http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/inde...ll-celebration/

 

 

Bruce Springsteen, U2, Metallica, Eric Clapton, More Set for All-Star Rock Hall Celebration

 

7/22/09, 10:30 am EST

 

 

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, U2, Paul Simon, Metallica, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Friends and Simon and Garfunkel are among the legendary artists confirmed for a landmark

two-night concert event celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

 

Sprawling across October 29th and 30th at New York’s Madison Square Garden, the shows will feature Hall of Fame acts sharing the stage with guests and collaborators, honoring their influences and essentially retracing the

history of rock in the process. For example, Crosby, Stills and Nash will share the stage with California-based artists while Metallica will lead a hard rock portion of the concerts. Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin will also each front a soul revue with Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra.

 

“These once-in-a-lifetime concerts are designed to celebrate the artists and their music,” said Jann S. Wenner, founder and editor of Rolling Stone and the event’s executive producer.

 

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Simon & Garfunkel, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Friends, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder will perform on October 29th, while Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, Metallica and U2 will take the stage on October 30th.

The shows are presented by American Express and shaped by a creative team that includes Tom Hanks, his producing partner Gary Goetzman, Robbie Robertson, Cameron Crowe and Wenner himself, among others. Joel Gallen, the producer behind the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, will direct the shows, which will be cut into one highlight special airing on HBO.

 

All proceeds from the concerts go towards creating a permanent endowment for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and Museum. “Twenty-five years ago a group led by legendary Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun created this foundation to recognize and celebrate the music and careers of artists whose music helped shape and define our generation,” Wenner said.

 

AMEX cardholders get first crack at tickets on July 27th, and ticket sales will open to the general public on August 3rd.

 

The Rock Hall is also planning a book and deluxe DVD set to mark its 25th anniversary. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: The First 25 Years will be published by Collins Design in September, and in August, Time Life will issue a nine-disc box set of highlights of the past induction ceremonies including never-before-seen footage.

Brilliant. Lets hope there is another Bruce, U2 collaboration :wub:

Guess there's no chance of Robbie being invited just to make my life complete... :nocheer:

No, not with the American one :lol:

 

He is in the British Hall Of Fame though, as the artist of the 90's :smoke:

 

I think they have given up with that though :lol:

Yes. Sunk without trace it seems :lol:

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/ne...ns-1849352.html

 

Bono clan strikes camp for French horizons

 

By Barry Egan

 

Sunday August 02 2009

 

I can solve the mystery of why there seems to be no line on the horizon in Killiney Bay. Bono has decamped (no, not de-camped, that'll never happen, moved out) en famille for the rest of the year.

 

I thought there was little in the way of rattle 'n' hum out that way recently. U2's spokesperson Lindsey Holmes was good enough to set the record straight exclusively for this column.

 

"The first part of the 360 tour is Europe and the band have based themselves in Nice for this part," she told me. "The second part of the tour is US-based, starting in Chicago on August 12, and similarly they will move on to base themselves in New York for the latter part. So Bono and family have also moved for this period. Hope this helps."

 

It does. All I can say is, he will be missed. In Lillies, Town Bar and Grill -- I could go on and on. And the question is: without Bono, how will house prices in Killiney and Dalkey get back to rising as vertiginously as the heels on his shoes?

 

 

http://www.irishcentral.com/ent/Irish-fans...317.html?page=2

 

Irish fans help U2 rake in $100 million in first 13 shows

 

By

ANTOINETTE KELLY

 

U2 may have helped Ireland out by pumping $70 million into the Irish economy with their three Dublin shows in July, but the Irish have returned the favor by helping the band to rake in over $100 million in just its first 13 shows.

 

According to Billboard.com, the success of U2’s 360 Tour has made the Irish rock band just the third musical act to exceed $100 million in overall ticket sales so far in 2009. Bruce Springsteen and Madonna share the achievement.

 

The band’s three gigs at Dublin’s Croke Park largely helped catapult the tour to its mega-profitable status. Bono and the boys grossed $28.8 million, over a quarter of their total profits thus far, during the Irish shows.

 

This sets another record for the rockers, who have now posted the fourth-highest recorded gross for a performance run at a single location.

 

American legend Bruce Springsteen currently holds the record, raking in $38.6 million at Giants Stadium in New York in 2003, while the Spice Girls 2008 performances in London and 1999’s Woodstock festival clock in at second and third.

