U2 Intimacy

U2 360 Tour Night View Originally inspired by the Theme Building at Los Angeles’ LAX airport, the four-legged “spider” incorporates all of the lighting, some of the 12 manned cameras and spots, massive speaker arrays and a huge 360-degree vertically expandable LED video screen. And as ridiculous as it sounds, once the show starts, you forget it’s there: Instead of being the elephant in the room, the structure focuses attention on the band and how they interact with the crowd, both near and far.

The inner ring nearest the main stage gives more than 3,000 fans close proximity to the band, while the outer ring gives the band access to standing and seated concertgoers farther out. At different times during the show, The Edge, Bono, Adam Clayton and even drummer Larry Mullins Jr. use two moving bridges to perform between the areas and are followed by video and audio all the way. 

Of course, you’d expect the audio system used for such a massive setup to be huge — and it doesn’t disappoint. The setup comprises the latest in digital tech offered for live sound and, surprisingly, some tried-and-true analog gear.

The tour’s look and systems design was a collaboration between the band and audio director/front-of-house Joe O’Herlihy, show designer Willie Williams, production architect/designers Jeremy Lloyd and Mark Fisher, and Clair Global R&D and engineering teams.

The speakers used are all Clair and comprise FOH left/right hangs of 36 i5 and 36 i5B; 24 i5 and 24 i5B rear; 16 i5 and 16 i5B at house left; and 16 i5 and 16 i5B at house right. Main stage front-fills include 24 FF2 and 24 BT218 subs, while the “B” stage area carries 72 S4 subs.

Looking Down, Way Down U2 360 TourThere are also two towers carrying 32 iDL delay cabinets. That’s 336 separate enclosures, all powered by Lab.gruppen PLM 10000Q and PLM 14000s and Powersoft K10 amps that are positioned at each leg of the structure and are fed audio from the stage racks. All EQ and control is via Lake/Dolby I/O software Version 5.3, with most of the processing resident in the Lab.gruppen PLM 10000Q and PLM 14000 amplifiers; system tuning is via EAW Smaart software.

Consoles at FOH are redundant DiGiCo SD7s, each running identical shows. Jo Ravitch, senior systems engineer/Clair Global crew chief, says, “There are two main stage racks, one of them distributes AES to each leg and there’s a backup system of analog feeds to each amp, as well. If we have an issue with anything in this setup, I walk over here and switch to analog and Joe [O’Herlihy] walks over to the other board and picks up the mix.”

The front end for Bono and The Edge’s vocals and some of the compression for the guitars called for some unusual gear choices. Ravitch says, “When the tour started, there wasn’t very much [processing] available on the board so we’re using outboard stuff.” For Bono’s vocals, O’Herlihy calls on the Manley Vox Box; The Edge’s vocals take an Avalon 737. Compression for the guitars is on a Summit Audio DCL-200 comp/limiter, with the rest of the limiting provided by the SD7.

The system was a game-changer for O’Herlihy, who has been with U2 for more than 25 years. “The approach to the mix in the context of the way the sound is distributed has been enlightening, to be perfectly honest,” he says. “The size of the system has created an experience that is incredibly responsive. We now have something that’s almost touch-sensitive. When you make a move, there’s a large physical element of immediately hearing what you do.”

Because of the staging’s scope and design, the textbooks had to be thrown out and a system designed that would cover everyone. O’Herlihy says, “From the mix perspective, you have to get your head around the whole concept of having an inside column and an outside column, and how you distribute your gain structures accordingly.”

Wall of Sound/ U2 360 Tour 2009The players’ audio experience onstage was an essential element in the system design. “Any time you do things in 360 degrees, the apex of that circle is right where the drummer is,” O’Herlihy continues. “It would normally be a difficult place to perform while being hammered with all that bass.” This is where the use of the 72 Clair S4 cardioid subs around the outer ring comes in. “The cardioid movement works extraordinarily well in nullifying bass, so it’s a clean, clean stage that is a good performance area,” the FOH engineer adds.

O’Herlihy has seen an exponential evolution in tour sound technology. He had his digital education on the DiGiCo D5, which was innovative at the time. On the Vertigo tour, he had the benefit of the D5 being around for a few years before he took it out. He did not have that luxury with the SD7, but trusted that it was the only console that could get the job done.

The SD7 was the only solution that let him put each and every individual channel where he wanted it without using external equipment that would have meant another link in the chain that could possibly fail. Still, the SD7 was a leap of faith and trust in DiGiCo. “We’ve had our glitches along the way with software updates, but like everything else, we’re in virgin territory here and we felt that that the SD7 is what made this whole thing work.”

Underneath It All

Monitor mixers Dave Skaff, Alistair McMillan and Niall Slevin make their home under the massive stage, which is also where offstage keyboardist Terry Lawless plays. Because all three mixers don’t have a view of the stage, they watch what’s going on via TV monitors at each station. And as the band is moving around so much, each station gets a four-camera split specially switched for their benefit, resulting in the band being visible at all times.

Grave Yard /Road Case Homes 2009 Skaff mixes for bassist Adam Clayton, drummer Larry Mullins and Lawless on a Digidesign D-Show Profile. The tour’s redundancy mantra carries on below stage with Skaff mixing on one Profile with another right next to it ready to go. “With just a couple of switches hit at the same time, I’m fully up on the second rig,” says Skaff, who worked for Digidesign on the VENUE console project from the beginning. In his mixes, he uses a variety of plug-ins from Waves, McDSP and the Phoenix plug-in from Crane Song, and also records every show to Pro Tools HD.

Using digital consoles has made it easier to provide specific mixes for each bandmember. The Edge has six guitar amps onstage and two under, while Clayton has five bass guitar feeds, and they rely on the team to provide the specific balances they need for each song.

Skaff points out the advantage: “Without digital, it would be a madness of markers and 3×5 index cards. At soundcheck, Bono will do half a song, shout out another song, do 12 bars of that song and shout out another. It would be impossible to get all that to come back without the digital consoles.”

Mixers Slevin and McMillan provide audio for The Edge and Bono on two DiGiCo SD7s, each running dual engines fed via MADI. Each desk runs both mixes, the thought being that if one console quits, the engineer can jump to the second engine on the working console and continue to work until the downed desk can be revived. The stage racks and local racks used for processing are also duplicated and can be quickly switched if needed. McMillan is recording the show to Steinberg Cubase on two independent Apple G5s, which top out at 90 tracks, 20 of which are ambience. “I feed [Bono] quite a bit of ambience,” says McMillan. “He enjoys hearing the audience reaction.”

U2 360 Production Truck To help with latency, McMillan keeps Bono’s vocal on an analog path by getting a split from the stage, which he sends through a Rupert Neve-designed Amek preamp and then into a channel on a Midas Verona analog console.

The rest of the band and effects are sent to a second channel on the Verona, which all go directly to Bono. For the singer’s reverb, he’s using the Bricasti M7, McMillan’s favorite new toy. “It’s more like glue than a reverb,” McMillan says. For Bono’s delays, he uses a TC Electronic 2290 and a variety of verbs from Lexicon and Yamaha across the rest of the band.

McMillan, who has mixed monitors for Van Morrison, came primarily from a studio background, having worked extensively at Windmill Lane in Dublin. “These guys have made me raise the bar within myself,” McMillan says. “After 20 years, you get set in your ways. Here, I had to start again and I love that.”

