(05-07-2004) Paul McGuinness: Album in November, Tour in March - Interference.com*

[oktobergirl]

This give me not much time to start saving for a tour.

Heh at least we know.

 

[RademR]

I only caught u2 twice during the Elevation tour, and it wasnt enough, im doing some travelling this tour. I've always wanted to see them in New York, so that'll be on my agenda.

No one has been hurting more than me to hear new u2 material, and even though I think 4 years is a long time for a new album to come out, in their case its not that bad. No one tours more and longer than u2, ELEVATION TOUR didnt end until dec. 2001. So after that ended, you add on another three years. Now the group needed a long break after all that, and then Bono's mission to save the world began and the group was forced to take a longer break. And in the last three years we have seen three DVDS released (Boston, Slane, Greatest), two new songs (electrical storm, HTBA), and a Greatest hits album.

So there were enough things to stop us from killing ourselves in anticipation...but barely enough! Cause in those last three years, we've heard nothing but quotes and rumors from the band on how good this album is gonna be, how Edge's guitar is brilliant. And with all the producers collaborating (Lanois, Chris Thomas, Lillywhite), I can't wait to hear the new album. I'd say, although painful, it was worth the wait.

 

[Stories for Boys]

i hope they're in the states at least for a little bit in the summer...i don't want to have to miss 2 full weeks of class or anything...heh, but i will!

 

[U2girl]

3 years, give or take a month or two

It isn't like this has never happened before.
If memory serves, there was a 4 year gap between
Rattle & Hum and Acthung Baby albums?

New album! YAY YAY YAY!

Rattle and Hum: September (was it?) 1988
Achtung Baby:November 1991

I think the longest gap was between Zooropa and POP so far, 3 years and 8 months.

 

[Pinball Wizard]

McG is usually solid though.

Well, there's no debating that.

 

[kellyahern]

Well.. I live in Florida. So party at my pad if they come to Tampa.

short drive for me then

I hope they do start the tour in Florida, that would be great

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

 

[bratty_cat]

Hoping we get some indoor shows...I liked the up-close-and-personal part of Elevation.

 

[Blue Room]

Nothing really new, all of this has been said basically before by other sources including Bono and Edge. Other than confirmation where the tour will start (someone here magically predicted where it would begin last summer??? ) Also remember another "prediction" that the tour will follow the Zoo model starting in arenas and moving to stadiums. It is nice to get official confirmation though from someone I actually think is more reliable for this kind of information than the band are. Especially Bono, he is the king of exaggeration and hyping things. Those of you going off Bono's "guitar album" quotes. Take them with a grain of salt. He said similiar things about ATYCLB. I do expect a great album, but dont expect it to be guitar driven (meaning lots of up front riffs and hooks) other than 2 or 3 songs (maybe 4). I would expect alot of mid tempo stuff with 2 or 3 slow songs and 2 to 3 guitar driven songs.

4 years for 12 songs? Well at least there is another album coming. U2 really doesnt have to do anything else, they are set for life and will go down as one of the rock greats. They are doing it now because they enjoy it. So its their perogative to take as long as they please. At least its coming. We have alot of glass is half empty personalities here lately. LOL Next year at this time U2 will be on tour and we will have a new album, it will be here before you know it.

 

[Schmeg]

I can't even say how happy this makes me.

I'm going to go bounce around the house for awhile...

 

[Kariann]

I can't even say how happy this makes me.

I'm going to go bounce around the house for awhile...

I second that! Well...maybe except for the bouncing around the house...I think I'm more in the mood to around the house like spaz dancer.

 

[JOFO]

Why everybody is so incredibly happy is beyond me.....because the album is coming out in another 6 months? or because everyone thought they were never going to release another album? coming from the horses mouths, so to speak, this album was "cooked", "finished", "done" months ago...and everytime there's a news update, it says something to the effect that they're "almost done". While I will be incredibly happy when the album is released and in my hands for me to listen to, I don't see a half-ass/ so-called "confirmation" by McGuiness in a situation that had nothing to do with U2 reason to be bouncing off the walls. I'm sorry to sound like the guy pissing on the wedding cake, but we haven't even HEARD anything from it yet....but the promises have been handed out at least 2 years ago...."punk rock from venus" etc. etc. etc.
Now comes the time for a mod to close the thread.

