U2 has been working very close guarded on an up coming tour to begin in 2015 Sources close to the band have suggested that the boys will head out and do a full world tour with stops in some countries that they missed the last time around. Such as Peru, Chile and Argentin. Bono visited Peru about a year or so ago and informed the fans that he loved the country and is looking forward to coming back. Now a posting from UM (South America) suggested that South America is big on the tour list. Now no details have been confirmed and the boys are out marketing their new release so we do not expect to hear much about the tour for at least a few weeks. What we do know is that this is a much different tour and that we can expect some cities to have two or three night dates. Expect MSG to be at least 3 nights. More to follow as we dig into the details.
U2 Turns to Facebook
U2 continuing on their marketing and promotion of their new album will turn to social media on Tuesday October 14, 2014 which kicks off the worldwide release of Songs Of Innocence on CD & Vinyl. U2 fans have been asked to post questions posted on the official U2 Facebook page.
The band has always looked for new ways to connect to their audience so the idea of using Facebook as their platform for direct interactive communication should come as no surprise.
Fans will be allowed to post any question they choose to ask however that does not mean they will answer all of them. Prince has done the same thing a couple of weeks ago and ended the session with only one question answered. We kind of thing U2 will stick around and answer a few more because of their close relationship with their fans.
U2's Cross Marketing Machine "The Walking Dead"
U2’s marketing machine has always been on top of their game. Cross marketing into current TV, series seems to be something new for the boys from Dublin. “The Troubles” has started to appear in “The Walking Dead” series, which is extremely popular in the US.
The clips titled with reference to U2 and only feature U2 music. No band images are within and the band not expected to appear within any of the commercials.
U2 has new management that clearly understands how to reach the younger audiences. We can expect that U2 will appear within more cross marketing and promotional messaging as the machine continues to ramp towards 2015.
U2 2015 World tour !
U2 fans you have been waiting for a long time. Yes, the boys will hit the road 2015 with their families and close friends, Bono said “You know what it's like now, it's like a whole city goes on the road with us. Our kids go out on the road, they get excited about it; It's like . . . yeah, it's kind of a whole . . . Dublin goes on the road."
This tour will be scaled back to give a intimate setting due to the nature and themes of the current album as well as the expected new album. The Edge acknowledged that they are not looking to launch into a massive tour this time around. Heck, it is hard to throw up something against 360. That was massive and beyond approach for most bands.
We can expect to see some announcements shortly. Bono confirmed that the band could not get any bigger than 360 if they tried so pulling back would make much more sense due to the new music style and vibe. Still in the early stages of planning and routing the tour so ease back fans and start saving those coins. Its going to be a busy 2015/2016 season.
U2 Community Forum Now Open
We have been working for the past couple of months to build a new interactive U2 community within the U2TOURFANS social experience.
Our team with the help of a few hundred great fans have created an online community that will allow you to share music, videos, stories, thoughts and well pretty much anything related to U2.
Yes you have a few other choices to share your thoughts on-line. What this new community will offer you is the chance to be apart of something fresh creative and most of all yours !
Yes that means you are free to comment, create or even share anything you like (remember its all U2)
This is your community and we welcome your feedback. Its time to be part of the U2TOURFANS community. The doors are open and we invite you in. Remember its brand new you make this community grow with your interactive comments.
Enjoy
Dre
Songs of Experience Almost Ready
Adam had a lovely outing recently that allowed us to peek into what is up next for the boys. He said the next project is about 70% complete with some fine turning going on right now. They have the layout of the songs that they plan to have on the album. Suggested a possible different way of releasing the music next time around suggested that we might see a completely new method of delivering music.
Adam has been quoted as saying "Depending on how long it takes to be completed, there may be a whole new delivery method invented by then. I think we just have to wait and see," he said. "There will be a bit of water under the bridge before we get to that point.
Songs Of Innocence, eligible Grammy
Did you ever doubt the U2 marketing machines would allow the bands hard work go unnoticed for Grammy consideration? The label rush out to a very small limited group of record stories a vinyl copy of current release made available for sale by today's cut off point.
Sources inside the machine said that the band and the label knew that they needed release something before the cut off to considered.
Grammy guidelines are very clear and communicated that the band will be eligible for the upcoming 57th Annual Grammy Awards on February 8th, 2015. "As long as the album, be it CD, vinyl or digital, is available commercially for sale to the public by our eligibility cutoff date at a nationally recognized retailer or website, then it's eligible for consideration,"
The fine print states: For the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards, albums must be released between Oct. 1, 2013 and Sept. 30, 2014. Recordings must be commercially released in general distribution in the United States, i.e. sales by label to a branch or recognized independent distributor, via the Internet, or mail order/retail sales for a nationally marketed product. Recordings must be available for sale from any date within the eligibility period through at least the date of the current year's voting deadline (final ballot).
2015 Tour Smaller Venues
Dublin started packing for this up coming tour sometime ago. New road cases ordered and we can expect to see the whole family out on tour next year.
What will be different this tour is that the shows will be in smaller venues because the music is much more personal intimate that a small venue would be better suited for. Yes 360 was amazing and some would say heck it sure was intimate however that was a massive under taking with a BIG ROCK show feel.
Christian O'Connell, Bono said: "We're gonna be touring. We're gonna start next year. Were gonna try and play the O2 and places like that, more indoors that outdoors this time, but we'll see where it takes us.
"It's exciting. We'll be coming your way and these songs are the songs that, I think . . . I think they will play themselves."
Bono further admitted that he finds it harder than ever to tour and leave his family.
He added: "Only if the songs are great can you bear leaving home. We all have families and mates and... so you know, you're looking for 11 great reasons to leave home and I think we've got them.
"You know what it's like now, it's like a whole city goes on the road with us. Our kids go out on the road, they get excited about it. It's like . . . yeah, it's kind of a whole . . . Dublin goes on the road."