Rotating stage on the next tour?

[U2dork]

The Prince stage was cool because it was cross shaped instead of round, so there was more surface for the fans to surround. Of course, one draw back to the design was there wasn't a way for Prince to enter from the backstage area so they had to carry him off in a box so he wouldn't get swarmed by fans...
That was just weird...

 

[oceane]

if the stage does rotate, it will not be spinning fast like a merry-go-round, it will just slowly move around so that throughout the entire show the whole audience will get the same experience. It sounds like alot of the people who are objecting to this idea are imagining them moving pretty fast. I dont think that will be the case.

IMO, this idea would be a very cool, and very U2. They always do things that no one has done before and then a few years later every concert is doing the same thing.

This would also be a good way to use the "target" theme from the vertigo video. A rotationg target in the middle of the venue would be awesome! There would be way more "front row" seats too, if you think about it.

I really hope there is some truth to this rumor.

Well, I was going to answer to some people's comments, but you said exactly what I had in mind! Rotating does NOT mean spinning, everyone, it's just a good way to change the perspective during the show. I'm am 100% that it would not rotate at all for most of the show.

And yes, center stages are not a new thing, many artists have done it before, but that does't mean U2 couldn't find a cool and original design for it.

I was just thinking this morning that they should go with a center floor, rotating stage, so I think it'a a GREAT idea.

 

[one4u2]

The Prince stage was cool because it was cross shaped instead of round, so there was more surface for the fans to surround. Of course, one draw back to the design was there wasn't a way for Prince to enter from the backstage area so they had to carry him off in a box so he wouldn't get swarmed by fans...
That was just weird...

I didn't see him get carried off like that?? That set up would be great for the next U2 tour. Every seat had a great view!

 

[bratty_cat]

Rotating stage idea doesn't thrill me but it would fit in thematically.

In the US, what really sealed the deal on allowing GA tix was the fact that the audience was split into two sections (one inside and one outside of the heart), making for easier crowd control. Whatever they do, if they allow GA again, will likely need to take this into consideration (I saw Bruce two years ago in an arena and he had the floor split up into sections too).

 

[U2dork]

I didn't see him get carried off like that?? That set up would be great for the next U2 tour. Every seat had a great view!

The arena where I saw him didn't have a trap door under the stage because there's hockey rink under the main floor. His handlers were trying to be stealthy but if you were watching them, it was kind of obvious.

As I think about the rotating stage more, would this really work for a band like U2 where the lead singer and guitarist are all over the place anyway? I agree you wouldn't really be able to tell the stage is rotating except for Larry doing a "sit and spin" and I don't think he'd go for that...

 

[edgeboy]

Bono: i think im gonna be sick.....Blahhhhh!!!!!(all over the crowd)

 

[elfyx]

I don't like the idea of a rotating stage or even in the round type of stage. The problem is that rock music and rock concerts inherently have a natural kind of foward facing energy to them.

 

[Guinness Stout]

I just saw a High Definition Peter Gabriel concert a couple of weeks ago on tv, and he had a stage in the middle of the arena that was round and rotated, i would guess a complete circle every 2 minutes- it was actually pretty cool-
imagine that everyone in the arena/ stadium would have a great seat- especially standing room GA up front-

I could easily see this as a set design for the tour- it would put them out in the middle of their fans- may enable more seats to be sold as there would be no behind the stage block-off- and create a more intimate setting even in a stadium.

the Peter Gabriel stage was in no way a circus set up- it was pretty cool- when i saw it i could picture bono and edge roaming all around

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

if there is indeed some sort of rotation involved in the stage, i highly doubt they'd have it in an "in the round" type atmostphere... i.e. in the center of the field/arena. it would probably just be one aspect of the stage, sort of like the lemon in popmart or the moving video screens behind the heart stage in elevation.

also... this wasn't some rumor with backed up sources... it was some guy who posted in a message board who also claimed that they were gonna play fenway park next year.

 

[elfyx]

Bono: i think im gonna be sick.....Blahhhhh!!!!!(all over the crowd)

LOL-

Bono (during Vertigo, on a spinning, spiriling stage with full lighting and holosonic effects): "You're love is... is... teaching me... how..how how to reeeeell <puke>"