U2 Announces 2010 360 Tour Opening Acts - Lenny Kravitz, Interpol, The Fray and more

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Edge_Orchestra

Edge_Orchestra

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U2 Announces 360 Tour Opening Acts
Posted: February 20, 2010
By: Matt McGee

U2 has announced the opening acts for the North American leg of this year's U2 360 Tour. As reported yesterday, Lenny Kravitz will open the first show of the tour in Salt Lake City. He'll stay on board for a couple more shows, and then The Fray and Interpol will open later dates in North America. Here's the list:

- Lenny Kravitz: Salt Lake City, Anaheim 1, Anaheim 2, Denver
- The Fray: Oakland, Seattle, Edmonton
- Interpol: Minneapolis, East Lansing, Toronto, Chicago, Miami, Philadelphia

No opening acts have been announced for the two shows in Montreal and the final show in East Rutherford. Here's the full list of U2 360 2010 North American concerts on U2tours.com.

Feck, I want to see Interpol!!!! Hope they open for the NY show.]
 
i didn't think it could get any worse than Dashboard Confessional, but The Fray......it's real close.
 
you know.... I bet U2 are saving money by going after the acts that won't ask for a lot to open for U2
 
The Fray = One of the worst bands ever!

Interpol? They only have one song I know which is "Evil"!

U2 really doesn't need an opening band in my opinion!
 
A little strange that The Fray,Who are from Denver,won't be the opener there.

I went on youtube to hear what kind of music they play,and the thoughts that came to my mind are 2 things:

a) They sound like they're the half brother of Keane(Which is not good)
b) How the hell can U2 possibly think that this is a stadium band?

:huh:
 
Mrs. Mullen said:
U2 really doesn't need an opening band in my opinion!
Click to expand...

What does this mean? It's there way of "filling" time and giving exposure.

Spoutnik said:
A little strange that The Fray,Who are from Denver,won't be the opener there.

I went on youtube to hear what kind of music they play,and the thoughts that came to my mind are 2 things:

a) They sound like they're the half brother of Keane(Which is not good)
b) How the hell can U2 possibly think that this is a stadium band?

:huh:
Click to expand...

Why would being from Denver change anything? It's not like U2 were looking for extra pull on tickets...

Thought 'B' could be said about a lot of their choices for opening bands...:shrug: A big majority hated KOL last tour, now look... Did U2 have to think Public Enemy were a stadium band?
 
romi said:
It's not a set price, I know. Big names charge much more.
Click to expand...

Not when opening. A tour's budget for opening act is set, if someone asks for more they aren't opening, simple as that. I'm telling you, acts that are bigger in Europe will ask for less to open for someone like U2 in the states because it means exposure.
 
BVS said:
Why would being from Denver change anything? It's not like U2 were looking for extra pull on tickets...
Click to expand...

That's actually the only reason bands have opening bands. Pulling in from someone elses fan base helps your revenue stream. I've encountered this not only as a music writer, but as, briefly, a band manager.

Opening bands usually get paid much less then the headliner, but the benifit to them is picking up more fans, who will buy their tickets in the future.

In this case, if an opener asks for more money, they do not open. This is why U2 has these bands opening.
 
romi said:
That's actually the only reason bands have opening bands. Pulling in from someone elses fan base helps your revenue stream. I've encountered this not only as a music writer, but as, briefly, a band manager.

Opening bands usually get paid much less then the headliner, but the benifit to them is picking up more fans, who will buy their tickets in the future.
Click to expand...

You really think this type of logic applies to a band like U2? Of course it works for lesser known bands, but really?
 
BVS said:
You really think this type of logic applies to a band like U2? Of course it works for lesser known bands, but really?
Click to expand...

That's what I think. If U2 did not care about selling more tickets, there would not be anyone opening. Some artists do that. I've seen Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan without openers.
 
let me make clear... By U2, I mean their management. As far as the bandmembers are concerned, one possibility is that without an opener, a U2 concert would appear to be much shorter.
 
romi said:
That's what I think. If U2 did not care about selling more tickets, there would not be anyone opening. Some artists do that. I've seen Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan without openers.
Click to expand...

And I bet you they were playing theaters or smaller venues...

Set up times, daylight, and other logistics weren't a factor.

You can't be serious in thinking U2 couldn't sell out shows without opening acts. Have you seen most opening acts at a U2 show? Unfortunately they get ignored.
 
romi said:
let me make clear... By U2, I mean their management. As far as the bandmembers are concerned, one possibility is that without an opener, a U2 concert would appear to be much shorter.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry but the economics change when you are at this level(not that I am trying to pretend they are untouchable) but they are different, you seem to think otherwise.
 
I'm not keen about OneRepublic in Munich either, but they are POPULAR, especially here in Europe. People know their songs and I guess that was also one reason for U2 to get them as a support band. U2 have a very diverse audience who are not just into rock, so it makes sense for them to reach out to all kinds of different people. Most fans go to the show to see U2. Personally, I couldn't care less. And I don't think anyone will be kept from buying a ticket just because they don't like the opening act. On the other hand, acts like OneRepublic can draw a younger audience.
 
As far as I'm aware opening acts serve as a 'warm up' for the big act. To get the crowd a bit more active. And it's a good way for those in GA to pass time.

Wait, One Republic is opening? Aren't they the ones with timbaland... apologize or so? Guy with insanely high voice? That song wasn't that bad.

I'm curious to see what'll open for the other German gigs and Brussels.
 
U2 will sell out in sell out markets, opener or no opener. Note how fast tickets go during the sales, and buyers have no clue - nor do they care - who is going to open.

Having said that, I'd like to think that U2 is fairly smart and knows that an appealing opener will only help the show and get the crowd pumped - and they benefit from that extra energy in the stadium when they hit the stage. I think where they fail sometimes is in picking the acts they seem to be a step or two behind what's actually going on in the music scene. Case in point OneRepublic - there's simply NO reason to have these guys open, they're a one-hit wonder pop band.

While it's true that only an idiot would turn down an opportunity to open for U2, it's also true that more well-known acts won't sell themselves short just for the status of opening for U2. I'm talking the Pearl Jams, Kanye Wests BEPs etc. Unless of course they're just huge fans (which I suppose is likely true in more than a few cases). Touring costs money and the bigger the act the more costs there are, and I'm sure U2 understands that.

I doubt VERY much that it's a fixed amount, of course there is a fixed budget but it's likely for the tour in general and then on a per show basis they likely scale it and then try to mix up the acts so that they can afford to pay the bigger names appropriately and give the up and comers their exposure opportunity.
 
it would be funny if U2 showed Grey's Anatomy reruns on the screen while the Fray was playing.
 
I had to google The Fray last night. Wow, they're a special kind of bland, aren't they? :crack:

Interpol, meh. I'd be interested in seeing Lenny Kravitz, but he's not playing any of my shows.

Like I said when the tour started, my fondest wish would be to have no opening act, and for them to extend their show to 2 1/2 hours. Their tour schedule isn't packed the way it was last tour, so I don't see any practical reason for them not to do this. A lot of big acts with substantial back catalogues do this now.

But since we're obviously having openers, I'd just like to throw this one out for Montreal - Daniel Lanois' band, Black Dub. :drool: They're releasing their new album in May.

YouTube - "Black Dub" in the studio - "Ring the Alarm"
 
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