No Opening Act for U2 Shows

A couple of weeks back we said that U2 will not have an opening act this time around.

They have done this before however its been sometime. Live Nation has confirmed that U2 will be performing their show with no back up support. The show will be broken into two parts and will have an intermission.  A couple of other items:

Venue Details:

Each venue will have their own GA process to which will be posted. Remember that each venue has different rules do not assume you know the rules. Check in with each venue prior to wasting your time or blowing your opportunity.  North Side and South Side be ready to really understand the differences. The stage runs right down the middle of the venue. No switching sides mid stream concert. 

RED ZONE will be at the front of the house on both North and South sides. This is not new however remember NORTH side and SOUTH side. Camera policy has not changed NO switchable lens, bring your device and leave your camera home. Watch for more information as it comes out. Download our app to keep up with the details and send in your images from the show.

Critics, Fans and Tour

Musicians have a love hate with critics and those that claim to be in the industry with knowledge of what the "fan" wants. This weekend NYT blog has some pretty interesting comments about the up coming tour, the band and the "uncertain" album.

U2 fans have been lucky that the band has already turned a deaf ear to what critics say or those that want to say "its time to call it a day"  

The fact that the boys are so what healthy and that while so fans would like more cities added to the tour most understand that its better to have a few cities and a healthy band with great shows then canceled shows. Its not easy being the worlds greatest band.

This summer tour season has a couple of BIG bands out on the road. Rolling Stones, Greatful Dead, Van Halen just to name a few.  For most this would be the " Summer of Love" the big blow out. However not for U2, this is the summer to give audiences a chance to really soak in the new album a possible taste of the next album.

This will be a pretty busy week with U2 news almost daily. Download our newest app for the most current updated news and the show fan connect feature.

Bono Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Today is Bono's birthday as well as his daughter Jordan. 55 years in the making and what has become of Bono? Last year was a bit of a challenge for Bono after a bicycle accident in New York ( Central Park) he underwent five hours of reconstructive surgery to put him back together.

Most thought this might knock him out of action for a lot longer than first thought however Bono and U2 proved everyone wrong with their performance on THE TONIGHT SHOW with Jimmy Fallon.

An appearance that was delayed due to the accident, a tour thought to be up and in the air is about to start in the next few days. Meantime Bono is working giving fans what they want, what they need a bit of what they don't expect. This tour expected to be much different from any tour before. 

This does not seem to be a statement that U2 fans have issue with. U2 has always had the ability to provide fans a live show experience that leaves them wanting more. This tour has to be amazing, this tour has to support the current album as well as the next one that fans expect will be released during the tour. 

This tour needs to answer is U2 still relevant? By all accounts U2 has nothing to prove yet some critics will still have their comments. However today is about Bono. So lets turn our attention to him.  

“To go forward into the future, sometimes you have to deal with the past ”
— Bono

June 6, 2001 Bono addressed Harvard graduating class with some insights that most fans may have in the insights to his life.  Back in 2001 he told us that he wears sunglasses for protection yet most of use did not thYourink much of it until 2014 when he announced that he has glaucoma. This is the Bono that few people get to see. The Bono that grew up  A few thoughts that stand out "I owe more than my spoiled lifestyle to rock music. I owe my worldview. Music was like an alarm clock for me as a teenager and still keeps me from falling asleep in the comfort of my freedom."

Bono was born in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, on 10 May 1960. He was raised in the Northside suburb of Finglas with his brother (who is eight years older than Bono) by their mother, Iris (née Rankin), a member of the Church of Ireland, and their father, Brendan Robert "Bob" Hewson, a Roman Catholic.

“You’ve got to dare to make a fool of yourself. You’ve go to dare to fail”
— Bono

His parents initially agreed that the first child would be raised Anglican and the second Catholic. Although Bono was the second child, he also attended Church of Ireland services with his mother and brother. He went to the local primary Glasnevin National School. Bono was 14 when his mother died on 10 September 1974 after suffering a cerebral aneurysm at her father's funeral.Many U2 songs, including "I Will Follow", "Mofo", "Out of Control", "Lemon" and "Tomorrow" focus on the loss of his mother.

Bono attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School, a multi denominational school in Clontarf. During his childhood and adolescence, Bono and his friends were part of a surrealist street gang called "Lypton Village".  The world will soon be introduced to Bono.

