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U2 Reveal Innovative Stage Design as First 360 Tour Gig Kicks Off

6/30/09, 5:14 pm EST

Photo: Hogan/Getty

More than 90,000 fans have piled into Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium tonight for the kick off of U2’s 360° Tour. The biggest stadium in all of Europe is bearing witness to the Irish rockers’ first gig performing songs off their latest album, No Line on the Horizon, as well as getting a look at the band’s massive new stage set-up first-hand. Lovingly dubbed the Claw by the band and the army of crew members needed to erect it on a nightly basis, the stage — anchored in the middle of the field — features a giant 360 video screen, flowing silk screens and a light show that would make Pink Floyd jealous. (Take the interactive tour of the Claw at U2’s official Website — and attempt to watch the show via live stream here.)

(Check out photos of Bono and Co. onstage in Barcelona here.)

“We have here a huge production, there’s no denying that. It’s likely the largest rock & roll touring stage production that’s ever been put together,” said design architect Mark Fisher in an EPK showing the construction of the set. “The inspiration was to make a set that was intimate as you can make it in a stadium. So everybody in the stadium feels like they are real close to the band and the band feel like they’re real close to everybody in the stadium.”

As Bono told Rolling Stone when news of the tour first emerged, the stage set up is “an engineering feat that creates this real physical proximity to the crowd.” While the tour launches tonight, American fans will have to wait until autumn before feasting their eyes on the Claw, as the U2 360° tour arrives at Chicago’s Soldier Field on September 12th. Snow Patrol (who will open tonight’s Barcelona show), Muse, Kaiser Chiefs, the Black Eyed Peas and Glasvegas are among the opening acts for the trek. For much more from tonight’s Barcelona kickoff show, be sure to check Rock Daily tomorrow for photos and more.

Related Stories:

U2 Announce 360-Degree Tour Details, First U.S. Dates
U2’s Bono Previews Innovative “No Line on the Horizon” Tour
U2 in Photos: Three Decades of the World’s Biggest Band


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Comments

S.O. | 6/30/2009, 5:29 pm EST

Hope they stop by Quest Field in Seattle sometime this fall.

mi | 6/30/2009, 6:06 pm EST

finally some real news, instead of obsessing about dead, washed-up MJ

hokeycoke | 6/30/2009, 6:07 pm EST

bono looks like marlon brando in 1989

Anonymous | 6/30/2009, 7:14 pm EST

Bono, I love you, but you gotta lose those silly boots…we all know you’re short. Plus, it’s time for some different sunglasses. Those wraparounds are from 1999.

Blanket | 6/30/2009, 8:02 pm EST

This will rock like Armageddon.
Or something.

Andy | 6/30/2009, 8:51 pm EST

Is anyone else reminded of Spinal Tap?

Bono looks fucking old, man

glory hole | 6/30/2009, 8:58 pm EST

Bono, please marry me for im tired and i want to get some head, ive had a little pink about an hour ago, and its gone right to my bed

Time to retire | 6/30/2009, 9:42 pm EST

Bono looks fat and old. Here’s hoping they turn into a nostalgia act and steer clear of the dull new album

TheFlyOnTheWall | 6/30/2009, 10:03 pm EST

“Bono looks fat and old.”

Says the fat guy sitting at his computer at home.

kungfu | 6/30/2009, 10:19 pm EST

hope they come by to asia.

basser | 6/30/2009, 10:24 pm EST

You guys think Bono looks fat? What are you, Jennifer Conolly? Good grief, Bono isn’t fat. You couch-potato critics need to get a life, some manners and a little common sense. No wonder young girls (and actresses) have eating disorders now. And I love it when people start whining about rock stars being “old.” My favorite story was a guy griping about supposedly old rock stars like Black Sabbath, The Who, etc. some 10 years ago. He said, “I like young people who matter now, like Sting and Paul Simon.” ????? What the heck? A rock star is only “old” in one’s opinion if he/she doesn’t like them.

Saint Subversive | 6/30/2009, 11:46 pm EST

Vegas 10/23/2009 See ya there! :)

Observer | 7/1/2009, 12:18 am EST

Andy, no one was listening to your tired one-liners about Spinal Tap on the @U2 Forum and no one is now. U2 forever!

Rock Star Salvation | 7/1/2009, 12:56 am EST

Bono is old, but his soul is young, other way people who look young and pretty have their souls old and boring.

Gazza | 7/1/2009, 4:06 am EST

He is old but he still rocks better than the younger breed! Am well looking forward to seeing the U2 in London!

EG | 7/1/2009, 5:11 am EST

Can’t wait to see what they do with Muse in Houston.

Paul | 7/1/2009, 5:31 am EST

If people don’t like U2 they will slag them. It’s a bit of jealousy due to the fact that they are still the best whilst all others have a long long way to go to reach the dizzying heights they have reached. The fact that people have to comment in a negative way shows that this group is at the top and on peoples minds.