For The Edge, Niall Slevin runs 40 inputs per engine into his SD7, sharing the same rack feeds with McMillan. He uses an AMS reverb and a Lexicon PCM 80 for his mixes but duplicates his rack effects with onboard equivalents in case of failure. He also has duplicate analog processors in his rack for McMillan’s mixes should Alistair need to jump over to his console.

Slevin feels the SD7 is a big sonic improvement over the SD5, but he is realistic about its abilities. “It still has a few reliability issues, but we’re pushing it to the max, especially with the redundancy. Effectively, we’re throwing it out the top floor and seeing if it will fly. At the moment, it’s gliding, but it’s getting there. No one has had these consoles and pushed it as much as we have. When we find things out, DiGiCo has been very good about fixing it. I can’t imagine a situation at the moment in a rock ‘n’ roll theater or any other audio application that this couldn’t deal with.”

U2 360 Tour 2009 - See you this year The band is using Future Sonics in-ear systems transmitted over newly upgraded Senn- heiser G3 wireless systems, which the crew credits with adding more definition and top end. With this large of a setup, RF is a big challenge and the team has found themselves going back to old-school techniques of placement using line-of-sight and shorter cables. Skaff says, “The wilder it gets, the more we seem to go back to basics to make things happen.”

A show of this scale being launched during tough times is easy to pick on. But it’s hard to argue with its success both in record-breaking attendance and integration of new technology. At a time when album sales are not driving revenues, live performance has stepped into the spotlight and blazed a trail where other methods have failed. Did the band achieve “intimacy on a grand scale” as Bono proposed during the show? Only you can be the judge, but from my seat, it was dazzling.

360 Rides with us

360 Underworld View

The Edge - U2 360 Tour Plenty of attention has been given to the amazing structure built above the stage on the U2 360 world tour, but beneath the band’s feet lies the Underworld, a maze-like string of instrument maintenance areas, changing rooms and workspaces. The busiest spot down below is the monitor mix position, where engineers Niall Slevin, Dave Skaff and Alastair McMillan ensure U2 can hear itself over the 90,000-plus fans at every show.

Monitor duties are split up among the engineers, with Slevin providing mixes for guitarist the Edge, McMillan doing the same for singer Bono, and Skaff tackling sound for drummer Larry Mullen Jr., bassist Adam Clayton and offstage keyboardist Terry Lawless.

All the band members are wearing Future Sonics ear buds attached to Sennheiser G2 wireless systems, but below the deck, the gear uniformity ends. Slevin and McMillan both mix on DiGiCo SD7 desks, while Skaff is positioned behind a Digidesign D-Show

Profile. All of the engineers mix watching the show via video screens, keeping an eye on their respective charges for visual cues.

Since the SD7 still a relatively new desk, the tour marked the first time McMillan, a seasoned FOH and studio engineer, had used one: “I wasn’t sure of this at first and I’m still acclimating to the change, but I was pleasantly surprised,” he said. “It sounds good, that’s the main thing.”

Oddly enough, though, it works in concert with a second console. On the 2005-06 Vertigo tour, Bono found he was thrown off by the processing delay of the digital console used at that time.

U2 360 Tour Underworld The work-around invented for that production—and maintained on the current tour—is that the vocal goes direct into a Midas Venice analog board. Meanwhile, a stereo submix of everything from the SD7 is sent to two channels of the Venice, where it and Bono’s mic are sent back to his wireless pack, reducing processing time on the vocal to nil.

Over at the Digidesign Profile, Skaff keeps things rolling for the rhythm section, much as he as since joining the band’s live crew in 1985 (“I don’t count when I drove gear in ‘83”). In between the previous U2 world tour and this one, Skaff worked for Digidesign, but first began using a Profile on the Vertigo jaunt, noting, “When it finally came around that I had to make a switch, I really liked the platform, the sound of it.”

With that kind of background, it’s no surprise that he’s comfortable working with the multitude of plug-ins available for the desk: “For experimenting, it is really great because it’s like having a giant rack of gear available to you all the time. I use an awful lot of the McDSP stuff, Crane Song’s Phoenix and a lot of the Waves plug-ins as well. Phoenix is one of those one-knob, ‘I can’t believe what it does’ things. It’s just one knob that makes it better; whatever you put it on, it just brings it right out of the mix into whatever you’re listening to. Rob Scovill turned me on to it.”

U2 360 Tour Set ListWhile the band members all sport personal monitor systems, there’s still a handful of Clair 12AMII “stealth” wedges onstage with them. “Wedges have basically gone away,” admitted Skaff. “There’s a couple out there as a ‘just in case’—but several of the wedges are teleprompters that can screen song lyrics or translations; that kind of stuff.  There’s only one active wedge out of the whole thing and the rest is sub lows—two for Larry and a block of four right next to Adam’s bass rig.”

As Skaff’s tenure might indicate, much of U2’s audio staff have been with the band for years, but this tour is marks McMillan’s first time on the road with the group. Mixing for one of rock’s more unpredictable frontmen might seem daunting, but the engineer has found that a studio-quality mix isn’t always the right fit for Bono: “He’s all about energy, so it’s probably not that ‘Hi-Fi.’ It’s not a nice-sounding mix; generally ‘nice-sounding’ doesn’t work for him. It’s not necessarily loud for the sake of it, but finding the energy, that’s what he gets off on. There’s a lot of effects on his vocal, a lot of reverb, probably more than a record mix, but you know, it works for him. And I use an awful lot of ambience as well—I haven’t discussed it with him, but I’ve just discovered that over a little while. The more audience reaction I can put in, the more he likes it!”

U2, Sinead O'Connor, Chieftains

The Music of Ireland - Welcome Home,” a new documentary featuring interviews and performances from U2 ,Celtic Woman, Sinead O’Connor and The Chieftians will debut on New York public television station WLIW on Feb. 17, then rollout across the country to other PBS affiliates throughout March PBS have announced.

“Music of Ireland” will be available as a CD and DVD in a number of outlets: Barnes & Noble is the exclusive retail partner and will debut an in-store promotional campaign on March 2; Amazon.com will feature all the CD tracks digitally on a 45-day exclusive starting that same day. In addition, the CD and DVD will be bundled as a bonus for those who donate to public television during pledge drives.

The CD was produced by John Reynolds, and features new material by Clannad’s Moya Brennan - who also hosts the documentary - O’Connor, the Chieftans, former Irish Tenor Ronan Tynan and Shane MacGowan of the Pogues, among others.

The documentary “Music of Ireland” opens in 1960 with the success of the pioneering Clancy Brothers, and includes Liam Clancy’s final U.S. television interview before his death. Other interviews include “Riverdance’s” Michael Flatley, Bob Geldof and Academy Award-nominated director Jim Sheridan.

A sequel to the “Music of Ireland” is planned for later this year, and will focus on U2, Celtic Woman, The Cranberries, The Corrs, the Irish Tenors and songwriters Glen Hansard and Damien Rice.

Bono/U2TOURFANS/DAVE LONG 2009 The documentary was executive produced by The Elevation Group’s Denny Young, who previously produced “Bonefish Grill’s Notes From The Road” for Ovation, and is presented by WLIW in association with WNET.org and Tourism Ireland.

“For such a small country to produce such amazing talent and the way their music defines the people is just extraordinary,” Young told Billboard magazine . “It has fascinated me for most of my life and is something I wanted more people to be in tune with.” 

New U2 Album Expected In June

Word is that Bono has said the next U2 album (Songs of Ascent) should be released in June, timely since the tour happens to be starting. During Bono’s interview with Sean O’Hagan he said the sister album to NLOTH would be called “Songs of Ascent” consider it to be a book end kind of like Zooropa and Achtung Baby.

