Elevation Tour

Last updated
Elevation Tour
Tour by U2
U2ElevationTour.jpg
Location
  • North America
  • Europe
Associated album All That You Can't Leave Behind
Start date24 March 2001 (2001-03-24)
End date2 December 2001 (2001-12-02)
Legs3
No. of shows113
Attendance2,179,642
Box officeUS$143.5 million ($246.92 in 2023 dollars) [1]
U2 concert chronology

The Elevation Tour was a worldwide concert tour by Irish rock band U2. Staged in support of the group's 2000 album All That You Can't Leave Behind , the tour visited arenas across North America and Europe in 2001. Contrasting with the extravagant, outdoor productions of the band's previous two live ventures, the Zoo TV Tour (1992–1993) and the PopMart Tour (1997–1998), the Elevation Tour saw them return to indoor arenas with a much more stripped-down, intimate stage design. The stage featured a heart-shaped catwalk that encircled many audience members, and festival seating was offered in the United States for the first time in the group's history. [2]

Contents

The Elevation Tour comprised 113 shows over three legs. It opened on 24 March 2001 with the first leg in North America, the second leg in Europe that summer, and the third leg returning to North America that autumn, ending on 2 December 2001. It was both the highest-grossing concert tour in North America (US$109.7 million) and globally (US$143.5 million) that year. Its success was capped off by the band's performance at the Super Bowl XXXVI halftime show in 2002. The tour was depicted in two concert films, Elevation 2001: Live from Boston and U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle, Ireland .

Stage design and show production

The Elevation Tour stage design was stripped down compared to the elaborate stadium sets on the band's previous two tours. It featured a heart-shaped ramp around the main stage. HeartWideShot3.jpg
The Elevation Tour stage design was stripped down compared to the elaborate stadium sets on the band's previous two tours. It featured a heart-shaped ramp around the main stage.

The Elevation Tour show was designed by Willie Williams, with Mark Fisher serving as the architect. The stage, built by Tait Towers, measured 80 feet (24 m) wide by 100 feet (30 m) deep and featured an open center. [3] Extending from the wings of the main stage were curved ramps shaped like the bottom of a heart, which joined together at the center of the venue floor. [4] The heart shape was inspired by the video graphics being produced for the tour, and it was chosen by the creative team early in the design process. At the suggestion of bassist Adam Clayton, the stage was given an open center that could be filled with fans; [3] the first 300 general admission ticketholders to queue before a concert were given wristbands and allowed access to the center of the heart. [4] Williams was amused that the catwalks were the same shape as the vertical golden arch from the PopMart Tour stage when laid horizontally. The Elevation Tour stage was placed at one end of the venues, with seating offered "in the round". Due to this configuration, the stage designers focused on ensuring sightlines were not obstructed for anyone. Fisher said, "With a show done in the round, you can't really have any scenery because what is background scenery for one person is a sightline obstruction to another." To facilitate this, the stage height was kept low to the venue floor, [3] with the main stage built 5 feet (1.5 m) high and the wings 7 feet (2.1 m) high. [4]

A video wall constructed by Brilliant Stages was located at the rear of the stage, measuring 8 feet (2.4 m) high by 64 feet (20 m) wide. It comprised 13 sections that could independently rise out of the stage or lower below it. The video wall featured Barco DLite LED panels and was provided by XL Video; it featured more LEDs than the video screen from the PopMart Tour, which was 55 feet (17 m) high by 170 feet (52 m) wide. The idea for the video wall was suggested by lead vocalist Bono, who preferred it over the video options that Fisher showed him. Williams called the amount of backlight produced by the video wall "ridiculous". [3] [5]

Four video screens above the front of the stage displayed camera feeds dedicated to each band member. U2 performing in Hamilton on Elevation Tour Oct 13 2001 (19).jpg
Four video screens above the front of the stage displayed camera feeds dedicated to each band member.

In lieu of traditional image magnification (IMAG), four video screens were hung above the front of the stage, each of them displaying a black-and-white camera feed dedicated to a specific member of U2. Four long-lens cameras followed the band members and presented a "raw" video feed of each, without the intervention of a video director. The setup was Williams's response to what he saw as a growing trend with rock shows having "big video screens on either side running something that looks like an HBO special". He believed such a trend instilled a mindset into the audience that the most interesting thing happening at a given moment was what the video screens were displaying, thus diverting attention away from the actual live performance. Williams was inspired by his experience over the years "standing behind video directors and engineers, seeing what they were seeing" on the video monitors. Rather than present a director's vision of what shots to show an audience, Williams wanted to "take that person out of the equation" and present an unmediated look at the band members. U2's management and concert promoters were sceptical at first, but Williams said that after it was seen in action, it was a "complete no-brainer". He expected it to be one most of the most influential aspects of the tour. According to him, the easiest solution would have been to eliminate IMAG altogether, but it was "deemed necessary" because of the size of some indoor venues and the high cost of tickets. [3]