 

[Flying FuManchu]

I whole-heartedly agree with you JOFO and "McG" isn't that reliable to boot at this point. He said he hopes the album comes out at a specific point and now they're guessing at a release date even later than what the Oct./ Sept. release that was said by Bono and some other source.

McG made some similar claims last year and none of them came true.

People are getting worked up over unreliable info. People should just keep looking for something official and in writing.

 

[sligo U2 fan]

FINALLY,SOMETHING,I HOPE THEY END THE TOUR IN CROKER OR PHEONIX PARK!!

 

[False_Prophet]

It would be a good idea to start in arenas, then build up a good reputation for the tour and eventually move into stadiums when there is a huge demand to see them. Thats what happened on the Zoo TV tour and look how big that was. They went straight to stadiums on Pop mart, and many a show was half capacity at best. Not nice to see...

 

[U2girl]

Blue Room: we did hear the tour is coming next year, but we didn't know the place or the month of the start of the tour. The part about going to arenas first and stadiums later has yet to be official. I also recall Bono saying ATYCLB was a pop/soul album, not once did I hear him say it was rock. (had 4 rock songs on it anyway)
But I agree it will be a mix - as usual - between guitar driven, fast pace songs, mid tempo songs and slow songs.

JOFO: not everyone thought U2 was never releasing another album, and we're excited because we heard the autumn release by several sources, from the band to McGuiness himself - even the tour start, which suggests they must be near finishing the album if they're already in the early stages of talking about the tour.

 

[MacMango]

2005 Tour

It would be a good idea to start in arenas, then build up a good reputation for the tour and eventually move into stadiums when there is a huge demand to see them. Thats what happened on the Zoo TV tour and look how big that was. They went straight to stadiums on Pop mart, and many a show was half capacity at best. Not nice to see...

Strong songs + strong sales + strong press = Momentum

Momentum + many moons between tours = High Demand

High Demand + plenty of time for Willie = One massive blow-your-mind big ass outside show!

Going outside right from the chute will result in fewer shows per continent. The band can truly reach the world if they get NA out of the way and don't come back. Stadiums will accomplish a goal such as this.

I can hear it now...
Adam: "Should we play Jacksonville's Alltel Stadium?"
Larry: "I'll Never Play Jacksonville Again!"
Bono: "Should we play Chicago's Soldier Field?"
The Edge: "Don't be an arse, Paul."

 

[edgeu22]

Re: 2005 Tour

After all, you can't route a stadium tour during the NFL / NCAA football season

While Pro Player Stadium is in use all but February and March (Marlins baseball/ Dolphins football), I don't see why they couldn't have a concert during football season since its only 8 home dates a year.. the only thing about the timing is the weather. Outdoors in the winter wouldn't be too fun.

Anyways, what is the likelihood this will actually be a stadium tour?

 

[tiny dancer]

 

[david]

These album release lengths taking forever began with Unforgettable Fire..

The Unforgettable Fire tour started in August of 1984
The actual album came out in October of 1984.. The tour ended in July 1985.. a few days after it ended they played Live Aid

Then from 85 to 86 we can assume they began recording for the Joshua Tree while also finding time in June of 1986 to play the Conspiracy of Hope tour..

March 1987 The Joshua Tree came out, April 87 they began the Joshua Tree Tour... That tour ended in October of 1987.. We know that during the Joshua Tree tour they filmed Rattle and Hum and found time to record a handful of new songs for the album that would come out in..

October of 1988.. I have no idea what U2 did during most of 1989 but in September 1989 they began the first leg of the Lovetown Tour which would end in January of 1990..

We all know that during 1990 and most of 1991 they recorded Achtung Baby and that was released in November of 1991.. February 1992 is when the ZooTV tour started... December 19FREAKING93 is when it ended.. And we know it lasted so long because the tour was succesful and they also found time to record and release Zooropa in June or July of 1993..

I have no idea what they did during the downtime since that tour ended but we know that in the fall of 1995 they released Passengers..

March 1997 saw the release of POP and the tour for that album kicked off in April of 1997 and ended in March 1998 almost a year was spent touring.

Then in 98 and 99 was the whole Best Of and Million Dollar Hotel thing..

