Amnesty International 50th Anniversary

U2 joined the celebrations for the 50th Anniversary of Amnesty at the Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg, Canada on May 29th.

With a pint of Guinness in hand, Bono made a toast from the stage, “Tonight is Amnesty International’s 50th birthday. Fifty year’s ago Amnesty was formed because two Portuguese students were imprisoned for seven years for raising a toast to freedom… so in their honour - tonight we raise a toast to freedom and might you join us to sing happy birthday to Amnesty International”

The 50,000 strong Canadian crowd joined U2 in a rousing version of “Happy Birthday”.

Burmese pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi appeared on the cylindrical screen above the stage, with a video message for the crowd, “We are not bystanders in our own history, every one of us writes a story that is told… I see it through your support for Burma, for Amnesty International. Where basic human rights are denied or basic human needs are not met, the struggle may be hard, it make take time… but if we demand it, change will come.”

The Winnipeg show was U2’s first concert in Canada on this - the second leg of U2 360° Tour. 





www.u2.com/www.u2fanlife

The Claw is coming to South Africa

The first 60 containers of U2 production arrive at the FNB Stadium Johannesburg

Big Concerts, the company that promotes U2 tour in South Africa posted the above picture in their Facebook  page.
The first concert in the country will be on 13th  de February in Johannesburg.

First Appearance In Atlantic Canada

U2.com has announced that U2 will perform at Magnetic Hill Music Festival in New Brunswick at the end of July with special guests Arcade Fire.
Live Nation Global Touring in association with Donald K Donald Events and The City of Moncton  today confirmed that U2 will come to Atlantic Canada for the first time ever.

The final North American date of the U2 360° Tour will visit Magnetic Hill Music Festival in Moncton, New Brunswick on July 30th, 2011 with very special guest Arcade Fire.

“The Moncton show is set to be the final date of the U2 360° Tour in North America and we're really looking forward to bringing this now legendary 360 production into Atlantic Canada for the first time,” says U2’s manager Paul McGuinness.


Having just completed their sold out European tour, along with stops in Australia and New Zealand, U2 360° will visit South Africa and South America before arriving back in North America in May.  By the time it reaches Moncton, U2 360° will have been seen by over 6.5 million fans.

“To say that we’re excited about welcoming U2 to Moncton is an understatement,” added Moncton Mayor George LeBlanc. “Our Magnetic Hill Concert Site has seen some outstanding artists over the past five years, and the 2011 event will be no exception. To host one of the biggest bands, on one of the biggest stages, as part of one of the biggest tours for their final North American date is an honour.”

With a cylindrical video system of interlocking LED panels, and a steel structure rising 150 feet from the floor over a massive stage with rotating bridges, the band has truly created an intimate 360º experience for concertgoers. 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.

"There is no stadium big enough in Atlantic Canada” said Donald K Donald, “so we will build one and they will come. The impossible will become possible. Moncton will host the last North American U2 360° Tour date and it promises to be the biggest and greatest entertainment spectacle in Atlantic Canada history."

Montreal’s Arcade Fire has followed up their smash albums “Funeral” (2004) and “Neon Bible” (2007) with the now three-time Grammy Award nominated, “The Suburbs” (2010).  Debuting at #1 on the U.S. Top 200 and selling 475,000 copies and counting, “The Suburbs” has been nominated for Album of the Year, Best Rock Performance By A Duo or Group, and Best Alternative Album.  This fiercely independent band has faced pressure from every corner of the music industry, but they carved out something beyond the grasps of the major label system with great success, a combination of Internet word-of-mouth and old-fashioned live show impressions.

Joining U2 and Arcade Fire on the bill will be up and coming rock band, Carney.  

More info:

www.u2.com

It´s Party Time!!

On Monday night Irish rock band U2 treated their friends and crew to and end of tour party at Bar None in Yaletown.

Bono, Edge and Larry Mullen Jr. hosted the event for crew and friends to celebrate the final show of the North American lef of the tour, which will be its last headlining gig until next year.

Adam Clayton was unable to attend the party due to the flu (Hope he gets on well soon!!!) , but U2 manager Paul McGuiness attended, as did CEO of global touring and chairman of global music for Live Nation Arthur Fogel and Craig Evans, U2 360 tour director.