Projection factored heavily into the shows' visuals. The tour used four PIGI projectors from E\T\C Audiovisuel placed in the corners of each venue. The projectors used a 7K bulb with a 7-inch (180 mm), square aperture, producing an "enormous amount of light", according to Williams. Instead of projecting the imagery onto a screen, Williams had the idea to project it across the entire interior space of the venues. [3] Each projector was positioned on its back and aimed upwards at a mirror that was operated by a crew member to direct the reflection around the venue. [6]

Williams enlisted visual artist Catherine Owens to create the artwork used for the projectors and the videowall. Most of the projection imagery was hand-drawn, much of it directly to film, though some artwork was computer-generated. Owens worked with a team of four artists to create the artwork. The projection graphics were generally abstract and textural; Williams said the look of it borrowed heavily from rave culture. For the concluding song "Walk On", he handwrote the lyrics from the song's closing refrain onto the projector film and reversed it, allowing the words to "scroll over the audience and run like closing credits". The wide dimensions of the videowall posed challenges for Owens's team, as they had to re-aspect much of the artwork without it looking squashed. A large amount of the videowall artwork was created onsite during tour rehearsals. During that time, the artists were given access to one of Media 100's editing suites in London, where they created images on a PowerBook G3 laptop and could instantly view them on the videowall. The process allowed Owens's team to solicit artistic ideas from the band and turn them around within a single afternoon. [3]

The stage before a June 2001 concert in Philadelphia. The overhead speaker and lighting systems are visible. 3-StageMain jpg.jpg
The stage before a June 2001 concert in Philadelphia. The overhead speaker and lighting systems are visible.

Equipment for the sound system was provided by Clair Brothers Audio, which had a long-standing relationship with the band. [3] The primary front-facing speaker arrays at stage left and right each featured 14 of Clair Brothers' i4 cabinets, variously angled at 2°, 5°, and 10°. Directly adjacent to these arrays were Clair Brothers' i4B subwoofers; 24 cabinets were used in total. For sidefill, each side of the venues was covered by a column of eight speaker cabinets, while the rear of the stage was covered by two arrays of six cabinets arranged in 10° increments. For the general admission audience inside the heart, P-2 speakers were positioned on top of ML18 bass cabinets under the front of the stage, and a cluster of three P-4 speakers was center hung overhead. [4] Sound engineer Joe O'Herlihy mixed the sound on a Midas XL4 automated console, and used a Yamaha O2R console for overflow inputs. [3]

For the stage monitor system, the band members utilised a combination of in-ear monitors by Future Sonics and monitor speakers by Clair Brothers. [3] For Clayton, a single 12-AM wedge was placed near his "pocket" position at the corner of the drum riser, while a pair of "double-12s" was placed at the front of the stage. For the rest of the band, a pair of 12-AM wedges was used by Bono, a pair of Series II wedges by guitarist the Edge, and a pair of ML18 bass speakers by drummer Larry Mullen Jr. On each side of the backline, a P-4 cabinet was laid on its side atop ML18 units, which were angled inwards for sidefill. At the front of each wing of the stage, a "double-12" was placed, and on each side of the rear apron were a wedge and two subwoofers. [4] The monitors were mixed by engineers Don Garber and Dave Skaff on two ATI Paragon consoles, [3] with a Yamaha 02R and Mackie 1604 console used for audience microphones and talkback inputs from crew members. [4] Skaff mixed for Clayton and Mullen, while Garber mixed for Bono and the Edge. Their mixing position was underneath the left wing of the stage, without a line of sight to the band; as a result, they tracked the band members on video monitors, which displayed the same feed as the on-stage video screens. [4]

Williams served as the lighting designer with Bruce Ramus as lighting director. [7] The lighting system was configured in a manner that followed the tour's "forward to basics" theme. [3] Ramus said that the lighting truss design was simplified, as the team wanted to move away from clever designs. Four straight trusses were suspended above the main stage, two measuring 48 feet (15 m) long and two measuring 54 feet (16 m) long. Seven Vario-Lift hoists by ChainMaster could raise and lower the trusses to trim heights varying from 50 feet (15 m) to 12 feet (3.7 m) high. A 20-foot (6.1 m) diameter circular truss was suspended above the general admission area inside the heart. [6] The lighting system used 54 Vari-Lite VL2416 wash luminaires; they were the only automated light fixtures used on tour, and marked U2's first time using Vari-Lite products. Williams chose the fixture for its zoom control and brightness, allowing him to achieve a 55-foot (17 m) throw distance. [7] For a footlight, the heart-shaped ramp had 300 T3 quartz bulbs embedded in 6-inch (150 mm) gutters on both sides, along with about 400 Egg Strobe and Star Strobe lights. [6]