We expect to see producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois once again as well as Steve Lillywhite this power house combination has seem to work well for the boys.

Some of the songs are expected to be the leftover tracks from ‘No Line On The Horizon’, but some are older. Songs expected to be used include ‘North Star’, an unused track from ‘How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb’. ‘Winter’, the song that didn’t make ‘No Line On The Horizon’ but was used in the movie ‘Brothers’ is expected to make the new album and ‘Kingdom Of Your Love’, heard in part of the intro music of the U2 360 Tour is also expected on the album.

Other tracks we might find there are “Every Breaking Wave’, ‘If I Could Live My Life Again’, ‘Love Is All We Have Left’, ‘Mercy’, ‘Lead Me In The Way I Should Go’ and ‘You Can’t Give Away Your Heart’.

Bono told the Irish Independent that the album may be out in June. ( Note the key word MAY)

U2TOURFANS 2 GO

Building on the success of the new iPhone and iTouch Application the  team has been hard at work creating version 2 of the popular U2TOURFANS app. In order to improve te team has choosen to reach out to the fans for major feedback on improvement features. -  We want to hear from you ! Drop us  note in the feedback section.

U2 Fan Experience

Dave Long /U2TOURFANS 2009As most fans begin to look at their calendar they see that the next round of shows happen to be much closer than you think, One fan capsured their feeling of the last leg.

What was yours ? How did the show move you ? What was your experience?

Of course we have tons of videos and photos and intereviews, what about your story ? Lets reach back in time and enjoy this fans experience.

U2 is an experience. And I know that sounds kitsch and over the top if you don’t like them, and have never been to one of their shows.

I’ve heard that said over and over again, and I thought I understood it. I’ve got the dvd’s of previous tours, and watch them a fair amount.

But when I got there, and stood in front of Edge’s amps as he drove out perfect note after perfect note on ‘Breathe’, taking a rather normal base chord structure to levels you wouldn’t think it could go to, and as Bono quite literally sang his heart out, and 97,000 people for just 2 hours got to drop their learned inhibitions and allow songs to take them somewhere they might not otherwise be able to go……as over the top as it might sound, it is a spiritual experience.

So as much as I joke about the night not being fulfilled until security escorts me out for trying too hard to touch Edge, Bono, Larry, Adam, or even one of the stage crew, once you get there, it’s just about letting yourself go.

Now, U2 is not for everybody. They’re obviously for a lot of people, but not for everybody. But I can pretty much guarantee you that if you were to go to a live show of theirs, and leave any preconceived notions at the door, you would at the very least feel something.

Dave Long / U2TOURFANS 2009 Something you weren’t expecting. For me, U2 has a way of lending these orchestrations with the perfect mix of countering yet simplistic lines, to support a melody that aches and yearns as much as it gives joy. In fact, the joy probably comes out of the ache. And they do it with power and with passion, and it sings to people. Not to everyone, but to at least 97,000 people last evening at the Rose Bowl. To be able to sing with my wife with tears in our eyes during ‘City of Blinding Lights’.

To be able to be crushed by 2490 fans in the inner circle jumping to ‘No Line on the Horizon’ as I in turn crush the 10 in front of me. To sing ‘No more!’ until you think you’re going to collapse, but it’s okay because thousands of other people from 5 years old to 65 years old are singing the same thing with the same intensity around you.

And of course, to almost be able to touch Edge’s guitar when he leaned over the rail. And above absolutely everything else, to hear the untouched and pre-mic’d tone directly from his amps.  Not to sound overly sentimental

U2:Cedars Of Lebanon

We loved the spoken word out takes of the Joshua Tree and was delighted when they got a more dignified place in the 20th Anniversary Deluxe version of that album we love the mood of Cedars Of Lebanon. Another of Bono’s third person lyrics it finds a journalist in war zone thinking of home and life and death; and eventually God and enemies.

Some have pointed out that the underpinning track might be a straight lift from Eno’s ambient album The Pearl, a collaboration with Harold Budd back in 1984. Whatever, the history of the music, the lyric leaves us with a few questions.

The last song on a U2 album is always carefully chosen. Track listings are never carelessly thrown together. So, what was the reason for this track closing out NLOTH? Cedars Of Lebanon takes us into the Bible.

There is no way that Bono’s use of the phrase is coincidental. Their time at Fez during the Sacred Musical Festival might not have seen them use sufi prayers or chants but it certainly gave them the inspiration and courage to make a seriously spiritual record. Cedars of Lebanon are used in various ways in the Scriptures. However, what does Bono mean by its use here. A quick glance across Wikipedia and you find a plethora of Biblical uses for the Cedars Of Lebanon;

“Jewish priests were ordered by Moses to use the bark of the Lebanon Cedar in circumcision and treatment of leprosy. Isaiah used the Lebanon Cedar as a metaphor for the pride of the world. According to the Talmud, Jews once burned Lebanese cedar wood on the Mount of Olives to announce the new year. Kings far and near requested the wood for religious and civil constructs, the most famous of which are King Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem and David’s and Solomon’s Palaces.”

Bono might be simply talking about the size of the Cedars and how God is bigger but where can he be found? The journalist might be journaling his objective feelings of the war zone and asking where God is or he might be seeking a more subjective interaction with God in his own life’s fraying threads.

Or Bono might be asking if God can be found in his Church, that the Old Testament tells us Cedars were used to build? Or is it Isaiah’s use as a symbol of pride that he is highlighting? Where is God in the deluded egos that go to war or in the self indulgent personal ego of a man wrestling with home and all that that means?

NLOTH ends with another cryptic clue of spiritual wisdom. Bono goes off philosophising about the importance of who you choose as your enemies. What is he trying to say? In subsequent interviews Bono has talked about the enemies that U2 have chosen, “we chose interesting enemies.

We didn’t choose the obvious enemies - The Man, the establishment. We didn’t buy into that. Our credo was: no them, there’s only us.” In a song about war Bono then turns inside for the enemy, “”What that means is that we picked enemies that were more internal - our own hypocrisy…They are nearly always of a psychological, if not a spiritual, nature. The spectres that hold you back, they were our enemies.”

Back in the context of the third person war journalist song had the journalist mistakenly and fatally made home and God his enemies?

Or is Bono remembering his old mate George W? He chose his enemies post 9/11 and his entire legacy will be based around that choice. Even now, when his friends are all gone to other arts and parts and he is on his ranch in Texas, all alone, that relationship which Bush had with his enemies defines him in the recent annals of history. If we glance back at the video For The Saints Are Coming we see the alternative enemy that Bush’s administration could have fought, the natural disaster effecting their very own people on the Gulf Coast. How different would the definition of Bush have been had he chosen the right enemy?

This brings us into the provocative question at the end of the cryptic clues. Who have we made our enemies? What are the internal battles that we need to fight in order to fulfil our human vocations to the pinnacle of their potential? And as local communities, society and for the nation what are the right wars to fight.

We guess if we stop to become aware of the battles that we fight without even thinking we could then spend some spiritual wisdom prioritising what needs fought and what doesn’t. The personal or national pride that Isaiah named as humanity’s Cedars of Lebanon might be a good place to start.

U2 360 Tour 2009 Lithograph Series

Dave Long/U2TOURFANS 2009

We heard about the error from FANFARE claiming a photos from one city and finding out its another city. U2 fans if your looking for photos from a city let us know most likely we have it. You can always check our photo colection.  However we have a collecton from Tampa that seems to be the best so far. You voted on them. So we have selected the best photos from our staff photographer, David Long. He has been shooting concert photos for over 10 years and has created some lasting images. This years tour is no exception.