Bono danced the night away with his crew and friends and was one of the last to leave (Sight to be seen!!!) The event went from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Bono and the others were very gracious hosts and mixed and mingled with the group of guests.

DJ Mateo was flown in from New York city to play at the event, and guests enjoyed Bar None’s cocktails and refreshments from Zen Japanese Restaurant and Culinary Capers Catering.

© Copyright (c) The Province

source:www.theprovince.com

Last concert of 2nd leg: Destiny Vancouver

The band have been in Vancouver for a couple of days, they arrived early for a crew party to say goodbye to the 2009 360° Tour. T said goodbye to the fans, who have come out in record-breaking numbers night after night over the last few months.

And a great show in Vancouver to finish with - the BC Place is right next to the venue where the band shot the video for City of Blinding Lights on the Vertigo Tour, all those years ago. (Well, four of them anyway.) Great to see lots of the tour staff arriving on stage for a moment in the spotlight tonight, wearing the masks for Aung San Suu Kyi. Without them, this wouldn't have happened.

Setlist

Breathe
Get on Your Boots
Magnificent
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Stuck In A Moment
No Line on the Horizon
Elevation
In A Little While
Unknown Caller
Until The End of the World
Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy - Remix
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On
One
Where The Streets Have No Name

Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender

source:www.u2.com//www.u2.fanlife

U2: Groundbreaking!!!

This partnership with YouTube for the concert in Pasadena really is groundbreaking, said Sky News about the Pasadena concert on 25th October and broadcasted live all over the world.

A historic concert, viewed by over 1,000,000 in all the world has positioned U2 again in the limelight, even though the sales of "No Line on the Horizon" were not as good as they had expected and the singles didn´t make it to n°1.

It seems that U2 is exploring new ways of communicating with their fans and adapting to new technology and ways of the music industry, what we can call pioneers...one more time!!

The concert at the Rose Bowl can now be watched again on YouTube.

From Pasadena to the whole world!!

The show at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California ,25 thOctober, 2009 was seen all over the world...
"What time is it in the world and where are we going?' Bono asked after 'Get On Your Boots'. It was every time on the clock, depended which country you were in as the U2 360°: show went out live on YouTube to millions of viewers on seven continents.

People were watching in China and New Zealand, in Iran and in North Korea, in Russia and Latin America, in Canada and right across Europe. From Breathe to Moment of Surrender, felt like a moment of rock'n'roll history tonight.

Setlist

Breathe
Get on Your Boots
Magnificent
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Stuck In A Moment
No Line on the Horizon
Elevation
In A Little While
Unknown Caller
Until The End of the World
Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy - Remix
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On
One
Where The Streets Have No Name

Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender

Hope that for some this is not the only way to see them live!!! What about some 2010 venues in South America, Asia, Australia,South Africa...hey, guys we´ve been waiting for you!!!

source:www.u2.com//www.u2.fanlife

U2 Light in the Desert Sky

Latest concert in Las Vegas , Friday 23.

'Desert sky, dream beneath the desert sky.' "We are briefly ...In God's Country ", as Bono slipped in some lines from a 1987 Joshua Tree classic into a 2001 classic Beautiful Day.

Pretty incredible line up of special guests at the show tonight - led by President Bill Clinton, who got quite an ovation when Bono credited him for igniting the campaign to cancel the debts of the poorest countries.

Also in the house tonight rock'n'roll royalty in the persons of Chris Martin of Coldplay and Brandon Flowers of The Killers as well as Hollywood royalty with Sean Penn, Jessica Alba, Elizabeth Shue and Kate Bosworth. (And a technology and design monarch in Apple's Jonny Ive.)

Setlist

Breathe
Get on Your Boots
Magnificent
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Stuck In A Moment
No Line on the Horizon
Elevation
In A Little While
Unknown Caller
Until The End of the World
Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy - Remix
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On
One
Where The Streets Have No Name

Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender

360° Tour at University of Phoenix Stadium - Glendale, Arizona.

20th October and the roof was open in Phoenix to look into an endless Arizona sky

Setlist

Breathe
Get on Your Boots
Magnificent
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Stuck In A Moment
No Line on the Horizon
Elevation
In A Little While
Unknown Caller
Until The End of the World
Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy - Remix
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On
One

Where The Streets Have No Name

Ultraviolet

With or Without You
Moment of Surrender

source:www.u2.com

"The Claw": so big that´s invisible!

