Live Nation Charity Buzz Crew for a Day !

Live Nation has teamed up with charitybuzz, the leading global charity auction site, and donated a unique experience to help raise proceeds for LIFEbeat.

It doesn't get any more behind the scenes than this: one incredibly lucky winner and a guest (total of 2) will live the life of backstage tour producers for the legendary band U2 during one of three North American show dates for their 360° Tour.

In this experience you and your guest will shadow U2's tour producer for a day that will allow you to:
- Spend a day backstage directing the show preparations for the biggest band in the world
- Be a part of the planning and managing the days schedule
- Troubleshooting from set up through sound check to the crowd arriving and the show itself
- You can even watch the show from wherever you want!

Tour stops that are available to choose from are:
September 13, 2009 Chicago's Soldier Field
September 21 Boston's Gillette Stadium
September 25 New York Giants Stadium

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. U2 360° also marks the first time a band has toured in stadiums with such a unique and original structure.

LIFEbeat is dedicated to reaching America’s youth with the message of HIV/AIDS prevention. LIFEbeat mobilizes the talents and resources of the music industry to raise awareness and to provide support to the AIDS community.

To bid on this amazing experience or for more information please visit go to www.charitybuzz.com and search lot # 91420

AWF Announces U2 360 Tour Ticket Auction Results

The African Well Fund auctioned two pairs of tickets for the upcoming U2 360 Tour to raise money for the seventh annual Build a Well for Bono's Birthday fundraiser. Tickets for the North American opening night show in Chicago went for $346.00. Tickets for the closing night show in Vancouver went for $140.00.

AWF launched the fundraiser, which gives U2 fans the opportunity to change the world in honor of Bono's May 10 birthday, on March 2 to coincide with the release of U2's latest album "No Line on the Horizon." In addition to collecting donations from fans, AWF held several auctions to raise money for water projects in Liberia. Donors were also invited to add their names to a birthday card that will be sent to Bono via Principle Management.

Show Update Major Video Views and Photos

We are still looking for those of you that will be attending the shows. The first show would be great. We will provide you a link just for you to txt your updates and photos direct to us from the show. All credits to you. The best photos and videos will be posted daily as the tour begins. Here are a couple of shots from the setup. Enjoy- Remember to comment directly to us - You will be provide the upload info.

No stealing Backstage this time around -

Rockers U2 have hired a security team to guard their dressing rooms during their new tour -- because fans kept nicking mementoes from their backstage compound.

They were so fed-up with items going missing during their last tour they have put beefed-up security measures in place for their first gig in Barcelona later this month.

The measures include drafting in 50 guards, installing CCTV and watch towers to keep an eye on band members' private rooms.

Only their closest friends and family will get anywhere near the band with just 10 Access All Areas passes being handed out for each gig.

U2 are currently rehearsing for their huge stadium tour which kicks off at the Nou Camp on June 30. A group insider said: "The security arrangements around this tour are the most extreme we have ever seen. It is ultra-strict. The security operation will be the biggest ever mounted for a rock tour.

"The problem is during the last tour a few fans even managed to sneak in during concerts and they ended up running off with the band's clothes and possessions."

The group's 360 Degree tour will hit Croke Park in July for three 90,000 capacity concerts.

Inside the stadium there will be five levels of security with different passes for each.

To get into the final zone -- which allows direct access to the band -- lucky VIPs will have to pass a series of security points and undergo a body scan with metal detectors.

While Bono and the group are performing CCTV cameras will monitor the halls leading to their rooms and the whole compound will become a "lock down."

The source added: "It means there won't be a free for all while they are singing."

France Holiday and the location

U2 will be sunning themselves in the South of France this summer, as they make it their base for their upcoming European tour.

The band and their families have holiday homes on the Cote D'Azur and will have a private plane at Nice Airport to jet them to gigs in Barcelona, Milan, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam and London as their U2360 Tour kicks-off on June 30.

Claw

Their huge new stage, which has been nicknamed The Claw, is already constructed in the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, and rehearsals are due to get under way in the coming days.

"Nice Airport will be the hub," said a source. "They will fly in and out from there for each of the concerts and will be able to spend their down time with their families at their holiday homes as usual."

Bono and The Edge have been frequent visitors to Eze Sur Mer for nearly 20 years, with Edge buying the villa next door to Bono's after his first marriage broke up.

The two properties are only separated by their swimming pools, but Edge said the only reason he bought the villa was "timing".

"Possessions are a way of turning money into problems," he said. "I don't have a big car collection or anything that I'd miss if it got stolen. I bought the house because it was about timing."

The Edge married his second wife, long-term partner Morleigh Steinberg, in the nearby village of Eze seven years ago.

U2's other members Larry Mullen Jnr and Adam Clayton also own holiday homes nearby.

And the South of France also proved too much to resist for band manager Paul McGuinness, who bought a nearby villa in 2002 after attending The Edge's wedding.

Tight

The fact that all the band have holiday homes so close together has caused Larry Mullen to comment before on how the group never seem to be able to escape from each other.

"What kind of band goes on holidays to the same place?" he said.

"We are a tight family, with all the pluses and disadvantages of that."

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