June 2015 Archives

by Jon Bream, Minneapolis Star Tribune

The Rolling Stones vs. U2. Mick vs. Bono. Keef vs. the Edge.

Who is the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band? Baby boomers might argue the Stones. Gen Xers might advocate for U2.

Last week, this baby boomer had the rare opportunity to see these iconic bands on back-to-back nights: the Stones on Tuesday in Milwaukee, U2 on Wednesday in Chicago.

How were the shows? Outstanding. Was one better? Yes. Which band was the greatest? I'll answer that later. First, impressions and experiences.

Just given their ages, the four Stones, 68 to 74, have to be in the autumn of their 53-year career. U2, a quartet ages 53 to 55, are in midcareer -- year 39, to be exact -- sort of like the Stones in the mid-1980s. U2 is coming off two slow-selling, hits-devoid albums, the latter of which, "Songs of Innocence," resulted in bad karma because it was sent for free last year to hundreds of millions of iTunes users, some of whom saw it as unwanted spam.

by Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune

Montreal -- Bono and Adam Clayton are sitting on a couch in a downtown hotel last week after a U2 concert, talking T-shirts. Suddenly they're 17 years old again hanging out at punk clubs in their hometown of Dublin, circa 1977.

"The Ramones, the Clash, the Buzzcocks," says Clayton, the band's bassist, reminiscing about the bands that he, Bono and the other future members of U2 -- guitarist the Edge and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. -- witnessed and drew inspiration from as teenagers.

"The Buzzcocks -- the melodies were so great," Bono says, mimicking Pete Shelley furiously strumming a guitar. "What was their drummer's name (John Maher)? Larry used one of his parts on one of our songs."

"I took a few things from (the Stranglers') JJ Burnel - a great bass player," Clayton adds.

by Jon Swartz, USA TODAY

SAN FRANCISCO -- U2's tech-rich tour keeps getting richer and richer.

The legendary rock band, which christened its U.S. tour in San Jose, Calif., last month with a high-tech spectacle of immersive video and sound, has partnered with Meerkat to live stream in each show.

The streams are distributed on Twitter and Facebook, as well as displayed at the venue.

The arrangement started during shows in Phoenix and Los Angeles, and has continued.

The live-streaming experience, filmed by a fan onstage with the band, is projected on a gigantic oblong screen at the show and is available to anyone who uses the Meerkat app.

Rock star, currently touring with his band, will be in Ottawa to discuss African aid initiatives with NGOs

CBC News

U2 rock star and philanthropist Bono will meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau following a session with several non-profit organizations in Ottawa on Monday.

Stuart Hickox, founder of the non-profit "social marketing" organization One Change, confirmed Bono is coming to the capital for talks focused on aid in Africa, and is expected to attend question period following that meeting.

The Prime Minister's Office confirmed the meeting between Harper and Bono will take place Monday afternoon. Harper is expected to discuss his maternal and child health initiative, which he has previously discussed before the United Nations General Assembly.

by Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times

The rattling and humming has ended, at least for now.

U2 wrapped up its extended stay in Los Angeles on Wednesday night with a sold-out show at the Forum, the band's fifth at the Inglewood arena before its Innocence and Experience tour heads east, to Denver and beyond.

Wednesday's concert was actually the last of six in L.A., including U2's visit last week to the comparatively minuscule Roxy. But sustained exposure to his fans' adoration has never satisfied Bono's appetite for more, of course. So Wednesday the frontman sauntered onstage with the Forum's house lights still on, the better to see 17,000-something Angelenos cheer his arrival once more.

"The most beautiful sound in the world," he said. "It's you!"

Here are five thoughts from the show.