Early in the tour, the lighting system featured 24 Fresnel fixtures with gold-painted barn doors for a "pleasantly stylish, Gucci feel". These fixtures dominated the first part of the show, illuminating at about 50 percent to produce what Williams called a "wonderful brown, low color temperature light which the band loved". As the tour progressed, Bono felt they were too nostalgic among the more contemporary elements of the show, while Williams thought they were being underused. [6] As a result, the Fresnels were replaced with eight custom fixtures called "fornows"; designed by Williams on a napkin, [3] [6] they were constructed by Light & Sound Design (LSD) and each housed a four-DWE Mole striplight in a short, deep wedge-shaped box. Williams felt the "fornows" befitted the show better, emitting light that was "less friendly and more aggressive". Among several unconventional fixtures in the lighting system were 30 modified police beacons, which were placed sideways in groups and whose movements were staggered with each other to create a "rain effect" during "Where the Streets Have No Name" to stun the audience. At the corners of the stage were four custom-built "ripple drums" by LSD; Williams described the pieces as slowly rotating black trash cans with holes in them and "a naked 5kW fixture" inside. [6] The lighting package also included 48 LSD DWE Mole striplights, 24 ETC Source Four fixtures, 12 Omni fixtures and 70 Tota fixtures by Lowel-Light, [6] and a variety of strobe lamps. [3] Williams controlled lights with an Avolites Pearl console, while Ramus operated a Jands Hog 1000 console. [6]

The stage and equipment travelled on 14 semi-trailer trucks, and required two hours to disassemble and load into the trucks. [4]

Tour overview

During promotional appearances for the tour and All That You Can't Leave Behind, lead vocalist Bono often said, "We're back, re-applying for the job ... And the job is best band in the world." [8] [9] This was in response to the relatively low sales of Pop and sometimes poor reception of the PopMart Tour.

The European leg of the Elevation Tour was also presented in arenas. However, several outdoor shows were played due to logistics and facility requirements. These included both of the Slane Castle shows, which were part of Ireland's annual Slane Concert. For these two performances, the "heart" was extended and widened in order to accommodate the larger attendance. The Turin show was played in a football stadium, with a black U-shaped semicircle extending out into the crowd instead of the heart. The Berlin show was performed in a natural outdoor arena with a tent-like structure supporting all the band's flown gear such as speaker stacks and lighting rigs. Due to the limited amount of space available for production, the top of the heart was placed at the front of the stage. During this leg, Bono regularly flew back to Dublin after each show to be with his dying father. [10]

The third leg of the tour began in the U.S. only a month after the September 11, 2001 attacks and in the midst of the 2001 anthrax attacks. This nearly led U2 to cancel the leg, but they decided to continue, starting it at the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana, home of the "Fighting Irish". While some fans shied away from coming to an ordinarily celebratory occasion or to a large, enclosed public gathering, many other fans did not let these events stop them. The tenor of the times dramatically affected the temperament of the shows, with Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" appearing frequently in the setlist and the band's "Walk On" taking on added emotional weight.

Setlists

U2 began concerts on the tour by performing "Elevation" with the venue's house lights on. 6-LetsElevate jpg.jpg
U2 began concerts on the tour by performing "Elevation" with the venue's house lights on.

Shows would traditionally open under the venue house lights with the Influx mix of "Elevation" playing as the band's intro music. "Elevation", the tour's title track, would then kick off the show, and would then be normally followed up by "Beautiful Day", "Until the End of the World" and "New Year's Day". Occasionally, "Discothèque" or "Mysterious Ways" followed "Until the End of the World" instead of "New Year's Day".

For the first two legs, most shows would then use "Kite", "Gone" and "New York" early in the setlist. Sometimes "Discothèque" or "Even Better Than the Real Thing" was played between "Gone" and "New York". All tour shows would see "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday" Normally, one out of "I Will Follow", "Out of Control" and "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" would be played before "Sunday Bloody Sunday". "In a Little While" would then normally be played (sometimes "Sweetest Thing" or "Wake up Dead Man" would be played), and that would be followed by a full band acoustic rendition of "Desire" and then an acoustic song, normally "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)". Sometimes "The Ground Beneath Her Feet", "Staring at the Sun" or a cover of "I Remember You" by The Ramones would be played instead.

The acoustic song would then normally be followed by the live favourite "Bad", which had appeared few times on the previous PopMart Tour. On occasions, "All I Want Is You" would be played instead. "Where the Streets Have No Name" followed, which was played at every concert. Normally, the band would then play "Mysterious Ways" with snippets of "Sexual Healing" at the end of the song and a new version of "The Fly" with the Edge playing guitar and Bono performing at the end of the heart catwalk. On occasions, "The Fly" would be replaced by "Pride (In the Name of Love)". After playing either "The Fly" or "Pride", the main set would end and the band would leave the stage.

U2 in concert of the Elevation Tour U2 in the heart.jpg
U2 in concert of the Elevation Tour

U2 would then open the encore with "Bullet the Blue Sky", usually accompanied by Bono protesting against gun crime and giving a speech against handgun crime, while using a smaller version of the spotlight he used on The Joshua Tree Tour. "Bullet" would then be followed by "With or Without You". The band would then normally play "One", which was played at every concert. On occasions in the first leg, the band played "Pride" or "The Fly" between "With or Without You" and "One" with the other one of those two songs played after "Mysterious Ways" at the end of the main set. "Wake up Dead Man" was sometimes played after "One", if not after "Sunday Bloody Sunday". "Walk On" would then be played as the outright show closer.