 

U2’s latest tour, which kicked off in Barcelona on June 30, has been met with rave reviews from music critics around the globe.

 

The band will play their first American gig at a sold-out Soldier's Field in Chicago on September 11, before their tour brings them to in Chicago, Boston, New York, Houston, Washington, Charlottesville, Raleigh, Atlanta, Tampa, Dallas, Houston, Oklahoma, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

 

U2, which will wrap up the 360 Tour in Vancouver, Canada, on October 28, will have played an astonishing 44 shows since their first gig in late June.

http://www.examiner.com/x-704-Pop-Media-Ex...e-says-promoter

 

Michael Jackson tribute concert to be broadcast live to 1 billion people says promoter

August 11, 9:36 AMPop

 

Yesterday it was reported that a star-studded tribute concert is set to take place in September in Vienna, and will feature various artists who will pay homage to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Now in a new report the promoter of this concert Georg Kindel of World Awards Media GmbH says that the tribute concert will be broadcast live to 1 billion people.

 

Yahoo News reports:

 

Next month's tribute to Michael Jackson on the grounds of a 17th century palace in Vienna will feature a three-hour, star-studded show to be televised live to a global audience of 1 billion people, the event promoter said Tuesday.

 

Georg Kindel of World Awards Media GmbH said negotiations are ongoing with networks over rights to broadcast what's being billed as Jackson's main global tribute, and the pop legend's brother Jermaine is assembling the lineup of about 10 "of the biggest artists of our time."

 

"Jermaine thinks maybe 1 billion people will watch the television show," Kindel said in an interview with The Associated Press. "It will be a very special evening for the millions of fans around the globe."

 

He wouldn't divulge the cast, although he hinted strongly that Madonna would be among the artists performing 15-20 Jackson hits on a crown-shaped outdoor stage in front of Schoenbrunn Palace. Austrian media have reported that U2 , Lionel Richie and Whitney Houston also may perform.

Edited August 12, 200915 yr by Sparkle

Hmmmmmmm :mellow:

They will still be on tour won't they? :unsure:

 

 

US leg of the tour starts 12th Sept I think :huh:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8202346.stm

 

U2 guitarist The Edge has defended the size and cost of their 360 world tour, as the band rocked Wembley Stadium on the first night of their UK leg.

 

Last month, protests delayed the removal of the custom-built set from Ireland, and it also came under fire from Talking Heads singer David Byrne.

 

The three steel structures cost between £15m and £20m each, offering a largely unobstructed view of the rock quartet.

 

The "claw" stage enabled an estimated 88,000 fans to watch U2 on Friday.

 

The huge green and orange structure in the centre of the stadium projected smoke and lights as the crowd looked on.

 

Before the concert, tour organisers claimed the crowd expected to attend would constitute the largest audience for a gig at Wembley Stadium.

 

Speaking to BBC 6 Music backstage, The Edge said: "We're spending the money on our fans, I don't think there's a better thing you could spend it on."

 

Despite it being the most ambitious stage set of any band's world tour, topping the likes of Madonna and The Rolling Stones, Talking Heads frontman David Byrne was not impressed.

 

He slammed the band on his blog and said their world tour costs were "excessive", considering their stance on world hunger.

 

 

I think it's probably unfair to single out rock 'n' roll. There's many other things that are in the same category

 

U2 guitarist, The Edge

While on tour in Europe he wrote: "$40 million to build the stage and, having done the math, we estimate 200 semi trucks crisscrossing Europe for the duration.

 

"It could be professional envy speaking here, but it sure looks like, well, overkill, and just a wee bit out of balance given all the starving people in Africa and all."

 

When asked whether the Irish rock veterans were stung by the criticism they received, The Edge told BBC 6 Music's Julie Cullen: "I think anybody that's touring is going to have a carbon footprint.

 

"I think it's probably unfair to single out rock 'n' roll. There's many other things that are in the same category but as it happens we have a programme to offset whatever carbon footprint we have."

 

London tribute

 

When the tour reached Croke Park stadium in Ireland's capital last month, residents were angry at Dublin City's Council for giving roadies permission to work through the night, with up to 100 trucks expected to drive through the narrow lanes around the venue.

 

"I think that's probably about as realistic as you can be right now," continued The Edge.

