Spotlight on Annan teen at U2 concert

That was the experience of 16-year-old Ewan Murray from Annan, who is still reeling after being called onto the stage of SSE Hydro Glasgow on Saturday in front of 13,000 people.
His dad David, a lifelong U2 fan, said: “He just said he was totally stunned. He couldn’t see the crowd. All he could focus on looking at was Bono’s eyes.”
It was superfan David’s ninth U2 concert. But with his son growing up listening to the band and asking to see them, he said: “I got him tickets as a surprise for his 16th birthday, so this was his first ever gig he was at on Saturday night.”
Father and son queued for hours to snag a good spot standing next to the stage, watching as Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen returned for an encore.
David said: “It’s not usual for a lad to get plucked from the crowd. He usually picks a girl, and he picked a girl earlier on for one of the songs.”
But as Bono performed City of Blinding Lights, David added: “He came across and pointed at Ewan.”
The stewards dragged a stunned Ewan up onto the stage, with the teenager sharing the spotlight for a good six minutes.
David said: “Bono was singing with him, arm round him, all the rest, taking him right along the whole length of the catwalk.”
Ewan ended up holding the mic, as Bono swapped jackets with the teenager before giving him his sunglasses.
David said: “So Ewan’s wearing the glasses and Bono’s jacket, and Bono’s walking backwards off the stage waving him goodbye.”
Bono decided to wear Ewan’s jacket to sing the next song Beautiful Day, before handing it back to the teenager and allowing him to keep the trademark shades.
Ewan’s experience comes after One Direction star Harry Styles halted a sellout gig in Newcastle last month to speak with 11-year-old Alyssia Jamieson from Annan, who he spotted in the audience.
Noting Ewan’s concert-going experience has got off to an amazing start, dad David said: “He knows that he’s been a very, very special lad to have been picked; very special indeed.”