The third leg saw some alterations to the setlist to reflect the much more emotionally poignant times that existed within America in the wake of the September 11th attacks. After opening with the same trio that they opened the first two legs with, the band would then most commonly play "New Year's Day", "I Will Follow" or "Out of Control", "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" and "Kite". "Angel of Harlem" also made appearances either before or after "Kite".

The band's acoustic slot was moved forward, with "In a Little While" dropped altogether and the acoustic slot taking place after "Kite". Normally, "Wild Honey" and "Please" were played. "Please" also made one appearance in its electric form, in a similar style to its PopMart performance when it segued into "Where the Streets Have No Name". "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", played only once during the first two legs, was given a regular slot between "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "Pride (In the Name of Love)" during the third leg, taking the place of "Mysterious Ways".

The encore once again contained "Bullet the Blue Sky", "One" and "Walk On". Instead of playing "With or Without You" between "Bullet" and "One" as they did on the first two legs, the band instead played a cover of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and "New York". A few times, the band played "Peace on Earth" between "One" and "Walk On".

Overall, 53 different songs were played by U2 during the tour, with six songs ("Elevation", "Beautiful Day", "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of", "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "One") played at all 113 concerts. Three tracks ("Bullet the Blue Sky", "Until the End of the World", and "Walk On") were played at all but one show apiece on the tour.

Super Bowl performance

On 3 February 2002, the band performed a three-song set during the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXVI. The heart-shaped stage from the Elevation Tour was recreated for the band's halftime performance. [11] The show began with "Beautiful Day", as Bono walked to the stage through the on-field crowd. For the final two songs, "MLK" and "Where the Streets Have No Name", the names of the victims from the September 11 attacks were projected onto a vertical scrim behind the stage as well as across the interior of the Louisiana Superdome. At the end of the performance, Bono opened his jacket, which he had worn throughout the Elevation Tour, to reveal an American flag in the lining, an image that was widely reproduced in the media. [12] Sports Illustrated ranked it as the best halftime show in Super Bowl history. [13]

Concert broadcasts and releases

Two concert videos of the Elevation Tour were released on DVD, both directed by Hamish Hamilton. The first, Elevation 2001: Live from Boston , was released in November 2001, and included material from three different shows filmed in June 2001 in Boston at the FleetCenter. One of the concerts, the 6 June show, was partially televised on NBC during halftime of Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals; the network aired a live performance of "Where the Streets Have No Name", followed by a pre-recorded performance of "Elevation" from earlier. [14] The Elevation 2001 video was televised on VH1 on 24 November and on DirecTV on 2 December. [15]

The second concert video, U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle, Ireland , was released in November 2003. Filmed on 1 September 2001, it captured the outdoor variant of the Elevation Tour at the band's Slane Concert.

Reception

The first two legs of the Elevation Tour sold out all 83 concerts across North America and Europe and grossed US$105 million. [16] The band's two concerts at Slane Castle sold 157,418 tickets and grossed $6.7 million. [17] The Elevation Tour was 2001's top-earning North American tour with a gross of $109.7 million, the second-highest ever at the time for a North American tour. [18] Globally, it grossed $143,472,379 from 2,179,642 tickets sold, [19] making it the year's highest-grossing tour overall. [20] Spin named U2 the "Band of the Year" for 2001, saying they had "schooled bands half their age about what a rock show could really accomplish". [21]

At the 13th annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards, U2 were honored with awards for Major Tour of the Year and Most Creative Stage Production, while Paul McGuinness was recognized as Personal Manager of the Year. [22] Willie Williams won a 2001 EDDY Award from Entertainment Design magazine for his work as the tour's show director; [23] [24] the magazine said, "While U2's current Elevation tour is striking in its simplicity, Williams created an almost complete amalgamation of lighting and video by using the entire space of each arena as a projection surface." [5] At the 2002 TEC Awards, the Elevation Tour crew won for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Tour Production; among those recognised were Clair Brothers as the tour company, Joe O'Herlihy as the front of house engineer, and Don Garber, Raza Sufi, Niall Slevin, and Dave Skaff as monitor engineers. [25]

