U2 360 Tour Whats your top song from the show so far

Its Sunday here in the US and we are collecting our thoughts for the week ahead. The stories  last week have been around the NFL and U2. You can read them here. Why not spend some time looking around the site today and reading those past stories you missed.

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Whats up for next week. Trucks are rolling..............

Lighting 360 and Video

Remember the company Light & Sound Design (Now Named PRG) they originally furnished Willie Williams with the crew and equipment. For 360°, a total of 196 of PRG’s new Bad Boy hybrid luminaires are being used for both effects lighting and regular applications as part of Williams’ design.

Outputting a blinding 48,000 lumens, the unit was specifically designed to be the first true stadium-application moving light, opening up a new range of possibilities for leading-edge show designers.

    After watching U2’s opening show, Mickey Curbishley, PRG’s president of global touring, told me: “It’s the first time I’ve seen the Bad Boy working in the environment that it was designed for. Conventional moving lights wouldn’t have been able to deliver this level of power and there’s no other light that could do this job.”

    At times, the Space Station’s membrane has a sinuous, veiny look that suggests it’s part of a living organism. This illusion is created by gobos projected by a bank of seven Bad Boys behind the mix tower, while the high platforms project on to the back and sides.

    Last November, PRG’s Robin Wain arranged to hire Wembley Stadium in order to demo six Bad Boys to Williams who immediately saw that it was the first true stadium moving light which, crucially, can be read through a video screen and allow creative gobo use in conjunction with bright LED displays.

    Williams himself told TPi: “It is an astonishing piece of kit and its success is due to them starting with the application. The colours are very good [the vivid green and blue for ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ and ‘One’ have amazing depth] but I was shocked to find it doesn’t do colour mixing. However, I understand why they went in favour of output because when you’re in a situation like this, output is number one.

    “I knew I’d be lighting the audience to some extent but instead of just washing them I wanted to do things with break-ups, gobos and some movement. I must say that I have banned the Bad Boy name from the lighting tower. Great light, appalling name! We feel more comfortable calling it the VLI as a tribute to the Vari*Lite and the Icon, although Jake still refers to them as nodding buckets!”

    In fact, the Bad Boy could well be the love child of the Vari*Lite and the Icon, as it takes the best lensing and mechanical features from each. In addition to the optical clarity that comes from using high-quality lenses, the Bad Boy features also include smooth, fluid control of focus, zoom range of 8:1 (7° to 56°), and imaging thanks to high-speed servo motors and full-field 0 to 100% dimming.

    It was designed with energy efficiency and carbon footprint standards in mind which, given the number of non-eco friendly aspects of the tour in general, is no bad thing.

    In Barcelona, history came full circle when Rusty Brutsché, one of the original Vari*Lite design team, watched the opening show of the 360° tour with Curbishley.

    It was in this city that he saw Genesis début the first VL rig and herald a new era. On a balmy night, 28 summers later, it was a virtual re-run of the past as Brutsché saw the Bad Boys — co-designed by himself and fellow VL original Jim Bornhorst — burst into life.

AND MORE FIXTURES...
Lighting requires a 12-14 hour load-in and as lighting associate Alex Murphy told me, his boss knew exactly which fixtures he would use for each song and how he’d use them.




    Another role of one of the set cranes is to position eight Zap Technologies Big Lites in a circle on the roof of the structure.

    PRG Mbox Extreme media servers feed the 1,200 Barco FLX-60 pixel modules that are implanted around the edges of both stages and the bridges. The video content team created special graphics that are sent to these LEDs.

    Fog and haze machines get a workout on this tour. During the rehearsal fluid, the team were consuming 42 litres of fog fluid a day. Murphy commented that they are travelling with a full truckload of machines, including “Europe’s stock of Jem Roadies” and several Hazebase units.

    Trying to call so many followspots with a Spanish translator for some of the bigger numbers was very stressful, according to Murphy.

    There are 12 Lycian M2 long-throws in the trusses and 13 Strong Gladiators on all the high platforms, plus seven of the new Novalight Nova-Flower 2kW flower effects, supplied to PRG by Lightfactor Sales. The Nova-Flower features in ‘If I Don’t Go Crazy’, performing a larger-than-life, spinning disco effect.

    All lighting equipment including power and data distribution is being supplied through the PRG Global Touring Group. A complete truss package — including PRG’s new BAT low profile truss support for followspot chairs — is also part of the deal.

    And just as it seems that every lighting trick in the book has been pulled out of the hat, Bono returns to the stage for the encore, wearing a black leather jacket designed by Moritz Waldemeyer, featuring 240 lasers that extend the singer’s every move all the way across the audience.

So I was looking over the videos that best displayed the lights and the feel as well as what 90,000 fans would think. I found City Of Blinding Lights -with its driving bassline, delayed guitars, soaring rock ballad vocals and spine-tingling tremolo piano all add up to something rather too predictable. Yes, it's an accomplished and pristine production and seem to blend in with the lights. 

