U2 360 to hit New Zealand in November

The Irish band yesterday confirmed they will perform at Mt Smart Stadium in November followed by four concerts in Australia.

Hip hop star Jay Z is to join U2 for the band's tour of Australia and New Zealand later this year.
Jay Z last played in Australia in 2006 and has never played in New Zealand.

New Zealand event spokeswoman Bridget de Laundry says about 54 percent of tickets are priced under $100, starting at $39.90.

The low prices are due to the specially built 50m-high stage with a rotating bridges and giant video system.

“The extra capacity U2 360 gives us means that there are a large number, several thousand in fact, of low priced tickets at every show,” says U2 tour producer/promoter Arthur Fogel, CEO of Live Nation Global Touring.

Organisers are expecting the more than 50,000 tickets to sell out quickly, and a second concert has not been ruled out.

“A second show is not confirmed. There are only three stages in use on the Australasian tour and they leapfrog from city to city, it takes eight days to build them and three-four to remove them, either side of the performance days,” says de Launay.

Tickets go on sale Friday, September 3 but U2.com subscribers will be able to buy tickets about five days ahead of the public.

U2 360 has already played to over 4 million people and is set to smash all previous records and become the highest-attended concert tour of all time.

Bringing the U2 360 production to New Zealand is no small feat. Six 747 freighters are required to fly the production to New Zealand.

The stage weighs 590 tonnes with all of the production gear hanging from it, and covers 6000 square meters.

'The Claw' itself stands 30.53m high, and with the pylon its 51.8m. That means it’s higher than most stadium roofs.  Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium roof will have to be “cracked” and stay open to allow the pylon to be installed.

Until next time keep rockin'
The 0800 Jukebox crew.