ROCKS OFF - The Rolling Stones Message Board

gimmekeef

Rocks Off Regular

Offline

Posts: 5,757
Ontario Canada
Gender: male

U2 in The Red on Tour?
Sep 29^th, 2009 at 7:54am

Not sure I believe this but...........

U2's tour costs prevent profits

By WENN.COM

U2's dazzling stage set-up, dubbed by lead singer Bono as the "spaceship." (File photo)

Rock giants U2 are still to pull in a profit from their sold-out 360* world tour - because the mammoth show's overheads are so costly.

The Beautiful Day legends have been on the road since June, rigging a huge steel construction, dubbed The Claw, as their portable stage.

But constructing the giant sculpture at every new venue, plus paying the huge team needed to put it together, doesn't come cheap - costing a staggering $750,000 per show.

And despite selling out tickets around the world, the group won't actually start pulling any revenue back in until the North American leg finishes next month - despite being on the road for three months.

U2 manager Paul McGuinness explains, "The tour's engineering problems are enormous and costly. We had to find a way for it to be aesthetic and figure out a way of doing video.

"Whether we're playing or not, the overhead is about $750,000 daily. That's just to have the crew on payroll, to rent the trucks, all that. There's about 200 trucks.

"Each stage is 37 trucks, so you're up to nearly 120 there. And then the universal production is another 50-odd trucks, and there are merchandise trucks and catering trucks."

Back to top

« Last Edit: Sep 29^th, 2009 at 7:55am by gimmekeef »

"Runnin Like A Cat In A Thunderstorm"

IP Logged

Edith Grove Agent Provocateur Offline Disco STILL sucks! Posts: 12,336 New Orleans Gender:	Re: U2 in The Red on Tour? Reply #1 - Sep 29^th, 2009 at 7:58am I don't doubt it. I remember hearing back in '94 that the Stones wouldn't start turning a profit until about halfway through the first leg of that tour.
Back to top	“What rap did that was impressive was to show there are so many tone-deaf people out there,” he says. “All they need is a drum beat and somebody yelling over it and they’re happy. There’s an enormous market for people who can’t tell one note from another.” - Keef IP Logged

Gazza

Unholy Trinity Admin

Offline

Rat Bastid "We piss
anywhere, man.."

Posts: 13,231
Belfast, UK
Gender: male

Re: U2 in The Red on Tour?
Reply #2 - Sep 29^th, 2009 at 8:02am

I think that was actually the Licks tour (although youre probably right about previous tours too, as the average ticket prices were far lower)

Its nothing new. A lot of the overheads for the entire tour get paid up front, so the tour doesnt actually go into the black until maybe the first 30-35 shows or so. I think in the Stones case, it wasnt until early 2003 that this was the case.

That said, these tours wont lose money, no matter what. The insurance and corporate sponsorship will always take care of that.

Back to top

« Last Edit: Sep 29^th, 2009 at 8:04am by Gazza »

IP Logged

TomL Rocks Off Regular Offline Change the Fucking sets Posts: 1,149 Sweet Virginia Gender:	Re: U2 in The Red on Tour? Reply #3 - Sep 29^th, 2009 at 8:09am They are in DC tonight and the news said this morning that the stage was 40 million and they have three due to a long set up and take down time.
Back to top	Her love is ecstasy When her arms enfold me I hear her tender rhapsody But in reality, she doesn't Fucking know me...JMI once again..... running away with me........... IP Logged

Mel Belli Rocks Off Regular Offline Rocks Off Rules You Bastards Posts: 1,298	Re: U2 in The Red on Tour? Reply #4 - Sep 29^th, 2009 at 9:11am I'll be sure to inquire further about this matter at the show tonight.
Back to top	fka Sandrew (a proud Rocks Off member since November 2001)&&&&"The Rolling Stones don't want any money ... so I'll keep it." - Melvin Belli, "Gimme Shelter"&&&&"We act so greedy, makes me sick sick sick."&&&& IP Logged

Joey I Have No Life! Offline Posts: 20,302 Omaha , NE Gender:	Re: U2 in The Red on Tour? Reply #5 - Sep 29^th, 2009 at 9:23am " I'll be sure to inquire further about this matter at the show tonight. " < ---- Thanks Mel !!!! www.interference.com
Back to top	&&&&D.J. Jazzy Joe and the Fresh Prince of Boca Raton !™&& * " VICTORY !!!! " * IP Logged

Deathgod

Rocks Off Regular

Offline

The Artist Formerly Known
as Daethgod

Posts: 676
Ocean Grove Australia Earth
Gender: male

nsc U2 feeling credit crunch
Reply #6 - Oct 2^nd, 2009 at 9:10pm

http://www.undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=9128_U2_Feel_The_Financial_Crunc...

