Hi, I’m from Brazil and you have no idea how expensive are the tickets (for us) to big concerts like U2. Every international concert here have the same prices! In a 3rd world country like Brazil, the artists (specially Bono) have to think twice before put this abusives prices on tickets.

Thanks for writing Eduardo. I totally agree with your thoughts. I found the following in yesterday’s New York Times, which just brings the point home all the more:

U2, with revenues totaling $255,022,633.35, stands atop Billboard’s inaugural Money Makers chart, a list of the 20 acts that generated the most income in 2005. The sum is derived from all album and digital sales and box-office receipts for the 11 months from the first Nielsen SoundScan sales week of 2005, which ended on Jan. 9, through the week of Dec. 4. U2 ranked 27th in album sales, ninth in digital sales and first at the box office. On the chart, released yesterday, the Rolling Stones finished a distant second, with $152.3 million; Kenny Chesney third, with $87.7 million; Sir Paul McCartney fourth, with $84.2 million; and Sir Elton John fifth, with $77.1 million.

A really outstanding article! As a rock fan, I am surprised a respected news magazine such as Time doesn’t point out the such an obvious critical flaw! Perhaps such a self-important band (or bank?) as U-2 will play a free concert for those “unfortunate” people they are allegedly so concerned about. Keep up the good work!

Wow, the article (when mentioning the frustration of the other band members) is uncannily similar to an Onion piece from last month entitled “Rest Of U2 Perfectly Fine With Africans Starving.” Here’s the link:

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/43192

Just for the record, The Rolling Stones will play here in Brazil for free!

You make some very good points, Greg. While I love seeing a big money-maker take a stand against global poverty, the $$$ aspects of U2 make me feel less warm about the whole thing. If Bono wants to preach to his audience, then he needs to demonstrate his committment as well. He very well may be putting some of his income into charity, but a free concert for underprivileged (pick your country of choice) would help strike the point home. On the other hand, why should his band members be dragged along? – - especially if they don’t feel as strongly as he does. Maybe Bono should put some distance between his humanitarian acts and performance acts and not try to blend the two.

Hi Mike. Thanks for writing. I agree that from the sound of things Bono’s bandmates don’t feel at all as passionately about tackling global poverty as he does. I could understand how with Bono talking more and the band playing less during shows that his mates could become irritated. But if Bono felt very strongly about doing a free show I don’t see under what grounds his bandmates could protest. The band pulled in $255 million last year so they couldn’t argue that they need the money. And even if Bono’s bandmates don’t want to “save the world” what the heck’s wrong with doing a one-off free concert as a way to show thanks? As Eduardo from Brazil noted above the also fabulously wealthy Rolling Stones will play a free show in his country.

Brazil Prepares for Rolling Stones Show