U2 almost played at M&T Bank Stadium
With concerts by Jay-Z and Bruce Springsteen scheduled for 1st Mariner Arena, the second half of 2009 is already shaping up to be a big year for live music in Baltimore.
But what if we also got U2? As it turns out, we almost did. Here's Sun writer Kevin Van Valkenburg with details:
I asked Ravens president Dick Cass about potentially booking more non-sporting events at M&T Bank Stadium as a potential revenue source, since I remembered that they had Kenny Chesney play there.
Cass said that the Ravens were negotiating with promoters about a potential U2 concert this fall, was interested in doing it until the date U2 offered conflicted with the Ravens schedule. ...
"We try to get concerts, but there just aren't that many stadium concert tours any longer," Cass said. "We saw that U2 is touring, and they gave us a possible date for a U2 concert. But it would have meant we would have had to have three Ravens games (on the road) in a row. And we just not willing to do that. That's a competitive disadvantage to do that.
"Because of the hurricane last year in Houston (when the Ravens had their game with the Texans rescheduled) they had to redo our schedule and last year we had three away games in a row. That's just very difficult. It's very tiring for the team. We offered them other dates and they were not willing to give us other dates.
I think the U2 concert is the big concert of the year, but we just couldn't make it work. We hope to get more in the future."
(AP photo)
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
Maybe i'll swing by and play a few tunes.
Posted by: eddie v. | September 9, 2009 7:54 AM
This is journalism?
I almost won the lottery last month.
News at 11.
Posted by: SlowNewsDay | September 9, 2009 8:47 AM
This is a blog, not the front page of the Sun.
U2 would have been cool, but anything that gives the Ravens an advantage is much better.
Posted by: NR | September 9, 2009 9:13 AM
NR, what if U2 set up in the bleachers and performed songs before the game, during halftime and between plays?
Posted by: Sam Sessa | September 9, 2009 9:15 AM
Any hardcore fans making the trek to Chicago this weekend to see them? Party in our hotel suite!!
Posted by: sturmy | September 9, 2009 9:28 AM
This is a blog, not the front page of the Sun.
U2 would have been cool, but anything that gives the Ravens an advantage is much better.
Posted by: NR | September 9, 2009 9:13 AM
_____________________
I almost forgot. And your point is? In this day and age most "news" papers; even legit ones, get their "news" from bloggers.
Why not have U2 dress up in cute little Ravens marching band outfits and perform at halftime? Or how about U2 dressed as limo drivers and they could drive Ray Lewis to the 50 yard line? Or maybe, just maybe, that ALMOST happened. Gosh darn it.
Posted by: SlowNewsDay | September 9, 2009 9:29 AM
This is a blog, not the front page of the Sun.
U2 would have been cool, but anything that gives the Ravens an advantage is much better.
Posted by: NR | September 9, 2009 9:13 AM
______________
And another thing I left out in my previous post. Scroll up to the banner at the top of this article. Read what it says. It says: "Baltimore Sun REPORTER Sam Sessa..." And since your obviously a journalism major, what exactly does a "reporter" do who works for a newspaper? Or maybe he's ALMOST a reporter since it's a blog and not the front page. Slow News Day. I rest my case.
Posted by: SlowNewsDay | September 9, 2009 9:36 AM
SlowNewsDay,
Actually, bloggers only generate a fraction of the news content you see on a daily basis. Even with bloggers, TV, radio and various other outlets for journalism, newspapers continue to generate more content than just about any other medium.
What does a "reporter" like me do in my spare time? Funny you ask. Well, SlowNewsDay, when I'm not publishing 3-5 blogs a day, I write -- get this -- articles for the -- get this -- newspaper!
I know, right?!?!
Here's a link to a couple hundred of these "articles:"
http://www.baltimoresun.com/search/dispatcher.front?Query=sam+sessa&target=article&sortby=display_time+descending
Oh snap!
Posted by: Sam Sessa | September 9, 2009 9:42 AM
And since your obviously a journalism major...
You obviously didn't win any spelling bees in school.
Posted by: NR | September 9, 2009 9:49 AM
U2 sucks.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 9, 2009 9:58 AM
SND,
Sam "reported" that there was talk of a huge concert coming to the city. I found it very interesting since many music fans are left wondering "why didn't they come here?" Now we know.
Now let's look at your 1st post, that's commenting? I almost read it and didn't think you're probably "that guy." I didn't even need to wait for 11 for that one.
