“If you want your child to grow up to be a grand standing stadium singer there’s two ways to go about it…
You can tell them they’re gifted and that the world needs to hear their voice. This is the Italian method.
Or you can completely ignore them. This could the Irish method. Much more effective in my case.”
Those are the wry words of U2’s lead singer, which I heard through the Apple Vision Pro headset as part of "Bono: Stories of Surrender."
This reimagining of Bono’s one-man stage show premieres today on Apple TV Plus, but a special version has also been created for Apple’s spatial computing headset.
In fact, it’s the first feature-length film available in Apple Immersive Video, the format Apple pioneered for its device using 8K cameras. The result is a 180-degree experience that is rich, intimate and downright trippy at times.
However, as I attempted to sit through the nearly 90-minute feature, I experienced some unpleasant reminders of the Vision Pro's flaws.
Bono on Vision Pro: Better than a front row seat
It was like I was on stage with Bono as he shared the pain of losing his mother and what his household was like afterwards as it became “a river of silence.”
The Vision Pro version is a combination of big-screen movie storytelling interspersed with jaw-dropping 3D clips that make you feel like you’re in the venue with Bono — getting a better-than-front-row seat to hear some of the most iconic U2 songs and the stories behind them.
For Bono, getting access to a guitar saved his life. It became a shield and a weapon as he gravitated towards rock with The Ramones and one day decided that he wanted to try to write songs himself.
The presentation through the Vision Pro is a combination of big-screen movie storytelling interspersed with jaw-dropping 3D clips that make you feel like you’re in the venue with Bono — getting a better-than-front-row seat to hear some of the most iconic U2 songs and the stories behind them.
I’m sure the 2D version through Apple TV Plus will be engaging enough, but there’s something about standing face-to-face with Bono as he shares the most intimate details about his upbringing, health scares and more.
I felt like I could reach out and shake Bono’s hand as I looked up at his face with his trademark specs right down to his shoes and the stage. And while ’Stories of Surrender’ is shot in black-and-white, the immersive film cleverly works in pops of color with fluid animations here and there.
The real star of the show
As Bono told the story behind "Bloody Sunday" and the lyrics scribbled across the screen, I truly got sucked into the Immersive Video.
Written by Edge, Bono shared that the mission of the song was to contrast the original Easter Sunday with the murder of 14 unarmed protesters in the city of Derry in Northern Ireland.
As Bono sings "How long must we sing this song" you can feel and see the pain as you see only the outline of his face in the foreground and a harp in the background on stage.
But "Stories of Surrender" simply doesn't work without Bono's masterful storytelling and ability to play multiple characters.
This includes Bono's father, who Bono describes as melting when he meets Princess Diana ahead of a charity concert with Luciano Pavarotti in Italy.
As Bono impersonates the princess slowly walking towards his "da," he playfully described the encounter as "800 years of oppressions disappearing in 8 seconds."
So while the Vision Pro brings "Stories of Surrender" to another level, U2's lead singer and his warmth and humor is the real star.
Familiar Vision Pro problems
As impressive as "Bono: Stories of Surrender" looks and sounds through the Vision Pro, I found that I couldn't comfortably watch the whole thing in a single sitting.
I found myself needing to take breaks for a couple of reasons. First, the Vision Pro is a hefty headset, and I could feel the weight of it after 25 minutes or so.
Yes, I could have swapped out the sleeker Solo Knit Band for the Dual Loop Band, which is more secure. But all the criss-crossing straps on the latter reminds me of something one might wear before getting a brain implant.
I also felt some uncomfortable pressure around my eyes, which took me out of the vibe of Bono's heart-warming and humorous performance, not to mention his soaring vocals.
There's a rumor Apple is working on a much lighter Vision Pro 2, and I think it would help a great deal. Lowering the $3,500 price would not hurt, either.
Bottom line
"Bono: Stories of Surrender" serves up two major takeaways. The Vision Pro continues to deliver the most immersive entertainment experience of any headset. And Apple still has a long way to go in terms of bringing this experience to more people in a way that feels comfortable and natural.
That's to take nothing away from this Apple Immersive Video. 'Stories of Surrender' is a great proof point for the promise of the format as content creators find ways to tell stories in new ways.
It gets me thinking of what a season of "Severance" might look and feel like through this device (or its predecessor). Or perhaps the next season or version of "Ted Lasso."
I'm looking forward to seeing where Apple takes Immersive Video next.
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