As hinted at on Friday, U2 today announced a show at Busch Stadium on July 17, 2011. Capacity of the concert is expected to exceed 50,000, with 90 percent of tickets priced at under $100, according to today's press conference. This will be the single-largest event hosted at Busch Stadium, and is one of sixteen U2 tour dates in America. Tickets on sale November 8 at 10 a.m., only via Internet. Starting on November 9, tickets will be available at the box office as well.
[Update, 12:41 p.m. with ticket info, more press conference notes - see below...]
Any doubts about the identity of this morning's big concert announcement were immediately erased when the media arrived at Busch Stadium's Champion's Club: Music from U2 was playing in the background and each attendee received a folder with a sticker reading: "U2 360 Tour - Busch Stadium July 17, 2011."
During the brief press conference, representatives from the St. Louis Cardinals and Live Nation (and, of course, Fredbird) gave some information about the show. Among the highlights:
*Interpol is the opening act
* This show will be the single-largest event ever hosted at Busch Stadium
*The capacity of the show is going to exceed 50,000 seats, and close to 90% of tickets will be priced under $100. Tickets prices are: $32.50, $57.50, $92.50 and $252.50 (plus fees). Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III said that the low pricing was a "priority." Tickets are on sale Monday, November 8, via Livenation.com, cardinals.com/u2 and by phone 314-345-9000. Beginning November 9 at 9 a.m., tickets will be available at Busch Stadium ticket windows.
*U2 will now have played a variety of venues in St. Louis: Graham Chapel at Washington University (April 7, 1981), Night Moves (February 19, 1982), St. Louis Arena (October 25, 1987), old Busch Stadium (September 20, 1992), the TWA Dome (November 8, 1997) and the Savvis (now Scottrade) Center (November 28, 2001 and December 14, 2005).
![U2 Coming to Busch Stadium in 2011 [Updated]](https://media1.riverfronttimes.com/riverfronttimes/imager/u/original/2655947/u2_cardinals_logo.jpg){kind=logo}
*The field will be general admission seating, and the infield will be covered up. However, the sod is going to be completely replaced after the show. Joe Abernathy, Vice Present of Stadium Operations for the St. Louis Cardinals noted that because of the All-Star Break (which starts July 11) and then the Cardinals' week-long road trip to Cincinnati, New York and Pittsburgh, there should be no problem completing the process by the time the team is back to start a homestand against Houston on July 25.
*The U2 360 Tour has three separate complete stages; for instance, when one stage is being constructed in a city, another is being torn down in a separate one. It takes four days to build the steel/structure of the giant claw and then another day to load in the video screen/stage/production equipment. But it only takes two days to deconstruct the steel part of the stage - and six hours to tear down the production!