Fans Reactions are LOUD and Clear (513) 360 TOUR


The change was necessitated by the rescheduling of the New York Jets football game on Sunday September 27, 2009 from 4:15pm to 1pm out of respect for the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which starts that evening. Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year.

The spectacular sltaging for the U2 360° tour requires up to 2 days to disassemble. The original 4:15 PM game time scheduled by the NY Jets provided enough time for the band to load out the set. The change to 1 PM was logistically impossible for U2. In order to accommodate the New York Jets, the NFL and out of respect for U2 and Jets' fans of Jewish faith, U2 agreed to move their show rather than pursue other options.

Fan Reactions still coming in. Loud and Clear (513) 360-TOUR

Fans have to change their plans. This is patently absurd. This is not a Wednesday night concert in Cleveland. It is a Friday night concert in New York and I and many others are flying in from out of town and have already booked plane tickets. Just as all of us of different faiths occasionally have to make choices, it is not appropriate for this late breaking change to affect so many people who have planned ages in advance to come to new york that friday. Shame on U2 for not standing up stronger for their fans.

  • So, yeah. 50-thousand plus having to at least change plans. How many are going to lose money from prior reservations, air fare etc? I’m no attorney, but why wasn’t this caught and or avoided months ago.
  • With few regional Stadium shows they have to realize people are traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles to see them. A Friday to a Wednesday is a huge switch.
  • Out of respect? Sure.
  • I’m out over $100 for a non-refundable hotel room Friday night. I guess I’m lucky I don’t have airfare though. Seriously, would it be so horrible for a football game and Yom Kippur to overlap a few hours?
  • The God I know is not short on Cash, are you ? 
  • This is especially ridiculous for a league who consistently plays games on CHRISTMAS DAY to make a schedule change out of respect for Yom Kippur.
  • unreal…. how they don’t take into consideration 90,000 people have to change their plans. i used to love everything about U2 but that has changed over the years. There is a huge difference between a Friday gig attached to a weekend and a Wednesday gig. 

    We thought about sharing some of the comments, we do not support any hate messages, or messages that suggest any actions of harm to any person, or persons. Yes, we understand your anger over this. However its really an issue beyond control of any one person. As for those of you with tickets, well you have a choice pay the 100.00 to change your flights, sell your tickets on craigs lists, eBay or stubhub.


The discography of the Irish rock band U2

This has been a week filled with headlines. We have posted all the stories and videos for your review on line. We have launched a couple of new features. As you may know already.
The featured launch today is the music store. The complete collection of U2 items can be found via the U2 Tour Fans Music Store. The Unforgettable Fire


New to U2 ? Well it could be possible.The discography of the Irish rock band U2 consists of twelve studio albums, seven live albums, five compilation albums, fifty-eight singles, and seven extended plays (EPs). The band consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar) and Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums and percussion). They formed in 1976 when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency.
U2's success as a live act was greater than its success at selling records until The Joshua Tree was released in 1987, which helped to increase the band members' stature "from heroes to superstars". U2 responded to the dance and alternative rock revolutions, and its own sense of musical stagnation by reinventing themselves with the 1991 album Achtung Baby and the accompanying Zoo TV Tour. Similar experimentation continued for the rest of the 1990s. Since 2000, U2 has pursued a more traditional sound that retains the influence of their musical explorations. U2 first received Grammy Awards for The Joshua Tree in 1988, and have won 22 in total since, tying U2 with Stevie Wonder as contemporary artists with the most Grammies.

ALERT: U2 changes date of Giants show


U2 will perform on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford instead of the previously announced Friday, Sept. 25, date for their 360 Tour.

The group will still play its originally scheduled Thursday, Sept. 24, show.

The date change was caused by the rescheduled Jets NFL game on Sunday, Sept. 27, from 4:15 p.m. to 1 p.m. that day out of respect for the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. The original game time provided enough time for the U2 to take down its staging.

Arthur Fogel Live Nation Tour promoter said "We have tried everything we could to work the production logistics to be able to get out of the stadium for the earlier game. But its just not possible."

Tickets for the Sept. 25 show will honored on Sept. 23. Refunds will be available through the point of purchase.

Visit www.U2.com for more information.

Giants Stadium is on Route 120 in the Meadowlands. Call 201-935-3900 or visit
www.meadowlands.com for more information.

And the Grammy goes to U2 No Line in the Horizon Maybe

Grammy deserving: Here's where things get a little interesting. U2's last two albums were nominated for album of the year trophies, the aforementioned "Atomic Bomb," plus "All That You Can't Leave Behind" in 2002. But "No Line" is a significantly better record than both. It's not perfect -- witness the predictably sparkly phone-in-the-air rock ballad "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" -- but by and large, "No Line" is U2 back to its risk-taking self. "Moment of Surrender," in particular, is an extended gospel-influenced rock 'n' soul cut that's all about relaxing into a groove rather than going for the stadium chorus. In short, if voters recognized U2's last two albums, they can't overlook this one, as it's the superior effort.

