July 2009 Archives

By Andre Paine

LONDON (Billboard) - BBC Worldwide Music, part of the commercial arm of U.K. broadcaster the BBC, has unveiled two new U2 shows that it is making available for sale to international broadcasters.

"U2=BBC: The History" and "U2=BBC" feature exclusive material from the BBC archive and a series of extensive interviews with the band.

Because of Bono

Blame it on her infatuation with an Irish rock superstar, a well-developed social conscience or pure intellectual curiosity.

Whatever her initial motivation, Abbey Fisher found her passion.

It was a cause worth going back to school for, traveling to Africa for and lobbying the country's political and financial leaders for:

Debt cancellation for the hopelessly indebted.

The David Byrne Journal

Mark E pointed out as we prepped for our show last night in Warsaw (at a not so big club/venue called Stodoła) that these undersized dates are in effect being subsidized by U2's world tour. The promoter of these dates, and of much of the U2 stadium tour, is Live Nation, the global conglomerate.

U2's world tour was brought to a standstill by protesters angry about noise from their last concert in Ireland.

The band may now miss their next performance in Gothenburg, Sweden, after angry residents blockaded a convoy of equipment leaving Croke Park Stadium, in Dublin.

By Michael S. Eddy, Live Design

The U2 360° Tour, one of the largest tours ever, required a power and data network of equal scale. It needed to be quick and efficient to install and set up, have high network speed with absolutely no lag in cue reaction time, and it had to be rock-solid and flexible. Systems crew chief Craig Hancock worked with show director/designer Willie Williams from the early design phases of this production, and he engineered a power and data network that would satisfy all of the requirements of a tour of this magnitude.

The PRG Concert Touring group supplied the entire lighting package for the tour. The data and control system includes MA Lighting grandMA consoles and NSPs, Avolites dimmers and relays, City Theatrical SHoW DMX wireless DMX system, and as the backbone of it all the PRG Series 400™ Power and Data Distribution System. There are a total of 25 universes of DMX with custom dimmer carts at the bottom of each leg of the structure. These contain Series 400 racks, S400 main breaker racks, the Avo Art 2000 dimmer and relay racks, strobe distribution racks, communications, etc. There are a total of four carts up on the catwalk in the roof structure that handle the power and data for the lights in the roof as well as on the pylon. Using the Show DMX system, wireless DMX is sent from the top of the pylon (the central vertical element) out to the seven satellite lighting positions that are around the top of the stadium.

By Lorna Nolan, Herald.ie

U2 had a well-earned day off from their tour -- but Bono still made time for a close friend's star-studded birthday bash.

The singer was among the guests who attended the 50th birthday of MCD supremo Denis Desmond at his Dalkey home.

Bono rubbed shoulders with Pat Kenny and his wife Kathy, Deirdre O'Kane, Slane Castle's Lord Henry Mountcharles and TV presenter Amanda Byram.

Robbie Wooton, U2's manager Paul McGuinness and property tycoon Johnny Ronan were also spotted making their way to the party yesterday.

Others included Michael Colgan, Noelle McCarthy, Jackie Rafter, Graham Beere, Paolo Tuillo, Robbie and Chris Moyles.

SHOWBIZ EVOLUTION: With their stunning 360 Tour, Bono and the boys have pushed the boundaries of stadium rock'n'roll performance on to a whole new level of brilliance

The world loves rock'n'roll. But, you know, since the ancient Greeks first perfected modern drama, ambitious performers have gone the extra yard for theatrical presentation. It's evolution, showbiz style.

When it was decided to stage a concert in Hawaii that would be the first to be televised around the globe, Elvis Presley demanded a spectacular new jumpsuit. It would be all white, have a cape and an eagle on the front.

Decades later Michael Jackson would plead with theatre director Trevor Nunn: "I want to be able to fly above the audience."

In Ireland, in the 1970s, a diminutive showband singer changed his name to Magic and fronted The Magic Band dressed in a suit that had a rows of twinkling electric light bulbs stitched into its seams.