It sounds impossible, but that's what designer Willie Williams had in mind for the structure.

The man who designed the stage set for U2's current 360° Tour, which stops [Oct. 25] at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, knows that the size of his creation is cause for attention.

"How many miles of cable, how many trucks -- it's all very easy to pick up on," said Willie Williams, who has been working with the Irish rock band since 1982.

Still, Williams insists that the scale of it is "absolutely the least interesting thing about it," he said. "Even though it's very tall and very wide, the magic trick is that when you stand onstage the whole thing disappears. The reason it's so big is to make it invisible."

How, exactly, does that work? By removing the hulking backdrop that usually defines a stadium show and relocating all those tons of gear above the band's playing area, the designer said he's been able to create the illusion that the gear isn't there at all.

An early inspiration was the Theme Building at LAX, a favorite of U2 frontman Bono's. "My pitch to him was, 'Imagine the Theme Building straddling a football field with a little stage underneath,' " Williams said. "From that moment on we knew what we were doing, and over two years of work the intent never changed."

According to U2 manager Paul McGuinness, the structure has practical advantages: It allowed the band to expand the seating capacity at most venues by about 20 percent.

"We've broken a lot of attendance records," McGuinness said, "usually ones we've set ourselves."

Roughly 95,000 people are expected at the Rose Bowl tonight, so organizers are strongly urging fans to allow plenty of time -- and to use public transportation -- to make it to the show on time.

"Where U2 came from conceptually was this culture that was about everyone having access to the stage," said the group's bassist, Adam Clayton. "Scoot forward to 2009 and that's what we've created here, just bigger."

The tour incorporates three separate rigs to allow for construction and disassembly time along the way.

"We'd love the thought of finding appropriate homes for these things as festival stages in different locations around the world," McGuinness said, looking to the tour's conclusion late next year. "That's real recycling."

Mikael Wood © The Los Angeles Times, 2009.

INTERACTIVE GRAPHIC: U2 360 tour: Stadium in the round.Click to see how the largest stage works.

source:www.latimes.com

U2 Live on YouTube

California, US U2 have confirmed via video blog that their sold-out concert at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in California, this Sunday, 25th October, will be streamed free, in full and live on YouTube. It's the first time a show of this size will be streamed live.

The Rose Bowl show is the penultimate U2 show this year - with more to come in 2010 - and already is set to host the venue's biggest ever audience of over 96,000 fans. The 360° Tour, which has been critically acclaimed and 're-invents rock'n'roll' (Rolling Stone Magazine), will now boast unique access for fans worldwide - as fans in territories yet to be visited by the tour, or not at all, will be able to enjoy the whole show online.

Managed in partnership with Live Nation, this sell-out tour has broken attendance records in most venues it has visited - its success due in part to increased capacity coupled with a lower ticket price and great sight lines afforded by the stunning in-the-round stage set.

U2 manager Paul McGuinness said, 'The band has wanted to do something like this for a long time. As we're filming the LA show, it's the perfect opportunity to extend the party beyond the stadium. Fans often travel long distances to come to see U2 - this time U2 can go to them, globally.'

YouTube will be streaming live across five continents. The show will be available in the usual You Tube way, as video-on-demand, following two full replays - after the live stream - on both U2.com and You Tube.

'YouTube is thrilled to be able to provide our global audience with a live streaming performance from one of the world's greatest bands,' said Chris Maxcy, Director of YouTube Partner Development. 'We are always looking for new ways to connect fans around the world with their favourite artists, and this is the perfect opportunity to do just that.'

source.www.u2.com

A U2 Night in Oklahoma

Very different vibe in Norman, with a smaller stadium floor enhancing the 360 vibe. The Black Eyed Peas on their first date got things off to a great start for 60,000 Oklahomans and things just got better.

Highlights might have been: 'Crazy' - never fails to surprise people who haven't heard the live version ; the little boy in green stripes who gets up on stage for his moment in the spotlight for Unforgettable Fire; MLK ('A message of love from Oklahoma') and a very special introduction to Moment of Surrender.