Posted by: James C | September 9, 2009 10:05 AM
This is the first I've heard of Jay-Z coming to 1st Mariner ... has a date/ticket sale date been announced?
Posted by: JD | September 9, 2009 10:41 AM
JD he is indeed, in october:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/news/bal-jayz-0908,0,3197546.story
Posted by: Sam Sessa | September 9, 2009 10:50 AM
we dodged a bullet there. imagine those a-holes along with thousands of their a-hole fans converging on the stadium. it would have been a cracker convention along the likes of nothing baltimore has even seen.
Posted by: bill | September 9, 2009 11:03 AM
Ironically, the ravens come out of the locker room to the beginning of "Where the Streets Have No Name".
Posted by: Zig | September 9, 2009 11:16 AM
Has it been announced that Springsteen is playing in Baltimore? I dont see it anywhere.
Posted by: Bill | September 9, 2009 11:34 AM
Bill, in case you're not joking, yes, he is playing 1st mariner in november.
Details:
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/midnight_sun/blog/2009/08/organizers_bruce_springsteen_t.html
and
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/midnight_sun/blog/2009/08/why_bruce_springsteen_why_1st.html
Posted by: Sam Sessa | September 9, 2009 11:38 AM
Thanks! I wasnt joking. It is not listed on the website for the 1st Mariner Arena.
Posted by: Bill | September 9, 2009 11:46 AM
Is Eddie Vedder going to be there?
Posted by: RayRay | September 9, 2009 12:33 PM
No concert review for Kings of Leon, Eddie Vedder, and Incubus, but a blog on a concert that might have happened but didn't? Oy.
Sam, I like the blog and I realize you can't be everywhere all the time, but you're missing some good stuff.
Posted by: AxnJxn | September 9, 2009 12:42 PM
Here's my review of the Kings of Leon show:
It was flawless.
Posted by: Evan | September 9, 2009 4:06 PM
Not a surprise since U2 played here at First Mariner Arena on the Elevation Tour. This time around it's a stadium show and the setup and breakdown of the stage alone is 3 days each way.
Posted by: Rich B | September 9, 2009 4:12 PM
Yeah I have to admit I much rather read a Kings of Leon review. I like seeing other people's opinions of a kicka@@ show.
Posted by: Chris | September 9, 2009 5:13 PM
Hey man, I'd love to have gone to Kings of Leon. But I reviewed three shows at Merriweather last week (including one day-long festival), and I had to be riffing about Beatles remasters on the radio at 7 a.m. this morning. There are, unfortunately, only so many hours in the day, gentlemen.
Posted by: Sam Sessa | September 9, 2009 10:07 PM
Amen Sam. Unfortunately I passed on KOL too. I feel like I've been living at Merriweather the last week. would have been great to see them though. They opened for U2 on the Vertigo tour in Philly, then played Rams head with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club two years ago. I would have loved to see how they've progressed live now that they are headliners.
Posted by: sturmy | September 10, 2009 8:57 AM
When Art Modell succeeded in grifting Baltimore City out of a quarter-billion dollars for the Browns, one of the egregious stipulations was that he would net half of any revenue from concert held at the stadium.
I'm not sure what the current owners want to earn but it seems dubious that the suburban nightmare, FedEx Field, nets more concerts
Posted by: Paul_D | September 10, 2009 10:44 AM
This isn't exactly new news - the Baltimore Business Journal reported on this back in the Spring. Bring on Chicago/Soldier Field then the nightmare at FedEx on Sept. 29th!
Posted by: RL | September 10, 2009 12:08 PM
One of my long standing dreams was to attend a U2 concert live. . I know all the words of their songs by heart …well they are performing this year. Next weekend I’m going to visit my sister and we will attend them; I've got U2 tix from Ticketsinventory.com, so I'll be analyzing as well as enjoying the concert.
http://www.ticketsinventory.com/concert/u2-tickets/
Posted by: Louise | September 14, 2009 6:39 AM
Nice title.
I almost won the Mega Millions.
Posted by: Mark Twain | September 15, 2009 7:36 PM
Oh yeah? Well, I almost PUT THE SMACK DOWN!!!!
Good thing I didn't, huh?
hee hee
Posted by: Sam Sessa | September 15, 2009 7:40 PM
Oh, I wish I could go to U2 concert again, it's been so long time since they've been in Finland me on the audience. Another problem these days is also that the ticket prices have gone so high that it's impossible for a student to buy one... Not funny at all! :D
Posted by: The Discography Guy | July 30, 2010 3:29 PM