IRISH TIMES REPORTERS

U2 returned to Croke Park tonight for the final of three Irish concerts in their 360° world tour.

Two Irish acts supported the band - Dublin pop rock trio The Script and Kildare's Bell X1. The gates opened at 6pm, the show starts at 6.30pm and U2 were due on stage at 9pm.

Gardaí earlier issued warnings about traffic around the stadium as the concert coincided with rush-hour, as well as the opening of the Ikea store in Ballymun and the commencement of a new bus gate restricting traffic at College Green.

One of the U2 social campaigns received a major boost last night when imprisoned Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was named Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience.

U2, who have used their world tour to spotlight calls for her release, formally made the announcement at the last of their three-night run at Croke Park.

This month marks the 20th anniversary of Suu Kyi's arrest.

Irene Khan, Amnesty International's secretary general, said the imprisoned opposition leader was an inspiration to the world.

"In those long and often dark years Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has remained a symbol of hope, courage and the undying defence of human rights, not only to the people of Myanmar but to people around the world," she said.

The Irish Times

IT'S LIKE this: every four years, U2 return home from their travels, set up their inordinately large and mostly innovative tent, and sing for their supper. No more and no less, they are entertainers, a rock band of a certain mature age that have been schlepping around the globe for over 30 years.

You would think by this stage that we (by this, I mean the band's die-hard fans, cynics, casual followers, staunchest critics, wry observers) would be weary of Adam Clayton's studied stoicism, Edge's adamant refusal to remove his skull cap, Larry's cavalier, muscular way with a white T-shirt, Bono's sincere humanistic nature. You would think that we would be tired of hearing, yet again, With or Without You, Where the Streets Have No Name, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Desire, Elevation and all the rest.

Irish Emigrant,

By all accounts the U2 concerts at Croke Park have more than lived up to expectations. Many of the 80,000 fans who filled the stadium on Friday were from around the globe and had travelled here to see the group on home territory.

Saturday's concert was equally successful and the stadium will be packed again tonight.

The Irish Times is of the view that when singer Andrea Corr marries Brett Desmond, son of financier Dermot Desmond, on August 21 the reception will be at the Doonbeg golf resort in Co. Clare and that guests will be entertained by U2. This is based on the fact that members of the golf club have been told that the course and facilities will not be available that day for security reasons.

The U2 link is based on the long-standing friendship between Andrea Corr and Bono and the fact that the band, currently on a concert tour, does not have an engagement that day.

Copyright © 2009 Irish Emigrant Publications

By Nadine O'Regan

Check in your cynicism at the door. U2 triumphed, after all.

The band might have failed to sell out their three Croke Park gigs (a symptom of Ireland's economic malaise, or of their struggle to shift copies of No Line On The Horizon?), and endured decidedly mixed recent reviews, not to mention complaints about everything from Bono's bombast to their tax-avoidance decisions.

But last Friday night, U2 blew aside the negativity to deliver a nuanced, energetic and at times genuinely breathtaking and spine tingling two-hour set.

It is interesting to hear Micheal Martin on the radio telling us that the minimum wage of €8.65 an hour must be open to review and, by implication, could be lowered.

Given that his own rate of pay per hour is nearer €100 (based on a 40-hour week), one wonders if he really has any grip on the reality of what he is suggesting.

John Mallon
Mayfield, Cork

By Eamon Sweeney

WITH such gargantuan amounts of hype, it's very easy to forget that this is a concert.

It's little wonder that U2 only play their home town every four years. If this was an annual bash both the band and audience would be completely burnt out from sheer exhaustion and over-exposure.

Former Artane Boys Band member Larry Mullen leads the band onstage and it's a stirring sight. They audaciously begin with four songs from the much maligned 'No Line on the Horizon' album. 'Breathe' is an unexpected and effective opener, although 'Get On Your Boots' is still an underwhelming and bloated lead single.

'Magnificent' is easily their best recent song and a soaring guitar solo from the Edge provides the night's first sweet moment.

