Latest U2 News & Information

BERLIN - Bono’s got some kind words for Germany.

“This new Germany” is not shy about showing the world what values are worth fighting for, the activist and U2 co-founder said Tuesday. Bono made the remarks after meeting with lawmakers to tell them about efforts to fight poverty and stem the spread of malaria, AIDS and tuberculosis in the developing world.

Speaking to lawmakers, Bono said his visit was aimed at letting them know that using money to fight poverty was helping. Read the rest of this story »

U2, Paul McCartney and Eminem have reportedly been asked to play at Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday celebration. Queen, Annie Lennox, Keane and Razorlight have been confirmed for the bash, which will be held June 27 in London’s Hyde Park.

- Spinner.com

NEW YORK - The second “American Idol” charity event is set for April 9, with a lineup that includes Bono, Brad Pitt, Miley Cyrus, Fergie, Chris Daughtry and Carrie Underwood.

Last year’s “Idol Gives Back” show raised $76 million to benefit underprivileged children.

The Fox network announced the date Monday. Football stars Peyton and Eli Manning are also scheduled, along with John Legend, Mariah Carey, Annie Lennox, Reese Witherspoon and Snoop Dogg. Fox said more names will be added in the coming weeks.

The Associated Press

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AS if we hadn’t seen enough ways to make an extra buck from U2, it seems they’ve come up with yet another one.

But now they’ve just been given a hammering for their latest idea — and “ripping off” fans — by legendary pop impresario Harvey Goldsmith.

The band, it would seem, have plans to cash in on a new-found way to soak music fans: “reselling” tickets for gigs by auction to get more than their face value.

Goldsmith bumped into Paul McGuinness, the “fifth band member” of U2 (and presumably one of the five mystery employees who were each paid €5m last year by U2’s parent company), at a music industry festival in France last month.

McGuinness had just given a speech lambasting internet service providers (ISPs) as thieves for allowing music piracy traffic by their users. With declining album sales internationally, he was doing his job and protecting his band’s revenue stream. Fair enough.

But when Goldsmith — who is one of the world’s most famous promoters of live music — met McGuinness for a drink afterwards and discussed how the internet has effectively legalised ticket touts, he was shocked at the response. So much so that Goldsmith used the conversation as an anecdotal intro for a “keynote address” at the Concert Industry Consortium in Los Angeles. Read the rest of this story »

Dubliners like a good debate and a recent hot topic of discussion has been the U2 Tower, the development in the city’s docks area that has earned its nickname through the involvement of Bono and other members of the Irish rock band.

Prices have been falling across most of Ireland, but in the capital developers have not lost their appetite for looking skywards. Dublin, the argument runs, is suffering from urban sprawl. Traffic is clogging up and polluting the city and surrounding suburbs. The city council says that it has been losing tax revenue as business park and retail developments have been built outside the city. So the developers’ solution is to build tall in the city centre - a decision that has caused considerable local controversy, as similar schemes have done in London.

Last October Geranger, a consortium consisting of Ballymore Properties, Patrick McKillen and August Partners (representing U2 band members and management), were selected by the docklands authority as provisional preferred bidders for the U2 Tower, which will have a recording studio for the band at the top. Foster & Partners, the consortium’s architects, have proposed a 130m (430 ft) mixed-use tower on the landmark site at the meeting point of the River Liffey, the River Dodder and the Grand Canal. This scheme replaced a proposal for a 60m tower; some were annoyed that the first scheme was so unceremoniously dropped in favour of the Foster design. On the other side of the river, another 100m-plus structure is planned, the Point Village Watchtower, which will combine with the Foster tower to create a gateway. Read the rest of this story »