Four years ago, the Ecosystem Exploration Craft & Observatory, or EECO, opened to the public on the grounds of Loveland Living Planet Aquarium. The vast structure, illuminated by color-changing lights,  was originally known as “The Claw” and functioned as the outdoor stage for the band U2’s 360° tour from 2009 to 2011. On Saturday, Aug. 10, live music will once again ring out from EECO when the renowned tribute band, Hollywood U2, performs on its stage. 

Joe Hier, founder and lead singer of Hollywood U2, said that the whole band is “over the moon” about the upcoming concert. “We play all kinds of shows but this one shines brighter because we’re going to be under the Claw,” he said. 

Drummer Steve Judd said via email, “Playing under U2’s incredible stage will be electric, surreal and an absolute thrill! I hope I can savor the moment. It will be a once in a lifetime perspective.” 

Chas Alm, who performs as the guitarist, The Edge, agreed. “Getting to perform the music of U2, the band that I love, on this iconic stage is going to be surreal and amazing,” he stated via email.

The Hollywood U2 concert will be the first large-scale, live concert to be hosted by the Aquarium on the EECO stage. Given the stage’s history, Karmel Harper, director of marketing and PR for the Aquarium, said, “We’re coming full circle with a U2 tribute band. It’s exciting, it’s going to be amazing!” 

She added that she recently saw U2’s concert at the Sphere in Las Vegas and noticed how the band paid tribute to animals and the natural world in the visual imagery they used. Harper said that U2’s pro-environment theme dovetails with the Aquarium’s mission to inspire a deeper appreciation for the planet and the role that everyone has in protecting it. “Access to the Aquarium is included with each ticket to the concert until 9 p.m.,” she said.

The Aquarium’s founder, Brent Anderson, is an avid U2 fan and was captivated by the Claw when he saw the band perform beneath it in 2009. He purchased it and had it rebuilt on the grounds of the Aquarium as a permanent fixture. Renamed EECO, the structure has drawn crowds for summertime light shows with recorded music known as “Nights Under Lights.” EECO Voyager, a virtual reality experience that takes visitors on undersea and rain forest adventures, was built underneath the stage. 

EECO was situated on the grounds of the Aquarium to provide a unique live concert experience. “The venue is dynamic enough to give you a full concert feel but also intimate enough to give everyone an amazing view of the band,” Harper said. “It should be a beautiful night.” 

Hollywood U2 has received awards and accolades the world over for their heartfelt, detailed and faithful interpretations of U2’s music. Founded in 2003, they have toured the globe performing to sold-out crowds. 

The band has even received recognition from the members of U2. During a 2015 concert at The Forum in Los Angeles, U2 frontman Bono invited Joe Hier onstage to sing “The Sweetest Thing” with him. Hollywood U2’s website relates a quote from Bono in which he said of Hier, “He was the split of me and he sang beautifully.”

For his part, Hier credits Bono with changing his life. “Bono gave me my voice, gave me the confidence to sing,” he said. “I never set out to be a lead singer.” 

Describing himself as “really shy,” Hier was originally drawn to the guitar. His musical idols were Jimmy Page and The Edge. When he played and sang U2 songs in clubs in his hometown of Boston, audiences responded with enthusiasm. “When I did it as Bono, I got a reaction from the crowd that made me think maybe I could do this,” he said. 

Hier relocated to California to pursue a career as a “behind the scenes musician.” When that didn’t work out as planned, he decided, “Maybe I’ll try this U2 thing.” Hollywood U2 performed their first concert in November 2003. “From then on, it just kind of grew,” Hier said. 

At the Aquarium concert, Hier explained that the band will perform “quite a few songs from the 360° tour. We like to fashion the show around the hits. It’s a 90-minute show. People will hear what they want to hear.” 

“I could never do a show without singing ‘With or Without You,’” he added. The title is Hier’s favorite U2 song. “I will never get sick of it,” he said. “It’s what I feel in the sentiment, the struggle in love. You can’t live without it.” 

Hier explained that the band is still figuring out if they will do costume changes for their EECO concert. “The last thing we want to do is slow the show down,” he said. “We’re going to bring it.”

Bass player Michael Rovatsos described U2’s 360° tour with the Claw in an email as “an epic tour [with] an epic structure. I look forward to an epic performance under the Claw.” 

Tickets for the Hollywood U2 concert, an all-ages show, are only available online. Prices range from $35 for general admission to $175 for a VIP Meet & Greet with the band which includes dinner and front row seats. Concessions, including alcoholic beverages, will be available for purchase on the Rio Tinto Kennecott Plaza. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit livingplanetaquarium.org/events-and-camps/hollywood-u2-concert/. λ