Tag: U2

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Musique

U2 world tour highest-grossing in history

Irish rockers U2 have broken the world record for highest-grossing concert tour with yesterday’s performance in Sao Paulo, Brazil (April 10), reports Music News.

With more than 20 shows left in the tour, U2 has already surpassed previous record-holder, the Rolling Stones’ A Bigger Bang Tour, which grossed $558 million from 2005 to2007. By the time U2’s 360 Degree tour wraps up in Moncton, NB on July 30, U2 is expected to have grossed over $700 million.

The band’s current world tour has been underway since 2009, and includes 110 shows in over 30 countries with 7 million tickets sold — also beating the Stones’ 6.4 million attendance record.

Paul McGuiness, U2’s manager, told Billboard that the record was "something we’re very proud of having set, and to set it with a further 20-plus shows to go on the tour is kind of mind-blowing. It means that it’s a record that will probably never be outstripped."

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Musique

A sci-fi sound in U2’s future?

RedOne, the renowned producer behind Lady Gaga, has announced that Irish rockers, U2, plan to unveil a somewhat “futuristic” sound on their upcoming album to be titled, Songs of Ascent.

The synthesizer-loving producer enlisted to work on the band’s 13th studio album, has told Billboard: “We’ve put down a few ideas, but we don’t know how many will end up on there.” He claims that much of the inspiration for this new LP came from jam sessions with U2’s founding members: “I’m a guitar player, so it was just me and Bono and Edge playing guitar, exchanging melodies." 

“They have a very special way of working,” RedOne continues. “A song is never done until the day before it comes out almost, so you never know. Bono described [the sound as] futuristic. U2 going sci-fi, or something. That’s how he described it, but I don’t know.”

U2 are currently on Leg 3 of their 360° TOUR in support of their 12th studio album, No Line On The Horizon.

 

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Musique

News March 22 – Justin Bieber, Rihanna, U2 on Japan relief album

As with Haiti’s earthquake last year, several artists are once again are leading the way in raising funds for Japan, after its disastrous earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear plant meltdown last Friday (March 11).

Thanks to technology, a new digital fundraising album with songs contributed by major stars like U2, Rihanna and Justin Bieber could be ready as early as next week.

Many musicians have a large fan base in the country, and Universal Music has tapped some of its artists to contribute a song for the digital album, which may be released as early as next Friday (March 25).

Performers who have already confirmed their participation in the project include Justin Bieber, U2, Rihanna, Bon Jovi and Nicki Minaj. The album’s success depends on major acts willing to waive royalties for songs that appear on the record.

Lady Gaga, also with Universal Records, may be asked to participate after her great success in raising $250,000 through the sale of bracelets she designed.

"We are doing it only digitally because it is faster, and this will be a worldwide release,” said a spokesperson for Universal Music, the world’s biggest record label. “The plan is to have it available later this week."

All proceeds from the digital album will go to the Japanese Red Cross.

 

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Musique

Jay-Z feels responsible for delay of new U2 album

Music mogul Jay-Z thinks he may be partially to blame for the delay of U2’s new album Songs of Ascent, reports Spinner. The disc was originally slated for release in 2010, and recently Amazon’s German website removed the May 27 release date.

The rapper described the chain of events to The Sun, "One night I ran into Bono and he told me he’d read an interview I’d done. The writer had asked me about a U2 record [‘No Line on the Horizon’] that had just been released and I said something about the pressure a group like that must be under just to meet their own standards.

"[Bono] said the quote had really gotten to him and he decided to go back to the studio, even though the album was already done, and keep reworking it till he thought it was as good as it could possibly be," said Jay-Z, who opened a run of shows in Australia and New Zealand for U2 late last year.

While fans await the new album, the group’s 360 Tour of North America – which was delayed a year by Bono’s debilitating back injury last spring – will launch in Mexico City on May 11.

 

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Musique

U2 confirms Glastonbury Festival gig

Irish rock band U2 officially confirmed they will be headlining at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival in June, reports Spinner.

U2 guitarist The Edge confirmed the news in a video announcement made Wednesday (February 23) during the U.K.’s NME Awards ceremony hosted by New Musical Express magazine.

"I have to say there is something really special and iconic about that stage," said the guitarist. "So we’re all looking forward to coming back to pick up where I left off. And we’re so excited to get to play in front of the world’s greatest festival audience. We’ll see you there."

U2 was originally scheduled to perform at last year’s festival, but had to pull out when frontman Bono underwent back surgery. The Edge sat in on a performance with English alt rock band Muse.

This year, U2 will headline the festival on Friday, June 24, with Coldplay and Beyoncé confirmed for Saturday and Sunday respectively

The show, which opens on June 22, takes place at Worthy Farm in Southwest England, near the village of Pilton in Somerset. About 200,000 people are expected to attend.

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Musique

U2 to headline Glastonbury Festival

Irish rock band U2 will be joining Beyoncé and Coldplay as headliners for the 2011 Glastonbury Music Festival in June, reports Consequence of Sound.

