After weeks of not a lot happening in U2 world the headlines are a buzz with Ireland’s greatest rock band. Back on their 360′ Tour, U2 played shows in Helsinki and Moscow this week. The band’s first trip to Russia included a meeting between Bono and Russian president Dmitry Medvedev near the Black Sea, a rainy U2 concert for 50,000+ fans at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow which featured an acapella serenade of “Singing in the Rain” from Bono, an acoustic cover of Bob Dylan’s “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” with Russian musician Yuri Shevchukn and a inspirational encore of “Moment of Surrender” in honor of the victims of Russia’s terrible wildfires. In other news - U2 is being fined by the city of Barcelona for excessive noise for $22,000 during their concert at Camp Nou last year. U2 certainly has the money to fork over that kind of cash, but the fine reeks of a city scrapping for some extra dough. U2 will light up the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna, Austria this coming Monday before targeting the Olympic Stadium in Athens next Friday.

U2 played their first show since Bono’s emergency back surgery derailed their summer 360 tour plans. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. performed in front of full house inside the Stadio Olimpico di Torino in Turin, Italy last Friday night. To celebrate  The Edge’s 49th birthday the audience serenaded the U2 guitarist with “Happy Birthday”. The Italians also were treated to three new U2 songs during the concert including an ode to the English festival “Glastonbury” that the band missed due to Bono’s injury. The new song has been already posted on YouTube here. Bono showed his appreciation for his fan’s patience, as well as, his own bandmates during the show, and referred to U2 as a “A family business”. U2 debuted a instrumental introduction piece by the name of “Return of the Stingray Guitar” and a acoustic ballad by the name of “North Star”.  German U2 fans will get to take in the 360′ Tour tonight in Frankfurt at Commerzbank Arena.