Amazed and Idolised

Frazer Harrison, Getty ImagesBono and The Edge made their appearance on American Idol last night during the season finale at the Nolkia Theatre in LA. The performed “Rise Above 1” Reeve Carney is the singer/actor that plays Peter Park in the Broadway production. The U2 marketing machine has timed this perfect once again with the release of the digital version available on Itunes. As the song comes to an end ana actual Spiderman swung from the ceiling and tried to plant a kiss on the lips of the judge Jo Lo who elected to tap her fingers on his lips.  Twitter was a buzz for a few days when we broke the news that they had planned to appear ( while news of U2 the band was to appear) However it was just Bono with his shades, and The Edge taking full advanatage of the promotional value of American Idol.  Take a look -

 

Thank you Salt Lake CIty !

Photo Credit @Leahu2 U2 360 Tour SlC SALT LAKE CITY — For U2 fans, Tuesday was a Beautiful Day (and night) at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Rock icons U2 returned to Salt Lake CIty more than a year after the band had to postpone the start of their North American tour.

“Thank you for coming out. And thank you for your patience,” lead singer Bono told the more than 50,000 fans who attended Tuesday night’s show. Outside Rice-Eccles, dozens of people who didn’t get tickets lined up along the gates to listen and catch glimpses of the band on the giant video screen.

The energized crowd jumped in unison with their fists in the air as U2 opened with “Even Better than the Real Thing” followed by “I Will Follow” off their 1980 debut album Boy.

Bono showed no lingering effects of the back surgery, moving and dancing around the giant stage to fan favorites like “Mysterious Ways,” “Elevation,” “Beautiful Day” and “Pride (In the Name of Love).”

While some things change, “Some things remain the same. Nothing phases this man,” Bono said pointing to The Edge who was outstanding on lead guitar on songs like  “Until The End of the World,” “Get On Your Boots” and a great return of “All I Want Is You” to the set list.

U2 did what it does best, mixing music and social awareness. Before the show, the giant LED video screen (which was the most impressive part of the massive stage) scrolled numerous factoids from number of births today, the barrels of oil pumped today, number of cell phones sold today to the number of video games played online. The band even threw in local statistics such as Salt Lake County’s unemployment rate and a running count of how many people had entered Rice-Eccles Stadium (50,000 as of 15 minutes before the show, and climbing).

  The band arguably didn’t achieve lift-off until after a quiet duet between Bono and The Edge on “All I Want Is You,” and a quick take on the Bob Dylan-penned “Love Rescue Me.” After the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to the now 70-year-old Dylan – no, he wasn’t there – the show really picked up.
Even though they’ve had numerous smash hits, it’s unlikely the band has a more well-loved song than “Pride.” And even though at 27 it’s likely older than many of the folks who were singing the words in the capacity Rice-Eccles Stadium crowd, it still sounds fresh, vibrant and politically poignant – even in completely conservative Utah.

U2 360 Tour SLC Set List 2011The show may have gotten too political for some when Bono repeatedly touted the work of Amnesty International and sang “Scarlet” as a full-fledged tribute to recently released Burmese political leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent 20 years as a political detainee. It was a fairly emotional scene as the band played video of the freed woman advocating the importance of individual action, which she said was “louder than any rock band.”

Other music highlights included all-too quick run through of The Beatles’ “Here Comes The Sun,” (which reminded met that I’d worried way too much about the weather for this show. It was absolutely dry, clear and just about perfect) “Zooropa,” “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “City of Blinding Lights” and “Vertigo.”

The big finale was arguably a last tribute to Dylan when Bono rambled through a verse of “Blowin’ In the Wind,” before segueing into the huge hit “Where The Streets Have No Name.” Interestingly, the band closed on the far less known “Moment of Surrender” from 2009′s “No Line on the Horizon.” Like the rest of the show – even though it wasn’t exactly what you expected – it lived up to the hype. Bono and The Edge head off to LA to be on American Idol on Wednesday night

Who is Memphis Mullen ?

We have been talking for a couple of months now about Memphis (M2) as the crew here likes to call her. Yea we know of the other M2 and we think his pretty cool too - Anyway 
Talk about a passion U2 she has it however take that passion and double it for Larry Mullen Jr. Her concert journey started in Denver a couple of nights back with the kick off of U2’s USA leg of the 360 Tour. 
If your a U2 fan you understand the passion and drive that one has for the boys from Ireland yet you have to wonder what would make a fan change her career and embark on the journey to write and document the ultimate U2 fan story. Its an adventure that we are sure to follow daily as she reports from the around the tour, meeting fans like you and discovering new fans.
Success does not come without challenges. Memphis will be on the road for 2 full months and in order to complete this book she will need some support from all of us. Lets all reach in to our pockets and take out our starbucks money and make a donation to her book.  Please join the whole team in welcoming  Memphis Mullen - “On The Road with U2”  
Hey be sure to stop her along the way, take a photo, grab some cool stickers and just cheer her on !  

Bono and Edge Yes 2 American Idol, No U2 Band

Bono and Edge will appear alongside Reeve Carney, who plays Peter Parker, and cast members from SPIDER-MAN Turn off the Dark which is set to open on Broadway,  June 14.

After winning the Top Touring Artist Award at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday night (May 22), U2 members Bono and the Edge are set to perform on the American Idol season 10 finale this Wednesday. An announcement posted on U2.com confirms that the bandmates will appear alongside cast members of the Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, which is currently back in revamped form and running in previews with one new song, and classic hits from the band, woven into the production. Bono and the Edge are the show’s composers. 

