Beautiful day in Barcelona as U2's magnificent stage gets final touches
Saturday June 27 2009
THE sun is shining at Barcelona's Nou Camp stadium -- and U2's futuristic new stage, above and right, is taking shape.
The band kick off their '360' tour in the Spanish city on Tuesday and will take in 14 European cities over the summer.
The spectacular stage will allow Bono and the boys to perform in the middle of the stadium, so that fans will surround the band on all sides.
Four days before U2 play their first date, technicians were still putting the final touches to the canopied structure that hovers over the stage.
Lights and lasers are expected to play an important role in the show, and rumours abound that the circular stage may revolve, giving every fan a bird's eye view of the proceedings.
Costing more than €100m to stage and running for the next 18 months, the band has already sold some 2.5 million tickets for its dates throughout Europe and North America as they showcase their latest album, 'No Line on the Horizon'.
Meanwhile, glimpses of the plans for the Croke Park concert dates show that the stage will be set up near the Canal End with no backstage area.
U2 will play in Croke Park, Dublin, on July 24, 25 and 27, with around 80,000 fans expected to attend each night.
- Caitrina Cody
