U2 to open world tour in Las Vegas

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

The Irish rock band U2 plans to begin its world tour April 25 in Las Vegas.

The concert, kicking off a yearlong tour of three continents, will be at Sam Boyd Stadium, marking the group's first performance in Las Vegas in more than four years.

The tour information was to be announced this morning at a New York news conference beamed live to the Thomas & Mack Center.

Ticket information was sketchy. But the average price to see the group, which reportedly stands to make $130 million to $160 million from the tour, hovers around $45.

Numerous computer Internet websites dedicated to U2 have heralded the group's unannounced Las Vegas kickoff concert for quite some time.

U2, which in the 1980s became arguably the most widely followed rock band in the world and still has a huge following, features vocalist Paul Hewson, known as Bono; lead guitarist David Evans, known simply as The Edge; bass guitarist Adam Clayton; and drummer Larry Mullen Jr.

U2's early albums were the 1980 debut LP "Boy," followed by "October" (1981), "War," (1982, featuring the politically conscious song "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" about the violence in Northern Ireland); the live album "Under A Blood Red Sky," (1982); "Unforgettable Fire" (1984); and "The Joshua Tree" (1987, the Grammy Award-winning album of the year, featuring the No. 1 songs "With or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," the video for which was filmed in Las Vegas.)

The group's later albums were "Rattle and Hum" (1988, reached No. 1 on the charts), "Achtung Baby" (1991, a No. 1 album that won the Grammy for best rock performance by a duo or group with vocal); and "Zooropa" (1993, a No. 1 album, which won the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album).

The group's latest isx"Pop," scheduled to be released in early March. The first single and video is "Discotheque."

Although the group has not released an album in quite some time, its "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" top 20 hit was on the "Batman Forever" soundtrack released in 1995.

In 1992, the group, which had been playing together since attending the same high school in the late 1970s, went on its Zoo TV Tour, which included the stop at Sam Boyd Stadium.

The group did little to keep its return engagement a secret.

The Edge, attending an art exhibition in Dublin on Tuesday, was quoted as saying in the Irish Times: "We're rehearsing here for another few weeks then we'll go over to the states for the final rehearsals before we start the tour in Las Vegas."

U2's videos are as popular as the band's sound, which is highlighted by Bono's sensuous renditions and The Edge's reverberating guitar.

U2's video Grammys include the 1988 Best Performance Music Video "Where the Streets Have No Name" and the 1994 Best Music Video (long form) "Zoo TV -- Live From Sydney."

Estimates are that as many as 5 million people will view the upcoming tour at stops in the United States (first leg), Europe (second leg, including at least two shows in their native Dublin) and South America (third leg).

The tour reportedly stands to take in $225 million, with the group getting more than 50 percent. U2 also reportedly receives 45 percent of merchandise sold at its concerts. That is expected to generate another $45 million in total sales.