(12-10-2006) U2 Wraps Vertigo Tour With Honolulu Blowout - Billboard*

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U2 Wraps Vertigo Tour With Honolulu Blowout

Ed. Note -- 2008 is not that far away!


Jonathan Cohen, Honolulu


U2 wrapped its box-office busting Vertigo tour last night (Dec. 9) in front of a packed house at Honolulu’s Aloha Stadium with a show that featured guest turns from members of opening act Pearl Jam as well as Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong. Several members of the audience were pulled onto the stage as well, including one lucky man who got to play piano with the band during “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses."

The 24-song set began as usual with “City of Blinding Lights,” from the group’s 2004 album “How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb,” as Bono ran the gamut of the heart-shaped stage extension waving the American flag. Other early set highlights included “I Will Follow,” “Angel of Harlem” and “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” during which a little girl sat with Bono atop the stage monitors.

U2 guitarist the Edge was saluted on a number of occasions, with Bono crediting his “grace under pressure, faith and perseverance.” Although no formal announcement was ever made, it is understood U2 postponed several Vertigo dates from spring to this fall while a member of the Edge’s immediate family underwent treatment for a life-threatening disease.

The main set wound down with a trio of smash hits: “(Pride) In the Name of Love,” “Where the Streets Have No Name” and “One,” with fans encouraged to hold their cell phone aloft during the latter as a show of solidarity for the Make Poverty History campaign.

Armstrong was a surprise guest for a cover of Scottish punk band the Skis’ “The Saints Are Coming,” which U2 and Green Day recorded as a charity single for the Music Rising initiative. Armstrong had only performed the track live with the band once before.

Afterward, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder and Mike McCready joined U2 for Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” which they debuted, with new lyrics, last month during an anti-poverty benefit in Australia. The show closed with a subdued rendering of “All I Want Is You,” as drummer Larry Mullen Jr. sent the crowd home with a smile: “See you soon.”

Soon will likely be in 2008, U2 manager Paul McGuinness tells Billboard.com. U2 will first regroup in the studio, with an eye on releasing its next album by late 2007. And although final numbers are not yet in, the Vertigo tour is already the second-highest grossing trek of all time behind the Rolling Stones’ A Bigger Bang, with its total expected to exceed $377 million.

In a rare opening slot, Pearl Jam charged through a 13-song set heavy on favorites like “Corduroy,” “Better Man,” “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town,” “Even Flow” and “Alive.” The Seattle band wrapped its performance with a cover of the Who’s “Baba O’Riley” that worked the crowd into a frenzy.

A number of Hollywood celebrities were on hand for the show, including Jeremy Piven, Mira Sorvino and Alyssa Milano.

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003495346
 
I could see a late 2007 release. Rubin is a fast worker and likely to get a lot out of the band. They do also have several songs in the works already. I think winter 2007 has a good chance for a new U2 album.
 
This is good news that it's Paul who says a probable late 2007 album. He's the one that ultimately will handle the bookings, the marketing, the TV spots, etc. There will be contracts to sign and all kinds of dates to negotiate. He probably needs as much time as possible to set this kind of stuff up.

Late 2007 looks pretty solid to me!
 
Edge said, PopMart was a lesson learned.
That time, they also set dates before they were finished with the album (in their eyes :wink: ), so I don't think they will negotiate any tour dates too early.

But let's hope that they will make it in 2007, so they can go on tour again in 2008.

So 2007 people will need to save some money to make the tour a sellout again :)
 
The Rolling Stones tour until they have the highest grossing tour. ;)
Also, average ticket prices of the Rolling Stones were about the level of U2's most expensive ticket prices.
 
bugo said:
The new album coming out in 2007 is about as likely as the tour being called the "Skies" tour.

Agreed, they've just wrapped up a grueling world tour, which included two years of making the bomb.

I bet they are looking forward to an extended break, and spending more time with family. IMO there will be an album late 2008 and tour the following year.
 
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