Thanks Edge, as U2 bid aloha to tour

Bono honoured The Edge as U2 wrapped up their box office-busting Vertigo world tour in Hawaii on Saturday.

The band kicked off the monster journey in San Diego on March 28, 2005 - but announced in March this year they were postponing the final leg due to serious illness of one of the band's family members.

The Edge spoke in a radio interview in September about his daughter's serious illness. The father-of-five revealed that he was reluctant to leave home with the band - but his daughter told him to "go for it".

The Edge said, for him, that was the turning point and he was able to commit to going back on the road again.

During the band's closing set at Honolulu's Aloha Stadium, Bono paid tribute to The Edge for "his grace under pressure, faith and perseverance".

U2 fans were treated to a celebrity packed concert as Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong joining the band to perform charity single The Saints Are Coming.

Afterwards, Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder

and guitarist Mike McCready joined U2

for a cover of Neil Young's Rockin' In The Free World.

A number of Hollywood types were on hand for the show, including Jeremy Piven, Mira Sorvino and Alyssa Milano.

U2 manager Paul McGuinness has revealed that the band are planning to release their new album by late 2007.

With the final tally yet to be completed, the Vertigo tour is already the second-highest grossing tour of all time behind the Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang, with its total expected to exceed €286m.

[www.unison.ie]