U2 Set Intimate London Show for 3 November Ahead of Carnaval de Luz

U2 will play a small, exclusive concert for BBC Music in London on 3 November, and a limited number of tickets are available through a BBC Audiences ballot that closes on 29 October. Billboard reported the details on 29 October.

A ballot is a draw: fans enter, and tickets are allocated at random. The venue is a central London location that has not been announced. Ticketholders will learn where to go on the day of the performance.

The set will mix classic songs from the band's catalogue with new material from their upcoming album, Carnaval de Luz. U2 says the record is its first studio album in nine years and will be released on 13 November. The band has already put out three singles from it: "Street of Dreams," "The Greatest Show on Earth" and "Silencio."

Fans who want to hear the album before its release can attend global listening parties at participating record stores from 12 to 15 November. A listening party is an event where a record is played in full for a room of people, often in a shop.

The album includes "Torn," which features the final vocal performance from Dolly Parton. U2, Parton and Johnny McDaid co-wrote the song.

Those who miss out on a ticket can still hear the concert. BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds will broadcast it on Monday 30 November from 7 to 9pm, within Jo Whiley's show. Billboard also reports that BBC Two will show the performance in late November, as part of a night of programming dedicated to the band. The concert will then be available on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.

The band has also announced touring plans. U2 says the 2027 Carnaval De Luz Presents: The Greatest Show on Earth World Tour starts on 23 February in Mexico City, at Estadio GNP Seguros. The European leg of the tour opens in Stockholm on 26 April, according to U2's own news page.

Subscribers to U2.com can get early access to tickets for the UK and European dates, with presales starting on Monday 2 November. Anyone else will need to wait for the general sale.

For fans, the next week is busy. The ballot closes on 29 October, presales open on 2 November, the album follows on 13 November, and the London show takes place on 3 November, with the broadcast to come at the end of the month.