Early in 2011, the band returned to Hansa Studio in Berlin to discuss the making of Achtung Baby with Academy Award winning director Davis Guggenheim (It Might Get Loud, Waiting for Superman, An Inconvenient Truth).

Originally screened as part of BBC’s Imagine Series across the UK last October, the film was also the first ever documentary to open the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival.

Twenty Years after the release of U2′s Achtung Baby, Guggenheim charts the path toward this groundbreaking album. Guggenheim uses animation and unseen footage from Berlin and Dublin alongside conversation to reveal what is now a key chapter in U2′s career.

“In the terrain of rock bands – implosion or explosion is seemingly inevitable. U2 has defied the gravitational pull towards destruction…this band has endured and thrived. From The Sky Down asks the question why,” says Guggenheim.

Early in 2011, the band returned to Hansa Studio in Berlin to discuss the making of Achtung Baby with Academy Award winning director Davis Guggenheim (It Might Get Loud, Waiting for Superman, An Inconvenient Truth).

Originally screened as part of BBC’s Imagine Series across the UK last October, the film was also the first ever documentary to open the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival.

Twenty Years after the release of U2′s Achtung Baby, Guggenheim charts the path toward this groundbreaking album. Guggenheim uses animation and unseen footage from Berlin and Dublin alongside conversation to reveal what is now a key chapter in U2′s career.

“In the terrain of rock bands – implosion or explosion is seemingly inevitable. U2 has defied the gravitational pull towards destruction…this band has endured and thrived. From The Sky Down asks the question why,” says Guggenheim.

U2 360° At The Rose Bowl will be released on DVD and Blu-ray by Interscope Records on June 3, coinciding with the band’s first U.S. show in 2010. U2360° At The Rose Bowl was the penultimate gig of last year’s U2360° tour in support of their Grammy-nominated album No Line on The Horizon. The Rose Bowl performance was the band’s biggest show of 2009 and U2’s biggest ever US show, with a live audience in excess of 97,000.

The show was also streamed across seven continents via YouTube. The first ever live streaming of a full-length stadium concert, U2360° at the Rose Bowl had over 10 million views on the channel in one week.

Shot entirely in HD, the concert was filmed with 27 cameras and directed by Tom Krueger who had previously worked on U23D, the first live action 3D concert movie taken from U2’s Vertigo Tour. View the trailer here at http://www.u2.com/news/title/rose-bowl-concert-on-dvd.

Available in standard and two disc deluxe DVD formats, U2360° At The Rose Bowl will also be U2’s first concert available in Blu–ray. The deluxe formats and the Blu-ray will feature a new documentary called Squaring the Circle: Creating U2360°, with new interviews from U2, Paul McGuinness and the team behind the touring production. Full format information is available at www.u2.com.

Tracklisting: Get On Your Boots, Magnificent, Mysterious Ways, Beautiful Day, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of, No Line On The Horizon, Elevation, In A Little While, Unknown Caller, Until the End of the World, The Unforgettable Fire, City of Blinding Lights, Vertigo, I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight, Sunday Bloody Sunday, MLK, Walk On, One, Where The Streets Have No Name, Ultra Violet (Light My Way), With Or Without You, Moment Of Surrender.

The ground breaking U2360° tour continues this year, with the US leg opening in Salt Lake City on June 3, and the European leg opening in Turin, Italy on August 6. U2 will headline Glastonbury on June 25th.

U2360° Tour Dates

June 3, Salt Lake City, UT; June 6 & 7, Anaheim CA; June 12, Denver, CO; June 16, Oakland, CA; June 20, Seattle WA; June 23, Edmonton WA; June 25, Glastonbury UK; June 27, Minneapolis MN; June 30, East Lansing MI; July 3, Toronto ON; July 6, Chicago IL; July 9, Miami FL; July 12, Philadelphia, PA; July 12, Montreal QC; July 17, Montreal QC; July 19, New York, NY; August 6, Turin, Italy; August, 10, Frankfurt, Germany; August 12, Hannover, Germany; August 15 & 16, Horsens, Denmark; August 20 & 21, Helsinki, Finland; August, 25, Moscow, Russia; August 30, Vienna, Austria; Sept. 3, Athens, Greece; Sept 6, Istanbul, Turkey; September 11, Zurich, Switzerland; Sept. 12, Zurich, Switzerland; Sept. 15, Munich, Germany; Sept. 18, Paris, France; Sept,. 22 & 23, Brussels, Belgium; Sept. 26, San Sebastian, Spain; Sept. 29, Seville, Spain; October 2 & 3, Coimbra, Portugal; Oct. 8, Rome, Italy.

The special edition release of The Unforgettable Fire marks 25 years since the album’s original release in October 1984. Recorded at Slane Castle, Ireland, The Unforgettable Fire was the first U2 album to be produced by Brian Eno and Danny Lanois, and spawned two top 10 UK singles – “Pride (In The Name Of Love)” and “The Unforgettable Fire.”

The Unforgettable Fire is available now in four different formats, with deluxe editions that feature two previously unheard tracks from the Slane Castle sessions: “Yoshino Blossom”, and “Disappearing Act” as well as a limited edition Super Deluxe package which includes a DVD featuring music videos, a documentary and unreleased live footage from the Amnesty International Conspiracy of Hope Tour in 1986.

U2′s The Edge, directed the remastering from the original audio tapes, this release is a must have for any U2.

