No U2 concert in Hungary in 2010
Bad news for Hungarian fans: U2 will not perform in Hungary in 2010. Rumours had been circulating that U2 would play a concert in Budapest on 8 September 2010. However, a couple of days ago, we posted on the U2gigs Twitter account that a new rumour indicated negotiations may have collapsed between Live Nation (U2's promoter) and the venue, Puskás Ferenc Stadium. This article and another article (both in Hungarian) appear to confirm the rumour.
The official line from Live Nation is that Puskás Ferenc Stadium cannot accommodate the 360° Tour's staging. The truth may be somewhat different. A scheduling fiasco surrounded a Madonna concert (also promoted by Live Nation) in Budapest in August, and this likely played a role in the collapse of negotiations. Despite Live Nation's rejection of this claim, it hardly seems plausible to suggest the stadium cannot accommodate the 360° Tour, given some of the venues it has or will fit into. We may never fully know the real reasons.
Whatever the case, this is most unfortunate for all of U2's Hungarian fans. U2 have only ever played in Hungary once before, on 23 July 1993. On that visit, they in fact performed at Puskás Ferenc Stadium; it was then known as Népstadion.
The official line from Live Nation is that Puskás Ferenc Stadium cannot accommodate the 360° Tour's staging. The truth may be somewhat different. A scheduling fiasco surrounded a Madonna concert (also promoted by Live Nation) in Budapest in August, and this likely played a role in the collapse of negotiations. Despite Live Nation's rejection of this claim, it hardly seems plausible to suggest the stadium cannot accommodate the 360° Tour, given some of the venues it has or will fit into. We may never fully know the real reasons.
Whatever the case, this is most unfortunate for all of U2's Hungarian fans. U2 have only ever played in Hungary once before, on 23 July 1993. On that visit, they in fact performed at Puskás Ferenc Stadium; it was then known as Népstadion.
Posted on by Axver