U2 Feel The Financial Crunch

by Paul Cashmere - October 3 2009
photo by Ros O'Gorman

U2`s 360 tour is yet to turn a profit, according to manager Paul McGuiness.

The 360 tour is possibly the last of the big budget concert events with McGuiness telling Billboard that the overheads for the tour are $750,000 a day whether the band is playing that day or not.

To keep the tour on the road, 200 trucks were rented. The stage alone is transported on 37 trucks.

McGuiness says the tour will most likely break even by the end.

U2 will be on the road with the 360 Tour at least until late 2010. Current tour dates go through to October 2, 2010 when U2 play Coimbra, Portugal.

It has also been a slow year for the U2 album ‘No Line On The Horizon’. The album was released 30 weeks ago and this week finally went platinum in the United States with sales of 1,010,128.

Back to top

RO old skool : Posts: 1170 | Registered: Nov 2002

IP Logged

Heart Of Stone

Rocks Off Regular

Offline

Rocks Off Rules

Posts: 4,001
Charlottetown Prince Edward Is
Gender: male

Re: nsc U2 feeling credit crunch
Reply #7 - Oct 3^rd, 2009 at 7:07am

Deathgod wrote on Oct 2^nd, 2009 at 9:10pm:

http://www.undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=9128_U2_Feel_The_Financial_Crunc...

U2 Feel The Financial Crunch

by Paul Cashmere - October 3 2009
photo by Ros O'Gorman

U2`s 360 tour is yet to turn a profit, according to manager Paul McGuiness.

The 360 tour is possibly the last of the big budget concert events with McGuiness telling Billboard that the overheads for the tour are $750,000 a day whether the band is playing that day or not.

To keep the tour on the road, 200 trucks were rented. The stage alone is transported on 37 trucks.

McGuiness says the tour will most likely break even by the end.

U2 will be on the road with the 360 Tour at least until late 2010. Current tour dates go through to October 2, 2010 when U2 play Coimbra, Portugal.

It has also been a slow year for the U2 album ‘No Line On The Horizon’. The album was released 30 weeks ago and this week finally went platinum in the United States with sales of 1,010,128.

200 trucks, that would be like a army coming into each city.

Back to top

The Rolling Stones ain't just a group, their a way of life-Andrew Loog Oldham.
[URL=http://s6.photobucket.com/user/merrillm123/media/69inLA.jpg.html]

IP Logged

gotdablouse Rocks Off Regular Offline Rocks Off Rules You Bastards Posts: 1,002 Paris, France Gender:	Re: nsc U2 feeling credit crunch Reply #8 - Oct 3^rd, 2009 at 7:57am Not breaking even for a while isn't new, right, first happened with the Steel Wheels tour I think. What would be of more concern is if they can't sell the tickets...
Back to top	Unreleased Tracks IP Logged

Paranoid Android

Rocks Off Regular

Offline

The Rocks Off Ladies Rule
You Bastards!!