 

 

 

Each stage costs between £15m and £20m

"We'd love to have some alternative to big trucks bringing the stuff around but there just isn't one."

 

U2 paid tribute to London as they played their massive gig on Friday night.

 

The capital, said Bono, was "a truly great city" that had been "very good" to the veteran foursome.

 

"It's just occurred to me - we're older than Wembley Stadium," joked lead singer Bono near the beginning of U2's two-hour set.

 

The concert was the band's first at the venue since its reopening in 2007.

 

The Edge paid further tribute to his surroundings by producing a small snow globe at one point filled with miniature London landmarks.

 

Bono paid brief tribute to the late Joe Strummer, of London band The Clash, by singing a few bars from Rock the Casbah.

 

The singer signed off with a dedication to record producer Brian Eno, whom he hoped would "get well soon".

 

U2 return to Wembley later, where they will be supported by the Glasgow-based band Glasvegas.

 

 

 

I see the Jacko Tribute Concert is in Austria on 26th Sept. I note U2 are playing Giants Stadium New York on 25th Sept then Washington a couple of days later. I really don't see them making the Jacko thing but you never know. :unsure:

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/U2-Bono39s-S...h-to.5576142.jp

 

U2 Bono's Sheffield dash to church for celebrity wedding

 

Published Date: 21 August 2009

By Graham Walker

BONO left the stage in Sheffield facing a dash to get to the church on time - for pop star pal Andrea Corr's wedding.

The U2 singer vowed to jet back to Ireland for Andrea's marriage to billionaire heir Brett Desmond.

 

READ MORE: U2 Review - Unforgettable fire in Sheffield - slideshow.

 

Bono, who celebrates his own wedding anniversary today, is believed to be planning to sing at the Doonbeg Golf Resort venue before rejoining the band to perform at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff tomorrow.

 

The foursome have a private jet at their disposal.

 

A band insider said: "Bono wants to attend Andrea's wedding - they've been friends for so long. But it's not going to be easy."

 

The golf resort, in a romantic setting overlooking the Atlantic, is preparing for one of the largest celebrity weddings it has ever hosted.

 

Andrea is rumoured to be walking down the aisle in a couture Vera Wang dress, with her sisters Sharon and Caroline as bridesmaids

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/2009/08/24/ec...91466-24517975/

 

Ecstatic fans give U2 gig The Edge in Cardiff

Aug 24 2009 by Katie Norman, South Wales Echo

 

 

WITH a spectacular £20m stage for the biggest gig ever hosted by the Millennium Stadium, expectations of U2 were high.

 

But for the thousands of fans from all over the world who packed into the home of Welsh rugby to see the Irish rockers on Saturday, the show did not fail to impress.

 

Some even hailed it as possibly the greatest spectacle in the stadium’s 10-year history.

 

As iconic front man Bono emerged clad in black and wearing his trademark sunglasses, the crowd erupted.

 

And what a crowd – the almost capacity 70,000 audience made it a record-breaking attendance for any gig at the stadium, outselling Take That’s 64,000 audience earlier this year. :kink:

 

After sets from The Hours and Glasvegas, U2 opened with the song Breathe from new album No Line On The Horizon before treating fans to a mix of their many hits from the past three decades and new songs from their latest CD.

 

Highlights included Beautiful Day, Mysterious Ways, Vertigo, Pride and One, as well as newer stand-out songs Get On Your Boots, I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight and Magnificent.

 

Homage was paid to guitarist The Edge’s Welsh roots, with Bono confessing to having once had singing lessons from the musician’s father Garvin Evans, who comes from Llanelli.

 

“He told me to look after the consonants and the vowels will look after themselves,” Bono told the crowd, who lapped up his every word.

 

The Edge, whose family were in the audience, had apparently requested that the band end their European tour in Cardiff because of his Welsh heritage.

 

Addressing the adoring masses, the guitarist simply said “Cymru Am Byth” to rapturous applause before he and his bandmates launched into I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.

 

Needing minimal encouragement from Bono, the crowd led the vocals for the first verse, sounding like an enormous Welsh choir.

 

Of course, no U2 gig would be complete without a political message of freedom and equality, and this was no exception.

 

As well as dedicating the songs MLK and Walk On to imprisoned Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the band played a specially-recorded video message from Archbishop Desmond Tutu before launching into the anthemic One.

 

But while their songs were predictably brilliant and the sound quality fantastic, the gig really stood out because of the enormous and impressive set, dubbed The Claw.