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The album is available in four formats:

Limited Edition Box Set: containing 2 CDs (remastered album and bonus audio CD), a DVD with live footage, documentary and videos, a 56 page hardback book with liner notes by The Edge, Brian Eno, Danny Lanois, Bert Van de Kamp and Niall Stokes, and 5 photographic prints

Deluxe Edition: containing 2 CDs; the remastered album, and the bonus audio CD which features B-sides and previously unreleased material, a 36 page booklet with liner notes by The Edge, Brian Eno, Danny Lanois and Bert Van de Kamp

CD format: featuring the remastered album

12″ vinyl format: 16 page booklet with liner notes by Brian Eno, Danny Lanois and Bert Van de Kamp

Track listing: A Sort of Homecoming, Pride (In The Name Of Love), Wire, The Unforgettable Fire, Promenade, 4th Of July, Bad, Indian Summer Sky, Elvis Presley and America, MLK

The great U2 has also teamed up with a leading force in the world of mobile technology as the face of the new Blackberry campaign. With the help of Blackberry fans can discover the 360 tour in a whole new way!

Produced by Live Nation Global Touring, U2 360° will visit 14 cities across Europe including dates in Milan, Gothenburg, Amsterdam, Paris, Nice, Dublin, Chorzow, Berlin, Gelsenkirchen, London, Sheffield and Glasgow before finishing at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 22nd August. The European tour will be followed by dates in North America beginning at Chicago’s Soldier Field on September 12th, 2009.

Long-time U2 Show Director Willie Williams has worked again with architect Mark Fisher (ZooTV, PopMart, Elevation and Vertigo), to create an innovative 360˚ design which affords an unobstructed view for the audience. U2 360° also marks the first time a band has toured in stadiums with such a unique and original structure (which can be viewed at U2.com).

“U2 has always been at their best when surrounded by their audience, this staging takes a giant leap forward. With 85 percent of the tickets priced at less than $95.00, general admission floor tickets priced at $55.00 and at least 10,000 tickets at every venue priced at the $30.00 price range, we have worked very hard to ensure that U2 fans can purchase a great priced ticket with a guaranteed great view” says U2’s manager Paul McGuinness.

Arthur Fogel, CEO Global Touring/Chairman – Global Music Live Nation: “Following the overwhelming worldwide success of the Vertigo tour where every available ticket was sold, there is tremendous anticipation for this tour and to experience this revolutionary production. As usual fans will not be disappointed.”

“This tour announcement marks the first stage of a relationship and shared vision between Blackberry and U2 that we expect will lead to new and innovative ways to enhance the mobile music experience on the BlackBerry platform for U2 fans,” added Paul McGuinness. “We look forward to sharing more details as the relationship unfolds.”

In keeping with their long-standing tradition, U2 will welcome a number of different support acts to the tour including Glasvegas, Elbow, Kaiser Chiefs, Snow Patrol and Black Eyed Peas with additional artists to be announced.

Tickets for U2 360° performances in Milan and Gothenburg go on sale this Friday, March 13th. Tickets for the Amsterdam performance go on sale this Saturday, March 14th. Full details of all dates and on-sale information as well as a virtual model of the unique production and seating positions can be found on a dedicated microsite at U2.com. As usual, existing subscribers to U2’s official website u2.com will have an opportunity to purchase tickets in advance of the public on sale date.

EUROPEAN TOUR SCHEDULE:

30-JUNE BARCELONA, SP NOU CAMP

07-JULY MILAN, IT SAN SIRO

11-JULY PARIS, FR STADE DE FRANCE

15-JULY NICE, FR PARC CHARLES EHRMANN

18-JULY BERLIN, DE OLYMPIC STADIUM

20-JULY AMSTERDAM, NL ArenA

24-JULY DUBLIN, IE CROKE PARK

31-JULY GOTHENBURG, SE ULLEVI

06-AUG. CHORZOW, PL SLASKI STADIUM

10-AUG. ZAGREB, HR MAKSIMIR STADIUM

14-AUG. LONDON, UK WEMBLEY STADIUM

18-AUG. GLASGOW, UK HAMPDEN PARK

20-AUG. SHEFFIELD, UK DON VALLEY STADIUM

22-AUG. CARDIFF, UK MILLENNIUM STADIUM

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR SCHEDULE:

12-SEPT. CHICAGO, IL SOLDIER FIELD

16-SEPT. TORONTO, ON THE ROGERS CENTRE

20-SEPT. BOSTON, MA GILLETTE STADIUM

24-SEPT. NEW YORK, NY GIANTS STADIUM

In September and October, U2 360 will also visit: Atlanta, GA; Charlottesville, VA; Dallas, TX; Houston, TX; Las Vegas, NV; Los Angeles, CA; Norman, OK; Phoenix, AZ; Tampa, FL; Washington, DC and Vancouver, BC. Complete Tour and ticketing information to follow.

Corporate line:
“No Line On The Horizon,” the new studio album from U2 is the band’s 12th studio album calls on the production talents of long-time collaborators Brian Eno and Danny Lanois, with additional production by Steve Lillywhite. The album is available in five different packages.

The good:
“No Line On The Horizon” – Not going to be confused with any of their best songs—it’ll still have you listening over and over again.

“Moment of Surrender” – This song should have been called “Magnificent.” This seven-minute track is a showstopper. It’s simply gorgeous and proves that even a simple song can leave a big impression.

“Breathe” – Might not be a great song—however its still one that hooks you in quickly and keeps you intrigued.

The rest:
“Get On Your Boots” – It’s hard to believe this is the first single. It’s one of the album’s weaker tracks and too full of generic rock. U2 at their most average.

“Magnificent” – A slushy song that doesn’t do anything.

Finally:
U2 is one of the few legendary groups the world still waits in anticipation to hear. Which makes “No Line on the Horizon” a let down. It’s hard to listen without expecting your world to be turned upside down. Instead “No Line on the Horizon” would be above average for most bands and merely average for U2. The instrumentation is great and some of the lyrics are good—and yet there are many songs that are far too trite. If only U2 didn’t have to be compared to U2.

U2 Rooftop performance of “Get On Your Boots”