U2’s Sphere drummer gushes over Larry Mullen Jr. after band’s 2nd EP release

It’s not just fans who are impressed with U2’s Days of Ash and Easter Lily EPs, as the band’s fill-in drummer for the Sphere, Bran van den Berg, loved hearing Larry Mullen Jr.’s return to the kit.

Van den Berg praised U2’s two surprise EP releases on Instagram. He lamented how Mullen is one-of-one, even if he did his best to fill in for him at the Sphere.

“It’s rare these days to find a band where the sum of its parts is so crucial to its distinctive sound,” he wrote. “I’ve said it before, but there’s only one Larry Mullen Jr., and these two beautiful new EPs are proof of that. There aren’t many drummers whose playing is so instantly recognizable! [red heart emoji]”

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Bram van den Berg’s career as replacement drummer for U2’s Larry Mullen Jr. at the Sphere

From Sept. 29, 2023, to Mar. 2, 2024, van Den Berg was part of U2. He filled in for Mullen, who was still recovering from surgery. This was the first time U2 played live shows without one of their members. They performed 40 shows at the Sphere, becoming the first artist to perform there.

U2’s Sphere shows were centered around their 1991 album, Achtung Baby. Each night, they performed the iconic album in full. They also performed an acoustic set in the middle of the show with different tracks.

In 2026, U2 has treated fans to two EPs in as many months. The first, Days of Ash, was released on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 18). The second, Easter Lily, was released on Apr. 3.

These were U2’s first collections of new material in years. Their last album, Songs of Surrender, featured 40 re-recorded songs from their discography.

They are set to release their long-awaited 16th studio album. It will mark the group’s first album of new material since 2017’s Songs of Experience.

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