You can be sure that the band U2 will be doing things in a very big way as they embark on a tour to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of “The Joshua Tree” album and while this isn’t a “METAL” tour at all, I do like to announce the big Rock shows when they are unveiled as well since this one is going to be interesting. Check out the full press copy and dates below and then I will return with some added thoughts.
The Press Release:
The band will be out on the road again this summer celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Joshua Tree and performing the album in full, every night. In July the tour brings them home to Croke Park in Dublin, 30 years after the original Joshua Tree Tour’s two memorable shows at the Dublin venue in June 1987.
U2: The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 kicks off in Vancouver on 12th May for a run of dates across North America, and includes U2’s first ever U.S. festival headline appearance at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival.
The tour then moves to Europe with the first stop in London on 8th July, finishing up in Brussels on 1st August and taking in their hometown show in Croke Park on 22nd July.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds will provide support across Europe, with Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers and One Republic joining the tour through North America.
“It seems like we have come full circle from when The Joshua Tree songs were originally writtten, with global upheaval, extreme right wing politics and some fundamental human rights at risk,” reflects The Edge. “To celebrate the album – as these songs seem so relevant and prescient of these times too – we decided to do these shows, it feels right for now. We’re looking forward to it.”
“Recently I listened back to The Joshua Tree for the first time in nearly 30 years,” adds Bono. “It’s quite an opera. A lot of emotions which feel strangely current, love, loss, broken dreams, seeking oblivion, polarisation… all the greats… I’ve sung some of these songs a lot… but never all of them. I’m up for it, if our audience is as excited as we are… it’s gonna be a great night. Especially when we play at home. Croke Park.. it’s where the album was born, 30 years ago.”
Tickets for U2: The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 are on sale Monday, January 16th in Ireland, the UK and Europe and on Tuesday, January 17th in the US and Canada. Ticket prices start at €35.00 / £35.00 / $35.00 with general admission floor tickets at €70.00 / £70.00 / $70.00.
As usual, there is an exclusive priority presale for U2.com subscribers from Wednesday, January 11th (9am) through Friday, January 13th (5pm) local times. Tickets will be general admission on the floor and reserved seating in the stands. There will be a 4 ticket limit for subscriber purchases and a 6 ticket limit commencing with public sales. In North America, all floor tickets will be paperless unless otherwise noted.
Find all the dates below and keep an eye on our tour page for the latest ticket and package information. (Not a U2.com subscriber but interested in taking part in the presales? Subscription details here.)
Released to universal acclaim on March 9th 1987 and featuring hit singles “With Or Without You”,“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” and “Where The Streets Have No Name”, The Joshua Tree went to No. 1 in Ireland and around the world selling in excess of 25 million copies and catapulting Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr “… from heroes to superstars” (Rolling Stone).
Time Magazine put U2 on its cover in April 1987, proclaiming them “Rock’s Hottest Ticket” in a defining year for the band that saw their arena dates roll into stadium shows to accommodate escalating demand – setting them on course to become one of the greatest live acts in the world today.
The 12 months that followed saw the band create now-iconic moments: the traffic-stopping Grammy Award-winning music video on the roof of a Los Angeles liquor store, winning a BRIT Award and two Grammys – including Album of the Year – their first of 22 received to date, distinguishing U2 as the most awarded rock band in Grammy history; as well as a triumphant return home with the original Joshua Tree Tour for four unforgettable shows in Belfast, Dublin and Cork in the summer of 1987.
In 1987 Hot Press called The Joshua Tree “their most influential album yet”. As for this tour? Noel Gallagher says, “It will be both a pleasure and an honour to play my part in what still remains the greatest show on earth.”
#U2TheJoshuaTree2017
The Tour Dates:
5/12/2017 – Vancouver, BC CA @ BC Place Stadium w/Mumford & Sons
5/14/2017 – Seattle, WA @ CenturyLink Field w/Mumford & Sons
5/17/2017 – San Francisco, CA @ Levi’s Stadium w/Mumford & Sons
5/20/2017 – Los Angeles, CA @ Rose Bowl w/The Lumineers
5/24/2017 – Houston, TX @ NRG Stadium w/The Lumineers
5/26/2017 – Dallas, TX @ AT&T Stadium w/The Lumineers
6/3/2017 – Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field w/The Lumineers
6/7/2017 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Heinz Field w/The Lumineers
6/11/2017 – Miami, FL @ Hard Rock Stadium w/OneRepublic
6/14/2017 – Tampa, FL @ Raymond James Stadium w/OneRepublic
6/18/2017 – Philadelphia, PA @ Lincoln Financial Field w/The Lumineers
6/20/2017 – Washington, DC @ FedEx Field w/The Lumineers
6/23/2017 – Toronto, ON CA @ Rogers Centre w/The Lumineers
6/25/2017 – Boston, MA @ Gillette Stadium w/The Lumineers
6/28/2017 – E. Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium w/The Lumineers
7/1/2017 – Cleveland, OH @ First Energy w/OneRepublic
7/8/2017 – London UK @ Twickenham Stadium w/Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
7/12/2017 – Berlin DE @ Olympic Stadium w/Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
7/15/2017 – Rome IT @ Olympic Stadium w/Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
7/18/2017 – Barcelona ES @ Olympic Stadium w/Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
7/22/2017 – Dublin IE @ Croke Park w/Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
7/25/2017 – Paris FR @ Stade De France w/Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
7/29/2017 – Amsterdam NL @ Amsterdam Arena w/Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
8/1/2017 – Brussels BE @ Stade Roi-Baudoin w/Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
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PiercingMetal Thoughts: Wow I cannot believe it’s been thirty years since that album came out but it has. I’ve been listening to the bands earliest works recently as I was a pretty decent fan back during that time. I loved some of the New Wave stuff where their songs like “I Will Follow” were aimed and even played “New Year’s Day” and “Sunday Bloody Sunday” in a few bands that I had. Strangely enough I never managed to catch them in concert despite wanting to on a number of occasions. Hopefully I’ll be able to get to the MetLife Stadium show as the band celebrates this great album. It was all over the MTV Channel back then when they showed videos and even had weekly standings on the favorite clip of the week. This is an album worth celebrating and I don’t think that U2 has ever delivered it in full so this show will surely be special. What do you think of this tour and the places its dropping down on? You can let me know in the comments section below.
Official Website: http://www.u2.com