 

The 160ft high structure resembled the talons of a giant machine, supporting enormous video screens which towered above the band’s circular stage.

 

The Claw frequently changed colour and at one point became surrounded by an enormous mesh-like structure, onto which footage of the band was projected.

 

Apparently the set aims to make stadium gigs more intimate. Whether it achieved that is up for debate, but it certainly created an impressive spectacle and an awesome setting for one of the world’s biggest bands to blow their fans away.

 

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/irelan...4253339277.html

 

Thursday, August 27, 2009How you too can become an expert on U2 and their music

 

HAVE YOU ever considered the convergence of spiritual longing and sexual desires in the music of U2? Have you pondered on the imaginative experience that links Yeats’s The Tower and U2’s Lemon? :unsure: Jups?

 

Or perhaps you are more interested in the representations of laissez faire inherent in U2’s music? If these issues are keeping you awake at night, then help is at hand.

 

U2: The Hype and The Feedback is being billed as “the first academic conference on the world’s biggest band”.

 

It will begin in Durham, North Carolina, on October 2nd, on the campus of North Carolina Central University.

 

But this is no small-scale event where a few obsessed fans swap U2 paraphernalia. It will involve 40 presentations over a three-day period, with the obligatory plenary sessions, keynote addresses and break-out sessions so familiar to seasoned conference-goers.

 

It has been organised by Dr Scott Calhoun, assistant professor of English at Cedarville University, Ohio, and timed to coincide with U2’s concert in nearby Raleigh.

 

An international line-up of speakers will talk about topics ranging from The Meme of Surrender: Bono’s Lyrics of Recovery and Realisation to U2, Paul Ricoeur and the Hermeneutics of Personhood.

 

Confirmed speakers will include Rolling Stone contributing editor Anthony DeCurtis, Daily Telegraph columnist Neil McCormick and Ugandan Aids activist Agnes Nyamawaro.

 

The conservative voice in the songs of U2 will be examined by Stephen Catanzarite, managing director of the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center, while Jim Henke of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum will discuss how U2 saved rock and roll.

 

Dr Greg Clarke from the Centre for Public Christianity in Sydney will give the paper Bono Versus Nick Cave on Jesus, which sounds like easy listening when compared with the presentation from political science professor Paul Viotti.

 

His paper is called Botanising on Asphalt: Representations of Laissez Faire Inherent in U2’s Music.

 

But despite the high-brow topics, Dr Calhoun said the conference would be open to all.

 

“This will be the place to meet and hear people long connected to U2 and to covering their career.

 

“We know U2’s appeal is without borders and everyone is welcome. Whether you come in tweed or leather, do vinyl or download, you’ll connect with people who want to talk about U2.”

 

Just brush up on your knowledge of U2 as a pedagogical resource first.

 

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times

 

http://www.irishcentral.com/ent/Bono-and-f...n-56071292.html

 

Bono and family came under fire in Jamaica vacation

Hail of bullets as local police mistake them for drug smugglers

By

ANTOINETTE KELLY

 

IrishCentral.Com Staff Writer

 

Published Saturday, August 29, 2009, 9:35 AM

 

U2 frontman Bono and his family had a lucky escape in Jamaica when they came under fire as they were disembarking from a plane.

 

More than 100 rounds of bullets were fired at Bono, his wife Ali and their children Jordan and Eve, then aged just six and three.

 

They had flown into Jamaica an Albatross World War II seaplane in January 1996 which local police mistook for a drug smuggling plane.

 

As they were getting off the plane, authorities mistook them for drug smugglers and fired a hail of bullets.

 

Speaking at the time, Bono said: “I don't know how we came through it.

 

“These boys were shooting all over the place.

 

“I felt as if we were in the middle of a James Bond movie — only this was real.

 

“It was absolutely terrifying and I honestly thought we were all going to die.

 

“Thank God we were safe and sound. My only concern was for their safety.

 

“It was very scary, let me tell you.

 

“You can't believe the relief I felt when I saw the kids were okay.”

 

Bono and family dived for cover and they were so shaken by the terrifying incident that they left Jamaica and flew straight to Miami, Florida.

