2009-11-03 ::
Fans Upset over U2 Concert
 
View other " General News " articles!

After their successful concert that debuted on the website YouTube, U2 continued their nonstop concerts around the world, recently making it out to Berlin, Germany.

The Irish-based band performed a free concert on Thursday in front of the Brandenburg Gate, and later on was accompanied by American hip hop rapper, Jay-Z.

Although the concert went swimmingly, other fans had complained as there was a 6 1/2 foot metal barrier around the stage and concert area, even though it was a free event.

Bono, however, did not acknowledge the fence, instead greeting his fans with some German phrases and then proceeeding to perform their 30 minute set. The six songs performed included their hits "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "One", and "Beautiful Day".

Jy Z and the group performed the Bob Marley classic "Get Up, Stand Up" towards the end of the night.

Concert promoters gave out 10,000 tickets to the show online, which sold out in three hours.

Berliners, especially, noticed the strange irony between the fence put up for the concert and the old Berlin Wall, which seperated East Berlin and West Berlin.

Louis-Pierre Boily, a Quebec-native visiting Berlin, told reporters that the set-up wasn't what he was expecting, and he was unable to get a ticket.

"It's completely ridiculous that they are blocking the view.. I thought it's a free show, but MTV probably wants people to watch it on TV to get their ratings up."

Boily also mentioned that the fence was draped with a white tarp that blocked the view of the stage from the street. Some fans already were trying to tear down the tarp before the concert.
The music network MTV, which organized the concert, said it worked with the local promoter, the city and Berlin police to install a temporary fence "around the site to ensure the safety and security of the attendees at the event as well as residents and businesses in the area."


Our Thoughts
If it was a free show, technically it shouldn't be barred from other fans wanting to see the group. However, to ensure the safety of others nd not to disrupt the streets of the city, it was necessary to build up a barrier.