andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

While Irish rock band U2 is still in the middle of their North American 360 stadium tour, they are already planning to come back next summer, according to CHARTattack.

The band’s website has yet to release any dates, but a USA Today article says the band will begin their second leg of a North American tour in Mexico City, Mexico on May 30, 2010. The tour is then expected to continue through June and July, hitting cities not visited this year.

U2 already hit Toronto and Vancouver on their current tour. Each show is estimated to rake in about $750,000 U.S., so it is not difficult to see why the band wants to continue their jaunt. More Canadian dates could be added on the second leg, with such possibilities as Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg.

The tour, which is in support of the band’s latest album, No Line On The Horizon, is confirmed to hit Europe beginning in August and run until early October. The opening date for that leg of the tour is at Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt, Germany on Aug. 10.

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This Week On Entourage:

On the day before he leaves to Italy, Vince tries to get the boys to come with him, but only manages to get Drama. Turtle still trying to get over Jamie, and tries to forget about her with the college dorm girl. And Eric says he’s going to try and get Sloan back -but the guys think it’ll be pretty hard.

Meanwhile, Ari and his wife meet with the therapist to discuss why his wife should lend him $12 million to help buy Terrance’s agency. But after Ari admits why he truly wants to buy it and pours his heart out, she agrees to spot him the money.

Despite Lloyd’s suggestion, Drama decides not to read for any acting gigs, saying he’s taking a break from it for a while. While shopping with Vince, the two run into Matt Damon who tries to pressure Vince into donating a cheque for his children’s charity.

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5. George Clooney

This actor, was dubbed the sexiest man alive, is slowly shedding that reputation in place for one as one of Hollywood´s leading activists. Clooney is known for his passionate beliefs about ending the violence in Darfur and has said he will build support for the work the UN carry out,”critically important work in some of the most difficult, dangerous and dire places in the world”.

4. Sir Bob Gedolf

Best known for organising the 2005 Live 8 and 1985 Live Aids benefit concerts, this scruffy singer/journalist is tremendously well-informed on a broad range of global and national issues. Currently, he is heavily involved in the Make Poverty History Campaign, a campaign against third world poverty.  Bob was recognized by Time Magazine as one of the 2005 European Hero’s and made the front cover of their European Edition in 2005. With such an impressive portfolio, it´s a wonder this philanthropist has any time for making music.

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In the current music industry today, it is not uncommon to download an entire album from the comfort of your home, without spending a cent. Bono, from the rock band U2, takes offense to this and made it public when interviewed by the USA Today newspaper.

Bono admitted he was overpaid when he told the newspaper that illegal downloading “offended” him, according to chartattack.com.  

“People think people like me are overpaid and over-nourished, and they’re not wrong,” he told the newspaper. “What they’re missing is, how does a songwriter get paid? There’s no space for a Cole Porter in the modern age.”

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U2 frontman Bono appears to be getting a tad bit jealous of Coldplay’s new label as “the new U2 of our generation”. According to E! online, in a radio interview promoting U2’s new CD, No Line on the Horizon, which drops this week, Bono also “dropped a couple of verbal bombs on Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.”

The interview was held by BBC Radio 1 deejay Jo Whiley, who asked Bono if Martin was as talented as Paul McCartney. This question appeared to rub Bono the wrong way, as he replied “I think he’s a good melodist, but he’s a wanker”.

He went on to elaborate that Martin was “obviously a completely dysfunctional character and a cretin, but he happens to be a great melodist and up there with Ray Davies, Noel Gallagher and Paul McCartney.”

Whiley asked Bono for an apology, but Bono was insistent on his original opinion, E! online reports. He responded with “I’m a reformed character, I don’t any more.”

Bono must have realized the negative consequences his comment could have, as he tried to smooth over his earlier comment later in the interview. His version of an apology was, “I think [Coldplay] are a great band, and actually, it turns out [Martin’s] a great soul as well. Sorry about that. I was joking entirely.”

