U2 goes 360°

Supporting the release of their new, widely acclaimed album, No Line on the Horizon, Irish rockers U2 will embark on the U2 360° world tour, which will visit 14 cities across Europe, and then land in North America at Chicago’s Solider Field on September 12th. Armed with elaborate sound and lighting, a massive 164-foot tall stage and the personnel of a medium-sized company, this tour, sponsored by Blackberry, just may be the largest touring rock show…ever.
 
 
A few quick facts on the massive production:
 

• 3, The number of “Claws,” the nickname for the monstrous steel structure that is the centerpiece of the stage, rising 164 feet in the air, it doubles the size of the Rolling Stones’ “A Bigger Bang Tour,” the previous highest.

• 360°, the innovative stage design has no designated stage front or back, but rather an open and unobstructed view of the stage, with fans on all sides.

• 8, hours that is, the time it takes to set up the expanding video screen.

• 4, different sets of amp stacks, one for each leg of " The Claw,” so each side of the stage has its own PA rig.

• 40, tractor-trailers per show, and with 3 stages out at different venues, that’s 120 trailers traveling at once.

• 360, the estimated number of crew members, in addition to local ground crew, which is equivalent to a medium sized company here in the U.S.

• $100, the price tag, and you guessed it, that’s millions.

 
Here's a quick peek.....
 
 

 
"It's hard to come up with something that's fundamentally different, but we have, I think, on this tour”, said U2 guitarist The Edge. “Where we're taking our production will never have been seen before by anybody, and that's an amazing thing to be able to say. For a band like U2 that really thrive on breaking new ground, it's a real thrill."

 
The band is also being sensitive to the environmental impacts of such a large production. Live Nation, the producers of the 360 world tour, have confirmed steps to help offset the tour’s direct carbon footprint. In addition to the bands purchase of carbon offsets, Live Nation brought MusicMatters on board in March, to be the tour’s official Environmental Advisor.
 
"We identified areas the tour could first and foremost REDUCE its environmental impact without compromising the quality of the fan experience. We are now in the process of implementing these recommendations with Live Nation. Next we will announce a customized U2 U2-360° Tour OFFSET strategy, reflecting the band's robust social change commitment, to offset the remaining tour emissions," said Michael Martin, MusicMatters' Founder and President.
 
And speaking of Live Nation, this tour marks the first tour for U2 under their new 12-year, multi-rights deal with the company. 
 
For more info on U2, including their US tour dates, please check out www.u2.com