Spiderman in American Idol

Reeve Carney performed "Rise Above 1"  in the finale of American Idol accompanied by the song`s creators, Bono and Edge. The song is the lead single from the Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark cast recording with Reeve Carney, the singer/actor who plays Peter Parker in the Broadway production. 
"Rise Above 1"can be downloaded as a digital single  from i-Tunes.

More pics of the show here.

www.atu2.com//www.americanidol.com

Great Artists Pay Tribute to Their Favorite Bob Dylan Songs

On Bob Dylan´s 70th birthday, many artists paid tribute to the great singer and song writer  on Rolling Stone special issue.
Bono said about him:

"Like a Rolling Stone" (Highway 61 Revisited, 1965)
By Bono

That sneer — it's something to behold. Elvis had a sneer, of course. And the Rolling Stones had a sneer that, if you note the title of the song, Bob wasn't unaware of. But Bob Dylan's sneer on "Like a Rolling Stone" turns the wine to vinegar.

It's a black eye of a pop song. The verbal pugilism on display here cracks open songwriting for a generation and leaves the listener on the canvas. "Like a Rolling Stone" is the birth of an iconoclast that will give the rock era its greatest voice and vandal. This is Bob Dylan as the Jeremiah of the heart, torching romantic verse and "the girl" with a firestorm of unforgiving words. Having railed against the hypocrisies of the body politic, he now starts to pick on enemies that are a little more familiar: the scene, high society, the "pretty people" who think they've "got it made." He hasn't made it to his own hypocrisies — that would come later. But the "us" and "them" are not so clearly defined as earlier albums. Here he bares his teeth at the hipsters, the vanity of that time, the idea that you had a better value system if you were wearing the right pair of boots.

For some, the Sixties was a revolution. But there were others who were erecting a guillotine in Greenwich Village not for their political enemies, but rather for the squares. Bob was already turning on that idea, even as he best embodied it, with the corkscrew hair Jimi Hendrix would later admit to imitating. The tumble of words, images, ire and spleen on "Rolling Stone" shape-shifts easily into music forms 10 or 20 years away, like punk, grunge or hip-hop. Looking at the character in the lyric, you ask the question "How quickly could she have plunged from high society to 'scrounging' for her 'next meal'?" Perhaps it is a glance into the future; perhaps it's just fiction, a screenplay distilled into one song.

It must have been hard to be or be around Dylan then; that unblinking eye was turning on everybody and everything. But for all the tirading, the real mischief is in its ear-biting humor. "If you ain't got nothing, you got nothing to lose" is the T-shirt. But the line that I like the best is "You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns/When they all did tricks for you/You never understood that it ain't no good/You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you."

The playing on this track — by the likes of guitarist Mike Bloomfield and keyboardist Al Kooper — is so alive and immediate that it's like you're getting to see the paint splash the canvas. As is often the case with Bob in the studio, the musicians don't fully know the song. It's like the first touch. They're getting to know it, and you can feel their joy of discovery as they're experiencing it.

When the desire to communicate is met with an equal and opposite urge not to compromise in order to communicate — when those two things are in perfect balance — is when everything happens with rock & roll. And that's what Dylan achieved in "Rolling Stone." I don't know or particularly care who this song is about — though I've met a few people who have claimed it was about them (some who weren't even born in 1965). The real thrill for me was that "once upon a time" in the world, a song this radical was a hit on the radio. The world was changed by a cranky voice, a romantic spirit, somebody who cared enough about an unrequited love to write such a devastatingly caustic put-down.

I love to hear a song that changes everything. That's the reason I'm in a band: David Bowie's "Heroes," Arcade Fire's "Rebellion (Lies)," Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart," Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing," Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Public Enemy's "Fight the Power." But at the top of this dysfunctional family tree sits the king of spitting fire himself, the juggler of beauty and truth, our own Willy Shakespeare in a polka-dot shirt. It's why every songwriter after him carries his baggage and why this lowly Irish bard would proudly carry his luggage. Any day.

By ROLLING STONE

www.rollingstone.com

More than a year after postponing its show, U2 rocks Rice-Eccles

By Pat Reavy and Paul Nelson

SALT LAKE CITY — For U2 fans, Tuesday was a Beautiful Day (and night) at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Rock icons U2 returned to Salt Lake City more than a year after the band had to postpone the start of their North American tour.

"Thank you for coming out. And thank you for your patience," lead singer Bono told the more than 50,000 fans who attended Tuesday night's show. Outside Rice-Eccles, dozens of people who didn’t get tickets lined up along the gates to listen and catch glimpses of the band on the giant video screen.

