The Evolution Of Stadium Rock
U2’s 360 tour continues with it’s groundbreaking “claw” stage taking stadium gigs to yet another level.
The group perform in the round, with speakers, lights and a cylindrical screen suspended above them. They say it lets them get closer to fans and gives the crowd a better view.
Over the past 40 odd years outdoor gigs have become hi-tech, theatrical spectacles, with spectacular ticket prices to match.
Here are some of the landmark gigs in the evolution of stadium rock.
THE BEATLES – SHEA STADIUM, NEW YORK, 15 August 1965
With Beatlemania rampant, the Fab Four made history as the first band to perform a stadium gig.
The screams from the 55,000-strong crowd were so loud that the band were barely audible in the home of the New York Mets baseball team. The group played on a stage in the centre of the stadium as 2,000 security personnel battled to keep crazed fans off the field.
LED ZEPPELIN – KNEBWORTH, 4 & 11 August 1979
The heavy rockers had played one of the first stadium tours in the US in 1973. Six years later, they returned to the UK to play two shows in the grounds of Knebworth House.
Between 200,000-400,000 people saw them play what would be their last full UK shows. Among other things, the shows were notable for their use of big screen technology.
GENESIS – ABACAB TOUR, 1981
In a bullring in Barcelona, Genesis fans saw the first moving stage lights – something that would become common at concerts everywhere.
The inventors of the Vari-Lite had demonstrated their gadget to Tony Banks, Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford during rehearsals, and the band liked it so much that they invested in the new company.
LIVE AID – WEMBLEY STADIUM, LONDON & JFK STADIUM, PHILADELPHIA, 13 July 1985
Billed as the biggest rock event the world would ever see, Live Aid was a transatlantic 16-hour show, broadcast live on TV and radio to more than 1.5 billion people in 160 countries.
Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, U2, Madonna, Queen, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin and Mick Jagger were among the artists who appeared to raise money for African famine relief.
DAVID BOWIE – GLASS SPIDER TOUR, 1987
Bowie pioneered the art of performance over several world tours, combining rock with theatre, costume and choreography.
The Glass Spider tour, which began at the Stadion Feijenoord, Rotterdam, and was seen by three million people, was the culmination of his elaborate efforts.
ROLLING STONES – STEEL WHEELS TOUR, 1989/90
The Steel Wheels tour, first seen in Philadelphia, was on a new scale, with a bigger, more extravagant stage and higher ticket prices than ever before.
The band performed in front of a futuristic eight-storey metallic structure that was partly inspired by Blade Runner. The tour broke box office records, taking almost $100m in the US and Canada.
U2 – ZOO TV TOUR, 1992/93
U2 took the rock spectacle to a new level with Zoo TV, which began in Florida in 1992.
Video became central to the experience, with three dozen screens bombarding the audience with images and messages, and Bono using a remote control to flick through live satellite TV channels.
The singer also put on costumes and make-up to adopt a number of larger-than-life characters, while 11 Trabant cars hung above the stage, with spotlights in their headlights.
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