The much discussed claw is an eye-boggling sight, but the most pleasing feature is that the quadrophonic sound system ensures the power of U2 in full flight is not deterred by Croker's dodgy acoustics.

As it gets darker, this huge glowing structure comes alive for 'The Unforgettable Fire' and a rivetting 'City of Blinding Lights'.

By Patricia McDonagh

BONO popped around for a chat at a family home near Croke Park at the weekend, and apologised if his band were making too much noise.

It is something that hardcore fans could only dream of, but Carol McGrain and family had one of the world's most recognisable rock stars hanging out in their front room.

Mrs McGrain (46), from Clonliffe Road in Dublin, was watching the band as they rolled down her street towards their massive Saturday gig in Croke Park.

By Richie Taylor

THE end is not in sight. Reports that supergroup U2 could be thinking about taking a long break or packing it in entirely after their current world tour have been rubbished by their soundman Joe O'Herlihy.

Joe, who has been with them since late 1978, said the group is showing no signs of stopping.

"They firmly believe that they are only starting, that it's getting better and maturing all the time. I couldn't see myself at this stage doing anything else. I have a great sense of belonging with U2."

And when U2 are not touring, Joe manages to keep himself busy all the time. "You have to keep yourself abreast of new technology all the time. Everything is changing so quickly.

The Independent,

Amid all the gloom, we remain a resilient nation. The weekend just gone and the week just coming show how we can, temporarily at least, put the economic gloom in some perspective.

Thousands of people bare their souls on the heavenly path to the top of Croagh Patrick in an extraordinary display of traditional faith and hope. Modern Ireland may have cast aside many of the outward manifestations of religion but there remains a huge core of belief and ritual that defy the circumstances. Long may it continue.

It was as if a new Pope had just been elected. In fact, to some people, it was probably just as important.

Here it was -- the performance we'd been waiting for all year. Indeed, only the harshest critic would admit to not feeling a little excited by the sight of white smoke emerging from the top of the 'Claw'.

And, as soon as those lads stood under it ... well, let's just say that homecomings have never been so loud.

The Independent

BELIEVE the hype. Choose joy.

The questions were asked of U2, and they were answered in pretty spectacular fashion at Croke Park last night. Magnificent, if you must.

"I surrender," Bono told the masses as he walked along the outer circle of the famous stage, arms outstretched, wallowing in the adulation early in the evening. He had, in fact, already won us over.

And that was before this stage truly came to life, helping to take the gig to another level entirely after the sun had set. Indeed, starting an hour later may have been advisable. "Look at yourselves," he implored the 80,000.

Mammoth gigs a testament to band's self-belief and ego, writes Barry Egan

By Barry Egan, Independent.ie

Forget Swine flu. Dublin is in the claw-like grip of U2 fever -- a pandemic that started on Friday night at Croke Park in front of 80,000 people and spread virulently unchecked again last night. It is expected to continue tomorrow for the final night. That's three shows and almost a quarter of a million tickets sold. Not bad for a country experiencing the worst downtown in its history . . .

Whatever your view on U2 and their tax affairs (Bono admitted to being "stung" by allegations of being a bit of a hypocritical toe-rag for urging first-world governments -- including Ireland's -- to increase aid to combat poverty in Africa while moving part of U2's business out of Ireland to take advantage of lower tax rates), you would want to be pretty mean-spirited not to see the joy U2's hometown shows brought to their city, not just in terms of finance (all the pubs, clubs and hotels in the capital were jammed) but in terms of pure unadulterated joy.

Check out the music video for I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight below!

U2 - I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight from David OReilly on Vimeo.

By SHAWN POGATCHNIK (AP)

DUBLIN -- Bono and U2 rocked more than 80,000 fans in Dublin as the Irish supergroup's latest world tour hit new emotional highs Friday night on home soil.

A deafening roar welcomed the Dubliners as they launched their three-concert homestand at Croke Park, Ireland's biggest stadium and a cathedral to Irish nationalism. The band's "360" tour -- featuring its underselling 12th studio album, "No Line on the Horizon" -- switches from Europe to North America in September.