The limited edition images can only be purchased at U2TOURFANS. Working with Dave we have designed two different collages that we feel capture the boys at their best. If you look closely at the image of Bono it seems like he is singing to the heavens and God has shined his light upon him. 

You can purchase any of the images shown within the collage as a single photo.

Your purchase goes towards the support of your site. We arre totally supported by donations and sponsorships. We thank Dave for all his support over the past year and look forward to having him out on the road for the 2010 tour season.

Strictly limited-edition individually numbered (1/500) lithograph featuring stunning full color live photograph by Dave Long of U2TOURFANS.COM Photo Team in  Tampa, Florida on October 9th 2009.

Each lithograph is limited in production. Each one comes with a completed and numbered ‘Certificate of Authenticity’.

 

Check out all of the photos from Tampa

David Long /U2TOURFANS 2009

U2 360 Tour Photos

Larry, Bono, Grainge and Standup all in the news

Kanye West, Black Eyed Peas’s will.i.am and U2’s Larry Mullen Jr are just some of the stars lending their voices to new Family Guy cartoon spin-off The Cleveland Show.

The series, showing on E4 in the UK, and created by Family Guy boss Seth MacFarlane follows the adventures of Cleveland Brown and his family.

Mike Henry, who voices the main character said: “Kanye could not be a cooler guy at our show - we do definitely have some jokes where he makes light of himself.”

“He does some things out in public that stir up controversy and opinions. He knew that and we contacted him and he was totally up for doing the part.”

U2’s drummer Larry Mullen Jr also got in touch with the programme’s creators through a mutual friend and asked to be involved.

 Black Eyed Pea’s will.i.am voices a character in season two

“He came in and we hung out for a couple of hours. We just recorded him doing a couple of different parts and he was very funny.

“It’s a thrill for me to do all this. U2 is my favourite band of all time and David Lynch the film director plays a part on our show.

“He [Mullen Jnr] plays a mobster in one episode; he plays a bad Elvis impersonator by design in another episode.

“He’s got his own studio so we just record it from Dublin. You don’t have to record at a certain time. It’s an easy gig and one that people like to do.

“It’s very cool to have all these people from different walks of entertainment participating in what we’re doing.”

The Cleveland Show airs at 10pm on E4 every Monday.

Bono slammed for U2’s decision to play in Israel

Rock star and activist Bono and his band U2 face a boycott and action from pro-Palestinian groups after agreeing to play in Israel this summer.

The influential Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) has urged Bono to ‘say no to Israel,’ pointing out he has turned down a similar invitation two years ago.

“Performing in Israel would violate the almost unanimously endorsed Palestinian civil society Call for Boycotts, Divestments, and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel. This Call is directed particularly towards international activists, artists, and academics of conscience, such as yourself. Moreover, it would come a year and a half after Israel’s bloody military assault against the occupied Gaza Strip which left over 1,440 Palestinians dead, of whom 431 were children, and 5380 injured, ” the letter stated.
 
The letter also called on Bono to live by what he recently wrote in The New York Times. “In a recent New York Times op-ed, you wrote of your hope ‘that the regimes in North Korea, Myanmar and elsewhere are taking note of the trouble an aroused citizenry can give to tyrants.’

“You went on to further elaborate on the hope that “people in places filled with rage and despair, places like the Palestinian territories, will in the days ahead find among them their Gandhi, their King, their Aung San Suu Kyi.” Rather than shifting the blame from the violence of the colonial oppressor to the resistance of the indigenous oppressed and characterizing the Palestinians as a population filled with “rage and despair,” it is more apt to consider them among the “aroused citizenry” responding to tyranny – Israel‘s regime of occupation and apartheid.”

The letter goes on to praise Bono’s activism in other conflict resolution areas: “A whole generation was affected by your musical activism, when you sang of the civil rights movement in America, the everyday human heroes in El Salvador and the brave struggles in Ireland – you filled a space that forced political morality into pop culture. Entertaining apartheid Israel despite all the injustice it is committing against the Palestinians would significantly smear this great legacy of yours.

Universal Music, Label for U2, Names Grainge

Universal Music Group said Lucian Grainge will take over as its new chief executive officer from Jan. 1, replacing Doug Morris, who’s led the world’s largest music company since 1995.

Grainge, the 49-year-old head of its international music operations, will become co-CEO with Morris as of July 1, and the sole chief from Jan. 1, Universal’s owner, Paris-based Vivendi SA, said in a statement today.

Universal Music, whose artists include U2, Lady Gaga and Eminem, saw revenue decline 5.2 percent in the nine months ended September amid music-industry piracy and a drop in the number of CDs sold. Morris said late last year he “mentored” Grainge for the role as CEO the past five years.

Stand Up To Cancer On Demand

Comcast Corporation and Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) have launched the second installment of musical assets for Stand Up 2 Cancer On Demand, the first-ever video-on-demand (VOD) initiative focused on broadening awareness and raising funds for innovative cancer research, which debuted on Comcast in December. Twenty-eight additional artists are providing content to On Demand, adding to the library of musical entertainment that already includes many of the world’s biggest stars. In addition, select content from Stand Up 2 Cancer On Demand is available on comcast.net.

Available for no additional cost to viewers in more than 18 million Comcast homes through March 14th, Stand Up 2 Cancer On Demand features more than 60 of viewers’ favorite artists including: Beastie Boys, Ben Harper, Celine Dion, Christina Aguilera, Common, The Dixie Chicks, Diana Krall, Duran Duran, John Legend, John Mayer, Joss Stone, Kanye West, Katy Perry, Kenny Chesney, Mary J. Blige, Melissa Etheridge, Ne-Yo, Sugarland, Tina Turner, U2 and more.

ALL 2010 EURO SHOWS ANNOUNCED

In case you’re wondering, all of U2’s 2010 European shows are now announced.

The tour will visit Russia, Turkey, Greece and Finland among others places, as per http://www.u2.com/tours. 

But U2 Tour Promoter Arthur Fogel has urged fans to be aware. ‘Fans should always check U2.com first, it’s the most reliable on any dates. Recent rumours, like Dublin and Tel Aviv, are unfounded.’

We have posted as well - Check out our list 

Willie Williams wins award

U2’s latest tour has been voted the year’s best stage show by crews who work on major gigs around the world.

The 360 Degree tour, which used a groundbreaking “claw” stage, was named live production of the year at the Total Production International Awards.

The ceremony, hosted by TPI magazine, rewards roadies, riggers, truckers and other behind-the-scenes workers.

Dallas Schoo - salu2podcast 2009The Edge’s roadie Dallas Schoo won an award, while U2 production guru Willie Williams picked up two prizes.

TPI magazine editor-in-chief Mark Cunningham said the Irish band’s tour had “made the biggest noise” of the last 12 months in more ways than one.

“It is a massive engineering feat - from scenery to video to audio, with the biggest PA system that has ever been seen on a tour,” he said.

You just know they’d rather be wearing jeans and bomber jackets
Bassist Jah Wobble on the nominees at the black tie event

“It’s a fantastic achievement and the four members of U2 are effectively the icing on the cake.”

The TPI Awards were first held in 2002 and the winners are voted for by readers of the magazine.

