(01-05-2005) U2 Postpone World Tour - Rolling Stone*

[HelloAngel]

U2 Postpone World Tour

Family illness pushes back "Bomb" trek



U2 have postponed their much-anticipated tour behind How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, originally scheduled to kick off March 1st in Miami. "All of the plans are in total flux," a source close to the band told Rolling Stone, citing a family illness as the reason for the change. Tour dates were to be announced and go on sale this month, but those plans have been delayed.
The band, which is nominated for three Grammys for the single "Vertigo," still intends to play the February 13th awards ceremony in Los Angeles and to attend its induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on March 14th in New York. However, a new timeline for the tour has not been set.

According to longtime tour designer Willie Williams, the tour's stage and video screens are in the process of being built. "We are developing some new technologies to deliver visual content," he told Rolling Stone.

U2's last world tour, in support of All That You Can't Leave Behind, made them the top-grossing act of 2001.



BRIAN HIATT

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/_/id/6806934/u2?pageid=rs.NewsArchive&pageregion=mainRegion

 

[jammin909]

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!

 

[seankirkland]

Noooo! Who's sick??

 

[Ellay]

Please God, let this be true.. If they delay the Europe tour by a month, then I'm going to be able to see them. If not I could be in trouble. (due to an impending marriage) - saying that though, If it just means American dates are cancelled, then you guys in the states have got to be gutted.

 

[Aardvark747]

Im goin on holiday in a few days for 1 wk...I was forseeing goin into an Internet Cafe everyday to check if the tickets had gone on sale! Probably wont need to now! It'll probably be at least a couple of wks before they're on sale now...

 

[bono_man2002]

Please God, let this be true.. If they delay the Europe tour by a month, then I'm going to be able to see them. If not I could be in trouble. (due to an impending marriage) - saying that though, If it just means American dates are cancelled, then you guys in the states have got to be gutted.

I guess it works both ways....A month and i wont be able to get to Canada.....Stay the same, i will be there!......

 

[Numb1075]

That's a shame....I hope it's not a serious illness, but to sdelay a world tour, that sounds bad.

 

[teebee]

there is no way they'll cancel the US tour ... that tour is 80% of the reason they even put out this new album in the first place.

 

[beau2ifulday]

Im goin on holiday in a few days for 1 wk...I was forseeing goin into an Internet Cafe everyday to check if the tickets had gone on sale! Probably wont need to now! It'll probably be at least a couple of wks before they're on sale now...

I'm gonna have to cancel my holiday full stop. I was meant to be holidaying all through August....

 

[dabiggestu2fan]

if they delay the tour by a month, my gf and I will NOT be able to see them :-( cos it would fall right in time for my sisters wedding in the dominican republic. The dates of april 29 for vancouver were just perfect! but end of may we will not be here arghhh
that said though i hope who ever is ill gets better soon!

Nico

 

[rafmed]

The delay means concerts that would be played in march now will take place in september-november, I doubt the Europe tour will have any change.

 

[jedi Larry]

I hope it's not one of their damn kids.

 

[AtomicBono]

The delay means concerts that would be played in march now will take place in september-november, I doubt the Europe tour will have any change.

What? No, I think they're just delaying it a month or so... I don't think they're taking out the entire first leg of the American tour. That would be stupid. I'm worried though...who's sick?

 

[Miroslava]

I hope it's not one of their damn kids.

Here's hoping you use the word damn in awkward grammatical places like I do on occasion

I've had to explain myself a couple times

 

[jedi Larry]

Hmmm......it does look like I could be saying "those damn kids". No... "Damn" as in it would be really unfortunate if some child is so seriously ill.

Old folks, yes it's very sad too, but they've lived a life.

Let me just change it. Oops. No can do.

You know it must be serious though if they postpone their tour over it.
I really hope this is just a rumour.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

I think it's logistical reasons, and that the "family illness" thing was either taken out of context or is just plain false.

 

[SusanneAdoresU2]

One upside...

More time to save $$ for tickets...
cause I for one was litterally considering grand theft in order to be able to purchase them. Either that or begging, gambling--anything drastic and desperate..

I do hope, though, that the family illness thing is just an excuse for some operational issues with the logistics of the tour or scheduling--because to postpone a tour would take something serious for these guys...