Posts: 6,042
Chapel Hill, NC
Gender: male

Re: U2 in The Red on Tour?
Reply #9 - Oct 4^th, 2009 at 9:15am

I saw U2 last nite in Raleigh...I was so impressed...with the band as well as the stage...I was thinking of Jagger seeing this show in NJ last week...if he grabs this stage for a stadium tour it will be amazing!!! It was 100 times better than that city scape thing from BB tour...the band was so much more accessible to everyone...even the nose bleeds...the sound was superb as well...

check out the YOU TUBE footage of the tour to get an idea...the stage was not quite an "in the round"...but they were able to play and sing to the entire 360 (ala the tour name)...the stage at times reminded me of the 81 RS tour w/ the ramps behind the stage and Woody tearing it up every other song to give the folks with the $10.50 seats a glimpse of the band

Back to top

IP Logged

Some Guy Resident Cretin Offline Posts: 15,846 Atlanta Gender:	Re: U2 in The Red on Tour? Reply #10 - Oct 4^th, 2009 at 11:08am Mel Belli wrote on Sep 29^th, 2009 at 9:11am: I'll be sure to inquire further about this matter at the show tonight. review??
Back to top	IP Logged

left shoe shuffle

Rocks Off Regular

Offline

Posts: 4,141

Re: U2 in The Red on Tour?
Reply #11 - Oct 4^th, 2009 at 11:51am

Paranoid Android wrote on Oct 4^th, 2009 at 9:15am:

I was thinking of Jagger seeing this show in NJ last week...if he grabs this stage for a stadium tour it will be amazing!!!

Wouldn't be the first time an idea got co-opted.
U2 had a b-stage on the '92-'93 Zoo TV tour.

Having said that, my hope is that if/when the Stones go out again, they focus on the music and not the goo-gaws...

Back to top

IP Logged

corgi37 Rocks Off Regular Offline Rocks Off Rules You Bastards Posts: 1,559 Aussie land Gender:	Re: U2 in The Red on Tour? Reply #12 - Oct 7^th, 2009 at 6:59am Fuck U2!
Back to top	I aint no peace freak IP Logged

Jumping Jack Rocks Off Regular Offline Rocks Off Rules You Bastards Posts: 303 Atlanta Gender:	Re: U2 in The Red on Tour? Reply #13 - Oct 7^th, 2009 at 11:11am LN is papering Phillips with $30 tickets this week. Bono's lefty utopia shit doesn't sell well here.
Back to top	IP Logged

LadyJane Rocks Off Regular Offline Stones Purist Posts: 4,929 Gender:	Re: U2 in The Red on Tour? Reply #14 - Oct 7^th, 2009 at 11:42am Jumping Jack wrote on Oct 7^th, 2009 at 11:11am: LN is papering Phillips with $30 tickets this week. Bono's lefty utopia shit doesn't sell well here. Say What??? Paper???
Back to top	IP Logged

Some Guy

Resident Cretin

Offline

Posts: 15,846
Atlanta
Gender: male

Re: U2 in The Red on Tour?
Reply #15 - Oct 7^th, 2009 at 11:46am

Is a U2-themed video game (finally) on the horizon? Sounds like it could be. Adam Clayton is quoted on USA Today's web site as saying the band "would definitely like" to be featured in a video game.

"We definitely would like to be in there, but we felt some of the compromises weren't what we wanted," bassist Adam Clayton tells USA Today's Edna Gundersen. "That could change. I love the idea that that's where people are getting music, and we'd love to be in that world. We'll figure something out. What The Beatles have done, where the animation is much more representative of them, is what we're interested in, rather than the one-size-fits-all animation. We didn't want to be caricatured."

If they need faithful animations of the band members, I'd like to nominate our former Achtoon Baby artist, Kelly Eddington, for the job.

Back to top

IP Logged

Paranoid Android

Rocks Off Regular

Offline

The Rocks Off Ladies Rule
You Bastards!!

Posts: 6,042
Chapel Hill, NC
Gender: male

Re: U2 in The Red on Tour?
Reply #16 - Oct 7^th, 2009 at 12:13pm

Jumping Jack wrote on Oct 7^th, 2009 at 11:11am:

LN is papering Phillips with $30 tickets this week. Bono's lefty utopia shit doesn't sell well here.

I know that the raleigh show was on Saturday...on thursday, ticketmaster released a bunch of field GA tickets...and on saturday afternoon...the 30 dollar seats, that i scored were released...side of the stage, 3 rows up from the field...about 12 feet from the $250.00 seats...i was happy and glad i waited...