Tour dates

List of concerts from leg 1 (North America) [26] [27]
Date
(2001)
CityCountryVenueOpening actAttendance
(tickets sold / total available)
Revenue
24 March Sunrise United States National Car Rental Center The Corrs 37,969 / 37,969$3,032,028
26 March
29 March Charlotte Charlotte Coliseum Nelly Furtado 19,054 / 19,054$1,447,355
30 March Atlanta Philips Arena 20,596 / 20,596$1,500,277
2 April Houston Compaq Center PJ Harvey 14,859 / 14,859$1,198,589
3 April Dallas Reunion Arena 18,166 / 18,166$1,450,655
6 April Denver Pepsi Center 18,462 / 18,462$1,509,290
9 April Calgary Canada Pengrowth Saddledome 35,778 / 35,778$1,824,131
10 April
12 April Tacoma United States Tacoma Dome 21,807 / 21,807$1,671,880
13 April Vancouver Canada General Motors Place 18,520 / 18,520$960,419
15 April Portland United States Rose Garden 16,653 / 16,653$1,276,120
17 April San Diego San Diego Sports Arena 14,850 / 14,850$1,237,115
19 April San Jose San Jose Arena 35,550 / 35,550$2,878,940
20 April
23 April Anaheim Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim 49,377 / 49,377$4,152,640
24 April
26 April
28 April Phoenix America West Arena 17,575 / 17,575$1,424,390
1 May Minneapolis Target Center 18,691 / 18,691$1,465,425
3 May Cleveland Gund Arena 18,763 / 18,763$1,492,460
4 May Lexington Rupp Arena 16,642 / 16,642$1,143,878
6 May Pittsburgh Mellon Arena 14,863 / 14,863$1,225,160
7 May Columbus Nationwide Arena 15,495 / 15,495$1,284,930
9 May Milwaukee Bradley Center 18,622 / 18,622$1,433,435
10 May Indianapolis Conseco Fieldhouse 15,088 / 15,088$1,210,988
12 May Chicago United Center 78,275 / 78,275$6,393,525
13 May
15 May
16 May
24 May Toronto Canada Air Canada Centre 39,048 / 39,048$2,096,034
25 May
27 May Montreal Molson Centre 42,198 / 42,198$2,090,423
28 May
30 May Auburn Hills United States The Palace of Auburn Hills 21,173 / 21,173$1,638,325
31 May Buffalo HSBC Arena 18,434 / 18,434$1,422,510
2 June Albany Pepsi Arena 15,515 / 15,515$1,215,470
3 June Hartford Hartford Civic Center 15,717 / 15,717$1,244,825
5 June Boston FleetCenter 68,139 / 68,139$5,620,260
6 June
8 June
9 June
11 June Philadelphia First Union Center 38,536 / 38,536$3,076,345
12 June
14 JuneWashington, D.C. MCI Center 37,971 / 37,917$3,172,418
15 June
17 JuneNew York City Madison Square Garden 36,632 / 36,632$3,141,260
19 June
21 June East Rutherford Continental Airlines Arena 39,282 / 39,282$3,205,680
22 June
List of concerts from leg 2 (Europe) [28] [29]
Date
(2001)
CityCountryVenueOpening actAttendance
(tickets sold / total available)
Revenue
6 July Copenhagen Denmark Forum Copenhagen Stereophonics 20,000 / 20,000$1,107,040
7 July JJ72
9 July Stockholm Sweden The Globe Stereophonics31,511 / 31,511$1,269,775
10 July
12 July Cologne Germany Kölnarena Söhne Mannheims 36,915 / 36,915$1,701,438
13 July
15 July Munich Olympiahalle 13,543 / 13,543$602,819
17 JulyParisFrance Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy Stereophonics34,000 / 34,000$1,737,977
18 July
21 July Turin Italy Stadio delle Alpi Timoria
Verdena
Fun Lovin' Criminals
73,061 / 73,061$2,616,225
23 July Zürich Switzerland Hallenstadion Kelis 26,000 / 26,000$1,107,246
24 July
26 July Vienna Austria Stadthalle 32,148 / 32,148$1,213,120
27 July
29 JulyBerlinGermany Waldbühne Michael Mittermeier 20,030 / 20,030$856,742
31 July Arnhem Netherlands GelreDome Kelis107,812 / 107,812$4,015,276
1 August
3 August
5 August Antwerp Belgium Sportpaleis Stereophonics32,878 / 32,878$1,092,552
6 August
8 August Barcelona Spain Palau Sant Jordi 18,000 / 18,000$748,498
11 August Manchester England Manchester Evening News Arena Kelis38,742 / 38,742$2,073,724
12 August
14 August Birmingham NEC Arena 23,022 / 23,022$1,255,635
15 August
18 AugustLondon Earls Court Exhibition Centre 73,742 / 73,742$4,475,265
19 AugustPJ Harvey
21 AugustNelly Furtado
22 AugustJJ72
25 August Slane Ireland Slane Castle Relish
JJ72
Kelis
Coldplay
Red Hot Chili Peppers
157,418 / 157,418 [a] $6,683,996 [a]
27 August Glasgow Scotland Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre Cosmic Rough Riders 19,231 / 19,231$1,029,914
28 August
1 SeptemberSlaneIrelandSlane Castle Ash
Moby
Nelly Furtado
The Walls
Dara
[a] [a]
List of concerts from leg 3 (North America) [30]
Date
(2001)
CityCountryVenueOpening actAttendance
(tickets sold / total available)
Revenue
10 October Notre Dame United States Edmund P. Joyce Center Garbage 11,441 / 11,441$774,685
12 OctoberMontrealCanadaMolson Centre21,063 / 21,063$1,028,673
13 October Hamilton Copps Coliseum 18,486 / 18,486$984,912
15 OctoberChicagoUnited StatesUnited Center39,368 / 39,368$3,206,600
16 October
19 October Baltimore Baltimore Arena Graham Parker 13,510 / 13,510$1,131,610
24 OctoberNew York CityMadison Square GardenGarbage
No Doubt
Stereophonics
55,155 / 55,155$4,706,370
25 October
27 October
28 OctoberEast RutherfordContinental Airlines ArenaStereophonics19,589 / 19,589$1,596,735
30 October Providence Dunkin' Donuts Center 26,575 / 26,575$2,269,218
31 October
2 NovemberPhiladelphiaFirst Union Center19,320 / 19,320$1,541,360
5 November Austin Frank Erwin Center No Doubt16,585 / 16,585$1,083,525
7 NovemberDenverPepsi Center18,432 / 18,432$1,505,225
9 November Salt Lake City Delta Center 17,197 / 17,197$1,347,245
12 NovemberLos Angeles Staples Center 33,448 / 33,448$2,987,433
13 November
15 November Oakland The Arena in Oakland 35,546 / 35,546$2,920,335
16 November
18 November Las Vegas Thomas & Mack Center 17,999 / 17,999$1,497,148
19 NovemberLos AngelesStaples Center16,724 / 16,724$1,493,716
20 November Sacramento ARCO Arena 13,789 / 13,789$1,139,145
23 NovemberPhoenixAmerica West Arena17,106 / 17,106$1,385,805
25 NovemberDallasReunion Arena17,489 / 17,489$1,417,350
27 November Kansas City Kemper Arena Garbage13,456 / 13,456$1,106,456
28 November St. Louis Savvis Center 16,051 / 16,051$1,269,365
30 NovemberAtlantaPhilips Arena18,535 / 18,535$1,504,925
1 December Tampa Ice Palace 16,494 / 16,494$1,339,865
2 December Miami American Airlines Arena 16,197 / 16,197$1,350,595
Totals for entire tour2,179,642$143,472,379