He said it was a year ago this week that he had emergency back surgery in Germany.

"I was in a lot of trouble. But things went really well."

He also noted to the crowd, many of whom had waited more than a year to see the band, "We are so much better this year."

The energized crowd jumped in unison with their fists in the air as U2 opened with "Even Better than the Real Thing" followed by "I Will Follow" off their 1980 debut album Boy.

Bono showed no lingering effects of the back surgery, moving and dancing around the giant stage to fan favorites like "Mysterious Ways," "Elevation," "Beautiful Day" and "Pride (In the Name of Love)."

While some things change, "Some things remain the same. Nothing phases this man," Bono said pointing to The Edge who was outstanding on lead guitar on songs like  "Until The End of the World," "Get On Your Boots" and a great return of "All I Want Is You" to the set list.

The U2 360 Tour has already been declared the most successful in music history and the stage, known as "The Claw" is the largest stage ever built for a traveling rock production.

Prior to the show, Bono made a surprise appearance and joined the concertgoers to sign autographs. He spoke to KSL NewsRadio about the tour and about their stop in Utah.

So how does Bono like coming to Salt Lake City?

"Always a thrill," he said. "I think people here just really got sharp ears."

Bono said he got a fondness for Utah starting in the ‘90s with earlier tours. He says the band was actively tracking which audiences were listening to what particular kinds of music. Bono says Utahns were listening to some very interesting stuff.

"That's my impression. Maybe it's changed. I hope not," he said. "That's what you live for."

Bono says, who knows, maybe in upcoming tours U2 will play some of its B-sides. "I know that there will be an audience for it in Salt Lake," he said.

Bono surprised fans in line for Tuesday night's concert.

http://www.ksl.com

Salt Lake City, May 24

There were  storms this week but turned out to be a beautiful, crisp evening at the Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City , another capacity audience executing spectacular Mexican waves as they waited for the band to take the stage.
The concert had a "Dylan flavour"   as it was  Dylan's 70th birthday. U2 did a rare performance of "Love Rescue Me" - the Rattle And Hum song that Dylan co-wrote and performed.  After that, Bono paid tribute to Dylan by leading the crowd in singing "Happy Birthday" to him. Bono also sang a couple Dylan bits leading into "Where The Streets Have No Name."

Setlist 

Even Better Than The Real Thing

I Will Follow

Get On Your Boots

Magnificent

Mysterious Ways

Elevation

Until The End Of The World

All I Want Is You

Love Rescue Me

Happy Birthday

Stay (Faraway, So Close!)

Beautiful Day / Here Comes The Sun

Pride (In The Name Of Love)

Miss Sarajevo

Zooropa

City Of Blinding Lights

Vertigo / It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It)

Crazy Tonight / Discothèque / Mofo

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Scarlet

Walk On / You’ll Never Walk Alone

One

Blowin’ In The Wind / The Times, They Are A-Changin’ / Where The Streets Have No Name

Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me

With Or Without You

Moment of Surrender

'Thank you for coming out, thanks to The Fray and thanks for your patience!' said Bono, taking a breath after Until The End of the World. 'Let me tell you that we are so much better this year... I've been rebuilt by better design... vorsprung durch technique...What do you make of Robo-Bono?'

No exaggeration to say that 'Robo-Bono' was well received.

'A lot can happen in a year,' he continued, looking stage left. 'There's something about the way this man is walking and moving around the stage, a certain manliness - Adam Clayton has become a father for the first time.. and proud of it!'

Larry received plaudits for his newly released and 'very cool arthouse movie' and then there was The Edge.'Look over there! Some things remain the same - nothing phases this guy. Even today there was a crisis when we found out Edge's hotel room had no hot water. Did he complain? No. Throw a hissy fit? No. He went out and bought a kettle. Several kettles and an old radiator, a plastic container and he rebuilt the plumbing system... he's a genius. Give it up for The Edge...'

After the entire stadium carried off All I Want Is You, it was time to pay birthday greetings to an old friend of the band celebrating his 70th birthday today.

'Happy Birthday Bob Dylan,' announced Bono, before leading everyone in a birthday chorus. The spirit of Dylan was in the house tonight with Bono later slipping into 'Blowing in the Wind' before 'Streets' and 'The Times They Are A Changing'.

More poetry before Beautiful Day when three girls climbed up on to the stage to read a verse each of a poem 'Utah' by Minnie J Hardy as the people of Salt Lake City made this a night we won't forget.

