More than 120,000 fans in Zagreb for U2 gigs
ZAGREB — More than 120,000 fans from all over southeastern Europe have gathered in Zagreb to see legendary rock group U2 on their only stopover in the region on their current 360 Degree Tour of the world.
It is the Irish band's first visit to the region since their concert in Sarajevo in 1997. Local media have dubbed the two shows "the performance of the decade."
Some 63,000 people filled Zagreb's Maksimir Stadium on Sunday night, and as many again are expected at a second concert on Monday, organisers said.
More than 40,000 fans have arrived in the Croatian capital from countries including Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Slovakia and Romania.
The event has dominated news in the Croatian media for the past week, with detailed reports of the setting up of the stage on the home turf of the Dinamo Zagreb football club.
The futuristic décor is dominated by a huge metal structure nicknamed "the claw", which measures 50 metres (160 feet) and weighs 390 tonnes.
The opening concert on Sunday lasted around two hours and included songs from "No Line on the Horizon", the band's 12th album which was released in February.
Zagreb is one of 15 European cities on the 360 Degree Tour, which began on June 30 in Barcelona and will end in October in Vancouver, Canada, with a total of 44 concerts scheduled.
By the end of the tour, the group will have performed before an estimated three million fans.
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved
Happy Birthday David Howell Evans
David Howell Evans (born 8 August 1961), more widely known by his nickname and stage name The Edge (or simply just Edge), is an Irish musician known best as the guitarist, keyboardist, and main backing vocalist for the Irish rock band U2. His distinctive electric guitar timbre and percussive style of playing, along with his innovative use of digital sound processing — delay in particular — have been instrumental in defining U2's unique sound. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine named him at #24 on their list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".
Did you know ?
In 1981, leading up to the October tour, Evans came very close to leaving U2 for religious reasons, but he was persuaded to stay.[5] During this period, he became involved with a group called Shalom Tigers, in which bandmates Bono and Larry Mullen Jr. were also involved.[7] Shortly after deciding to remain with the band, he wrote a piece of music that was to become "Sunday Bloody Sunday".[5] The Edge married his secondary school girlfriend Aislinn O'Sullivan on 12 July 1983.[8] The couple had three daughters together: Hollie, in 1984, Arran, in 1985, and Blue Angel, in 1989.[7] The Edge and O'Sullivan separated in 1990 but could not divorce due to Irish laws regarding marriage annullment; divorce was legalised in 1995 and the couple legally divorced in 1996.[7]
During U2's groundbreaking Zoo TV Tour, The Edge met Morleigh Steinberg, a professional dancer and choreographer employed by the band. The couple began dating in 1993, and had their daughter, Sian, in 1997, and a son, Levi, in 1999.[7] They were married on 22 June 2002.[7]
The Edge's hair started thinning in his early twenties, and as a result, he has worn hats or caps on stage, in photo shoots, and on album covers since The Joshua Tree album and tour. From the period of The Joshua Tree up until Achtung Baby and early Zoo TV, he had very long hair.
He now wears a toque at all times in public, and even wore one at his wedding to Steinberg in 2002. He has since made very few public appearances without a hat or cap, such as during the 1995 "Pavarotti and Friends" concert where he performed "Miss Sarajevo" and "One" with Bono.
This cap has become part of his distinctive "look". As of September 2007 he owned 375 hats according to his most recent count at the time and 14/15 bandanas.
He says he has a hat wing in his house. He has also been distinguished by wearing shirts with numbers during the Elevation Tour, and by a cowboy hat and Fu Manchu moustache during the PopMart Tour.
He is currently focusing his humanitarian efforts on Music Rising, a charity that provides musical instruments to those who lost instruments in Hurricane Katrina. He also owns the 140-foot, $20 million Codecasa yacht The Cyan.
Boots gets kicked to the Streets on VMA Nomination
Everything you thought MTV was can get throwen right out of the window of "PC" correction world crap.
Now we all agree that U2 "Streets" video should have won a long time ago. However to come back around today and make up a catergory called "Should have won" No way whats next?
Awards for:
- Hall of Famers that we think should be ones.
- Grammy Awards for those that should have won
- Oscars for poor acting skills.
- Sun Dance awards for movies that did not make it to the dance.
Oh come on now lets call it as we see it. U2 is on tour, its the biggest tour of the year and MTV did not want to miss the chance to grab those eye balls for at least one night. Lets face it when was the last time you saw an U2 video on MTV? Or for that fact when was the last time you saw any video on MTV. Its dead as dead as Spring Break in Florida. Gone of the way of TC's TOP Dogs in Daytona Beach. Yea I worked for MTV too when younger. Who has not.