'For the past few days, all over the world, people have been standing up against extreme poverty,' explained Bono. 'Last year 1.6m people stood up, there's about 60,000 of you here tonight so let's see if we can break a record..'

Strangely for the climactic moments of a U2 show, he then invited everyone to sit down and, on the count of three, to stand up. A big success, with the audience unanimous in bellowing 'Stand Up' on cue.

'This is happening in Africa and India, and now Oklahoma yes... from all of us, thank you so much.'

Setlist

Breathe
Get on Your Boots
Magnificent
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Stuck In A Moment
No Line on the Horizon
Elevation
In A Little While
Unknown Caller
Until The End of the World
Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy - Remix
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On
One
Where The Streets Have No Name

Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender

source.www.u2.com

Houston: U2 have no problem!

"We feel right at home here in this the home of space stations.' said Bono as he and Edge had visited the Johnson Space Centre and spoken to the astronauts orbiting the earth. Those men and women are 'heroes to us - to you they're just next door neighbours.'

This show's been in orbit ever since Barcelona in June, but at the Reliant Stadium in Houston tonight there was more space than usual. 'Chief Flight Engineer Larry Mullen, Space Walker Adam Clayton... Houston we have no problem.'

To top it all when Your Blue Room entered the 360 orbit for one of its occasional and welcome appearances, the voices of the astronauts were speaking over the track. And who better than ZOO TV's alien space baby to show up for Ultraviolet ? Could these Texans have made any more noise? Unlikely... unless Bono muses before Moment of Surrender that 'Texas to me is the centre of the world right now'. Even more noise.

Special mention to tour cinematographer Tom Krueger, during With or Without You. 'Thanks to the our amazing U2 crew and Tom Krueger - you know how to throw a good party Tom.'

Setlist

Breathe
Get on Your Boots
Magnificent
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Stuck In A Moment
No Line on the Horizon
Elevation
Your Blue Room
Until The End of the World
Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy - Remix
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On
One
Where The Streets Have No Name

Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender

source:www.u2.com

U2 & Dallas Cowboys

Over 70,000 in the new Dallas Cowboys stadium.
It was the first of two big nights in Texas with the Houston show coming up Wednesday. Special mention for the Dallas Cowboys at the end of Breathe - this is only the fourth show in this their new stadium.
This being Texas, during One Bono paid tribute to George Bush for the work he supported as President in helping stop the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Setlist:

1. Breathe
2. Get On Your Boots
3. Magnificent
4. Mysterious Ways + My Sweet Lord (fragment)
5. Beautiful Day + Blackbird (fragment)
6. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For + Stand By Me (fragment)
7. Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
8. No Line On The Horizon
9. Elevation
10. Until The End Of The World
11. The Unforgettable Fire
12. City Of Blinding Lights
13. Vertigo
14. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight (Redanka mix) + Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) (fragment) + Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (fragment)
15. Sunday Bloody Sunday + Get Up Stand Up (fragment)
16. MLK
17. Walk On + You'll Never Walk Alone (fragment)

18. One + Amazing Grace (fragment)
19. Where The Streets Have No Name + All You Need Is Love (fragment)

20. Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
21. With Or Without You
22. Moment Of Surrender

source:www.u2.com

New York Danced with U2!!!

A Big Kiss From Space

Hottest night of the tour in Tampa but it got more than cool when Bono revealed the they were to hook up with 'our friend Guy Laliberte, orbiting the earth...on a mission to teach us about water.'

And suddenly, all the way from outer space, here was 'the first clown in space', with a spine-tingling perspective on what he could see of our planet from the International Space Station.

'I see stars, I see darkness and emptiness.' he told Bono. 'But planet Earth looks so great, and also so fragile. We should not forget that we have a great privilege to live on planet Earth.'

It was a breathtaking moment and the Florida audience gave Guy an extraordinary welcome.
Could only be followed by 'Elevation, 'Are you ready for lift-off Tampa?'

"You make me feel like I can fly
So high, elevation....

Tampa was ready and the rest of the show passed in a dazzling blur, as fine a show as we've had. ('That is an unbelievable noise you make.')

One little man who will never forget this night was Troy who took the stage for City of Blinding Lights, sharing the spotlight and taking Bono's shades back to his family.

