Future:Media:Change

blogging the intersection of media, technology and the global good

U2 breaksdown online video wall; sets up real one in Berlin

5 November 2009 View Comments

U2 lights up the Brandenburg gate at free show in Berlin

Down with the Communist wall; up with the corporate one. No word from U2’s PR yet, but a pretty big screw up. The band was performing in front of the Brandenburg Gate on the East Berlin side to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of Berlin Wall. One song was being aired as part of MTV’s European Music Awards. A lucky 100,000 fans received tickets online, but the thousands more who attended hoping to get a glimpse, instead were treated to the view of a 6 1/2 foot wall. I imagine there was a lot of jumping. Perhaps, some fans took to hiding in secret compartments in VW Bugs? (Check out the Check Point Charlie Museum!)

In reality, this was a local promoters decision that had nothing to do with U2, but a screw up like this will always be assigned to the Top Bill.

Fans hoping to glimpse U2’s free concert celebrating 20 years since the Berlin Wall fell were outraged Thursday to find that a nearly 6-1/2-foot (2-meter) high metal barrier was installed to block the view for those without tickets.

Both Berliners and tourists alike saw the irony in building a wall around a concert dedicated to the wall that already has come down.

“It’s completely ridiculous that they are blocking the view,” said Louis-Pierre Boily, 23, who came to Berlin even though he failed to get U2 tickets. “I thought it’s a free show, but MTV probably wants people to watch it on TV to get their ratings up.”

via U2 News – Yahoo! Music.

On the other side of the spectrum, U2 has the honor of being the first YouTubeYouTube live stream to cross 10 million viewers. However, YouTube didn’t release data on per-minute streams or how long users stayed on the site. The concert aired Oct. 25th as the band played a show in Pasadena, CA. Kudos to U2 for offering up 2 hours and 22 minutes of live goodness. This move will have no impact on ticket sales as the tour continues since U2 will always sellout, DVD sales though? Watch the show on U2’s Youtube channel. FYI Obama still remains the live stream record holder.