I’ve been to Sydney’s Olympic Stadium on two occasions when it appeared to be lit by tens of thousands of fairy lights. The first time was at the opening ceremony for the 2000 Paralympic Games. Each person attending the event was handed a small blue battery-operated torch as they entered the venue.
The second occasion was the U2 concert in November 2006. Each audience member made their own contribution to the myriad tiny lights. Bono had asked the audience to switch on and open up their mobile phones, and wave them about. The crowd dutifully obeyed.
As simple a stunt as this might have been, this was but one of a number of times that some form of 'new media' was used by U2 during their Vertigo tour.
Live concerts by U2 are well known as innovative and impressive stage shows. Much effort going into the preparation. The dazzling live production is a result of significant investment in new technology, including video screens so large that they could rightly be called 'digital video curtains.' These were used throughout the concert to show images of the band, and also to display videos including various coloured patterns and a number of provocative messages.
As well as the tour DVD, images and short videos of each concert taken by concert-goers can be found on sites such as YouTube, and various fan sites.
Both on stage during performances, and afterwards, U2 have become both the subject and users of new media. However, not all fans appreciate the message.
Today Bono is as well known for his political activism as for his songs, and he uses the concerts to encourage his fans to support his favourite charities. He mixes his political evangelism with the concert performances to such an extent that they almost become interchangeable. Consequently, technology is to the fore in spreading his message.
After asking the audience to take out their mobile phones and switch them on during the concert, Bono then asked everyone to send an SMS with their name to a number.
After a while, a list of names started to scroll down on the massive screens behind the main stage. Presumably they were a list of people in attendance at our concert, but I was bemused to note that one of the first names was ‘Sharon Stone.’
A bit later, mobile phones beeped all around the stadium with a personal