) was/is Adam Clayton. His unassuming swagger, performance style and unique musical sensibilities are just a few of the traits Michael brings to the role of emulating Adam.
Adam is known as the “Jazz Man” of U2 which is a great coincidence being that Michael works for one of the best non-profit Jazz radio stations in the country (Production Director for KSDS-FM). Michael counts Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey and Miles Davis among his Jazz favs. The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and of course, U2, contribute mightily to his musical Rock/Pop DNA.
Michael has been recreating the essence of Adam since 2014 and prides himself on being extremely detail-oriented in the performance and presentation of Mr. Clayton with every gig he plays.
STEVE JUDD (AS LARRY MULLEN Jr.)
DRUMS, PERCUSSION & BACKING VOCALS
Steve Judd Jr. was born in Oak Harbor, WA. He had a passion for music early, growing up in a music filled household. Steve taught himself how to play the drums by ear at the age of 12 by watching classic 80’s music videos and live concerts.
A veteran of the Los Angeles music scene, since 1998, he has played countless shows with original bands, solo artists, and Hollywood U2 at venues across the United States and internationally. Steve performed with Hollywood U2 on the first season of AXS TV’s The Worlds Greatest Tribute Bands. He has opened for legendary artists and industry mogul’s including The Fixx, Erasure, Dave Wakeling’s English Beat, Martha Davis & The Motels, Dramarama, Eddie Money, Simple Minds, Tom Skeeter (owner of Sound City), and Jimmy Iovine. Jimmy even complimented Steve, saying “You play like Larry Mullen Jr.!”.
Steve is thrilled to be paying homage to the man who inspired him to play the drums in the first place, Larry Mullen Jr., playing songs by his favorite drummer and band in Hollywood U2