U2 to play o2 in the Autumn ?

[An Cat Gav]

Yeah, now that's just shitty reporting, and gives me all the more reason to stand by my assertion that The Sun is little concerned with facts and more concerned with selling papers regardless of the merit or truthfulness of the content.

That said, it could be worse. It could be the Daily Mail.

Now that is true!!
However this story has appeared a few times and I think there is no smoke without fire here. I hope it isn't true, this is something I would expect from people such as elton John or eric clapton, stars whose current output doesn't cut it anymore but are selling concert tickets on their old hits. I could be wrong though, maybe it will be great. The venue is just down the road too!

 

[Jim]

I hope they don't do this. I can't imaging U2 doing a 5/10/20 run of shows in one place. Didn't they say that drove them to the brink on the Lovetown tour?

 

[coolian2]

They're due another Lovetown followed by a rapid coming back to earth

 

[U2FanPeter]

Who plays to 200-400,000 fans on a "promo" tour?

I would love to read the Irish press if this were announced.

One interesting fact is that the owner of O2 is a bottomless pit of wealth. U2 may find him very hard to turn down.

One option is scatter the O2 arena shows throughout a European stadium tour. 3 Euro stadiums, 3 O2s, 3 Euro Stadiums, 3 O2s etc.. They can also set up O2 ticket sales to virtually prevent too many repeat attendees, which U2 have called boring to play to in the past.

u2fp

 

[Morgoth321]

I hope they do play shows at the O2 at some point. Customers of the O2 network in the UK can buy advanced tickets for shows there, so it'd probably be the only way I'd be able to score tickets!

 

[vaz02]

Bring back Victoria Newton

Agreed, i dont like the new guy.

Vicky moved upstairs to head the Entertainment dept.

 

[Axver]

However this story has appeared a few times and I think there is no smoke without fire here.

I'm not so sure. We've seen in the past how other untrue rumours have snowballed and been reported by different outlets, sometimes over a decent period of time, and even with a veneer of accuracy. That's all I think is happening here. A UK tabloid needs a story, so they just cobble together some rumour that will get some attention.

 

[Morgoth321]

Originally posted by U2FanPeter I would love to read the Irish press if this were announced.

Peter, do you mean that you think that the Irish press wouldn't be too pleased to see U2 playing a series of promotional concerts in London, and not Ireland? Did the Irish press make any negative comments about the HTDAAB promotional arrangements? According to U2Tours.com, only one of the HTDAAB promo performances was in Ireland. Sorry if I've misunderstood your point. (As a sidenote, some US Eagles fans are unhappy that they're starting their world tour outside America. Where are they playing? Why, the O2 Arena, or course...)

From someone living in the UK, take it from me that the tabloids cannot be believed at all, especially The Sun - this rag epitomises lazy, sensationalist reporting at its very worst. I think that their entertainment people simply surf the internet and jump on any rumour of a story. Led Zeppelin stories are rife at the moment, for example - apparently they have an entire world tour booked already, and such stories are based purely on hearsay and aspirational hopes from ambitious promoters.

Again, from a UK perspective, it's my perception that the O2 Arena seems to be the most prestigious venue at the moment - I'm not sure why, but it's the place that attracts the most attention and rumours in the media (not just the tabloids, but the music press too). Unless U2 suddenly decide to change their European touring pattern and play indoor arenas again though, I can't see them playing there unless it would be for some kind of one-off promotional gig.

 

[U2FanPeter]

Peter, do you mean that you think that the Irish press wouldn't be too pleased to see U2 playing a series of promotional concerts in London, and not Ireland? Did the Irish press make any negative comments about the HTDAAB promotional arrangements? According to U2Tours.com, only one of the HTDAAB promo performances was in Ireland. Sorry if I've misunderstood your point. (As a sidenote, some US Eagles fans are unhappy that they're starting their world tour outside America. Where are they playing? Why, the O2 Arena, or course...)

If they did 22 shows over a 5 week period as a promo tour, Irish press would be pissed. Even if they flew in a bunch of paddy journalists or played a show or two in Ireland.

BTW, Springsteen started his E-Street Reunion with a full Euro tour before landing in America.

BTW#2, the only concrete thing in the story is a vage Paul quote and the fact someon has booked a bunch of shows there in the fall. Why not associate the rumour with Oasis since they were apparently mixing album tracks at the moment?

u2fp

 

[KBRY]

While I would love this to be true as I could do with a U2 Live fix right now I can't see it happening.

Maybe to start the next tour, and only 3-4 shows, not 10.

As an aside, the less stadium shows on the next tour, the better!

 

[edurban]

The O2 is officially an Arena.

edit: as in *indoors*.

 

[Morgoth321]

If they did 22 shows over a 5 week period as a promo tour, Irish press would be pissed. Even if they flew in a bunch of paddy journalists or played a show or two in Ireland.

BTW, Springsteen started his E-Street Reunion with a full Euro tour before landing in America.

BTW#2, the only concrete thing in the story is a vage Paul quote and the fact someon has booked a bunch of shows there in the fall. Why not associate the rumour with Oasis since they were apparently mixing album tracks at the moment?

u2fp

Agreed - there's no substance to this story at all. I can't ever imagine U2 playing a residency to promote an album, especially not up to 22 shows in one place. What would be the promotional value in doing that? No, whenever the new album comes out, I'd expect a small series of high-profile, strategic shows in the UK, Ireland and the US.

 

[KBRY]

The O2 is officially an Arena.

edit: as in *indoors*.

I know. I have been there.

My comment was on the tour as a whole, i.e. the less stadium shows the better.

Will edit for clarification.

 

[vaz02]

I know. I have been there.

My comment was on the tour as a whole, i.e. the less stadium shows the better.

Will edit for clarification.

More stadium shows the better imo.

 

[zuropa_fit]

Say it isn't so. I'm going to pretend this story doesn't exist.

1) WHY play 10-20 gigs in the same place? I just don't get the logic behind that besides making it easier on the band and crew(no travel)

2)I'd be insanely jealous since I'm in the Western US and on a teacher's salary, there is no way in hell I could justify flying to the UK for a concert, even if it is U2.


If they really want to do a promo tour they should do tiny venues. I saw Sting on the Soul Cages promo tour in a place that held about 1500. It was AWESOME. Don't know if U2 could do this but a girl can dream, right?

 

[KBRY]

More stadium shows the better imo.

Each to their own, eh?

 

[Roland of Gilead]

If this is true, then I see a chance that this could be the basic idea for the rest of the world tour. Fewer cities, longer stops. Just based on the NA stops between Elevation and Vertigo, you can see how this idea is sort of evolving already. Personally, I am for it if it means that the band are going to be in better health as a result. I'd pay more money to see U2 knowing that chances for an off night are significantly diminished.

 

[bgmckinney]

I didn't hear about this until my local radio station picked it up today. Probably there's nothing to it, but if it happens, I think it would have the potential to be the coolest thing they've ever done.
Imagine the setlist variety we'd get from 21 shows in the same place... imagine live debuts, resurrected rarities, maybe even something like lucinda williams and the cure have done, where an entire album is played live, just for the hell of it... it would force them to become more creative with their stage act in a way another tour would not.

 

[last unicorn]

Just imagine they did 20+ shows and wouldn't vary their setlist enough.

There will be murder on this board.


But honestly, I don't see it happening. Maybe five or six shows like they did in MSG, but not so many in row. U2 doesn't seem to be a band that would be comfortable with such a setting.