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 The score data is representative of the two shows at the Slane Castle on August 25 and September 1 respectively.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zoo TV Tour</span> 1992–93 concert tour by U2

The Zoo TV Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged primarily to support their 1991 album Achtung Baby along with their subsequent 1993 album Zooropa, the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 1992 to 1993. Intended to mirror the group's new musical direction on Achtung Baby, the Zoo TV Tour departed from the band's previously austere stage setups by providing an elaborately staged multimedia spectacle, satirising television and media oversaturation by attempting to instill "sensory overload" in its audience. To escape their reputation for being earnest and over-serious, U2 embraced a more lighthearted and self-deprecating image on tour. Zoo TV and Achtung Baby were central to the group's 1990s reinvention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PopMart Tour</span> 1997–98 concert tour by U2

The PopMart Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged in support of the group's 1997 album Pop, the tour's concerts were performed in stadiums and parks in 1997 and 1998. Much like the band's previous Zoo TV Tour, PopMart was an elaborate production. Its lavish stage design had a 165-foot-wide (50 m) LED screen, a 100-foot-high (30 m) golden arch, and a large mirror-ball lemon. As with the Zoo TV Tour, the band delivered an image and performance that were ironic and self-mocking on PopMart, deviating from their earnest performances of the 1980s; the band performed in costumes that, along with the stage design, poked fun at the themes of consumerism and pop culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vertigo Tour</span> 2005–06 concert tour by U2

The Vertigo Tour was a worldwide concert tour by the Irish rock band U2. Staged in support of the group's 2004 album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, the tour visited arenas and stadiums between March 2005 and December 2006. The Vertigo Tour consisted of five legs that alternated between indoor arena shows in North America and outdoor stadium shows internationally. Much like the previous Elevation Tour, the indoor portion of the Vertigo Tour featured a stripped-down, intimate stage design. Protruding from the main stage was an ellipse-shaped catwalk that encapsulated a small number of fans.

<i>Elevation 2001: Live from Boston</i> 2001 concert video by U2

Elevation 2001: Live from Boston is a concert film by Irish rock band U2. It was filmed on 5–6 and 9 June 2001 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts, during the first American leg of the group's Elevation Tour. The video was directed by Hamish Hamilton and produced by Ned O'Hanlon. It was released on home video as a two-disc DVD and a single VHS by Island Records and Interscope Records on 20 November 2001. Elevation 2001 was the first of two video releases from the tour, the second being U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle, Ireland in 2003.

<i>U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle, Ireland</i> 2003 concert film by U2

U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle, Ireland is a concert film by Irish rock band U2. It was filmed on 1 September 2001 at Slane Castle in County Meath, Ireland, during the European leg of the group's Elevation Tour. The video was released on DVD in November 2003. Although Slane Concerts at the castle are traditionally held once a year, U2 played two concerts; the second one was filmed for the video, and was the band's final show on the European leg of the tour. U2 Go Home was the second of two concert videos from the tour, preceded by 2001's Elevation 2001: Live from Boston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Joshua Tree Tour</span> 1987 concert tour by U2