"We are so young -- as a nation!" shouted the 49-year-old lead singer Bono.

Crowds braced for downpours threw their raincoats aside as an unexpected sunset gave way to a starry Dublin night.

Ronan McGreevy, Irish Times

U2's stage show for this weekend's series of concerts at Croke Park is the biggest in rock music history, the band's tour director has said.

The colossal edifice, which resembles a giant claw, is nearly 60 metres high and the same distance wide.

It is currently being put in place for the concerts which take place on Friday, Saturday and Monday nights.

Craig Evans said the band had spared no expense in putting the 360 tour together and the travelling party numbered around 500 people with 2,000 people in each city being involved in ancillary activities such as ticket sales and promotion.

By Ellen Lampert-Gréaux

"The 888 LED panels move apart from their neighbors in a very organic way as the screen expands and starts to grow, and audience tries to figure out what's happening," explains Matt Davis, a senior designer at Hoberman Associates and project director for their work on creating this groundbreaking, transformable LED screen, which was built by Barco and its subsidiary Innovative Designs. "The programming allows for the video images to be distorted as the screen elongates and stretches, or not, as you like. Once it stops being static, there are whole new options for the video content. The screen becomes a graphic geometric monster and the band is inside of it." To add to the effect, the LEDs on the edge of each screen can be used as rings of lights spinning around the images. "They are having fun with it, learning what works," Davis adds. "It's great to see what people are doing with our creation."

I'll Go Crazy If I Dont Go Crazy Tonight has premiered on Youtube. The music video is directed by David O'Reilly and is an animated ensemble piece. It's rumoured that Alex Courtes is directing another music video on this song which features live footage of U2 on their U2 360° Tour.

The full video can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmJgdXkAqMU

Belfast Telegraph,

Charity began at home today for Irish rock group U2 as it pledged five million euro (£4.3m) towards the next generation of musicians.

The band announced plans to co-fund a scheme that offers youngsters in Ireland the chance to learn an instrument or have vocal tuition.

The Ireland Funds - a fundraising organisation - will raise a further two million euro (£1.7m) for the initiative, to be run by Music Network.

U2 is bringing its 360 world tour to home soil this weekend with three nights in Dublin's Croke Park.

Guitarist The Edge said: "Being around music at a young age was important for us and we were lucky to have it at school.

By Ellen Lampert-Gréaux

Nobody has ever seen anything quite like it: one of the most exciting, innovative elements of the U2 360° tour design is the expanding video screen based on a Hoberman sphere* and his patented "Iris Structure" as seen in the Iris Dome at The Museum of Modern Art in New York. "Mark Fisher and Willie Williams came up with the idea for an elliptical video screen, and their vision was spot-on," says Matt Davis, a senior designer at Hoberman Associates and project director for their work on creating this groundbreaking, transformable LED screen, which was then built by Barco and its subsidiary Innovative Designs.

By Eamon Sweeney, Irish Independent

There's been a rake of monster gigs this summer with Bruce Springsteen, the Eagles and AC/DC having already performed, not to mention Oxegen and the Live at the Marquee shows in Cork. But they're all small fry compared to next week's juggernaut steamrolling into Croke Park.

On June 30, U2 kicked off their latest tour in Barcelona. Onstage in Paris last week, Bono said, "Thank you for coming out and thank you for giving us a great life. Thank you for giving us the chance to build this madness, this space station."

This space station is the so-called "claw" that's the centrepiece of the 360° tour. The fact that Croker will see only 270° of the claw has been the subject of some consternation. Rather than getting the full show that's already got rave reviews from Camp Nou and the San Siro, Irish fans feel they're not getting the full 360° deal.