U2 Academic Conf 2009 - Are U going?

U have just started to become a fan of U2 and your trying to understand the hype around the band and the lyrics that seem to call upon you during those times that you need a friend. Many books, essays have been written about the group, their music and the impact on anything and everything.

The U2 Academic Conference happens to be coming up on October 2 -4 2009- Details below. Go spend a weekend in Durham, North Carolina, with your fellow man talking, listening and thinking about U2 and what they have done. Scholars, teachers, students, journalist, clergy, musicians and the curious descend upon Durham in hopes of understanding a little better the music, exploring the interwoven of the lyrics as they breath life. Truly a one of a kind conference. Now once your done with the lesson, guess what Raleigh is right down the road and you can catch the boys live. Remember if your flying around to see the shows. We have a special U2 Travel deal at the top of our page.

research@U2conference.com

Remember to follow us via twitter @u2tourfans or visit our youtube.com channel u2tourfans as well as sign up for the auto updates. Last comment we are totally supported by our sponsors, so please show some love and visit them, at least once - Cheers

Bibliography last updated: 08.13.2009


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U2 - The hype and the feedback

U2 has hidden cryptic reference to a biblical passage

The debut U2charist in Pensacola took place August 23rd at First Methodist. The U.S. Episcopal Church first developed the U2charist in 2003, and the service was first conducted in in April 2004. The celebration of U2’s music has since since spread worldwide, arriving in Pensacola last weekend. “It’s definitely something different,” First United’s Rev. Geoffrey Lentz told the Pensacola News Journal. “But U2’s music is so deeply spiritual that I think the corporate worship setting is the perfect place for it. It’s exciting for the oldest Protestant church in Pensacola to have a cutting edge worship service.” Lentz added that the U2charist appeals to a younger audience, and an average of 200 people attend the Sunday service.

Churches who hold the U2charist do not have to pay licensing fees for using U2’s music on the condition that the church donates any money raised by the service to charities benefiting the Millennium Development Goals, to which Bono is an ambassador. After completing the European leg of their 360° Tour, U2 will take inspirational songs and the church of “the spaceship” overseas for a North American tour that kicks off September 12th in Chicago.

Books

This revised version of Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2 picks up where the first edition left off—amid the cathartic atmosphere of the post-9/11 Elevation tour that ushered in the aggressive spirituality of 2005’s Vertigo tour. It explores the controversy surrounding the deep-rooted religious themes of the band’s music and the outspokenness of their lead singer, Bono. Moreover, it is a spiritual companion to their albums, exposing the real meaning behind many of their songs and performances.

Lyrics -

"Beautiful Day"

"The heart is a bloom/shoots up through the stony ground" -- Isaiah 52:3: "He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground." (submitted by Andrew)

"See the bird with the leaf in her mouth" -- Genesis 8:10-11: "[Noah] waited seven days more and again sent the dove out from the ark. In the evening the dove came back to him, and there in its bill was a plucked-off olive leaf! So Noah knew that the waters had lessened on the earth."

"After the flood all the colours came out" -- Genesis 9:12-13: "God added: 'This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you: I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.'"



"Stuck In A Moment..."

"I am not afraid of anything in this world -- Luke 12:4: "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more."

"Walk On"

"A place that has to be believed to be seen" -- John 11:40 Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" (submitted by Rev. Beth)

"Home - I can't say where it is, but I know I'm going" -- John 14: 4-6 Jesus said, "You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way." (submitted by Rev. Beth)

"In A Little While"

"In a little while, I won't be blown by every breeze..." -- Ephesians 4:14 Then, we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of doctrine. (submitted by Rev. Beth)

"Wild Honey"

"You were my shelter and my shade" -- Isaiah 25:4 "You have been... a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat." (submitted by Rev. Beth)

"Grace"

"She carries a pearl in perfect condition" -- Matt 13:45-46 "The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." (submitted by Rev. Beth)

"What left a mark no longer stains" -- Not a quote, but a pretty clear allusion to Isaiah 1:18 "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." (submitted by Rev. Beth)

U2 has hidden an incredibly cryptic reference to a biblical passage on the cover of their album, "All That You Can't Leave Behind". What you need to do to view the message is look at the cover. On the cover, there's the four members of U2 standing around. In the background, on the left, on the ceiling of the place they are standing is a sign saying "J33-3". U2 altered the photo to say this. What it is is a coded reference to the book of Jeremiah, Chapter 33, verse 3. The passage reads, "'Call to me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things which you have not known.'