Have the feeling 360 is the last tour - anyone else?

[4U2Play]

The Stones are almost 70 years old and are planning a stadium tour for next year again.

U2's last tour will be sometime after 2030 (if Bono isn't in a wheelchair or Segway)

 

[pepokiss]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Bono, on a Segway, like the runner in the Beijing Olympics opening, circling the stadium on the walls for a very slow Streets

 

[4U2Play]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Bono, on a Segway, like the runner in the Beijing Olympics opening, circling the stadium on the walls for a very slow Streets

U2 2030 Tour

copyright by Sicy

 

[powerhour24]

Oh dear, its like May all over again!

I really don't see U2 carrying on like the Stones do on their laurels, I don't think their retirement is imminent, but we're definitely in the homestretch.

 

[A stor]

I agree with other posters who said they think it will be their last huge stadium tour. It is costing a fortune to do this and I'm glad I have tickets to one of their shows.

 

[SeeLoganRun]

This is exactly my thinking. I think we'll get the Elevation/Vertigo treatment for the remainder of their tours before they attempt to cap off their career by topping themselves with the biggest tour ever.

I was watching Rattle & Hum recently and thinking that something 'revolutionary' they could do right now would be to tour like the Joshua Tree Tour again, just them and the audience, that'd be powerful, I know they compromised on this with their use of the small individual black & white video screens on Elevation & Vertigo, but come on, what U2 wouldn't want to see that.

I always got the impression the huge sets were U2's attempts to keep a sense of intimacy in larger settings. If they tried playing with no sets or screens in an arena or stadium, it would only feel intimate for maybe a few hundred, and like a huge live-album-listening-party for everyone else. Wouldn't be the same.

 

[U2Fanatic4ever]

I agree, next tour may not be so grandiose.. But yes we will see more tours in the future. They aren't going anywhere anytime soon. As was said, as long as they can stay healthy then it's all good..

 

[mrblonde]

He said it at the end of the 2nd. I was at that one.

He didn't say anything - that I can recall - after either of the 2 Auckland Vertigo concerts pertaining to returning - which they obviously did - or not in future.

Is he saying that a lot this tour?

I'd take anything Bono says at the end of a concert that sounds like "Goodbye forever" with a fair amount of salt.

Same with any interviews he does during the 360 Tour. If he kept making "this is the end" noises after a break of several months - no rehearsal/recording/touring/writing, I'd worry...

 

[powerhour24]

I always got the impression the huge sets were U2's attempts to keep a sense of intimacy in larger settings. If they tried playing with no sets or screens in an arena or stadium, it would only feel intimate for maybe a few hundred, and like a huge live-album-listening-party for everyone else. Wouldn't be the same.

I'm not talking about the size of the stage, or even the use of the Elevation/Vertigo style video screens, I just mean tone down the imagery/lighting spectacle for one go around as a throwback to their roots.

 

[annabelle]

What do you think of the chance of a semi-unplugged tour of all those non-stadium songs that we never get to hear. I think I could even put up with seeing them at good old Rod Laver arena for that.

 

[powerhour24]

They can sell out 100K stadiums in mere hours, I don't think we'll ever see them actually tour theaters or in any sort of stripped down way.

 

[annabelle]

One can only hope...

 

[powerhour24]

I'm with you there!

 

[keatontr]

Me too

 

[annabelle]

Once again Bono was a little wistful last night and asked us not to forget them.

Made me want to take a big sign saying "We will ALWAYS remember you"

is that lame?

 

[pepokiss]

Once again Bono was a little wistful last night and asked us not to forget them.

Made me want to take a big sign saying "We will ALWAYS remember you"

is that lame?

mmm...

 

[U2girl]

No.

I don't think it's the last U2 stadium tour, either. But I do think they will turn to arenas for a while.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

he said it in Dallas last year as well, it struck a chord with me but i wouldn't read too much into it.

A week later they played Norman for the first time in 26 years, put on a great show, and he didn't say anything like that.

If he said it every show then there might be cause for concern...

 

[SeeLoganRun]

when I first read this I thought it was more reflective of how, whenever an album doesn't sell a trillion copies and get the crap played out of it on the radio, it seems to honestly hurt Bono's feelings.

 

[U2BROTHR]

U2BROTHR, I love your avatar!

Thank you very much

 

[annabelle]

mmm...

Ha! Glad you agree!

I needed to be told.

 

[cathalmc]

Bono told many audiences in Europe that it wouldn't be so long till the next show there. I think he still has the drive to keep at it. But maybe the others may not be so keen, who knows?

Someone told me recently that a potential approach to gigging would be for U2 to set up a regular residency in Dublin:

U2 @ the Point Depot every Thursday night in 2012!
You come to us!

 

[U2FanPeter]

It feels like the last major tour in the sense of massive setup. I also think it could be the last time they hit places outside of North America and Europe.

Which makes the absence of Asian dates that much stranger.

I don't see another tour with such ridiculous production overhead. In the future it may be more "residency" of a couple shows in one region. U2 know that they have thousands of fans that will do some minimal travelling to see them play.

While demand for tickets is as high as it's ever been, demand for albums seems a bit reduced. I see less of an album/tour pattern in the future.

One has to also wonder what touring goals that may have. 360 was somehat new format, plus it also proved their stadium drawing power in the US from the first to last show of a tour.

 

[nirniva]

They'd have to be crazy to try to top 360. Seriously, where else is there to go?
Personally, I think the next tour will be more on the scale of Elevation/Vertigo, but with some elements of 360 held over (maybe a circular hanging screen like the Claw has).

 

[pepokiss]

maybe they'll put it IN THE MIDDLE next time...

 

[robbrecon72]

I don't think they would've signed a 12 year deal with Live Nation if this was going to be their last tour.

 

[coolian2]

i believe he said don't forget about us in 2006. new tour coming soon?!?!

 

[Axver]

During their appearance on Hamish & Andy's show a few days ago, Bono apologised to Adelaide for not visiting on this tour and said that they'd go there next time.

Sure, it's just Bono, but so's "don't forget about us", and this is at least not ambiguous or open to a negative interpretation. (Well, I shouldn't under-estimate Interference's ability to find negatives in anything.)

 

[Vlad n U 2]

During their appearance on Hamish & Andy's show a few days ago, Bono apologised to Adelaide for not visiting on this tour and said that they'd go there next time.

Sure, it's just Bono, but so's "don't forget about us", and this is at least not ambiguous or open to a negative interpretation. (Well, I shouldn't under-estimate Interference's ability to find negatives in anything.)

I'm taking Bono's word for it on this one ...

 

[SBU2]

Bono said in an interview with a radio station before the Turin show when asked whether the next tour would be even bigger or back to basics. He said some along the lines off " back to basics but not totally back to basics ". So it will probably be an Arena tour with another new unique stage to keep things fresh.

I to don't see this being there last tour, and that comment there from Bono backs that up. The thing is, they don't want to be boring and go back to a simple stage in an Arena. U2 have never been boring, the older they get the more interesting they become regarding tour themes ect. I mean you wouldn't expect 50 year old rock stars to be touring in such a new unique stage as the 360 claw.

Like i said though, and Bono, back to baiscs as in Arena's, but U2 never dissapoint regarding the stage ect, so expect something different once again.