Live Translation at U2 Concerts in Germany
U2 is touring Europe on their 360° tour, stopping in Gelsenkirchen in 2009 and Frankfurt in 2010. What Bono is saying between songs appears live on screen in German. How is that done? Prepared translations of prepared speeches? No, Bono definitely wants to speak to the fans spontaneously. That turns it into a job that only professional simultaneous interpreters will handle. And this is where Syntax partner Martin Granacher comes in, having interpreted Bono live on German TV before, knowing the music, not afraid to use a keyboard (the typing kind) and handling the job at the Gelsenkirchen show the year before. He's more than happy to accept the challenge. Admittedly it's unusual work for a conference interpreter. But exciting work.
For the German fans it was simply a spectacular show - and one where they were able to follow even the spoken words without any problem.