JUSTinPUSHPLAY | 7/1/2009, 5:43 am EST

anyone try clicking where it says you can “watch the show here”? it’s highlighted like a link but isn’t active :(

Anonymous | 7/1/2009, 7:36 am EST

Tired, bloated pack of wankers who have been stale for well over a decade. Why does everything they do have to be hyped as the “biggest” etc? Probably to hide all the backing tracks and pre-recordered material they’ve been using for years.
Blandest, tiredest pack of corporate hack dinosaurs to ever take the stage. They make the Stones look relavent and humble.

timmaayyyy | 7/1/2009, 8:12 am EST

Maybe they’ll go into retirement once the Rolling Stones concede U2 are now the biggest and greatest band in the world. Yawn

U2 Fan #1 | 7/1/2009, 9:12 am EST

For all you haters I would love to meet you face to face!! You guys will never get it. U2 is one of the best bands in the the world. If not the best, keep laughing!! But I guess you don’t have a ticket to the show HA! See you in N.C. and GA.

Anonymous | 7/1/2009, 9:19 am EST

BEST BAND EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

JGROCH | 7/1/2009, 10:29 am EST

I can´t wait to see them here in Chile, the best band in the world and the last Rock & Roll heroes. peace

Greg | 7/1/2009, 12:21 pm EST

VIVA U2

Fred | 7/1/2009, 12:22 pm EST

Timmmaaaay likes boydong.

Loranger | 7/1/2009, 11:28 pm EST

The Edge lost his edge decades ago and Bozo is a fat transparent fraud and an annoying, windbag hack – and as for the other 2 Ringos, who gives a flying fuck.

Everything that’s wrong with the music world is encapsulated by these 4 oh-so-average over-rated dinosaurs. Constantly relying on “bigger” and “better” technologies to make up for their total lack of ability of offer up anything innovative, inspiring or interesting musically.

Musically they’ve been in a flatline coma for decades and bloated technology is the life-support-system they’ve relied on ever since the wank-off Rattle And Ho-Hum and the “big, dazzling, innovative” Zoo debacle…

For fuck sake somebody PULL THE PLUG!! Their time of any real creative relevance has well and truely been and gone. Call in Michaels doctor to once again show some compassion and put another sad, once relevant, embarrassingly tired and soul-less act to rest. The last of you pathetic worshipping sheep zombies to leaves, please turn out the light…

sosofan | 7/2/2009, 12:16 am EST

Went along to the concert at Camp Nou. Amazing! Im not the biggest U2 fan, but this stage and show were just incredible. if you have the chance, get a ticket and go. you will not be disapointed.

Wanderer | 7/2/2009, 3:38 am EST

U2 the best ever… People-Friends-Music-Sound-Vis ion-Technology-Concept-Origina l-Future-Fun-Culture-World-Fan s-Peoples
that and more is U2…

haters= ignorants-jealous-ignorants

Womando | 7/2/2009, 11:23 am EST

To Loranger: What a long-winded response to something you don’t even like. Pathetic. If you don’t like U2, just leave them alone and GO AWAY!! Move on, dude. Spend your time on something positive in your life, and leave other people’s source of joy and hope alone.

Haha | 7/2/2009, 11:32 am EST

Loranger looks like Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons, still wearing his 4XL Strokes T-shirt.

Hmmm..... | 7/2/2009, 11:39 am EST

Quick question Loranger…

Why does U2 have the best selling album of 2009 and the best tour?

chirpie | 7/2/2009, 11:52 am EST

It’s one of those situations where u2 isn’t gonna win if someone’s made up their mind that they don’t like them. (Which in and of itself is fine, btw) But it’s a silly thing to say the show is too extravagant and therefore must be discredited. There must be a thousand vids on youtube with them playing in front of crowds of less than 1,000 people (usually late night shows on TV kind of thing) and the songs have the same intensity and craftsmanship as they do here. It’s just BIGGER. And it has to be. Have you ever been to a stadium rock show? That huge space gets boring in a hurry if you don’t fill it up with something. ^_^

Womando | 7/2/2009, 2:48 pm EST

U2: Magnificent!

rob | 8/14/2009, 9:16 pm EST

i have liked u2 for many years,,been to loads big gigs and they have ussually been v good live…HOWEVER tnite i saw the 360 tour at wembley and although the set and stage was pretty tasty the band itself were fukin awfull..distorted and out of tune..i think they need to giv it a rest now.. 1 maybe 2 decent songs in 10 years isnt enough

rob | 8/14/2009, 9:18 pm EST

used to be quality..tnite at wembley they were poo im affraid to say

andyuk | 8/17/2009, 7:13 am EST

I went to see them Saurday night at Wemberly and it was fantasic, they never fail to deliver, the stage was amazing, the colour and lights were fantastic and the music excellent as always, what people forget is that there is only four of them playing, and The Edge is just an amazing guitar player!

Bob wu2 | 9/28/2009, 9:00 am EST

49 is not old. Hell, I’m 50 and still workout with guys in their 30’s . Been a U2 fan since 79 and just because they are the best at what they do, people that do not like them like to slam them.

Kay | 10/2/2009, 10:23 am EST

Just saw them in Charlottesville, VA. First time to see U2 and I will never forget the experience. Absolutely amazing – get a ticket to this show . It will blow you away.

max31 | 10/27/2009, 10:44 pm EST

Just saw the Rose Bowl show on You Tube. I’m not a U2 fan. Never bought a U2 album, though I have a couple of their songs from the iTunes store. Very impressed by U2 at the Rose Bowl, though, I’ve watched it three times so far. Makes me wonder about the people who wrote posts about their being old and fat and washed up. These guys were great.

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