Excessive Spending and Red Ink Aren't Exclusive to DC These Days ....

U2's Extravagant 360 Tour Is Still Losing Money.....

We all know that Bono is a huge fan of Barack Obama. He and the rest of U2 played at Obama's Inauguration celebration, but it seems that they even more in common. Bono has always had a soft heart, so he's tried to do whatever he can for the people, and just like Obama, it often involves spending money - lots and lots of money.....

In this time of economic woe, U2's 360 degree tour has been a lonely high point as far as juice and attendance have gone. I planned on going to the Raleigh show - mainly because MUSE was the opening act there as well - but stuff happens. But, plenty of other people have gone instead. You'd think that with such attendance, Bono , The Edge, Adam and Larry would have enough cash to BUY Northern Ireland by now. Nope. Despite grossing over $300 million, the tour is still in the red, and it may not turn a profit when it ends soon.

How do you not make money when all you do is play music? Easy - excess, baby! The tour has three separate stages which take almost two days to dismantle when they're done. The setup is so big that thye can't even use it for indoor shows, so now that it's getting cold, the tour is over...It keeps the union guys busy, but it adds a ton of overhead to the bottom line. Just like a huge government bureaucracy ends up bloating our budget. There's another similarity between the tour and government - the tour is now in it's 5th month, and it's still paying out - just like you have to work until May every year just to get free from your tax burden. Hmmm........

I'm a rock and roll purist.... I go to a show to hear the music and see the band. That's it. I think video screens, pyrotechnics and giant revolving stages are bullshit, and it's purpose is to distract you from a sucky group. U2 doesn't suck. They were a band with a message, and when they played live, it was just them and the music. Now, it's a big freakin' carnival, and the music is a sideshow. Too bad. Both the Democrats and Republicans had a message too, but that often seems lost as well. That's OK - Congress is having Lollapalooza '10 next Summer. Maybe they can borrow U2's stage.....

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