This year’s ceremony was hosted by BBC Radio 2 broadcaster Chris Evans and attracted artists including the Pet Shop Boys, Kaiser Chiefs singer Ricky Wilson and former Public Image Limited bassist Jah Wobble.

Speaking about the nominees at the black tie event, Wobble said: “It’s very interesting seeing all these people with mohican haircuts and beards done up looking very uncomfortable wearing black suits and bow ties and all that.

“You just know they’d rather be wearing jeans and bomber jackets.”

Check out all the backstage photos /U2TOURFANS 2009

U2 initiative

Tampa FL/Dave Long/U2TOURFANS 2009Superstars U2, who buy carbon offsets to balance the greenhouse gases that they emit during their concert tours, have asked their fans to do the same through a project the band has prepared with Offset Options.

The project has calculated that U2 fans emit an average of 127 kilos of greenhouse gases while traveling to watch the band’s concerts. The firm sells carbon offsets on its Web site to balance the amount of greenhouse gases emitted during the tour.

After conducting research, Offset Options identified four projects to support, including ones in China, India and Indonesia, as well as the Dora-1 plant. U2 fans will be able to balance their average carbon emissions by purchasing an offset certificate from one of the four projects for $1.89.

Offsetting carbon emissions is an important tool in creating environmental awareness and encouraging environmental institutions, according to Pınar Öztürk from South Pole’s Turkey office.

“The system can be used for a bank branch. Or it can be used to offset the emissions resulting from the airplane flight of a tourism agency,” Öztürk said. “Individuals can also buy them, as in the U2 project.”

In a news piece from Turkey, it is reported that “An environmental-responsibility project from Irish rock band U2 will bring money to the Dora-1 geothermal power plant in the Aegean province of Ayd?n.

The project will raise approximately $450,000 for various environmentally conscious power plants if U2 fans purchase carbon certificates offsetting the emissions they generate when traveling to the band’s shows.

The Dora-1 plant will take a share of any funds raised by the initiative.

The transactions are conducted on the voluntary carbon market, which is based on principles that allow people or institutions to buy carbon credits to offset their greenhouse-gas emissions. The system, which allows consumers to contribute to global-warming prevention efforts, also represents a new dimension of global commerce.

The Dora-1 plant, which belongs to Menderes Geothermal Elektrik Üretim, has the right to offer carbon-offset certificates valued at 30,000 tons because it generates power using clean-energy solutions. The plant has issued its certificates through Switzerland’s South Pole, a firm carrying out emissions-reduction projects.

South Pole calculated the amount of emissions the plant would have produced had it generated electricity from fossil fuels. Carbon offsets for that amount have been certified and sold to the Australian firm Climate Friendly, which then sold the certificate to Offset Options. This new electronic marketplace provides Web services aimed at increasing price and product transparency within the voluntary carbon market.

U2’s ‘massive carbon footprint’

repost from earlier 2009

Dave Long/U2TOURFANS 2009The £90m U2360 tour also features three 390-tonne stages criss-crossing the globe, along with 200 crew and backstage staff.

The opening night in Barcelona’s Nou Camp last week featured the space station-style stage and satellite link-up with the International Space Station.

Perhaps appropriately, the tour’s carbon footprint can also be measured in space terms, with their colossal emissions of up to 65,000 tonnes of CO2 enough to fly Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr from earth to the planet Mars — and back.

The figure was calculated by experts from carbonfootprint.com, a company which specialises in assessing environmental damage.

U2’s CO2 emissions are the equivalent of the waste created by 6,500 average British or Irish people in an entire year, or equal to leaving a standard 100 watt lightbulb on for 159,000 years.

The band’s vast emissions are dozens of times bigger than Madonna’s carbon footprint on her 2006 world tour, despite her extravagant demands and 250 staff. She produced 1,635 tonnes in air transport.

U2’s PR agency RMP did not return a request asking if the band were buying carbon offsets to contribute towards the damage of their enormous emissions.

Carbonfootprint.com’s environment consultant Helen Roberts said: “The carbon footprint generated by U2’s 44 concerts this year is equal to carbon created by the four band members travelling the 34.125 million miles from Earth to Mars in a passenger plane.

“You also have to add the carbon emissions from the same number of concerts again next year.

“Just looking at the 44 concerts this year, the band will create enough carbon to fly all 90,000 people attending one of their Wembley concerts to Dublin. To offset this year’s carbon emissions, U2 would need to plant 20,118 trees.”

Pollution experts said U2’s 44 concerts in Europe and North America this year will produce 20,117.50 tonnes of CO2 emissions, unless the band unexpectedly decide to ship to equipment to the US, in which case the footprint would be 5091.41 tonnes.

Bono and his bandmates will generate 64.42 tonnes of CO2 by flying 22,037 miles to this year’s gigs in their private jet, currently stationed at Nice airport, near their Cote d’Azur holiday villas in the south of France.

Most of the carbon footprint comes from transporting the three 390-tonne stages, using 3,286.60 tonnes of CO2, with another 916.07 tonnes for extra equipment. Next year they are expected to play 20 concerts in North America in June and July and 20 dates in Europe in August and September.

Saints Connection to U2

The Saints came to Miami to win last night and return home with a Super Bowl win. As the fans begin to sing their victory song “WHO-DAT” we can’t forget U2’s connection to New Orleans, the Superdome, and the Super Bowl.

In 2002, U2 gave what many still remember as one of the best halftime performances in Super Bowl history.  We launched a poll to see if the nation agreed once again voted the best half time show ever.  

 

Writing at the Huffington Post, Shawn Amos recalls, “Less than five months after 9/11, U2 turned the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans into a place of worship. As the Irish band played their final song, ‘Where the Streets Have No Name,’ a giant banner was raised behind them displaying the names of the 2973 people who died during the 9/11 attacks. U2 used the banner during that year’s Elevation Tour but this televised version had added resonance and turned a mere sports game into massive statement of unity and resilience – something New Orleans would need three years later when Katrina hit.”

Then, in 2006, for the first home Saints game at the Superdome since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city, U2 performed with Green Day the single “The Saints Are Coming,” a moving rock anthem to mark that occasion. Add to this Edge’s work with Music Rising to get instruments to New Orleans’ musicians during post-Katrina years, it’s easy to postulate that U2 were cheering for the Saints as they marched to their first Super Bowl appearance and subsequent victory.

U2TOURFANS Application

Our Application has been up and running for a couple of weeks. We really need your feedback and support to keep building on the application. We need to ask you to go to the Apple iTunes store.

Download the new version and post your comments 5 stars is considered the best. Your voting helps our accessablity to other U2 fans. We will be launching a couple of great new features. Thank you to all that have downloaded the application so far. (Please be sure to leave comments)

Facebook Promotion Coming

Thats right we have a couple of promotions coming to our facebook fan page. If your signed up your going to be able to get a chance at some great stuff. WE can’t tell you yet. All that we can say is that you have to be signed up as a fan in order to be a part of the promotion. Sign up today

U2TOURFANS FaceBook Fan Page

U2=BBC (Not So Much)

The BBC is to overhaul the regulations that dictate how much damage it can do to its commercial rivals after being criticised by its own fair trading committee.

The corporation, backed by the £3.6 billion licence fee, will use two separate reviews to consider everything from the activities of its commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, to the effect on its rivals when it signs exclusive coverage deals.

The BBC Trust, the corporation’s governing body, will carry out a full public consultation on the BBC’s fair trading policy, to begin in the summer,while BBC executives have also been ordered by an internal fair trading panel to revamp guidelines that govern the impact of editorial decisions on commercial rivals.

