Bono, the lead singer of the band U2, was forced to break off a concert in Berlin on Saturday night after losing his voice several songs into the show. The 58-year-old had struggled from the start of the show and was seen repeatedly sipping a hot drink from a thermos flask.

After performing "Beautiful Day" with the help of fans whom he encouraged to sing along, Bono took a break backstage — and did not return.

Concertgoers at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in the German capital were then informed that the concert would not continue. No reasons were given at the time, but the audience was told they should keep their tickets for a replacement concert on an as yet unspecified date.

However, late on Saturday, the band said on its website that "Bono was in great form and great voice prior to the show ... but after a few songs he suffered a complete loss of voice."

U2 said they were "taking medical advice."

Bono mentions Chemnitz

At the first show of U2's European tour on Friday, Bono criticized recent right-wing unrest in the eastern German city of Chemnitz. The protests there occurred after two migrants allegedly stabbed a German man to death.

Bono suffers a rare loss of voice

During that show on Friday night, a video display flashed the hashtag #wirsindmehr in German. Concertgoers cheered at the display. "Such people don't belong to Europe and this country," Bono shouted.

The slogan "Wir sind Mehr" (We are more) has become a hashtag rallying cry against right-wingers in Chemnitz.

Watch video 01:05 U2 play concert on Berlin U-Bahn

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