In the ripping new documentary 'It Might Get Loud,' Jack White, the Edge, and Jimmy Page hold forth on the electric guitar--what it's like to rock, and how it saved their lives. Will Welch talks to two of the three about struggles, inspiration, and the rebellion that made them want to shred. Warning: You'll feel silly for playing Guitar Hero

By Will Welch, GQ Magazine

UNLESS YOU'RE a long-haired hesher who spends Saturday afternoons riffing at the local Guitar Center, "electric-guitar documentary" might sound like a wildly dubious premise for a feature-length film. Not so, though, when the film's subjects are Jack White, the Edge, and Jimmy Page, and the man behind the camera is An Inconvenient Truth director Davis Guggenheim. It Might Get Loud surges with the electricity of a cranked-up amp as it rambles from the mansion where Led Zeppelin created "Stairway to Heaven," to Jack White's Tennessee farm, to the school where U2 was born, collecting intimate, inspiring stories from three of rock's most accomplished and enigmatic shredders. To find out more, we plugged in with Jack and the Edge and hit "record."

By DANIEL KREPS, Rolling Stone

U2 have joined the masses on Twitter, establishing @U2_360Tour (http://twitter.com/u2_360tour) to give fans a look at life on the road and backstage on their 360 Tour, which is currently in Europe. So far, the Twitter feed has only hosted photos from the band but no text, so Bono hasn't had to confine his thoughts to 140 characters just yet. Judging by the Twitter timeline, the photos were taken as the band traveled from Paris, having played two nights at the Stade De France, to Nice, where U2 were set to play Parc des Sports Charles Ehrmann last night, July 15th. A press release indicates that the bandmembers are snapping the photos themselves.

Belfast Telegraph

Croke Park is only asking U2 to foot a fraction of the cost of replacing its hallowed turf after their concert there because algae are killing the grass anyway.

The pitch has been dug up in advance of the band's three Croker gigs as part of the band's 360 degree Tour later this month.

But bosses at the stadium said it would be unfair to hand the whole bill for replacing the pitch to Bono and the boys because it needs replacing anyway.

While U2 are only being asked to pay 30pc of the €1.2m cost of the project, stadium director Peter McKenna said this was the fairest way to split the bill.

He said: "The way we look at it is, we would have to replace our pitch in 2010, because of an algal layer that is about 5cm under the surface.

by Chris Matyszczyk, CNet

While preparing myself for a feature-length period being upended by Bruno, the Austrian arbiter of taste, I was struck by a sight almost as strange as Bruno in khakis.

The screen was adorned with an ad for U2. Well, it appeared to have been paid for by BlackBerry, but I wonder just how much it might do for perhaps Canada's finest brand.

As some erudite commentators have pointed out, the ad bears a remarkable resemblance to an Apple ad featuring Coldplay. And even to an Apple ad featuring, um, U2.

Which might make one wonder just what machinations might have occurred in order for such a faintly familiar work to see digital light.

What is really quite beautiful about the BlackBerry brand is that it was created without the obvious help of advertising.

Graphic by Patrick Thomas

By Bono, New York Times Contributing Columnist

DATELINE: Imminent. About now, actually.

Soon, Air Force One will touch down in Accra, Ghana; Africans will be welcoming the first African-American president. Press coverage on the continent is placing equal weight on both sides of the hyphen.

And we thought it was big when President Kennedy visited Ireland in 1963. (It was big, though I was small. Where I come from, J.F.K. is remembered as a local boy made very, very good.)

But President Obama's African-ness is only part (a thrilling part) of the story today. Cable news may think it's all about him -- but my guess is that he doesn't. If he was in it for a sentimental journey he'd have gone to Kenya, chased down some of those dreams from his father.

Filmmaker Martyn Pick directed this alternate version of U2's Get On Your Boots. The verdict from U2 Station? Even better than the real thing.

Band's 100-date world tour will be responsible for emitting up to 65,000 tonnes of CO2

Alistair Grant, thelondonpaper

U2 and Bono have been criticised for the carbon footprint created by their mammoth world tour.

The 100-date, 18-month odyssey, which kicked off last week, will see the multi-millionaires emit up to 65,000 tonnes of CO2, which would be equivalent to Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr flying from Earth to the planet Mars - and back.

