Actually, U2 is one of the few bands that actually sound decent in a stadium…
U2.com today confirms that the U2 360° tour will open at the Nou Camp Stadium in Barcelona on 30th June. The U2 360° Tour is sponsored by BlackBerry and it is the band’s first stadium outing since the Vertigo Tour 05/06 and follows the release of their acclaimed album, No Line On The Horizon. Their 12th studio album, No Line On The Horizon is already number 1 in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Belgium, Finland, Japan and the Czech Republic with further chart positions to be announced this week.
Produced by Live Nation Global Touring, U2 360° will visit 14 cities across Europe including dates in Milan, Gothenburg, Amsterdam, Paris, Nice, Dublin, Chorzow, Berlin, Gelsenkirchen, London, Sheffield and Glasgow before finishing at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 22nd August. The European tour will be followed by dates in North America beginning at Chicago’s Soldier Field on September 12th, 2009.
Long-time U2 Show Director Willie Williams has worked again with architect Mark Fisher (ZooTV, PopMart, Elevation and Vertigo), to create an innovative 360˚ design which affords an unobstructed view for the audience. U2 360° also marks the first time a band has toured in stadiums with such a unique and original structure (which can be viewed at U2.com).
“U2 has always been at their best when surrounded by their audience, this staging takes a giant leap forward. With 85 percent of the tickets priced at less than $95.00, general admission floor tickets priced at $55.00 and at least 10,000 tickets at every venue priced at the $30.00 price range, we have worked very hard to ensure that U2 fans can purchase a great priced ticket with a guaranteed great view” says U2’s manager Paul McGuinness.
Arthur Fogel, CEO Global Touring/Chairman - Global Music Live Nation: “Following the overwhelming worldwide success of the Vertigo tour where every available ticket was sold, there is tremendous anticipation for this tour and to experience this revolutionary production. As usual fans will not be disappointed.”
“This tour announcement marks the first stage of a relationship and shared vision between Blackberry and U2 that we expect will lead to new and innovative ways to enhance the mobile music experience on the BlackBerry platform for U2 fans,” added Paul McGuinness. “We look forward to sharing more details as the relationship unfolds.”
In keeping with their long-standing tradition, U2 will welcome a number of different support acts to the tour including Glasvegas, Elbow, Kaiser Chiefs, Snow Patrol and Black Eyed Peas with additional artists to be announced.
Tickets for U2 360° performances in Milan and Gothenburg go on sale this Friday, March 13th. Tickets for the Amsterdam performance go on sale this Saturday, March 14th. Full details of all dates and on-sale information as well as a virtual model of the unique production and seating positions can be found on a dedicated microsite at U2.com. As usual, existing subscribers to U2’s official website u2.com will have an opportunity to purchase tickets in advance of the public on sale date.
EUROPEAN TOUR SCHEDULE:
30-JUNE BARCELONA, SP NOU CAMP
07-JULY MILAN, IT SAN SIRO
11-JULY PARIS, FR STADE DE FRANCE
15-JULY NICE, FR PARC CHARLES EHRMANN
18-JULY BERLIN, DE OLYMPIC STADIUM
20-JULY AMSTERDAM, NL ArenA
24-JULY DUBLIN, IE CROKE PARK
31-JULY GOTHENBURG, SE ULLEVI
06-AUG. CHORZOW, PL SLASKI STADIUM
10-AUG. ZAGREB, HR MAKSIMIR STADIUM
14-AUG. LONDON, UK WEMBLEY STADIUM
18-AUG. GLASGOW, UK HAMPDEN PARK
20-AUG. SHEFFIELD, UK DON VALLEY STADIUM
22-AUG. CARDIFF, UK MILLENNIUM STADIUM
NORTH AMERICAN TOUR SCHEDULE:
12-SEPT. CHICAGO, IL SOLDIER FIELD
16-SEPT. TORONTO, ON THE ROGERS CENTRE
20-SEPT. BOSTON, MA GILLETTE STADIUM
24-SEPT. NEW YORK, NY GIANTS STADIUM
In September and October, U2 360 will also visit: Atlanta, GA; Charlottesville, VA; Dallas, TX; Houston, TX; Las Vegas, NV; Los Angeles, CA; Norman, OK; Phoenix, AZ; Tampa, FL; Washington, DC and Vancouver, BC. Complete Tour and ticketing information to follow.
VISIT WWW.U2.COM FOR THE VIRTUAL CONCERT EXPERIENCE
‘Love Is Dead”, the debut album from Estonian pop princess, Kerli, entered the Top 200 Albums Chart this week at #126, #3 on the Heatseekers New Artist Chart, and #22 on the Digital Albums Chart.
The video for Kerli’s single “Walking On Air” has been getting a great reaction online. It is currently the #1 Music Video on AOL Music, and debuted with 107,334 views. To date the video has been streamed over 692,000 times on YouTube and last month it was ranked as the #18 Top Favorite Video (Music) on the site. Yahoo has announced their support for Kerli as well, by featuring her in the Yahoo! Music’s Who’s Next?: Critical Eye spotlight, beginning on July 23. Past “Who’s Next?” artists have included Amy Winehouse, My Chemical Romance, Feist, Sara Bareilles and more. Furthermore, Kerli has been selected as one of MSN’s “Artists To Watch.” To add to the online presence, “Walking On Air” officially impacted at the Top 40 radio format yesterday, and has already garnered early commitments from stations in top markets.
In addition, Kerli’s original brand of pop-goth has been getting raves in the press. People noted, “Certainly, her small Baltic country isn’t known as a music hotbed-but that may change with Kerli’s goth-pop debut.” The Los Angeles Times stated, “The first single, “Walking On Air” … showcases Kerli’s voice at its best.” Perhaps Artistdirect said it best: “Ultimately, Kerli’s onto something that could be very significant for the disenfranchised, disillusioned 21st century youth.”
Kerli’s edgy musical savvy – drawing comparisons to Amy Lee of Evanescence and Bjork – grew at least partly from her upbringing in Estonia, which regained its independence from the USSR in 1991, when she was just four years old. A product of “tough love,” Kerli spent most of her childhood seeking to transcend her surroundings by immersing herself in the arts, studying vocals, ballet, acting, and classical piano. By the time she turned 14, she knew what her focus would be. “I was so sure that my life was going to be all about singing,” Kerli says, that “I quit everything else.”
Kerli is a fascinating, magnetic young presence, whose talents as a songwriter are progressing at an extraordinary pace. “I’m trying to create a world around my music,” she says. “And this world needs to be pure, real, honest and beautiful but still a little interesting, dark and definitely mysterious.”
PLAY