Best Video (That Should Have Won A Moonman)
- David Lee Roth, "California Girls"
- Foo Fighters, "Everlong"
- U2, "Streets Have No Name"
- George Michael, "Freedom"
- OK Go, "Here It Goes Again"
- Tom Petty, "Into the Great Wide Open"
- Dr. Dre(featuring Snoop Dogg), "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang"
- Beastie Boys, "Sabotage"
- Björk, "Human Behavior"
- Radiohead, "Karma Police"
I bet we see them win as they are out on Tour with a "live" video cut in from the show. Wanta bet ?
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The Edge comments on twitter/ Tour Video Updates
So if your the "The Edge" and your out on the largest tour ever how do you communicate with your fans without words. Twitter ! Innovative concept? Not really, interesting photos from the road, for sure ! The Edge has been taking photos with his Blackberry. After following for a couple of weeks now, I seem to enjoy the idea of a one way conversation. I look at the images and create my own story line.
Follow him at @360FromTheEdge Of Course you already know that you can follow us @U2TOURFANS
We have loaded a brand new set of videos on the U2TOURFANS youtube channel.
80,000 U2 Fans come to Dublin
240,000 revellers from as far as Japan, Canada and America will descend on the north Dublin stadium - the equivalent to three All Ireland's finals back to back.
'One of the band's strongest ever live outings,' reports The Irish Times.
"A simply blistering set...' concludes The Irish Independent The Irish Independent.
'Safe to say that there was something magical about last night's triumphant return to home turf.' says The Herald.
Fans poured in from all around the world to see them play at home for one last time ? Ask Bono that's not the case at all. They came to be a part of something greater then their self. To see beyond what could not be possible before.
"In the words of our good friends the Corrs, we are so young," lead singer Bono, who turns 50 next year, shouted, at the start of Beautiful Day.
"As a nation I mean," he added pointing to the crowd.
U2 had been talking all week about Dublin being the shows to remember we can only hope that a DVD comes out of these few days. As expected the boys did not fail so far. Two of the three shows in "the can" they rocked them to the core.
Once they performed tracks from their latest album, the band launched into their greatest hits.
Bono also paid tribute to Ronnie Drew of the Dubliners, who died last year, by playing one of their tracks the Auld Triangle.
U2 dazzled fans from inside a giant steel claw that rose to 60 metres high above the crown - almost as tall as the stands surrounding it.
It took a week to construct the impressive setting, that included 550 tonnes of steel, 56 tonnes of video screens and spanned across a third of the pitch.
Music aside, the band's political allegiance was clear - with a dedication to jailed Burmese politician Aung San Suu Kyi, currently on trial charged with breaking a security law.
Thousands of concert-goers wore a mask bearing her image when the band played Walk On.
Ahead of the gig Bono told fans via a website link-up: "The 'rehearsals' have been going really well. We've been rehearsing in Barcelona, Milan, Nice, Berlin and Amsterdam, but we expect that the main event in Dublin will be better than any of them."
The Edge added: "It's not just another show, for us or for the fans. They travel from all over the world to see us perform in Dublin. Most of them believe it's the best gig for them to attend."
Before the steal packs up and the crew takes on the next city there is one more night in Dublin. Remember folks stage is already being set for another great show. What a wonderful way to end the week or start it.
Follow us who Follow those @U2TOURFANS
U2 360 Tour Amsterdam Second Show Videos
Amsterdam second show was the one that will have fans talking for a long time. The boys sounded great. The mix was tight, they looked like they where having fun and the crowd was right in with them. Live updates from around the world about U2's up coming concert event. Real time chats, news from the tour, and much more. U2 Music, Tour and Events. Follow twitter.com/u2tourfans
Now the show, enjoy - Thanks to our sponsor Headphones4less.com
Bad
Unknown Caller
Elevation
One
Desire
Until the end of the world
Passing Notes
July 21, 2009 Amsterdam, Major Set Change
Nothing like shaking things up a bit. The boys have had some major set changes for this second show. We have yet to clear the videos. Once we do you know we will post them. Sign up below and follow. Cheers
Main Set:
Breathe
No Line On The Horizon
Get On Your Boots
Magnificent
Beautiful Day
Elevation
Desire
Stuck In A Moment
One
Until the End of the World
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Pride
MLK
Walk On - You'll Never Walk Alone
Where the Streets Have No Name
Bad
Encore(s): Ultraviolet, With or Without You, Moment of Surrender
Elevation, Until the End of the World, and Bad are played for the first time this tour