The reviews came to light in an internal report, leaked to The Times, that ruled that the BBC had unfairly damaged commercial channels through its tie-up with U2, the Irish band, for an album launch, which included altering the BBC logo to “U2=BBC”.

The corporation’s Executive Fair Trading Committee upheld a complaint from RadioCentre, which represents commercial radio groups, that the link-up between the BBC and U2, which included a BBC DJ claiming that it was “part of launching this new album” had “impacted negatively on commercial radio stations’ access to U2”.

The committee said: “Based on the independent economic advice received the panel concludes that the BBC’s activities in the case of the U2 coverage had the potential to cause a negative impact on the commercial radio sector.”

The BBC is bound by a “competitive impact principle” that decrees it should “endeavour to minimise its negative competitive impacts on the wider market”.

The BBC Trust review, which will be completed by the end of the year, will also consider the activities of Worldwide, which has a turnover of more than £1 billion and has frequently been criticised for using its links to the corporation to “bully” smaller players.

In November the BBC Trust ruled that Worldwide should not repeat deals such as its 2007 acquisition of Lonely Planet, the guidebook publisher, for £90 million. Rivals claim that the deal meant the BBC was entering a market that had little relation to the corporation’s core purposes.

Tony Elliott, chairman of Time Out, a competitor to Lonely Planet, said: “It is about time the BBC got to grips with the effect it has on the rest of the market. We will be making representations to this review that the BBC should be more mindful of the damage it can impose on its commercial competitors. Hopefully we will get some genuine action.”

The BBC Trust has ordered Worldwide to publish a business plan for its activities over the coming years, by the end of March. Insiders concede that the document could have to be rewritten if the Trust dramatically alters the rules governing the impact the commercial unit can have on the market.

RadioCentre will also make representations to the reviews. A spokesperson said: “The BBC’s almost effortless access to hugely popular bands and big name talent means that its on-air output can have a significant negative impact on competitors, as it secures a far greater share of the limited promotional time than its public service remit requires.

“All too often the BBC simply justifies its editorial decisions by saying that it is satisfying audience demand, forgetting that the primary purpose of the BBC is the promotion of its public purposes not simply the pursuit of popularity.”

A BBC spokesman said: “The BBC accepts the findings of the Executive Fair Trading Panel and will action the recommendations that have been made. These include a review of relevant sections of the Editorial and Fair Trading Guidelines to provide greater clarity in the future.”

U2 play surprise rooftop concert

(Remember this interview ?)

Rock band U2 have played a surprise gig on top of BBC Broadcasting House, in central London.

A crowd of around 5,000 watched the rooftop show, which capped off a day of promotion for the Irish band’s 12th studio album No Line On The Horizon.

U2 had been special guests on BBC Radio 1 and rumours of the gig appeared on internet message boards during the day.

The band performed four tracks during the 20-minute gig, including new songs Get On Your Boots and Magnificent.

They also performed Beautiful Day and Vertigo, as onlookers danced, clapped and sang along in the street below.

‘Great honour’

The BBC’s Darryl Chamberlain, who was at the scene, said: “Some people tried to crowd on to traffic islands to see them… the crowd was screaming and cheering.

“Others were spilling out of pubs and shops to see it, and looking out of windows. It was a good natured crowd and people really seemed to be enjoying it.”

Police closed Portland Place in Westminster to divert traffic away from the area.

U2 at the BBC
News of the unannounced gig spread on internet message boards

The band all wrapped up against the cold, except The Edge who wore a short-sleeved lumberjack shirt and hat.

The performance was also broadcast live on DJ Chris Evans’ BBC Radio 2 show.

U2’s impromptu gig echoed The Beatles’ 1969 rooftop performance at record label Apple’s London headquarters.

Earlier the band revealed they are preparing to tour later this year, and hope to offer tickets with cheaper, recession-busting prices.

Frontman Bono told BBC Radio 1’s Jo Whiley they had “something very special planned” for early summer.

He added that it was “a whole way of trying to do shows outdoors and make them very intimate”.

In an interview on Radio 5 Live with Simon Mayo, Bono said that he had “gone off” Get On Your Boots a few weeks ago, but was now “back on it”.

“It’s a small song, a tiny little song, a little shot of adrenalin,” he added.

Another song from the album, Breathe, had its live debut at an intimate Radio 1 concert on Friday morning.

Bono told the audience: “This is a great honour. This is the first time we’ve played these songs to people, so we hope we don’t screw it up.”

He said they were “trying” to work on some cheaper ticket prices, but added: “We’re also going to have some very expensive ticket prices because rich people have feelings too!”

Radio 1 also apologised on-air immediately after Bono used an expletive to describe Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin.

The BBC said it had received no complaints about it.

Bono Kissed Me, Really he did !

February the month of love some would say. In honor of the upcoming Valentines day weekend - ah yea next weekend.  We found this wonderful story from Charlene Ross editor over at SKIRT! Hey now fellas we ready cosmo too.

Why not we could all learn a couple of things.  Plus we are not a complete staff of guys we do have a couple of female writers. Anyway. Back to the story.

Charlene’s 2.1.10 article happened to be on her experience kissing Bono. She of course not the first nor the last that kissed Bono and said her life changed for ever. We thought about the story for a couple of days, Dre contacted her and we have clearance to post the full story. -  We want to hear from you ! Have you ever kissed one of the boys ? Do tell ! Share your experience with us. kissedu2 at u2tourfans.com or leave a comment below. P.S  we added some photos from our collection - They are not tied to the original story.

My Life Changed Forever the Night that Bono Kissed Me

Hmmm…well, that statement might be a tiny bit misleading but it is certainly not a lie. My life did change forever the night that Bono kissed me. But his kiss was not the reason why. In fact I suppose it would be true to say that Bono kissed me because of the reason my life changed forever.

This is my February love story…

When Dave and I had been together for about 4 years I was ready to get married. No, scratch that, I was desperate to get married. Well, not to get married, but to marry him.  I. Wanted. To. Marry. Him.

Bono and Wife A year and a half into our relationship Dave was promoted and moved to New York. We carried on our relationship long distance for a year. He asked me to move to New York with him without any promise of a future and I did because I missed him so badly.

In less than six months we were back in California because of a new and better job. We went house hunting. He bought the house that I chose and we lived in it together, again without promise of a future of anything beyond that. After a year of playing house I was ready for a ring.

I’d had some false hope… I was convinced he was going to ask me on a trip to his hometown of Chicago for homecoming weekend. He didn’t.

I was equally disappointed on a romantic vacation in Hawaii when my fantasy proposal at a restaurant on a sunset beach never materialized.

If I remember correctly both of these disappointments led to me crying like a crazy person in the middle of a restaurant when my dream moment did not happen.  It’s amazing he didn’t run away from me as fast as he could without ever looking back.

So when he asked me to get a few days off of work so we could go to San Francisco over the 4th of July holiday I knew he was going to ask. He hated San Francisco but I loved it. Why else would he want to go there if not to propose?

But here’s the thing about Dave… he loves surprises. Once he told me we were going to Napa for wine tasting, which we did, but only after going to see Paul McCartney in Berkley. When he was living in New York and I was still in California I took a couple days off work because he was coming to LA and had planned a trip to the Sequoias for us.

The day before he was supposed to arrive I received a Fed Ex envelope with a ticket to Chicago where we met for a romantic weekend. (That was the weekend he asked me to move to New York which is why I was convinced a year later when we went back he was going to ask me to be his wife.)