Bono is reviled by a fair number of people, too, and it's no mystery why. Even the most beloved rock star takes plenty of knocks from the inevitable ranks of detractors. But Bono is more than just a rock star. He's put himself forward as a humanitarian, a statesman even, according to the headline of a September cover story in The New York Times Magazine.

He's the most visible component of a wildly successful multinational business conglomerate (U2, that is), and he's been known to come off as, well, a bit self-righteous from time to time. (See: ``Rattle and Hum,'' the band's 1988 documentary.)

All of those things are fodder for people who think rock stars ought to keep quiet when they're not on stage singing, or who can't abide the outsized personalities that mega-stars seem to develop when they have incongruous access to world leaders, wear a perpetual layer of scruff and never appear without their annoying blue-tinted sunglasses.

Bono gives the impression of not worrying about any of that, and it makes him more effective in his various roles:

Rock star

There's no question Bono is among the biggest stars to arise from the '80s. Aside from Madonna, in fact, no one else even comes close. Like Madge, Bono and his mates -- the Edge on guitar, Adam Clayton on bass and Larry Mullen Jr. on drums -- worked ceaselessly to build their career, and U2 has established a strong record of consistent quality over the years.

Bono recently told Rolling Stone that U2's mission as a band is ``Not be crap.'' He continued: ``Going to a very dark place inside yourself -- it's expensive. A lot of bands understandably get to a level of comfort and don't want to go there. U2's still ready to go there, and we feel there's a lot to prove.''

Aside from the occasional misfire, like 1997's ``Pop,'' U2 continues to prove itself on albums full of songs that must earn their way into the band's live set. Shows on the current tour have included four tunes from last year's ``How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb,'' which stands alongside classics from ``The Joshua Tree'' and ``War.''

Humanitarian

Bono has used his fame to raise awareness of issues such as Third World debt forgiveness and AIDS in Africa, which has earned him a fair bit of scorn. Not for his choice of issues, one presumes, but for the hectoring tone his advocacy sometimes takes.

From humble beginnings to where Bono stands today 55 years later. The world has become a better place because of Bono's focus on giving back and pointing out that you are your brothers keeper and that God is cool and can be cool to add faith to songs that inside those lyrics a message of hope, faith and devotion. 

Bono's humanitarian work is not finished however its been said that he has toned down his political views in the interest of the band and the music. Its seems some people can not stand the blend of the two and fear that Bono has had a undue influence over this generation. 

Question everything , break everything and rebuild with the idea of how to improve someones life. That's the kind of influence that needs to be embraced be those that think the rock star life is about just grabbing everything on the table and with no worry as to what happens next.

So whats next for Bono?  Well a tour, that's that about to start, the next album release. For now the future looks bright because the foundation is strong.

 

Bono and Jimmy Scored Big !

 Early in the week U2 had stopped into Jimmy Fallon's Late Night show to record Fridays show and to pretty much settle fans down on their return to the stage next week.

The band was in Vancouver. Twitter was all a buzz as the boys took center stage and performed a number of songs and provided some great insight to what we can expect this coming week.  The band joined Jimmy for a small interview and some conversation about Bono and riding a bike. They performed two songs and provided the premiere video that will be used to promote the tour. This provide fans a complete view of the stage and what to expect. 

The night was surely entertaining for dedicated U2 fans. Here are a couple of videos from the evening performance.

 

U2 Performs on NYC Subway Platform

Unbelievable! U2/Jimmy Fallon performing at Grand Central #onlyinnewyork #grateful #jimmyfallon #u2

A video posted by Regine (@regineem) on

U2 has been in New York taping Friday's show ( The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon). A couple of skits some great photo shots of the whole band its been a wonderful few days to see the whole band around New York.

Instagram user Regine has the brass ring today. This user happened to capture the bets video clip of the band performing in the subway.

Thanks for sharing

Bono On A Bike in NYC Video

Yep that's Bono and jimmy Fallon riding bikes outside the Rockefeller building #newyork #city

A video posted by Ron Grady (@ronnyg777) on

Bono and the boys happen to be in New York working on some skits for the Tonight show. This video was posted on instagram by Ron Grady.

It looks to be a skit where Jimmy rides up to Bono who happens to be on a bike outside of 30 Rock.

We have a couple of more images that we will post to our Facebook page.

If you spot the boys in NYC send in your images to  concertphotos at u2tourfans dot com and we will share them. 

Or use our new mobile app and just click and send.