The Joshua Tree Tour was a concert tour by Irish rock band U2. Staged in support of their 1987 album The Joshua Tree, it comprised 109 shows over three legs, spanning from April to December that year. The first and third legs visited North America, while the second leg toured Europe. Although it featured minimal production like the group's previous tours, the Joshua Tree Tour was the first to involve larger venues in arenas and stadiums as a result of the album's breakthrough. Much like U2 did on The Joshua Tree, on tour the group explored social and political concerns, along with American roots and mythology, collaborated with American guest musicians and opening acts such as B. B. King. U2 also recorded new material; these songs and their experiences on tour were depicted on the 1988 album and documentary film Rattle and Hum and on the 2007 video and live album Live from Paris. Territories that this tour missed would later be covered by Rattle and Hum's Lovetown Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridges to Babylon Tour</span> 1997–98 concert tour by the Rolling Stones

The Bridges to Babylon Tour was a worldwide concert tour by the Rolling Stones. Staged in support of their album Bridges to Babylon, the tour visited stadiums from 1997 to 1998. It grossed over $274 million, becoming the second-highest-grossing tour at that time, behind their own Voodoo Lounge Tour of 1994–1995. The Bridges to Babylon Tour was followed by 1999's No Security Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Just Push Play Tour</span> 2001–02 concert tour by Aerosmith

The Just Push Play Tour was a concert tour by Aerosmith that took the band across North America and Japan. Supporting their 2001 album Just Push Play, it ran from June 2001 to February 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's Talk About Love World Tour</span> 1998–99 concert tour by Celine Dion

The Let's Talk About Love World Tour was the eighth concert tour by Canadian recording artist Celine Dion. Visiting North America, Asia and Europe; the trek supported Dion's fifth English and fifteenth studio album Let's Talk About Love (1997). and her eleventh French and sixteenth studio album, S'il suffisait d'aimer (1998). The tour marks Dion's last worldwide tour until her Taking Chances World Tour in 2008–2009. Initially planned for 1998, the success of the tour continued into 1999. In 1998, the tour earned nearly $30 million from its concerts in North America alone. In Japan, tickets were immediately sold out on the first day of public sale. It was also nominated for "Major Tour of the Year" and "Most Creative Stage Production" at the Pollstar Industry Awards. According to Pollstar, the tour grossed about $91.2 million from 69 reported shows. The total gross for its overall 97 dates is estimated at $133 million, making it the highest-grossing female tour of the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Police Reunion Tour</span> 2007–2008 concert tour by the Police

The Reunion Tour was a 2007–2008 worldwide concert tour by the Police, marking the 30th anniversary of their beginnings. At its conclusion, the tour became the third highest-grossing tour of all time, with revenues reaching over $360 million. The tour began in May 2007 to overwhelmingly positive reviews from fans and critics alike and ended in August 2008 with a final show at Madison Square Garden.

The 5150 Tour was a concert tour by American hard rock band Van Halen in support of their seventh studio album, 5150.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PopOdyssey</span> 2001 concert tour by NSYNC

PopOdyssey was the fourth concert tour by American boy band NSYNC. Sponsored by Verizon Wireless and Chili's, the tour promoted the band's fourth studio album, Celebrity. The tour's name is defined as "an adventurous journey towards popularity, beginning as just a dream and ending in reality". The tour became the biggest production in pop music, beating U2's PopMart Tour. The tour, which visited stadiums, was NSYNC's first to include backup dancers, and is known for its elaborate audio and visual effects which included lasers, fireworks, animation, and suspension wires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moment of Truth World Tour</span> 1987–88 concert tour by Whitney Houston

The Moment of Truth World Tour was the second worldwide tour by American recording artist Whitney Houston and supported her multi-platinum hit album Whitney. The trek started on July 4, 1987 in North America and continued overseas during 1988 in Europe, Asia and Australia.

The Ballbreaker World Tour was a concert tour played by the Australian hard rock band AC/DC, in support of their thirteenth studio album Ballbreaker, which was released on 26 September 1995. This tour had 5 legs around the world lasting 11 months starting on 12 January 1996 in Greensboro, North Carolina finishing on 30 November 1996 in Christchurch, New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Razors Edge World Tour</span> 1990–1991 concert tour by AC/DC

The Razors Edge World Tour was a concert tour played by the hard rock band AC/DC, in support of their twelfth studio album The Razors Edge. This tour had 5 legs around the world lasting 12 months starting on 2 November 1990 in Worcester, Massachusetts, finishing on 16 November 1991 in Auckland, New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stiff Upper Lip World Tour</span> 2000–2001 concert tour by AC/DC

The Stiff Upper Lip World Tour was a concert tour by the Australian hard rock band AC/DC in support of their fourteenth studio album, Stiff Upper Lip, which was released in 28 February 2000. This tour had 6 legs around the world lasting 11 months starting on 1 August 2000 in Grand Rapids, Michigan finishing on 8 July 2001 in Cologne, Germany.