This statement about U2’s performance is wrong - U2 is not performaning only Bono and The Edge -

U2’s “Idol” performance will be part of the episode that reveals whether Scotty McCreery or Lauren Alaina is the season 10 champ. After the appearance, the group’s 360° tour will continue to rock stadiums in North America through July 30, with support from the Fray, Lenny Kravitz, Florence & the Machine and Interpol during various dates.

Now all we can hope for is that U2 keeps far away from American Idol - Sorry Ido

Hello Salt Lake City ! We have arrived

Tonight the second or third show kicks off at Rice-Eccles Stadium at last check over 200 fans have slept in the GA line and the line continues to grow. Memphis Mullen has arrived late last night and we expect to see her out shortly. Be sure to catch her and grab some swag from her.

Craig Evans in the press walk thru again states “It’s the largest touring production even to be taken around the world.”  The steel rides on 48 semi-trucks and leapfrogs between shows. (3 stages are out on this tour )  

U2 in the numbers: 16 miles of production cable; a video screen that has 500,000 pixels and weighs 54 tons; about 130 touring crew members and 35 members of management; in addition to 1,500 roadies hired in each city for jobs such as stage hands and concessions.

Fans here have been waiting an extra year due to Bono’s surgery and everyone is ready for an amazing show. Salt Lake City was to the launch of the North American tour. Now the band is on the final leg of its North American tour having played 50 shows.

Tonight, the U2 360 World Tour that was postponed a year ago due to emergency back surgery for Bono will finally make its appearance in Salt Lake City..

Setting up the stage for the 360 tour is like setting up a small city. The stage — nicknamed “The Claw” because of its four large posts that support the structure — takes about four days to build.

A full day is needed to lay down the specialized flooring used to hold the stage and prevent the football field at Rice-Eccles from being torn up or crushed. It normally takes four days to build the steel prongs of the stage, but crews in Salt Lake were able to do it in 3½ even with the rain. It takes an additional day to set up the lights, sound and video.

Follow tonight’s show via twitter and or facebook. We suggest that you follow #U2360SLC – We are working very closely to able to provide a couple of surprises.

U2 to perform on 'American Idol' finale

U2 is set to perform on the ‘American Idol’ season 10 finale this Wednesday, reports Billboard.

While backstage at the Billboard Music Awards, the band’s longtime manager, Paul McGuinness, revealed that the group would be rehearsing for the ‘Idol’ finale on Monday before performing on the show two days later.

In between the rehearsal and performance, U2 will perform at Salt Lake City’s Rice-Eccles Stadium on Tuesday. Talk about a busy schedule!

The four members of U2 also took the stage yesterday at the Billboard Music Awards to accept the Top Touring Artist Award for its record-breaking 360° tour. U2 guitarist the Edge admitted that it was an honor receiving the award.

Bono: ‘Some of the greatest music is made quietly. You can make classic albums in your bedroom, you can play the greatest show of your life on a one string guitar… but we just don’t do that.’

Larry: ‘I’d like to thank our crew. I’m embarassed to say I don’t know all of their names… But they leave their homes and families to put up and tear down our spaceship, our claw. It’s been our home for the last two years and we want to thank them for that.’

Adam added that he thought the stage looks like a children’s toy while Edge finished up by saying that his favourite part of the show every night is ‘when they turn all of that shit off and we get to feel like we’re alone with our audience.

“It’s always a thrill to win an award, but something about this really connected when I realized that more people had come to this tour any previous tour. Seven million people — I still can’t quite get my head around that figure. It’s so astonishing, and just feels really good.”

No Rapture Just a Mile High with U2

Denver was ready for the show, ready for about a year since Bono hurt his back. GA Line was pretty long, yet tickets still seemed to be available. We’ll skip the opening act, which from all tweets and facebook comments was better than good. They should have been earlier in the week the group had a chance to play a private show, nothing of course like U2’s private show.

Where else would you be in Denver on Saturday evening, 70 thousand plus fans packed in Invesco Stadium to U2 back to the USA. The boys took the stage about 8:45 p.m local time. The crowd was on its feet.  After a day of tailgating, music was in the air, beer flowing, and Memphis Mullen was somewhere out with the crowds.  For the next 2 hours it was all about U2, and the crowds shouted BONO, THE EDGE, CLAYTON and MULLEN! The wave took over the stadium and lift off!

The stage was massive as reported before.  The idea worked the larger the stage the closer everyone felt to the boys from Ireland.  The group like no other group out on tour today owns the stadium show

The show kicked off with a very passionate “Even Better Than the Real Thing” filtered into “I Will Follow,” leading into a pummeling “Get On Your Boots.” “Boots” with The Edge whaling away the party officially kicked into high gear

Bono drew the crowd in closer to kick up and off “Elevation, and the crowd joined in with “All That You Can’t Leave Behind. From up top of the stadium “Beautiful Day” was amazing. “ Walk On” a tribute to peace campaigns and offers hope to the crowd expecting the world to end.

“Sunday Bloody Sunday” a classic rock anthem, which lead into “Where The Streets Have No Name” the rest of the evening was note perfect and the evening was worth the wait. Bono is back and the boys are ready to take on the US this summer with the largest tour out on the road.

So what happened Harold Camping? I guess the rapture missed us? Bono dedicated “Until the End aof The World to Harry (ok we should show Campie some respect)

Bono said “ To be taken up to the air, sounds like fun to me, just as long as Larry Mullen is with me” kind of sermon “ God is in the house”

Something pretty crazy started to happen. Bono standing on the bridge started shaking and spazzing with the group playing an instrumental breakout, could that be Bono’s way of simulation of what the rapture would look and feel like, with some lighting and video?

U2 fans left the stadium entertained, and the boys left feeling like they are back! Outside its America,  and we came to rock you.  Now its time to move on to Salt Lake City -

Before we move on the BIG Red trucks load up and out - Big Shout out to Upstaging !