U2 Announces U.S. POP-Mart Tour Dates

U2 held a press conference Wednesday morning in the lingerie section of a Kmart in New York’s Greenwich Village to announce their U.S. tour in support of their new album, Pop. The gathering was broadcast live on MTV and the Internet with the use of Real Video, a technological goody that came out on Monday.

Bono fielded questions under a sign that read, “Pop Group,” which was placed in the shadow of the famous Kmart flashing blue light usually used to announce specials. “We believe in trash. We believe in kitsch, and that’s what we’re up to at the moment,” said the band’s guitarist, The Edge. Bono boasted that the tour would be bigger than their last, Zoo-TV, and just as pricey. “It costs a fortune to look this trashy,” Bono offered. He also denied reports that the band needed investors to help foot the bill for the tour. “If we could get someone to give us a lot of money and not have to kiss ass, we would take it,” Bono said.

Bono even managed a pretty good Phil Donahue impression as he traipsed around, microphone in hand, among the reporters, asking “So, you have problems with your mother?” and “You’re dysfunctional?” When asked why the band decided to hold the announcement at Kmart, he said he couldn’t quite remember, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Ticket information for the tour is not yet available.

Early Tour Dates:

4/25–Las Vegas, NV, at Sam Boyd Stadium
4/28–San Diego, CA, at Jack Murphy Stadium
5/1–Denver, CO, at Mile High Stadium
5/3–Salt Lake City, UT, at Rice Stadium
5/6–Eugene, OR, at Autzen Stadium
5/9–Phoenix, AZ, at Sun Devil Stadium
5/12–Dallas, TX, at Cotton Bowl
5/14–Memphis, TN, at Liberty Bowl
5/16–Clemson, SC, at Death Valley Stadium
5/19–Kansas City, MO, at Arrowhead Stadium
5/22–Pittsburgh, PA, at Three Rivers Stadium
5/24–Columbus, OH, at Ohio Stadium
5/26–Washington, D.C., at R.F.K. Stadium
5/29–Raleigh, NC, at Carter Finley Stadium
5/31–New York, NY, at Giants Stadium
6/8–Philadelphia, PA, at Franklin Field
6/12–Winnipeg, MAN, at Winnepeg Stadium
6/14–Edmonton, ALB, at Commonwealth Stadium
6/18–Oakland, CA, at Oakland Coliseum
6/21–Los Angeles, CA, at L.A. Memorial Coliseum
6/25–Madison, WI, at Randall Stadium
6/27–Chicago, IL, at Soldier Field
7/1–Boston, MA, at Foxboro Stadium