U2 and Seattle

[One Tree Still]

This story is a little bit similar to what Chris posted about Bono getting mobbed in LA - but the venue was Seattle.

I think it was 1981 or so and U2 was playing a small club in Seattle called Astor Park (no longer exists). Anyway, the story has it that a fan threw a beer bottle at the band (not sure who). Apparently, U2 vowed to never play Seattle again...and they didn't!

Well, at least not until the POPMart Tour, some 16 years later. Instead, U2 played Tacoma and Vancouver, BC - just out of reach of bottle-throwers from Seattle.

I'm glad U2 has made-up with Seattle and I still wait for the day that U2 decides to play to 90,000 in my beloved Husky Stadium, on the shores of Lake Washington.

 

[spanisheyes]

I had read about this incident, and I hope that someday U2 will play Seattle again, especially since so much fantastic music has come out of Seattle. I read once that U2 liked Seattle, because it reminded them of Dublin.

Chris

 

[oliveu2cm]

On the Tacoma Elevation boot Bono refers to Seattle more than once, about how they love the city and like Chris said, it was just like Dublin becaue they had something major in common: rain!

 

[One Tree Still]

The POPMart show was in the KingDome, which is now resting in peace beneath the new, $400M Seahawk Stadium.

The KingDome was huge (65,000) but was a terrible place for a concert. The acoustics were atrocious.

Now, the only large-format venues in Seattle are open-air...

Seahawk Stadium (80,000?)
Husky Stadium (90,000 with field seating)
Safeco Field (50,000)

The Key Arena holds about 20,000 and would be a phenomenal place for a U2 show, but it is pretty small.

The Tacoma Dome (30 miles South of Seattle) holds about 30,000 and U2 played there for the Elevation show and 2 ZOOTV dates.

So there you have it on boring Seattle venue info!!!

 

[Mrs.Clayton]

Do you happen to know where Astor park was located here in Seattle?
U2 maybe didn't like Seattle in the early 1980's, but they loved it here in 2001...they spent 4 days here, and I didn't even try to find them.....

 

[One Tree Still]

For some reason I think it was on the North end of Downtown, near where Westlake Center is now. I'm not sure though. I think it went by the wayside in the mid 80s.

I have a friend who used to work for Chihuly and Bono and Larry (POPMart tour) came to his studio and bought some stuff when she was working. She got a pic with Bono and his bald head.

I also heard that Bono and Edge took the kids to "Josie and the Pussycats" at the City Center theaters last year when they were in town.

 

[JessicaAnn]

Totally off topic, but I love Dale Chihuily ... and I love Seattle.

 

[Mrs.Clayton]

They also ate at "Cutters" north of the market....if you go there(which you should), ask your waitperson about their visit....Smoked Salmon chowder...yummm....

 

[david]

U2 played Seattle May 26 1983 Paramount Theatre
and according to the U2 live book it was a rowdy show. That is the last mention of Seattle in the book.

 

[One Tree Still]

Maybe the incident occurred at the Paramount, but I'm pretty sure it was Astor Park that I read about. By '83, Astor Park would have been too small a venue.

Interesting!

Seeing U2 at the Paramount would have been something!!! That place is cool!

However, seeing U2 at "The Gorge" would be fantastic!!!

 

[Mrs.Clayton]

This is from the Seattle Weekly online...20 Seattle clubs that came and went...

20. ASTOR PARK: The drinks were overpriced and the bathrooms were always flooded, but Astor Park was the big rock club in the city in the early 1980s and host to many national and international touring bands. It was eventually demolished. Peak Astor Park memory: Seeing a very young U2 in 1980. After playing all the songs from their first album, the band was out of material and had to repeat "I Will Follow" as their encore

 

[Angel]

However, seeing U2 at "The Gorge" would be fantastic!!!

That would be absolutely phenominal. The US version of Slane. I'd cross borders for that gig!

 

[One Tree Still]

The Gorge is a wee bit smaller than Slane (only about 25,000 I think), but it is sure beautiful.

 

[Carmanah]

For some reason I think it was on the North end of Downtown, near where Westlake Center is now. I'm not sure though. I think it went by the wayside in the mid 80s.

I have a friend who used to work for Chihuly and Bono and Larry (POPMart tour) came to his studio and bought some stuff when she was working. She got a pic with Bono and his bald head.

I also heard that Bono and Edge took the kids to "Josie and the Pussycats" at the City Center theaters last year when they were in town.

The irony of that was, U2 were staying in Seattle, but bussed it up to Vancouver for their Vancouver (April 13 '01) show... and then prompty bussed it back to Seattle and watched Josie & the Pussycats...

... and the irony is that Josie & the Pussycats was filmed completely in Vancouver. Vancouver is written all over that movie, lol