// Edge and Bono talk about U2's next album
Edge was at the Sundance Film Festival this week, and in an interview with MTV's Benjamin Wagner he said the following about the next U2 record:
We haven't really got to the point where we're thinking seriously about the next record. We're at that wonderful place where we¹re just experimenting, and trying things, just really letting our imaginations go. It's my favorite phase of making an album because there are no constraints, you just write and explore possibilities. That's where I am now: loads of possibilities, but nothing concrete.
And when interviewed by Rolling Stone Edge was also asked about plans for the next record:
Well, I've been working a lot on material during the tour, and I have a lot of ideas that I think are very promising, so I'd be trying to work on a record in early 2006, developing the material. Then we'll just see where that takes us. I've got some definite ideas.
Meanwhile Bono has said that he's been looking at hip-hop:
I happen to be in really a truly great band, and experimentation has been the lifeblood of this band. We of course will look and are looking across at hip-hop and see the amazing innovation in the studio.
I don't know where we're going to go with all our new information and all our new friends ... but it will be somewhere very special or you won't hear about it, because there's no reason for you to put out an album now unless its very special.
// Vertigo Tour: Brazil gets second show
U2 will play a second show in Sao Paulo's Morumbi Stadium, on February 21st.
Tickets for this concert can only be bought by phone. Here are the details from u2.com:
Tickets reservations will be through a telephone call centre only - anyone can reserve 2 tickets (credit cards are not required). Ticket payment will be cash only between Feb. 6-8 at thousands of Banco Itau branches throughout the country. Ticket pick-up will be at locations to be determined in Sao Paulo and Rio - February 11 through 14th. Following that, there will be a single location in Sao Paulo to redeem/pick-up tickets.
It would be a safe bet to assume that phone lines will be overloaded, so that one has to be very lucky to get through.
But the decision to sell these tickets exclusively by phone has probably been made after the chaotic ticket sales for the first concert (February 20th, sold out), which left many fans frustrated and without tickets.
// Grammys: U2 with Mary J. Blige
The Recording Academy has announced that U2 is set to perform at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards. The band will be joined on stage by Mary J. Blige.
U2 and Mary J. Blige teamed up earlier for a hurricane Katrina benefit, and Bono joined Blige on her new album 'The Breakthrough' for a cover of 'One'. It seems likely that 'One' will also be performed at the Grammys.
U2 is nominated for 5 Grammy Awards. The Grammys will take place on February 8th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
// Two hundred fifty-five million US dollars
That's how much U2 earned in 2005, according to Billboard:
With $255,022,633.35, U2 reigns supreme on Billboard's inaugural Money Makers chart, which brings together Nielsen Music data and the magazine's Boxscore numbers to create a master top 20 chart of acts that generated the most income during 2005. The list includes album and digital sales as well as accumulated box-office receipts. U2 ranked 27th in album sales, ninth in digital sales and No. 1 at the box office.
These figures are for the United States only. I think it's safe to say that 2005 has been quite a successful year for U2.
// Vertigo Hawaii: Who are Rocko and the Devils?
When the final show on U2's 'Vertigo' tour (in Honolulu, Hawaii) was announced the Honolulu Star Bulletin reported that a band called 'Rocko and the Devils' would be the opening act. I had never heared of this band, and i figured that it was propably a local Hawaiian band.
However i was somewhat surprised after i did a Google search for the band's name: There were no results. And there was no mention of this band in the All Music Guide either. How come no one has ever heared of this band?
Well that's propably because the band 'Rocko and the Devils' doesn't even exist ... at least, not yet.
After some more searching i found out that the stage manager for the 'Vertigo' tour used to play in a band in his teenage years, he played bass. His name is Rocko Reedy...
So my best guess is that the 'Vertigo' tour crew will play support for U2, making an already very special show (the final one) even more special.
// Update Jan. 18:
The band just launched their website, read more about Rocko and the Devils here.