'Take out your phones,' came the call before Moment of Surrender. 'Everyone has someone they want to think about at the moment.
'Make the light brighter. No need to kick out the darkness.
Hold on to this beautiful world... Hold on tight..'

Pictures here.

http://www.atu2.com/http://www.u2.com

U2 and Paul Mc Guinness Talk in Billboard Awards Ceremony

While backstage at the Billboard Music Awards, U2's longtime manager, Paul McGuinness, affirmed that the "Idol" season finale rehearsal was the next stop on the schedule, followed by a performance at Salt Lake City's Rice-Eccles Stadium on Tuesday and the live finale on Wednesday. While the four members of U2 took the stage at the Billboard Music Awards to accept the Top Touring Artist Award for its record-breaking 360° tour, McGuinness said that the group's mammoth trek -- which will have played to more than seven million people by the time it wraps -- presented a combination of both quality and quantity. "It's more important to be the best rather than the biggest," said McGuinness, "but I think they've managed to be both."



U2 guitarist the Edge admitted that it was a unique honor among the group's many career accolades during a backstage Q&A. "It's always a thrill to win an award, but something about this really connected when I realized that more people had come to this tour any previous tour. Seven million people -- I still can't quite get my head around that figure. It's so astonishing, and just feels really good."





www.billboard.com

U2 are NOT performing on American Idol

U2.com has made clear that the band are not performing on American Idol this Wednesday.Bono and Edge will appear alongside Reeve Carney, who plays Peter Parker, and cast members from SPIDER-MAN Turn off the Dark which is set to open on Broadway,  June 14.

U2 360 Tour Comes Full Circle: Band Returns to U.S. With Denver Blowout

Rolling Stone article on first gig in Denver:

A full report as the biggest tour of all time heads into the homestretch By STEVE KNOPPER

Fortunately, U2 was prepared for the end of the world. "Sounds like fun to me!" Bonotold a crowd of 70,000 at Denver's Invesco Field at Mile High, after breaking out, appropriately, "Until the End of the World." The Rapture was no match for opening night on the final leg of U2's 360 Tour – with its massive, metallic, green-and-orange claw structure and tornado-shaped video cylinder suspended above the band – which returned to the U.S. Saturday after a year-long delay. Even two years after the tour's debut, its sensory overload impact remains thrillingly undimmed, with lights everywhere, from LEDs flashing on U2's jackets to the neon-target microphone from which Bono swung during "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" and "With Or Without You."

The two-and-a-half-hour show was delayed gratification for the Denver crowd, which had bought tickets for the concert last summer, before Bono had emergency back surgery and had to postpone the entire last U.S. leg of U2's tour. "Things could have been very different. I was in a lot of trouble," he declared before "All I Want Is You." "Through the wonders of science, I'm not just fixed – I'm better." So is the 360 tour, which has sold 7 million tickets and grossed $700 million since it began in Europe two years ago, making it the biggest-selling tour of all time.

Musically, the show was stripped-down, minimalist U2. No machine could match the energy of Bono, dressed in black, who sprinted the elaborate maze of catwalks and rotating bridges, delivering Amnesty International speeches and cracking jokes about Judgment Day. He modulated his voice from hymnlike moaning (especially soulful on "Miss Sarajevo," an obscurity from 1995's Passengers album, and the Frank Sinatra tribute "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)") to sharp, anthemic vocals ("Beautiful Day," "Vertigo," "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and the opening "Even Better Than the Real Thing").

The Edge wordlessly provided texture, from his classic ringing melodies in "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "Pride (In the Name of Love)" and the slide solo on "Magnificent" to the soulful wah-wah licks on a downtempo version of "Mysterious Ways" and Pete Townshend-ish power chords on a soaring "Beautiful Day." Bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr., both in white, shifted easily from the electro-bombast of "Zooropa" to the more subtle rhythms of the closing "Moment of Surrender."

The show opened with an intense, amped sequence: "Even Better Than the Real Thing," "I Will Follow" and "Get On Your Boots" (one of four songs from 2009's No Line On the Horizon). A lean, tough "Vertigo" led into a reworked, bongo-spiced mash-up of "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" and "Discotheque." "Sunday Bloody Sunday" – immortalized not far from Denver on 1983's Live at Red Rocks – was followed by "Scarlet," a deep track from 1981's October.

During his end-of-the-world spiel, Bono wryly suggested that it would be the Edge, not himself, Mullen or Clayton, who would ascend to the heavens during the rapture. "But then I'd be here with you," he said. Luckily for the rest of us, Edge decided to stick around.

www.rollingstone.com