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U2 leads the pack in concert tickets
By Edna Gundersen, USA TODAY
With 26 sold-out U.S. shows and $45.3 million in ticket receipts, U2 is the runaway leader in music's 2005 road race.
Celine Dion's Las Vegas spectacle is second, with $38.4 million for 72 shows, according to Billboard figures compiled through June 23. Elton John is No. 3 after earning $31.2 million for 36 shows.
The rest of the top 10, with grosses (in millions): Kenny Chesney ($25.1), The Eagles ($23.3), Josh Groban ($16.5), Motley Crue ($15.9), Cher ($13.7), George Strait ($13.5) and Yanni ($10.4).
Midway through the year and the crucial summer season, tour grosses are lagging behind 2004, which saw flat revenues and falling attendance. An upward spike is expected with the second leg of U2's Vertigo Tour and outings by the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney.
"Promoters are cautiously optimistic," says Ray Waddell, Billboard's senior touring editor. "There are some tough sells out there, but I haven't heard of any across-the-board losers."
Sales are soft for jam bands, but Coldplay, Toby Keith, Green Day and such value-priced combos as John Mellencamp and John Fogerty are kindling confidence. And if every tour sells out, U2 will still prevail in the USA and overseas with a global take of $300 million.
"Nobody's going to touch them," Waddell says.
The Irish quartet considers the show a successful merger of its art, politics, punk attitude, faith and brotherhood.
"For the first time, it all came together, including the mischief," singer Bono says. "There has to be mischief or I get nervous. If it's just a collection of songs, I'm not interested. People go to a U2 show to be taken somewhere else. That's why I presume they stand in line for hours ... and go through the grief to get tickets."
Resisting the oldies circuit, U2 delivers as many new tunes and catalog rarities as classics.
"For the room to go off, you have to hit certain marks," bassist Adam Clayton says. "If you kick the ball in the back of the net, it gives you license to do something more obscure. It's very easy if you start to pull out big songs and shift the emphasis to a greatest-hits thing. But we don't want to deliver that kind of experience."
Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. says fewer props and effects free the band to improvise.
"The bells and whistles are turned down several notches, and they add to the show as opposed to overwhelm it," he says. "Our fans aren't looking for a seamless show. They want it in its rawest state."
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=sto...30/en_usatoday/u2leadsthepackinconcerttickets
By Edna Gundersen, USA TODAY
With 26 sold-out U.S. shows and $45.3 million in ticket receipts, U2 is the runaway leader in music's 2005 road race.
Celine Dion's Las Vegas spectacle is second, with $38.4 million for 72 shows, according to Billboard figures compiled through June 23. Elton John is No. 3 after earning $31.2 million for 36 shows.
The rest of the top 10, with grosses (in millions): Kenny Chesney ($25.1), The Eagles ($23.3), Josh Groban ($16.5), Motley Crue ($15.9), Cher ($13.7), George Strait ($13.5) and Yanni ($10.4).
Midway through the year and the crucial summer season, tour grosses are lagging behind 2004, which saw flat revenues and falling attendance. An upward spike is expected with the second leg of U2's Vertigo Tour and outings by the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney.
"Promoters are cautiously optimistic," says Ray Waddell, Billboard's senior touring editor. "There are some tough sells out there, but I haven't heard of any across-the-board losers."
Sales are soft for jam bands, but Coldplay, Toby Keith, Green Day and such value-priced combos as John Mellencamp and John Fogerty are kindling confidence. And if every tour sells out, U2 will still prevail in the USA and overseas with a global take of $300 million.
"Nobody's going to touch them," Waddell says.
The Irish quartet considers the show a successful merger of its art, politics, punk attitude, faith and brotherhood.
"For the first time, it all came together, including the mischief," singer Bono says. "There has to be mischief or I get nervous. If it's just a collection of songs, I'm not interested. People go to a U2 show to be taken somewhere else. That's why I presume they stand in line for hours ... and go through the grief to get tickets."
Resisting the oldies circuit, U2 delivers as many new tunes and catalog rarities as classics.
"For the room to go off, you have to hit certain marks," bassist Adam Clayton says. "If you kick the ball in the back of the net, it gives you license to do something more obscure. It's very easy if you start to pull out big songs and shift the emphasis to a greatest-hits thing. But we don't want to deliver that kind of experience."
Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. says fewer props and effects free the band to improvise.
"The bells and whistles are turned down several notches, and they add to the show as opposed to overwhelm it," he says. "Our fans aren't looking for a seamless show. They want it in its rawest state."
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=sto...30/en_usatoday/u2leadsthepackinconcerttickets