 

[EveClayton]

No way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have 2 co workers who r asking me day after day when the tickets r gonna go on sale and when the tour dates r. I'm getting a lil anxious myself as I check the sites day after day but on the other hand........ I hope the family member is ok and will get better soon. *hugs*

 

[thelongfella]

Loads of other news outlets have picked up on this, including Irish newspapers like the Star and the Irish Times, for both of whom it features on the front page. Paul McG mentioned problems with the scheudling, but whether this is due to Edge wanting to fly home to visit the ill person mid-tour, waiting till they're better, or nothing to do with the illness at all, I dunno.
It looks bad for Edge though. I hope whoever it is is ok.

 

[Axver]

What? No, I think they're just delaying it a month or so... I don't think they're taking out the entire first leg of the American tour. That would be stupid. I'm worried though...who's sick?

Moving dates from March to the third leg won't take out the first American leg. If this is indeed true, they will likely start the American leg a month later, and major markets planned for March will be included in the first leg while the smaller markets won't be played until the third.

 

[DaveC]

I think it's logistical reasons, and that the "family illness" thing was either taken out of context or is just plain false.

Do you even hear yourself?

Suggesting that the guys would fake a family illness just because of logistical issues is fucking sick. Shame on you.

 

[edge's girl]

I heard that it wasn't a family illness but a booking issue with some of the dates that's forced them to push back the tour which will cause them to move some of the dates they orignally planned for March to September. Which apparently means the toronto dates and given i'm going to university next year I might not be able to make a september show which means i may not get to see them

 

[thelongfella]

Do you even hear yourself?

Suggesting that the guys would fake a family illness just because of logistical issues is fucking sick. Shame on you.

Hey hold on there buddy, I just meant that the rag of a "newspaper" that is the Irish Star might have jumped the gun, or, shock horror, made something up. Jees....

 

[thelongfella]

Oh, you weren't quoting me... Um, I should prob read the whole post before typing a bitchy reply. Sorry! I'm sure no harm was meant by DaveC anyway.

 

[financeguy]

It's one of the Edge's daughters that is sick, his second youngest. It's been in too many media outlets here just to be a rumour.

 

[aardvark]

What's important?

I think people should step back a bit and remember what's important. I'd rather they cancelled the tour completely so they can concentrate on those nearest and dearest to them.

Mine and I'm sure everyone elses thoughts go out to Edge and his family. The tour is irrelevant in such circumstances.

 

[boystupidboy]

Re: What's important?

I think people should step back a bit and remember what's important. I'd rather they cancelled the tour completely so they can concentrate on those nearest and dearest to them.

Mine and I'm sure everyone elses thoughts go out to Edge and his family. The tour is irrelevant in such circumstances.

Good speach

 

[Aardvark747]

Re: Re: What's important?

Good speach

Wrong Aardvark boy....

 

[boystupidboy]

Re: Re: Re: What's important?

Wrong Aardvark boy....

?

 

[Teta040]

Financeguy, I sincerely hope you're wrong. However you seem to be a "local yokel", and Dublin scuttlebutt is rarely wrong, (whatever the media may or may not say), I have heard that Dublin is too small of a big town to keep a secret indefinitely. It's like a small town in America, and having heard the band say this in many interviews, and having been to Dublin myself , I believe it.

So the Dublin scuttlebutt points to "the second youngest" daughter ailing. And her name is BLUE ANGEL. Oh, horrible irony...

I think I'm going to take a break from the site for the next couple of days. The news is just too depressing. This was going to be one of the best years in the band's history, with the CD at a potential commercial high, even in the U.S, and their 25th anniversary etc. If you are right, then this will cast a pall over the entire length of whatever tour emerges from the smoking ruins of this. I can only hope we fans will be in a position to offer, on our part, whatever little comfort we as strangers can.

I've digressed on this a little too much in another thread and gotten a comuppance for it. It;s just that I can't resist logging in to this site every day for any kind of news and wanting to talk and commiserate with other fans about this, my tongue has run off a little too much. I want to shut up and keep quiet but I can't. I guess I have to put a gag order on myself or I'll get in trouble. Perhaps I should mention that I'm one of those longtime 20 -yr + fans who have grown up with the band literally since they were little kids and the band has become like family, so any news of this sort hits hard.


And I may be a Yank but I'm half-Irish and we CAN'T SHUT UP


I think I'll get off now. For a few days. Que sera, sera. All my prayers and love, Edge.