The Official U2 Thread!
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Well I'm just about to set out to Wembley. I'm going to night two of two and early reports of last night's concert are appearing on the web. It's interesting that the U2 forums are much more protective of members wishes not to read set-lists ahead of concerts with every thread carrying images or lists bearing the word SPOILER in the thread title. I have one photograph to share though, which can't be seen as a spoiler, this image is of MY CLAW in MY stadium the first tangible proof for me that my show is happening: (courtesy of the atU2 Flicker pool: http://www.flickr.com/groups/atu2/pool/ ) has a slideshow option of atU2 members personal images from shows - so SPOILER alert I use the words MY CLAW because this is one of three such constructions involved on this tour, each playing leap-frog ahead of each other, one in use, one being dismantled and the other being assembled. Although this tour has a very long way to go yet there's news being reported from within the U2 camp that eventually the CLAW stages will be donated to some appropriate recipients to be used as permanent stages.
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Well, I'm back at the coach station with a few hours to wait. So I might as well compose a few thoughts. My first thought is to offer an apology to U2, when they announced their plans for an 'in the round' experience yet then placed their stage on one half of the stadium field, I joined many others in saying they would favour the larger part leaving the rest with a distinctly 'back of stage' feeling. Well I just spent 2.5 hrs in exactly that location. This is a Stadium event and apart from a few GA fans nearest the stage the whole staging is to deliver an audio-visual spectacle to everybody wherever they are. The Claw is symmetrical with a cylindrical video screen and numerous other lighting features and it comes alive to deliver the most spectacular U2 show I have ever seen. It entrances in such a manner that one completely forgets to watch the tiny band members underneath it's powerful embrace. There is no limited side view, each side has an equal set of speakers and sound washes around the stadium wrapping you with carefully mixed and balanced delight. The experience is totally immersive and inclusive from every angle. I almost feel pity for those GA fans who queued for long hours to be inside the ring close to the band as they cannot experience the delights everybody else sees - right up to the uppermost heights. As to the show content, there have been major revisions to the shows in Barcelona and elsewhere on the continent - all to the non-musical features. One feature has gone completely, a second now sits much better as the intro to the first encore and a third has been relegated to a screen item after the show has ended. This leaves the show to flow freely and the performance benefits greatly. This is my fifth U2 tour and this is the best yet, and my only concern is how can they top this. I recall they didn't attempt to top Pop, staging a very sparsely designed set for Elevation. So I can wholeheartedly recommend this show, if you don't want the GA intimacy with the band, there isn't a bad seat in the house - mine was only £30 (£38 after fees and postage) I won't post a set list as these are being well chronicled here: www.u2tours.com - and you can reserve the option not to look if that's your choice. And of course, likewise regarding images at the atu2 Flicker pool linked to in my post above. Martin
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Thanks, Martin!!
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I'm intrigued by U2's latest departure - Spiderman the "opera" planned for a 2010 debut:
Martin -
[quote="martinput"] I don't know where to post this... I know you're a fan of U2--I'm sorry I'm not honestly! After The Beatles, U2 Now Wants Its Own Game http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2009/10/07/after-the-beatles-u2-now-wants-its-own-game/
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Yes, U2 are doing the sort of tour fans here would love to see Paul perform. At Least Paul got to Dallas before U2 - although their ticket release was ahead of Paul's so their sales were not affected by the competition. Martin
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To All U2 Fans --70,000 fans rocked @the Dallas Cowboys Stadium After the concert blog http://stadiumblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/10/early-glance-at-the-u2-concert.html Bono did have the requisite "Hello Dallas" moment even though the stadium is in Arlington. He also gave a shout out to a strange combination of Fort Worth, Richardson and Fair Park. HAHA! Thank God Sir Paul said: Hello Texas! I got so excited again! http://www.dfw.com/170/story/185257.html
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Happy you had a good time!! Can't wait for our turn next summer.
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U2 are to stream their Sunday 25th October performance at the Pasedena Rose Bowl California live via YouTube: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8315693.stm http://www.u2.com/news/title/live-on-youtube-this-sunday http://www.youtube.com/u2official For a reliable calculator of when this will happen in your local time zone click on this link: http://www.worldtimeserver.com/convert_time_in_US-CA.aspx?y=2009&mo=10&d=25&h=20&mn=30 And select your local time zone in the drop down local time section. (for me here in the UK that will be at 03.30 AM Monday 26th October.) Martin
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Wooooo Hooooo!!! Looking forward to this!!!
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Looks like that will be an 11:30p start time here on the East Coast. A nap may be required! This is such a great gift from the band.
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On line watching the stream now, showing the final 30 pre-show minutes. Stream stable via YouTube. This is going to break so many records. Must be a massive test of the internet's general capability. Martin
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Impressive. Inpressive U2 show, Impressive technical acheivement streaming this world-wide. The show is getting an immediate rebroadcast on the same link: http://www.youtube.com/u2 Don't know how long for but definitely worth a looksee... Martin
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I thought there must be a reason for this web-cast. Within minutes of the shows end I got an e-mail from U2.com advising me of the next leg of the tour - back to the USA filling in venues not yet visited this time round. Full details on their web-site www.U2.com presales next week for U2.com sebscribers. If you've got any money left after Paul's visit..... Martin
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martinput:
If you've got any money left after Paul's visit.....
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Philly show!! The youtube broadcast was amazing.
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Reflecting on that YouTube concert. One moment Bono mentioned the "Underworld" and a camera shot was shown from within the understage area of a support musician clearly adding extra layers to their music on a Hammond Organ - Bono even gave him a name check - Terry Lawless according to fan forums. Interesting that Bono and U2 should decide to "come clean" on the presence of support under the stage during this performance. It has been a long running allegation which has been denied - possibly not by the band itself - but has been the subject of much controversy and argument on U2 forums. Nice to see it cleared up so publicly. Martin
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Hahaha... official U2 thread - that made me laught! I've been to the Berlin concert this year and it was pretty cool! I am a long time U2 fan (even longer than Paul I guess - although everyone know The Beatles since childhood days of course). I love their first four albums and their early to mid-90s CDs.
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I'm trying for tickets tomorrow for the Philly show in July (won't get much sleep tonight)