September 2000 the ATYCLB promo tour starts... October 2000 the Album comes out.. November 2001 the tour ends..

January 2002 they played The Superbowl.. They also released a new Best Of too..

So yea..

2002 and now, May 2004 we await new stuff.

 

[Wowy23]

Re: Re: 2005 Tour

.. the only thing about the timing is the weather. Outdoors in the winter wouldn't be too fun.

Unless you're in Miami. I would love for them to kick it off with a stadium tour (Pro Player Stadium, of course) and then end it here in FL again maybe at the West Palm Beach amphitheatre site! Geez, I'm greedy and dreaming ... another 2 stadium sites that could happen includes Raymond James Stadium(Tampa) and ALLTEL Stadium(Jacksonville)!! This time around they need to do a stadium tour in the States; forget this intimate setting stuff.

"Honey, I'm home!" Bono's last words at end of Miami Elevation 12/2/01

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Re: Re: 2005 Tour

While Pro Player Stadium is in use all but February and March (Marlins baseball/ Dolphins football), I don't see why they couldn't have a concert during football season since its only 8 home dates a year.. the only thing about the timing is the weather. Outdoors in the winter wouldn't be too fun.

Anyways, what is the likelihood this will actually be a stadium tour?

well, allow me to answer that for ya... football and baseball teams strongly prefer for their home venues to not be used for concerts durring season. and they have a much better leg to stand on than basketball and hockey teams do... grass, and no i'm not talkin' about the wacky tabacky.

stadiums that have grass playing fields don't respond well to concerts. even though for the most part they cover the field up, the pure weight of the stage, the seats and the thousands of fans does not make groundskeepers very happy people. so as a rule, they try to keep stadium shows in football stadiums between march and september. baseball stadiums are almost never used for concerts in america because they're "in season" durring the summer. when they are used, it's almost always towards the end of august, september, october... when the baseball season is wrapping up.

just some thoughts from your local sports management degree holder

 

[JOFO]

Didn't they play Yankee stadium for 2 shows in the 1st week of august 1992?

 

[Ashley]

David, you just rock for knowing all that and sharing it. *gives you a big kiss*

 

[U2girl]

Thanks for that info, Headache.
What is the difference between the baseball and American football stadiums that US has? Size (about 60 000 people right)? Different setup/equipment for the game?

I wonder what the rule regarding groundskeepers etc... for the Europe/South America soccer stadiums is. And those are even bigger venues.

With that said, I don't think U2 will ever charge out on stadiums from day 1 like they did with Popmart. Probably it will be a mix like Zoo TV with arenas and stadiums.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Didn't they play Yankee stadium for 2 shows in the 1st week of august 1992?

yes u2 played yankee stadium on august 29th and 30th... billy joel and pink floyd and pope john paul have also had concerts at yankee stadium. it happens, just not very often.

 

[U2girl]

...then again, why are we so certain they are going to stadiums anyway? So far no dates or venues were officially confirmed, and the album isn't even out yet.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Thanks for that info, Headache.
What is the difference between the baseball and American football stadiums that US has? Size (about 60 000 people right)? Different setup/equipment for the game?

baseball stadiums are actually better set up for concerts, because they're in more of an "ampitheatre" like shape, as opposed to the oval shape of american football stadiums (similar to your soccer/football stadiums).

major league baseball stadiums hold between 40 and 55 thousand, depending on the stadium... football stadiums hold 65,000 or more... some college football stadiums have as many as 100,000 seats. but because of their design a large chunk of seats are always blocked off for concerts (behind the stage... hard to see through giant TV sets), which brings the seating in football down to around 50 to 60,000 for concerts.

baseball stadiums...

pac bell park, san francisco

yankee stadium, bronx, new york

safeco field, seattle

football stadiums...

giants stadium, east rutheford, new jersey

notre dame stadium, south bend, indiana

seahawks stadium, seattle

 

[U2girl]

*takes notes* I see, thanks.

Where do bands set the stage when they play a stadium? Middle of the grassy area or at the back side of the site?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

*takes notes* I see, thanks.

Where do bands set the stage when they play a stadium? Middle of the grassy area or at the back side of the site?

both are at the end of the field,

football...

LA Coliseum, U2

and baseball...

Pac Bell, San Francisco, Rolling Stones seating chart