Although the news is still pending official announcement, Q Magazine, a festival sponsor, reports that U2 will be closing out the night on Friday, June 25. The magazine also reports that British alt rock band Elbow will be opening for U2 at the festival.

Coldplay and Beyoncé are already confirmed to be headlining on the Saturday and Sunday respectively.

The festival, which opens on June 22, takes place at Worthy Farm in Southwest England, near the village of Pilton in Somerset. About 200,000 people are expected to attend.

Tickets for this year’s festival – which cost about $300 a piece – sold out last October within four hours, even though organizers had yet to announce the rest of the line-up. A resale of canceled tickets is expected to begin sometime in April.

Categories
Musique

U2 to headline Glastonbury Festival

Irish rock band U2 will be joining Beyoncé and Coldplay as headliners for the 2011 Glastonbury Music Festival in June, reports Consequence of Sound.

Although the news is still pending official announcement, Q Magazine, a festival sponsor, reports that U2 will be closing out the night on Friday, June 25. The magazine also reports that British alt rock band Elbow will be opening for U2 at the festival.

Coldplay and Beyoncé are already confirmed to be headlining on the Saturday and Sunday respectively.

The festival, which opens on June 22, takes place at Worthy Farm in Southwest England, near the village of Pilton in Somerset. About 200,000 people are expected to attend.

Tickets for this year’s festival – which cost about $300 a piece – sold out last October within four hours, even though organizers had yet to announce the rest of the line-up. A resale of canceled tickets is expected to begin sometime in April.

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Musique

Coldplay to headline Glastonbury Festival

For several years now, England’s Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, or ‘Glasto,’ has become so popular that the tickets quickly sell out well before the musical line-up is announced. The 2011 festival was no different as tickets sold out within four hours of going on sale on October 3, 2010.

At that time, Michael Eavis, the local farmer who started the festival on his property 41 years ago, announced: "The three headliners are incredibly impressive. I deliberately wait until all tickets are sold before they are announced. These headliners for next year are fantastic, I can guarantee you that. It will be as good as this year and possibly even better. "

According to The Sun, Coldplay was signed to headline the festival on June 25, after the Rolling Stones turned down the offer.

"Getting the Stones to Glastonbury has been high on Michael Eavis’s list of priorities for a long time. He came really really close this time round,” a source told the newspaper. “He came up with an incredibly tempting offer and Mick and the rest of the band were considering it closely but they ultimately decided to turn it down.”

The presence of Chris Martin’s super group, however, could be eclipsed by U2 who were forced to cancel in 2010, following Bono’s emergency surgery. For now, fans will have to wait and see.

 

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Musique

New U2 album in May?

Based on U2 manager Paul McGuinness’s statement to the Irish Times last October, it appears that rumours of a May 27 release date for the next U2 album is accurate.

At the time, he spoke to the newspaper about the Irish rockers’ next album: "I would expect a new U2 album sooner than anybody thinks. I would guess early 2011 before the next leg of the American tour which starts in May." He also said that working title for the new album was Songs of Ascent.

The rumour took hold after a music retailer named the date. According to a list of upcoming discs from Amazon’s German division, the group’s new album will indeed be in stores on May 27. The band has already been performing several of their new songs on tour, including Every Breaking Wave, Mercy, Boy Falls From the Sky.

This week the group confirmed their first appearance in Atlantic Canada this summer at the Magnetic Hill Music Festival. Bono and The Edge also wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, and have been busy fine-tuning the show.

 

 

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Musique

U2’s first appearance in Atlantic Canada

Legendary Irish rockers U2 will perform at the Magnetic Hill Music Festival in New Brunswick on July 30 with special guests Arcade Fire, according to band’s website. Today (January 31), the City of Moncton and concert promoters confirmed U2 will be visiting Atlantic Canada for the first time ever for the last gig of their 2011 North American tour.

“The Moncton show is set to be the final date of the U2 360° Tour in North America and we’re really looking forward to bringing this now legendary 360 production into Atlantic Canada for the first time,” says U2’s manager Paul McGuinness.

“To say that we’re excited about welcoming U2 to Moncton is an understatement,” added Moncton Mayor George LeBlanc. “Our Magnetic Hill Concert Site has seen some outstanding artists over the past five years, and the 2011 event will be no exception. To host one of the biggest bands, on one of the biggest stages, as part of one of the biggest tours for their final North American date is an honour.”

With a cylindrical video system of interlocking LED panels, and a steel structure rising 150 feet from the floor over a massive stage with rotating bridges, the band has created an intimate 360º experience for concertgoers. Long-time U2 Show Director Willie Williams worked once again with architect Mark Fisher (ZooTV, PopMart) to create an innovative 360º design, to give audiences an unobstructed view of the concert.

Tickets go on sale Tuesday, February 8th at 10am, and already Moncton hotel rooms are beings snapped up in record time.

U2 will also play Montreal on July 8 and 9 at the Hippodrome, and Toronto on July 11 at Rogers Centre.