 

:o :o :o

http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/Mag...aspx?id=1054184

 

Me in a minute: Adam Clayton: U2 bassist

Published:Aug 29, 2009

 

 

 

I don’t think rock is necessarily a young man’s game. I think Neil Young is just as rock ’n roll now as he was in his 20s. I’d like to think we can still be edgy and challenging.

 

I was not an obvious contender. I was actually pretty shy in school. My defence mechanism was to be the class clown. I remember getting into a lot of trouble for being disruptive, and I was brought in front of the headteacher, who said: “What’s going to happen to you? What are you going to do when you grow up?” And I said: “Well, I’m obviously going to be a comedian.”

 

From an early age I didn’t buy into the value systems of working hard in a nine-to-five job. I thought creativity, friendship and loyalty and pushing the boundaries of what was acceptable was much more interesting.

 

The longevity of U2 is primarily based on the friendship of four men who have grown up together. Four men who respect and support and love each other. We won’t let each other fail.

 

It’s very confusing when fame comes early on in your career. You get a little bit bent out of shape in terms of what’s important. Fame is like the dessert that comes with your achievements — it’s not an achievement in itself, but sometimes it can overpower the work.

 

I really enjoy the privileges of fame now. It opens doors and allows you to meet people, and you’re in control. When fame first happened I didn’t feel in control, and it closed doors to me.

 

I’ve never necessarily chosen to be a bachelor. I’ve had girlfriends throughout the past 20 or 30 years. It’s just that there were times when I met people who fascinated me and times I didn’t.

 

I stopped drinking 12 years ago, and it was time. I’d had enough of drinking, drugging and nightclubs. It was a difficult decision to change my life, and it took a while to reprogramme, but I’ve no regrets at all. I’ve enjoyed every bit of my life. I’ve had the best of it both ways.

 

My greatest achievement is managing to cope with four fingers and four strings.

 

I feel there is a lot more to achieve. In the first 20 years I was functioning on instinct and attitude and rawness, and now I know what I’m doing and can apply those skills in a different way. It’s no longer about attitude and rawness, but it’s about sophistication and understanding.

 

If I could only take one thing on tour it would be Irish tea bags. Barry’s decaffeinated tea bags. I know it sounds crazy, but if you don’t travel with your own tea, it never tastes the same.

 

In a loving relationship, as an expression of freedom and fantasy, I think sex is very important.

 

I don’t think I would ever try and repeat U2. I’d be very happy when U2 came to whatever end, and there is no end, really. But I would be happy to move on. It’s a very fast world, and a quieter world would be welcome.

 

I can look at myself in the mirror. I didn’t use to be able to do it. I see someone who is incredibly lucky, who still has so much ahead of him rather than behind him, and I’m very grateful. — Luke Bainbridge

 

 

 

From

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/a...yJHHKc1gHY8WzQA

 

Colin Farrell :wub: can rely on U2

 

(UKPA) – 8 hours ago

 

Colin Farrell received support from U2 chums Bono and The Edge as he launched his new film.

 

On the Toronto red carpet for fantasy-drama Ondine, the rock stars briefly joined the actor before taking their seats in the auditorium.

 

"Great to be here," said Bono as he passed reporters at the premiere.

 

The Edge paused briefly to praise Colin's skills as an actor. "He's great, he's great," the guitarist said.

 

Ondine, which also star's Colin's pregnant girlfriend Alicja Bachleda, tells the story of an Irish fisherman who finds a woman in his fishing net :wacko: .

 

Colin appeared grateful for U2's support at the opening night.

 

He said: "I know them through the years. It is very cool for them to be here, I have been a massive fan since I was a kid."

http://www.metro.co.uk/fame/article.html?U...mp;in_page_id=7

 

U2 poised to return on YouTube

 

By AIDAN RADNEDGE - Wednesday, September 30, 2009

 

Madonna, Muse and U2 are poised to return to YouTube.

 

Their record company, Warner Music Group, is close to agreeing a deal with the Google-owned website allowing their music videos to be watched once more.

 

Warner has boycotted the video sharing site since December, saying the payments it received were insufficient for the label, its artists and songwriters.

 

Under the new arrangement, Warner will gain a greater share of advertising revenue because it is also bearing the burden of selling adverts. Its artists will have individual channels which will help marketers make their adverts more relevant to music fans.

 

It is not known when the channels would launch.

 

The deal would also open the door to a possible role for Warner in a new music video website called Vevo, which is backed by Universal and Sony and will use YouTube's technology.