USA: U2 GIVE THE FIRST CONCERT OF THEIR WORLD TOUR IN LAS VEGAS

Record ID: 393241

  • Title: USA: U2 GIVE THE FIRST CONCERT OF THEIR WORLD TOUR IN LAS VEGAS
  • Date: 25th April 1997
  • Summary: DOGS POSING FOR PICTURES FOR TWO DOLLARS A SHOT
  • Embargoed: 10th May 1997 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA3W4D32CJAKT4KF0CXDDSQ2Q8R
  • Story Text: U2 has kicked off its world tour playing to a sell-out crowd in Las Vegas in the first stop of their long-awaited "PopMart" tour.

    Almost three hours ahead of the performance, excited fans gathered in a car park outside La Vegas's Sam Boyd stadium. Many Europeans were among the thousands gathering to see the kick-off concert of the group's first tour in nearly five years.

    Many Hollywood stars were among fans attending the event.

    The band's manager Paul McGuinness said before the show the group was looking forward to having Oasis open their performance in Oakland, California.

    A U.S. network reported more security personnel than usual were guarding the Irish singer Bono, who fears being gunned down by a stalker. Bono says a deranged man accosted him in a hotel lobby during the group's last tour and threatened to "take him out" before he was arrested.

    But the threats failed to dim a stunning performance asBono led off the group's concert with music from its new album, "Pop." The band performed various hits from "Pop," including "Do You Feel Love" and well-known oldies such as "I Will Follow." "Pop" is lagging at Number 13 after seven weeks on the U.S.

    album charts. But financially, the group was expected to fare better with returns of around 400 million U.S. dollars in tickets, albums and souvenir T-shirts by the tour's end.

    The Irish rock band was scheduled to visit 40 U.S. cities before winding up the first leg of PopMart on July 12 in Boston. U2 is then scheduled to travel to Europe and South America before returning to the United States in October.
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