If U2 play Dublin in 2011, where will they play ?
There has been a drip feed of new gig announcements in recent weeks, and South America is probably the next announcement along with a few additional U.S. dates. As the last few pieces of the 360 tour jigsaw puzzle come together, it’s time to take a look at the possibility of U2 playing Ireland to finish the 360 tour. This is done on a purely logical and realistic basis of the only three venues that could host such an event. It is clear that with the Pittsburgh gig happening on July 27th, it would be reasonable to assume that any possible Dublin gigs would happen in August or September 2011.
SLANE CASTLE, Co. Meath:
On Friday the Kings Of Leon were announced to be the 2011 headliners at Slane Castle. It was always very unlikely that U2 would play here at all, as the Claw is completely unsuitable for a venue with a sloping hill at one end, and a river at the other. However, the announcement does rule that out completely. The 30th anniversary of Slane was another possible factor in the equation, but it is not to be.
CROKE PARK STADIUM, Dublin:
Next up, the venue that U2 have played more than any other act. Last year Dublin got multiple U2 360 gigs at Croke Park. Next year the tour schedule in the U.S. wraps up on July 26th. So what of the Croke Park timetable ? Well a quick run through the event archive gives us a typical picture of what the venue schedule looks like in August. It is the busiest time of the year for Croke Park. The All Ireland Hurling & Football championships are in full swing with the semi finals of both competitions in August, and these are always on weekends. Then the finals themselves are in early September for Hurling, and within 2 weeks of this for Gaelic Football.
What this all means is that Croke Park is very unlikely to host any concerts in August or September.
As a double check on the concert history at Croke Park, the archive of concerts which is here indicates that there has never been a concert there during the month of August, September or October over the last 25 years. There was just one exception to this, being The Police who played an unusually late concert there in October 2007. U2 are unlikely to play an outdoor concert in Ireland in October.
AVIVA STADIUM Dublin:
This is the only realistic option for U2 playing Dublin in 2011 in the months of August or September. The event calendar here, lists just 1 event in early September and the whole month of August is free. This venue is the most likely option if U2 play Dublin in 2011.
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Hi there! One friend of mine who has many ‘sources’ in Ireland told me that they’ll play 100% in Dublin next year and probably in AVIVA STADIUM!!! Until then, all the best!!!
Aviva would be the best place for them to play. The stadium meets up to the epicness of the Claw, plus I’ve heard about complaints with Croke Park (including that there’s no seats behind the stage). Of course, Aviva doesn’t have that problem.
Didn’t I read somewhere that if they would play Dublin it would be in a *new* venue? That sounds like Aviva.
And what about Belfast? Any chance? Didn’t Larry want to end the tour there?
if it happens it will again be 270°
Hi,
U2 search,
This blog post only deals with specualtion of a possible Dublin venue that U2 could play in 2011. There has been much discussion on where they would play in Dublin if the tour comes back to Ireland next year, the information narrows it down to only one possible venue.
For Belfast & Uk dates, well thats another issue. We’ll have to wait and see as I am only speculating as to the Dublin venue possibilities here. I hope they come back here, but nothing has been confirmed.
Oh lol, I didn’t think of Belfast as being in the UK
And no, nothing political here, just geographics.
Aviva would be crap. There would be no crowd behind the stage (since there are only 10 rows of seats at the northern end of the stadium - pathetic), the huge roof trusses would block a huge number of people on the upper tier’s views of the screens, it’s toilet and refreshment provision is scandalously bad with insane queues even at the last rugby game which only had 35,000 people there… basically it’s a really bad stadium. Unfortunately it seems to be the only option for U2 live in Ireland next year. I’ll be going to Wembley or Berlin or somewhere instead…