Girl trys to grab a kiss So three days before we were supposed to leave for San Francisco when he said to me, “How would you like it if instead of going to San Francisco, we went to Paris and Italy instead?” I excitedly answered “What!?”

Dave worked at Island Records – U2’s record label. He explained to me that he had arranged a business trip with some radio programmers and trade magazine writers to go to Paris to see a new band called Quicksand to generate some publicity and airplay for them.

Then as a special bonus we were all going on to Verona to see U2.

I was thrilled… and crushed. There would obviously be no proposal on a business trip.

The trip was a whirlwind. We were only in Europe for 5 days. We took the redeye and arrived in Paris the following afternoon.

Dave played tour guide to a group of 15 in a city he had never been to. Paris was a day and a half of sightseeing, big group dinner, followed by another day of sightseeing, big group dinner, concert and very little sleep.

The next morning all 15 of us got up, walked to a bus stop, boarded a bus that took us to the airport, flew to Milan, took 4 cabs to the train station, took a train to Verona and then took more cabs to our hotel. We were exhausted but Dave had to leave immediately to go to the venue where U2 was playing to set up our ticket and pass situation.

Bono and Adam grab a kiss When we arrived at the stadium we met Dave and he told us we would be watching the show from the sound board. The sound board was huge – kind of like a mini stage in the middle of the floor area.

Coincidentally there were also many people not only from the management company, but other industry bigwigs as well. Tom Freston, the president of MTV; Carter Alan the Boston DJ who is credited as being the first DJ in the US to play U2; Bill Flanagan from Musician Magazine who was writing a book about the tour were all on the soundboard with us. Pearl Jam was the opening band. Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington were there. I may not have been getting engaged, but this little girl from Reseda was surely living the rock and roll dream.

(For those of you unfamiliar with Reseda please re-watch The Karate Kid where Ralph Macchio’s character is looked down upon by Elizabeth Shue’s parents and called “that boy from Reseda.” That pretty much sums up Reseda, where I am actually pretty proud to be from.)

But let’s go back to that soundboard in Verona, Italy…

The show was amazing. I’d seen the band perform a couple of times on this tour before, but never like this – in Italy, amongst the powerful and famous with a laminated backstage pass hanging around my neck. When the first part of the show was over and the band changed for their encore they would entertain their audience with videos recorded by audience members in a video confessional booth before the show. The best videos would be edited during the concert and blasted on the big screen. Again, I’d seen this before and was explaining what it was to the radio programmer next to me because the people on the screen were talking in Italian and we had no idea what they were saying. And then the third person on the screen was Dave. And. I. Just. Knew…

Some times a kiss is just a kiss “Charlene, we’ve come over 5,000 miles and we’ve been on planes, trains, and automobiles to get here, and what I want to know is…will you marry me.”

I wasn’t even standing next to him. I crossed the soundboard, threw my arms around him, and said yes.

Under the guise of generating an awareness of a new band and being looked upon favorably by taking a bunch of programmers and writers to see the most famous band in the world, the real purpose of this trip was an incredibly large romantic gesture just for me.

After the concert we were all put on a bus that took us back to U2’s hotel. There was a private party for the band by pool area witha generous buffet and free flowing wine. Naomi Campbell was engaged to Adam Clayton at the time and we chatted with them for a while. One of the guys in our group had snuckhis camera into the concert and we all posed for a photo with the Edge. Immediately after that shot his camera battery died. (This was over 16 years ago – before tiny digital cameras and camera cell phones.) Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington and some of their gorgeous model friends played ping pong in flimsy summer dresses. (Picture every male head on that patio going back and forth, back and forth withthe ball from model to model.) I met Bono who congratulated me on my engagement and kissed me right on the lips. I am not exaggerating when I say that I think I drank 12 glasses of red wine and did not feel one tiny bit drunk (nor did I wake up with a hangover). It was without a doubt the happiest day of my life.

Two days later when we flew home Dave bought me a Gucci watch I had been coveting for a long time in the duty free shop. I joked with him on the plane that I didn’t know what was the best part of the trip – the designer watch, the kiss from Bono, or getting engaged. Sixteen years later the watch sits in a box; it’s no longer my style. The taste of Bono’s kiss (which yes, okay was really only just a peck) has long been washed away from my lips. But my lovefor Dave, my husband of 16 years next month, has only grown stronger. So I guess we all know the answer about what was best. (Definitely the kiss from Bono – right!?)

Editor Comment: After reading this story I was reminded of a story I have read at least twice. The possibility of finding love. “A Bridge A Cross For Ever” just  wonderful story about true love, true friends and in the end love wins. - Thank you Charlene for allowing us the chance to share this story with our readers.   Dre

U2 Voted Best Superbowl Half time show ever

 

AC/DC singer attacks Bono

The singers Bono and Bob Geldof have incurred the wrath of Brian Johnson, a fellow rock star and frontman of AC/DC, over their celebrity activism.

Brian Johnson AC/DCJohnson, the gravel-voiced British singer of Australia’s biggest rock band, has joined a growing group of critics of Geldof and the U2 singer over their very public charity work, saying they should stop lecturing audiences about charity work and instead do their good deeds in private.

“I do it myself, I don’t tell everybody I’m doing it,” Johnson, 62, told Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper.

“I don’t tell everybody they should give money – they can’t afford it. When I was a working man I didn’t want to go to a concert for some bastard to talk down to me that I should be thinking of some kid in Africa.”

He then offered some words of advice to his fellow rockers: “I’m sorry mate, do it yourself, spend some of your own money and get it done. It just makes me angry. I become all tyrannical.”

AC/DC were asked to play at the Live Aid concert in 1985, but turned down the chance to play at the charity event, which raised an estimated £100 million for famine relief and made an international celebrity activist out of Geldof.

Johnson described Geldof, who also organised the Live 8 benefit concerts in support of the Make Poverty History campaign in 2005, as a “canny lad”.

“He did what he though was right at the time but it didn’t work,” Johnson said of Geldof’s Live Aid concert. “The money didn’t go to poor people. It makes me mad when people try to use politics or charity for publicity. Do a charity gig, fair enough, but not on worldwide television.”

Johnson’s tirade against the two Irish multi-millionaires is not the first time their charitable work has earned them criticism for letting their egos get in the way of campaigns.

Bono/ Dave Long U2TOURFANS 2009 Bono, who regularly lobbies governments on behalf of the world’s poor, is a fixture of the annual G8 summits, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times and has an honorary knighthood, was also attacked by the author Paul Theroux in 2005.

Theroux claimed the U2 singer was part of a group of celebrity “mythomaniacs, people who wish to convince the world of their worth”, and accused him of perpetuating the lie that Africa was fatally troubled and could only be saved by outside help.

Bono responded by calling his critics “cranks carping from the sidelines”, during an interview with the Times in 2006.

“A lot of them wouldn’t know what to do if they were on the field. They’re the party who will always be in opposition so they’ll never have to take responsibility for decisions because they know they’ll never be able to implement them,” Bono said.

Oscar Snubs, Denver Rolls, Jesus Rocks U2



Dear U2, a letter to the Editor

U2  fans seem to be vocal about almost anything. They should be most of us have grown up with U2 and while we may or may not agree with Bono’s politics or view we at least share one common view. That all of us have the power to express our views as well as take action. I have been getting some interesting emails over the last year. Most of which I have chosen to not post out of respect of the writer. However after few days of consideration we talked this letter over and over and we all agreed that this would be the first letter for 2010 to share. Remember your welcome to write a letter to the editor anytime and we will not guarantee  that it will be published.  I welcome your comments and your letters.  Send them to Editor

Dearest U2: 

I never imagined that I would be writing this letter, but after all these years I feel like I don’t know you anymore.  I love you for so many reasons, primarily the humanitarian work you do.  It is honorable to be of such service to others…Bono is a lucky man in that respect.  I have tremendous respect.