// 'U2 to quit touring'
The last couple of days several sites have been reporting that U2 may be planning to quit touring for good. They all quote the Edge, who said the following in a recent press conference:
"The reaction to the shows has been unprecedented, from a really great start, it's just built and built and built. I'm happy to say bye-bye, because I don't think we could ever top it."
However if you read this article by Rolling Stone you'll notice that Edge was talking specifically about the third leg of the 'Vertigo' tour, and not about touring in general.
All reports that U2 are planning to retire and will never tour agian seem to be premature and completely unfounded.
// Vertigo Tour: Japan & Brazil
The rumors were true, the 'Vertigo' tour is heading for Japan ...
"U2 will play the Nissan Stadium in Yokohama on April 4th as the band return to Japan for the first time since 1998. Tickets will go on sale at midnight on Saturday, January 21st."
... and Brazil:
"Latest news is that U2 will play Sao Paulo's Morumbi stadium on February 20th. Tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10am. U2 last played in Sao Paolo - in Brazil for that matter - in January 1998, on the fourth leg of the PopMart Tour."
// Watch a new video for Original of the Species
Today a new video for U2's ' Original of the Species' premiered on AOL Music. The video is available for 24 hours only, so don't miss it.
One has to wonder why they've decided to make another video, maybe they are planning on releasing it as a single?
Here are some more screenshots: (continued)
// Hawaii & Santiago: Ticket information
The Honolulu Star Bulletin is reporting that tickets for the Vertigo Tour concert in Hawaii on April 8th will go on sale this Saturday:
Clear off your Saturday schedule to be the first to pick up U2 tickets beginning at 9 a.m., for the band's April 8 Aloha Stadium concert. Reserved tickets will be priced at $95 and $165, with general admission floor tickets going for $49.50. All tickets are subject to service fees.
Tickets will be available at the stadium box office and Ticketmaster retail outlets, including the Blaisdell Center box office, Times Supermarkets, the Brigham Young-Laie Student Activity Center and Mokihana Travel in Lihue, Kauai. You can also charge by calling 877-750-4400, or go online at ticketmaster.com.
They're also reporting that the opening act will be a band called 'Rocko and the Devils'.
Tickets for the show in Santiago de Chile will go on sale tomorrow. They will be available at Ripley stores and www.dgmedios.com or charge by phone: 600 462 6000.
// Vertigo tour: Santiago and Hawaii
It's official: U2 will play at the Nacional Stadium in Santiago, Chile on February 26th with tickets going onsale this Wednesday. Franz Ferdinand will be the opening act.
And they will play the Aloha Stadium, in Honolulu, Hawaii on April 8th with tickets on sale from this Saturday. It's expected a second show will be added on April 9th. Tickets wil be available at Ticketmaster.
See the 4th leg tour schedule for all the dates of 'Vertigo 2006'. Dates in Brazil and Japan have not been announced yet.
// Vertio tour rumors
Here are some rumors about the 4th leg of U2's 'Vertigo' tour that have been floating around the Net, most of these seem credible.
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First of all it's rumored that a third concert will be added in Buenos Aires. Two concerts (March 1st and March 2nd) have already been announced, both shows are sold out.
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According to u2log.com tickets for a concert in Chile will go on sale this weekend. The show will take place at the National Stadium in Santiago on February 26th. This concert has not yet been officially announced.
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Two concerts in Brazil (Sao Paulo, February 21st and 22nd) will propably be announced next monday
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The Honolulu Star-Bulletin is reporting that U2 will play Aloha Stadium (Honolulu, Hawaii) on April 8, with a second concert on the 9th in the event of a sell-out. These shows are likely to be the final dates of the 'Vertigo' tour. It will be the band's first Hawaii appearance in two decades.
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Finally, it is said that U2 has agreed to play at the New Orleans JazzFest, which takes places between the 28th of April and the 7th of May.
U2.com says they're expecting more information on further show dates in the not too distant future, so stay tuned.
See the 4th leg tour schedule for all the dates that have been confirmed so far.
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