Gig may end later, as U2 reconsider curfew
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Bono and the rest of U2 spent some hours yesterday considering whether they should risk breaking the law -- in the interest of their fans' enjoyment.
It cost millions to create and the effect is spectacular. But the Claw -- the massive stage creation which U2 are currently using on their worldwide 360 Degree tour -- is seen to its best effect in the dark. So in every other one of the 44 cities in the world where the band have or will be performing, it's a late date: In Barcelona the concert finished at 1.30 am.
In Dublin it is different. In deference to the complaints of some residents of the area around Croke Park, the planning permission includes an 11pm curfew. The band go on stage at 8.45pm and it gets dark around 10 pm. The result is that the majority of the show takes place in daylight and the audience gets only a fraction of the €40m effect that the inventive staging is intended to create.
On Friday night the band obeyed the curfew and finished on time. But it rankled with them. So much so that throughout yesterday there was a serious debate about how this obstacle to entertainment might be gotten over for the remaining shows last night and tomorrow.
There were two possible solutions: try to have the curfew lifted, or simply break the law and take the consequences -- a heavy fine.