The £90m U2360 tour also features three 390-tonne stages criss-crossing the globe, along with 200 crew and backstage staff.

By Neil McCormick, The Telegraph

Early on in discussions for the launch of the latest U2 tour, Bono floated the possibility that they would become the first band to play a gig on the moon. Larry shot that idea down however. He pointed out that there would be no atmosphere...

Ah, the old ones are ... well, not the best ... but the old ones, anyway.

Ever since U2 blew the possibilities for live event staging wide open with their multi-media Zoo TV tour, they have been caught in a peculiar trap: how to satisfy audience expectations for hi-tech, cutting edge spectacle while rooting the experience in the very human, emotional contact with fans that is at the heart of their appeal. In other words, how to make it bigger and more intimate at the same time.

At last night's Camp Nou show, Bono wore a special leather jacket with 240 built-in lasers, designed by Moritz Waldemeyer. The lasers were designed along the silhouette of his jacket and they can be seen in the video below as U2 performed "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)". One thing that is uncertain however is, did U2 fans receive any eye damage from Bono's jacket?

Brian Boyd, Irish Times

"Ground control to Major Tom," sang David Bowie as the four members of U2 walked onto the stage of Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium last night to begin their "360 Degree" world tour. It was a fitting choice of introduction: on this tour U2 are unveiling a revolutionary new stage design -- "the Claw" -- which looks like a spaceship held up by four spindly legs.

This configuration means there is no stage as such, allowing the band to play in the round. The impression you get is that the band are sitting in the palm of the audience's hand.

Waiting for night to fall in Barcelona so they could show off their impressive light show, the band didn't take to the stage until 10 p.m. local time but they were ecstatically received by a 80,000 crowd. Kicking off with a muscular "Breathe" from the new album, they then turned it up to 11 for "No Line on the Horizon," "Get On Your Boots" and "Magnificent."

Pierre Perrone, Independent (London)

Nothing, not the sneak preview footage on the band's website, nor the pictures on the front pages of the Spanish dailies Qué! or La Vanguardia can prepare you for the monstrous sight that welcomed 90,000 rabid U2 fans inside the home of Barcelona FC.

The aliens have truly landed on the hallowed turf of the European and La Liga champions and winners of La Copa Del Rey. As envisioned and co-designed by Mark Fisher and Willie Williams, the stage for U2's 360° tour looks like a spaceship or a supersized version of HG Wells' War of the Worlds tripod Martian fighting machines with a dash of Catalan visionary architect Antoni Gaudi thrown in for good measure.

It certainly affords every single one of the capacity crowd inside Europe's biggest stadium a clear view of the biggest band in the world returning to the live arena after four years, the longest hiatus in a career that has already lasted three decades and seen them sell 150 million albums.

Melanie Finn, Evening Herald

Soccer star Damien Duff partied the night away with a gang of pals from Dublin as U2 rocked Barcelona on their opening night.

Clad in a distinctive Cavalli shirt and a pair of gleaming white jeans, the Newcastle player was in flying form at the official aftershow party in the exclusive Arts Hotel.

Sporting a dark tan from a recent holiday, Damien was thrilled to see the Irish stars kickstart their world tour.

Gorgeous Phantom FM presenter Michelle Doherty wasn't stuck for admirers as she caught up on all the gossip with old pals.

Ben Harding, Reuters

BARCELONA, June 30 (Reuters) - U2 kicked off their first tour in three years on Tuesday, rocking a raucous Barcelona crowd of around 90,000 and reaching for the stars with a live link-up to the International Space Station.

Featuring one of the biggest concert stages ever built, the U2 360 Tour will visit 31 cities across Europe and North America and entertain an estimated three million people. More dates are expected to be announced in 2010.

Fans surrounded the circular platform inside Barcelona's Nou Camp stadium, allowing for a bigger audience and lower average ticket prices during the global recession.

"All around Spain, all around the world, things are difficult. Thank you for coming back to us again and again," Bono said during the high octane show.