Setlist

Breathe
Get on Your Boots
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Stuck In A Moment
No Line on the Horizon
Magnificent
Elevation
Until The End of the World
Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy - Remix
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On
One
Where The Streets Have No Name

Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender

source:www.u2.com

360° Atlanta

Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA, US
Opening Acts: Muse

Setlist

Breathe
Get on Your Boots
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Stuck In A Moment
No Line on the Horizon
Magnificent
Elevation
Until The End of the World
Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy - Remix
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On
One
Where The Streets Have No Name

Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender

source:www.u2.com

Raleigh,NC was Magnificent!

Magnificent Larry Mullen Junior, magnificent The Edge, magnificent occassion...' Only one word to describe tonight's show in Raleigh, North Carolina.

'Let's get some lift-off' comes the command from 360 flight control as Magnificent gives way to Elevation. And this show takes off.

At the end of Sunday Bloody Sunday, Bono picks out of the audience a flag that reads 'People Get Ready...' complete with guitar chords. He gives his mic to the guy in the crowd, who knows that this is his moment and with the cameras putting him on screen to the whole stadium, sings his heart out.

Setlist

Breathe
Get on Your Boots
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
No Line on the Horizon
Magnificent
Elevation
In A LIttle While
New Year's Day
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Stuck In A Moment
Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy - Remix
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On
One
Where The Streets Have No Name

Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender

Charlottesville, Virginia, 1st Oct

College show at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville with its own special vibe from a very cool audience .

The spirit of Thomas Jefferson is with us tonight, the man who founded this University and was the lead author of an enduring little document called The Declaration of Independence. 'How is Mr Jefferson, ' cries Bono a few minutes into the show. 'Is he in the house?'

As the tour winds its way through North America the show is becoming more unpredictable with the choice of tracks and the running order changing by the night - No Line on the Horizon comes later tonight before the roof-raising, stadium-shaking Magnificent and Elevation. Your Blue Room is finding its place too, a mellow, ambient reflection before New Year's Day and Still Haven't Found launch the 360 space station into orbit again.

If Washington the other night had a distinctly political vibe, in Virginia we have another makeover as Bono introduces his bandmates for the benefit of the uninitiated.

'Would you let me introduce my room mates ? Behind me the jock, the captain of the football team....on my left, the cheerleaders friend, he plays the four-string instrument, because, in his own words, 'girls love bass'.

Setlist

Breathe
Get on Your Boots
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
No Line on the Horizon
Magnificent
Elevation
Your Blue Room
New Year's Day
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Stuck In A Moment
Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy - Remix
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On
One
Where The Streets Have No Name

Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender

source:www.u2.com

Amazing Night in Washington DC

Moving night in Washington with tributes to the late Eunice Shriver and Teddy Kennedy and respect going out to political movers and shakers in DC ... During Beautiful Day Bono remembered 'the beautiful Eunice Shriver', describing her as his mentor and it was another special moment when New Years Day was dedicated to Teddy Kennedy. 'For a peaceful Ireland we salute you Teddy...' That nearly brought the house down.

In the stadium there was spotted Nanci Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives and broadcaster George Stephanopoulos, as well as African leaders like Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Managing Director of the World Bank. And in keeping with the DC vibe, Bono restyled the band introducing Larry as the man who wrote U2's constitution, Adam, the Minister of Culture, Edge, 'the leader of my free world' and musing that he himself might be Majority Leader... 'verbal, elegant but tough when I need to be.'

A kid called Andy arrived on stage at the end of Unforgettable Fire and accepted the invitation to stroll around the stage for City of Blinding Lights. 'Larry Mullen wants to go crazy, Larry Mullen is crazy...' sang Bono as the drummer took the djemba for his own nightly walk around the stage, on a track which is without doubt one of the highlights of the show.

Can't fail to mention The Most Stylish Man in Rock, looking particularly dapper tonight, a sparkly red guitar strap standing out on a very fine new jacket.

Setlist

reathe
Magnificent
Get on Your Boots
Mysterious Ways
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Elevation
Your Blue Room
Beautiful Day
New Year's Day
Stuck In A Moment
Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy - Remix
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On
One
Where The Streets Have No Name

Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender

source:www.u2.com