Back to top

IP Logged

gimmekeef Rocks Off Regular Offline Posts: 5,757 Ontario Canada Gender:	Re: U2 in The Red on Tour? Reply #17 - Oct 7^th, 2009 at 12:50pm Im going to wait until they leave town...
Back to top	"Runnin Like A Cat In A Thunderstorm" IP Logged

AngieBlue

Rocks Off Regular

Offline

Rocks Off Rules You Bastards

Posts: 792
Gender: female

Re: U2 in The Red on Tour?
Reply #18 - Oct 9^th, 2009 at 4:30pm

U2 being in the red on the road isn't really news. They went broke on the PopMart tour. Stage too big and expensive, lousy ticket sales, etc. And U2 didn't have corporate sponsors; still do not as far as I know.

Jagger and Co. are better business men. I doubt they will spend a fortune on a stage set knowing what the economy is like. The Stones may not need the money, but I wouldn't want to work for six months and make nothing....doubt they do either.

Back to top

IP Logged

CrissCrossMind Rocks Off Regular Offline Rocks Off Rules You Bastards Posts: 98 Southside of Chicago Baby ... Gender:	Re: U2 in The Red on Tour? Reply #19 - Oct 9^th, 2009 at 4:37pm Fuck U@ again the Stones will Roll small this time ... but it's really about the muse
Back to top	yonder comes a woman ... IP Logged

left shoe shuffle Rocks Off Regular Offline Posts: 4,141	Re: U2 in The Red on Tour? Reply #20 - Oct 9^th, 2009 at 4:53pm AngieBlue wrote on Oct 9^th, 2009 at 4:30pm: And U2 didn't have corporate sponsors; still do not as far as I know. U2's tour is sponsored by BlackBerry.
Back to top	IP Logged

AngieBlue Rocks Off Regular Offline Rocks Off Rules You Bastards Posts: 792 Gender:	Re: U2 in The Red on Tour? Reply #21 - Oct 9^th, 2009 at 5:40pm left shoe shuffle wrote on Oct 9^th, 2009 at 4:53pm: AngieBlue wrote on Oct 9^th, 2009 at 4:30pm: And U2 didn't have corporate sponsors; still do not as far as I know. U2's tour is sponsored by BlackBerry. I stand corrected. Thank you.
Back to top	IP Logged

corgi37 Rocks Off Regular Offline Rocks Off Rules You Bastards Posts: 1,559 Aussie land Gender:	Re: U2 in The Red on Tour? Reply #22 - Oct 12^th, 2009 at 7:38am U2 save money on the on-stage personnel too. Much to their credit!
Back to top	I aint no peace freak IP Logged

Paranoid Android

Rocks Off Regular

Offline

The Rocks Off Ladies Rule
You Bastards!!

Posts: 6,042
Chapel Hill, NC
Gender: male

Re: U2 in The Red on Tour?
Reply #23 - Oct 12^th, 2009 at 9:08am

corgi37 wrote on Oct 12^th, 2009 at 7:38am:

U2 save money on the on-stage personnel too. Much to their credit!

Nevr thought abou that...this current stage acts like an A...B...and a C stage for the everyone on the sides and rear...
They utilized the entire thing...and rather well...including larry Mullins Jr taking it up a notch and taking a conga drum around ALL the catwalks...as did the others with their instruments...and not just for ONE song (excluding larry)...

The Stones sets were disappointing to me in that they were not even used...weren't there ramps and platforms that Mick didn't even acknowledge?

Back to top

« Last Edit: Oct 12^th, 2009 at 9:12am by Paranoid Android »

IP Logged

Gazza

Unholy Trinity Admin

Offline

Rat Bastid "We piss
anywhere, man.."

Posts: 13,231
Belfast, UK
Gender: male

Re: U2 in The Red on Tour?
Reply #24 - Oct 12^th, 2009 at 9:37am

To be honest, it was the stage that put me OFF going to see them this tour (well, that plus the fact that Bruce was on tour and I thought their new album was, for the most part, pants)

A definite case of the spectacle being of far greater importance than the substance. Its all very impressive but struck me as having got to the stage (pardon the pun) where its just TOO big - it would take the music to be incredible to even begin to do it justice. The Zoo TV/Zooropa tour in 92-93 was when they really peaked in both stage design AND performance. That show was absolutely jawdropping.

Back to top

IP Logged