Gosh, it was so long ago when we met.  It was 1980 or ‘81.  I think ‘81.  I remember seeing you across the room for the first time in Boston, MA at The Paradise.  What a night!  It literally changed my life!  I felt like a new person on this new adventure and nobody could bring me down from the ceiling!  I couldn’t get enough of you.  From that moment on I knew you were the one for me and we’d be together forever.

Why did you do it?  Its hard being with you when I know you’d rather be with Live Nation.  You’re not the same.  Once whispering in my ear, “Thank you for this life!” and now what I hear is “Thanks to Live Nation, Blackberry…” *sobbing* …maybe you did mention that thank-you in there somewhere but it was drowned out by corporate nods.  

I never thought I would ever hear those words come out of your mouth.  Maybe it’s true.  Maybe you DO find them more attractive and maybe it IS the money.  We’re all human.  I can’t compete with a corporation because obviously they can support you more suitably than I can.

I really don’t know where it all started going wrong.  Maybe it was how you flirted with Apple, I don’t know.  Look, I know things change.  After all, we can’t climb staging like we used to!  I just always imagined us living happily ever after, no matter what you were doing on stage or in the studio.  As we both grew up and changed things evolved but it was really great, wasn’t it?  We discovered so much about each other through the years and you have to admit we became addicted to each other.  You can’t deny the electricity and fireworks between us.  

When people said spiteful things about you, I was always in your corner.  I know it’s just because they’re jealous.  They don’t understand you at all.  They don’t live with you as I do.  I knew what you were made of and what you stood for; I stood for the same things, which is why it worked so well.  You love me and still want me in your life, I KNOW that.

The rumors prove to be too much to bear.  Why are people saying these things?  The tax evasion accusations were hard enough, and then I hear Paul McGuinness at MIDEM in 2008.  You really shook things up there!  But you know something, I don’t even know why I mention that because I TOTALLY get it when you can’t make any money on something you work really hard at, I get that.  

The thing is, it’s getting a bit inflated and I’m running out of money to support you…is that why you want to leave?  Because of the money?  I was always there trying to support you so you could continue doing what you love to do!  I bought ALL the records AND tapes, THEN I bought ALL the CDs, EVERY tour program, re-release and t-shirt I could get my hands on, and later on, ALL the DVDs, and finally, INCREDIBLY inflated prices to see your shows multiple times (I know, that was my choice, you’re right).  And now you want to tell me that it just wasn’t good enough?  

Now you’re epically successful and you are going to burn the very people who have been giving you that great life.  When I first met you, I admired the business sense you had and decisions that you made.  Really smart.  I was in awe of your perseverance. Drive and passion, it’s what made you, YOU!  That business sense coupled with your drive as a band I thought FOR SURE would put you in position to really change the paradigm of the music industry.  

You ALWAYS had your finger on the pulse.  I am disappointed that you haven’t been forward-thinking enough to get ahead of the 8-ball when you saw the writing on the wall that the music industry was changing.  You are in a great position to lead the way but instead, continue on with an outdated model.  You have been a MASTER of change, constantly reinventing yourselves time and time again; it’s what makes it all exciting.  Hey, we all get older and we all grow up and wind up in a different place as a result and that’s cool, that’s expected.  I just want to grow old with you.  I just can’t bear the thought of divorce after what…29 years?

And now…the latest is that there has been a show declared as “sold out” moments after they had gone on sale and lo and behold, Live Nation comes sweeping in with MORE tickets available and they’re “good seats”!  Do you know what this does to me?  

I panic every time there’s a sale and struggle with computer issues only to find that I can’t get ANY number of seats together for my friends and me!  I’ve spent HUNDREDS of dollars because suddenly all the affordable seats are gone AND to make matters worse, more tickets get released and they’re BETTER and they’re reasonably priced!  Didn’t you know Springsteen just got bagged with this tactic?  And don’t sit there and tell me you didn’t know.  You are making it possible for “casual fans” who don’t know anything about you outside The Joshua Tree, to attend a show and forget you the next week.  You have shaken the fans that have supported you and loved you unconditionally.  It’s hard for me.

I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to get so vehement.  It’s just *sobbing* you’re breaking my heart!  I know that I can make a choice here and turn and walk away, never to look back but the songs will haunt me; I can never give up the music.  I need more time.  Give it more time.  I can’t bear the thought of losing you.  Let’s work it out.

 

I love you,

 

Nikki xoxoxoxo (share them, please)

U2 Ticket Alert: Zurich

The second Zurich 360° show will take place on September 12th at Letzigrund Stadium and tickets go on public sale this Friday, February 5th. A presale for U2.com subscribers takes place tomorrow and Wednesday.

Subscribers have receive presale details on email. Here’s the dates and onsales of 2010 shows and here’s the presale times for our different subscriber groups. (Check what subscriber group you’re in by logging in.)

Horizon/Breathe - Presale Opens 10pm Feb 2nd
Boots/Magnificent - Presale Opens 10am Feb 3rd
(all times local)

 

FYI if your an iTunes App Subscriber you always have the most current tour dates on your iphone/iTouch

Or you can always check out Ticket Masters Reseller Group - Most likely a good option for tickets -

 

U2 tickets at TicketsNow

 

 

Bono Joining "We Are World" Remake

 

Just as George Clooney used the Golden Globes as recruiting grounds for his Haiti telethon, Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones did the same with Grammys for their “We Are the World” remake.

The veterans of the original 1985 charity single spent the festivities stocking up on music stars to perform on the new rendition, to be recorded Monday in Los Angeles.

Bono and Lady Gaga are among the latest on board for the Haiti-helping tune, joining the likes of Usher, Jason Mraz, Akon, Jennifer Hudson, Carlos Santana, Enrique Iglesias and Toni Braxton. There could be as many as 100 singers on the new rendition. “It’s like the biggest honor in life to get a call from our father in music, Quincy Jones,” RedOne, who will help produce, told E! News backstage.

Tonight’s Grammys also featured a special Mary J. Blige-Andrea Bocelli duet of “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” The song will be available for download on iTunes with proceeds going to earthquake relief.

Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie are planning a massive 25th anniversary re-recording of “We Are the World.”

The timing couldn’t be better, sadly enough.

The duo is summoning lots and lots of talent from Grammy weekend to stay an extra night — Monday Feb. 1 — and come to the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. There, they will celebrate a quarter century since Ken Kragen, Richie and Michael Jackson organized the original “We Are the World” with Jones.

This time the artists invited include Usher, Natalie Cole, and John Legend. But you can bet that more names will be added shortly and that all the Grammy nominees and participants will be asked to come as well. Grammy producer Ken Ehrlich will produce the event, which will then be turned into a video and single just like it was in 1985. Don’t be surprised if Wyclef Jean joins in, along with Sting, Fergie, Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake and other distinctive voices.

Originally, this anniversary celebration was to be held on Jan. 28. But when the Haiti earthquake happened, sources say, the whole deal changed. Now proceeds will go to Haiti relief. In 1985, “We Are the World,” which begat Live Aid, raised money for Africa relief.

Wide Reports on E!, Village Voice,Grammy News, LA Times,