The Slippery When Wet Tour, by American hard rock band Bon Jovi, ran from 1986 to 1987. It supported the band's multi-platinum 1986 album Slippery When Wet and was their first major worldwide tour, visiting places such as Australia and Canada for the first time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Innocence + Experience Tour</span> 2015 concert tour by U2

The Innocence + Experience Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged in support of the band's 2014 album Songs of Innocence, the tour visited arenas throughout 2015. It was U2's first time playing arenas since 2005–2006 on their Vertigo Tour. Comprising two legs and 76 concerts, the Innocence + Experience Tour began on 14 May 2015 in Vancouver, Canada. It visited North America from May through July, and Europe from September through December. Shows were predominantly booked in pairs for each market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Joshua Tree Tours 2017 and 2019</span> Concert tours by U2 in 2017 and 2019

The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 and The Joshua Tree Tour 2019 were two worldwide concert tours by rock band U2 commemorating the 30th anniversary of their 1987 album The Joshua Tree. The 2017 tour visited stadiums over four legs: North America from May to July and in September, Europe from July to August, and Latin America in October. The 2019 tour visited Oceania and Asia in November and December, marking the band's first ever concerts in South Korea, Singapore, the Philippines, and India. The band played the whole Joshua Tree album during the concerts, which included their first live performances of the song "Red Hill Mining Town". It was the first time the group toured in promotion of an album from their back catalogue, rather than a new release. As part of the tour, U2 headlined the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, in June 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXXVI halftime show</span> Halftime show of the 2002 Super Bowl

The Super Bowl XXXVI Halftime Show, known through corporate sponsorship as the E-Trade Super Bowl XXXVI Halftime Show, was the halftime entertainment of Super Bowl XXXVI, which took place on February 3, 2002, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. It featured Irish rock band U2 as the performer. Using a heart-shaped stage replicated from their 2001 Elevation Tour, the group played three songs and paid tribute to the victims of the September 11 attacks, which had occurred in the United States five months earlier. The show was produced by Clear Channel Entertainment, which also produced the band's Elevation Tour. The Super Bowl and its halftime show were televised nationally in the US by Fox.

References

Footnotes
  1. 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–" . Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  2. Skanse, Richard (3 February 2001). "General Admission a Go for U2". Rolling Stone.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Stancavage, Sharon (August 2001). "In the name of simplicity: U2 tones down its past excesses for the Elevation tour". Entertainment Design . Vol. 35, no. 8. pp. 22–27. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Frink, Mark (June 2001). "Tour Profile". Mix . Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  5. 1 2 McHugh, Catherine (December 2001). "EDDY Awards 2001: Willie Williams". Entertainment Design . Vol. 35, no. 12. p. 13. Archived from the original on 29 December 2007. Retrieved 13 December 2007.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Stancavage, Sharon (3 August 2001). "The Elevation of U2". Live Design . Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Vari-Lite's Automated Lighting Technology Shines on U2 Elevation Tour; VL2416 Wash Luminaire Chosen for U2's First Indoor Arena Tour in 8 Years" (Press release). Business Wire. 17 April 2001.
  8. David Cheal (2001-02-09). "U2 make their bid to be best band in the world – further candidates need not apply". The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on 2007-02-05. Retrieved 2006-08-20.
  9. Matt Dentler (2001-04-05). "beaU2ful days". The Daily Texan . Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2006-08-20.
  10. "Bono Flies Back to Dying Father After Each U2 Gig". Reuters. 2001-08-21. Retrieved 2006-08-20.
  11. "A Heartfelt Halftime Show". Entertainment Design . Vol. 36, no. 4. April 2002. p. 4.
  12. de la Parra (2003), p. 268
  13. "Top 10 Super Bowl Halftime shows". SI.com . 3 February 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  14. Hoffarth, Tom (7 June 2001). "NBC pumps some life into halftime show". The Desert Sun . p. C2.
  15. Christman, Ed (24 November 2001). "Best Buy Coup On U2 DVD Leaves Indies Angry And Fearful". Billboard . Vol. 113, no. 47. p. 67.
  16. Waddell, Ray (September 15, 2001). "U2 to Return to North America for Tour's Second Leg". Billboard . Vol. 113, no. 37. p. 12.
  17. Waddell, Ray. "The Year In Boxscores: One-Offs, Multiples Draw High Grosses. (The Year in Touring 2001)". Billboard . Vol. 113, no. 52. pp. YT-8, YT-18–YT-20.
  18. Waddell, Ray (14 March 2009). "Kissing the Future". Billboard. Vol. 121, no. 10. p. 19.
  19. Hyden, Steven (27 December 2001). "U2 elevates itself to top-grossing tour of the year". The Post-Crescent . sec. Encore, p. 2.
  20. Light, Alan (January 2002). "Rock's Unbreakable Heart". Spin . Vol. 18, no. 1. pp. 56–62.
  21. McGee (2008), p. 245
  22. "The EDDY Awards". Live Design . 7 December 2006. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  23. Ellen Lampert-Gréaux (2001-11-21). "10th Anniversary EDDY Awards Presenters Announced". Live Design . Archived from the original on 2007-12-29. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  24. "2002 TEC Awards Nominees and Winners". TEC Awards . Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  25. de la Parra (2003), pp. 228–244
  26. North American box score:
  27. de la Parra (2003), p. 245-258
  28. Europe box score:
  29. North America box score:
Bibliography