Bono is trading in his guitar for the almighty pen with his latest gig.

According to Billboard, the U2 frontman has been invited to write a column for the New York Times next year.

The unpaid position will see him contribute six to 10 pieces for the newspaper on a range of subjects, including Africa, poverty and Frank Sinatra.

A Times spokesperson said the paper is still finalizing the details.

Chris Martin, Bob Geldof and Brian May are among the musicians who have written for the Times in the past.

Bono himself has dabbled in journalism before. Besides acting as a guest editor for Vanity Fair last year, he recently blogged for the Financial Times.

U2 is expected to release a new album, the followup to 2004’s “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb,” next year.

U2 frontman and all-around humanitarian Bono teamed up with British artist Damien Hirst to raise $42 million US at a charity art auction in Manhattan on Thursday.

The event’s proceeds will go toward supporting the UN’s relief programs against HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Dubbed the (Red) Auction after Bono’s fundraising effort to fight AIDS in Africa, the contemporary art sale was organized by auction house Sotheby’s and Manhattan’s Gagosian Gallery. It featured 83 works by artists include Hirst, Jasper Johns, Jeff Koons, Banksy, Tracey Emin, Willem De Kooning and Julian Schnabel.

Hirst’s “Where There’s A Will, There’s a Way” was the top item, selling for $7.15 million US. The work, one of his famous pill cabinet installations, was filled with medication used to treat HIV.

Bono called the night “historic” and said of the artists, “They’re my heroes tonight.”

He also led the crowd in an a cappella rendition of “All You Need Is Love.”

The auction drew a number of famous faces, including actor and modern art collector Dennis Hopper, Jordan’s Queen Noor, publishing guru Martha Stewart, hip-hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons, R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe, model Christy Turlington and former tennis pro John McEnroe.

Irish rockers The Edge and Bono shocked a crowd of 250 lucky concertgoers Friday in London by showing up unannounced to a charity gig.

The concert in north London was held to benefit Mencap, which helps people with learning disabilities and their families.

While the audience was told there would be some “very special guests” before the headlining act Scottish rock group Biffy Clyro, they weren’t expecting the world famous musicians.

“Don’t tell Larry [Mullen] and Adam [Clayton] we’ve done this,” Bono joked about his two missing U2 bandmates, CBC reports.

The duo started off the set with Stay, followed with Desire, Angel of Harlem and a song inspired by Bono’s 1985 trip to Ethiopia entitled Wave of Sorrow.

The stunned crowd gave the pair a standing ovation after the four-song performance.

“I’ve used all the battery on my phone taking pictures of them,” said fan Simon Dowling to BBC News as reported by CBC.

BONO and THE EDGE were among the sold out Olympia Theatre audience in Dublin, Ireland checking out R.E.M’s latest material on Saturday night.

The Losing My Religion band are staging five ‘Working Rehearsals’ at the venue to test new songs ahead of an upcoming album and tour.

R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills told the crowd the band chose Dublin for their pre-tour workout because R.E.M. consider the Irish to be “some of the best fans in the world”.

Walking onstage holding a Guinness, frontman Michael Stipe started the set with new songs Living Wells and Staring Down, admitting some of the new tracks had yet to be performed by the whole group.

Other new songs included Mr. Richards, Houston, Man Size Wreath and Till The Day Is Done.

R.E.M. wrap up their Dublin residency on Wednesday and then return to America to complete work on a new album.

(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.

Rocker BONO has become the first guest editor of Variety, and has made his mark by giving the July issue of the U.S. magazine 20 different covers.

The crusading U2 singer has published a special Africa issue and gathered a galaxy of stars to feature in pairs on the many covers, which were all photographed by Annie Leibovitz.

Among those teaming up are Muhammad Ali and Maya Angelou, Bono and Jordan’s Queen Rania, Desmond Tutu and Oprah Winfrey, and U.S. President George W. Bush and Secretary Of State Condoleeza Rice.

(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.