Results matching “Album”

Protesters in Dublin were furious about the time it took to dismantle Bono's massive stage 'claw'

Paul Lester, Guardian.co.uk

(Editor's Note: In my opinion, everyone is entitled to their opinion, to each their own.)

Considering their reputation as the most socially aware band on the planet, U2 have been doing their best to inflame at least one section of society with their latest venture. Protesters in Dublin this week picketed the Croke Park stadium where the dismantling of the world's most expensive - and most preposterous - rock show, including a giant electronic "claw", required almost two days of continual activity and the relentless rumble of juggernauts down narrow lanes. All of this presumably left a giant dent where a dainty little carbon footprint should have been.

Dorian Lynskey, Guardian.co.uk

Over the years, U2 have taken many a kicking. But the band believe they're unjustly maligned for their unique brand of 'stadium activism'

Tuesday night in Amsterdam. Inside the city's ArenA, the colour green floods a giant mosaic of video screens, below which stand the four members of U2, three weeks into their 360 tour. As the band strike up Sunday Bloody Sunday, the screens flash images of protesters on the streets of Tehran alongside lines in Farsi by the Persian poet Rumi. Thus, a song written 26 years ago about political violence in Northern Ireland finds a new and pressing context.

David Byrne has criticised U2 on his blog, saying their world tour costs are excessive. He has also complained that he was jilted from a New York TV slot earlier this year so they could play five nights in a row.

"It might get loud" in Theaters August 14 in New York and Los Angeles

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.

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.

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'.

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.