Opening night of the U2 360 U.S. stadium tour was an amazing experience. More than 90,000 people descended on Chicago’s Soldier Field, each one ready for an incredible spectacle—and they didn’t leave disappointed. The concert was full of everything you’d want from a U2 show: visual extravagance, brash music and crystal-clear sound. In fact, the show was such a big story that I actually wrote two stories for Pro Sound News: one about the Front-of-House mix (sound for the audience) and one on the monitor mixes (sound for the band). Below are a few images from the day that never saw print.
Want the inside scoop on how they tackled sound for U2′s PopMart and Elevation tours? Dive into my book, Crank It Up: Live Sound Secrets of the Top Tour Engineers, which goes behind the scenes on more than 30 tours, gaining insights more than 70 audio pros. Check out the overview, or the rave reviews, or just buy it.
A whole world exists under the stage; there's everything from guitar and bass workshops, to bathrooms for the band, to the monitor mix area (shown; I'm far right). There, I interviewed the engineers who create the specialized mixes the group hears while performing.
Some of the 40-plus guitars ready each night for the Edge--two for each song, with one reserved as a backup.
Adam Clayton goes through about six basses in the course of a show, so there's roughly 15 set up in his bass work area.
Me (right) learning about the concentric rings of sub bass loudspeakers that ensure you hear the low-end even at the top of the stadium.
With a show as complicated as U2 360, the crew always needs to know what's next, so there's both songs and notes on the set list.