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Almost 2,300 votes cast, over 80 comments made, and we came nowhere near being able to predict who the U2 support acts for their South African tour dates will be. As most have noted by now, Big Concerts announced late December that Amadou and Mariam and Springbok Nude Girls will open for U2 in February. We’ll have more on these two acts soon.
In the meantime we’ve closed our Polls below and are off to go ponder the deep wisdom of it all…
It occurred to me a few minutes ago that in our excitement and blind gratitude for getting to see U2 in our neighbourhood next year, that no-one has really spoken much (if at all?) about the support acts that will appear on stage before that Irish lot get started.
I said ‘acts‘ because I’m hoping that we’ll get at least two ‘Special Guests’ as they are referred to on the U2.com site. I’d like to see a local artist – what a feather in the cap that would be for our homegrown talent to say they opened for U2. Maybe a 10 – 15 minute set? And then they get followed by a 20 -30 minute performance from an international artist.
Bringing a reasonably high profile international act out will definitely add value to the pricey tickets we have bought (or are going to buy as the case might be.) A solid line-up of support acts would help to ease the sting of the credit card bill at the end of the month.
And besides that, I gather that the ticket prices we’re paying are comparable to tour ticket prices elsewhere, so why shouldn’t we get a comparable level of quality in the total package? And don’t give me that line about “SA is so far away that logistics are difficult.” I don’t buy it any more.
World class African nation, closer to Europe than Australia, top notch infrastructure, talented local technical support crews, a multitude of hugely succesfull international events under our belts. We have it all, and can do it all.
So, with those thoughts in mind, I’ve put together two quick polls for you to consider the local and the international artist that you’d like to see on stage in February next year supporting U2. The local list is a thumb-sucked group whilst the international list is based on the artists that either have already appeared or are scheduled to appear on the 360° Tour.
I know it won’t have any influence on the final decision, but it will be interesting to see what Live Nation/Big Concerts manage to put together for us and compare that to what people are hoping for.
International Artist to Support U2
- Black Eyed Peas ( 88 Votes)
- The Fray ( 16 Votes)
- Snow Patrol ( 127 Votes)
- Kaiser Chiefs ( 13 Votes)
- Muse ( 119 Votes)
- Razorlight ( 10 Votes)
- Interpol ( 21 Votes)
- Kasabian ( 21 Votes)
- AC/DC ( 58 Votes)
- Florence + the Machine ( 56 Votes)
- Jay Z ( 7 Votes)
- One Republic ( 47 Votes)
- Kings of Leon ( 143 Votes)
- Seether ( 45 Votes)
- The Script ( 33 Votes)
Total Voters: 804
Loading ...South African Artist to Support U2
- The Sick-Leaves ( 72 Votes)
- Die Antwoord ( 22 Votes)
- Chris Chameleon & Boo ( 6 Votes)
- Locnville ( 14 Votes)
- Isochronous ( 6 Votes)
- Jack Parow ( 8 Votes)
- The Dirty Skirts ( 14 Votes)
- Arno Carstens ( 57 Votes)
- Elvis Blue ( 663 Votes)
- The Parlotones ( 436 Votes)
- aKing ( 21 Votes)
- Zebra & Giraffe ( 24 Votes)
- Prime Circle ( 32 Votes)
- Goldfish ( 50 Votes)
- Just Jinjer ( 18 Votes)
- Wonderboom ( 24 Votes)
Total Voters: 1,467
Loading ...The polls will run until the official announcement is made. If your choice is not in the list drop a Comment Below and I’ll add these as they are suggested (and remove the lowest ranked from the list to keep list length reasonable). You can vote once a day on each of the polls.
84 Comments
AC/DC yeah baby!!!
Added AC/DC to the and allocated your vote for today to them.
Removed Elbow.
how about dirty skirts backing jack parow???
Added Jack Parow and allocated your vote for today to him.
Removed 7th Son.
ELVIS BLUE!
Ha, you're assuming he's going to win. How about I add "2010 SA Idol" at the moment? Done and dusted. And removed Ashtray Electric.
ELVIS BLUE!!!!
Haha! What Bla said about it ^
ELVIS BLUE….and SEETHER…keep it LOCAL IS LEKKA! THE BEST!
ELVIS BLUE N U2 WILL ROCK THE COUNTRY
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mercury80SouthAfrica, The BlaBla Blog. The BlaBla Blog said: New Post: Poll: U2 360° South Africa Tour Support Acts http://bit.ly/bBv8P5 [...]
Shirley Manson – Garbage
Done and allocated Glenn!
Lenny Kravitz removed.
Cool poll, thanks guys!
I’d love to have Florence & the Machine or Glasvegas here as the supporting act but I really don’t think there is much awareness of either in SA (think Glasvegas is sitting on 0 or 1 % on this poll) so I guess that would be reserved for European/UK audiences.
Snow Patrol were here last year for Coke Fest so perhaps it won’t be them again and Kaizer Chiefs have also been fairly recently unless they select them as it was successful.
I’d love to see local rock artist The Sick-Leaves as opening acts. Third album in after two SAMA nominated albums and are really impressing me.
Take a read of this album review I read this week: http://bit.ly/90olWK
I’d heard from Big Concerts last week regarding this, they said the support act has already been decided and will only be announced in a month or so, wouldn’t specify if is a local or international.
I also totally wouldn’t mind seeing Muse live after missing them when they were out for Coke Fest.
Hi Leigh
We are the ones that should be thanking you for putting in such a great comment.
I think you're totally correct regarding the support act decision being made already. It's just odd that they never announced it at the same time as the big 'U2 is coming' reveal.
Other tour destinations know months in advance so why not SA? If you check the future tour dates on U2.com through to June/July 2011 you'll see that only the 2 SA dates have TBC under the "special Guests" column. Not that they need the added marketing to sell tickets, but it could have made some of the prices a little easier to swallow.
I hear what you're saying about some of the acts being strongly European market pleasers but I'm of the mind that SA rock audiences could do with some European alternative rock education
. Which is why my votes are going to Flo + the Machine.
I don't know Sick-Leaves at all, but I am going to find out about them. If their PR people (don't you just love how rock & roll that sounds!?) pick up on this – we'd love to get hold of a copy of the new album to review, and some media info on the band if we can.
Have added Sick Leaves to the polls and credit them with their first vote courtesy of Leigh. I reckon their second vote may just come from me.
Come what may, Feb 2011 is going to be a whole heap of fun!
(Removed Cassette (0 votes) from the list to make place for Sick-Leaves)
Saw Glasvagas at Cardiff. They were crap and the audience made it known. Interpol are not much better. Snow Patrol are the best U2 support act I’ve seen. But I’d like to see the Black Eyed peas.
Personally I don’t mind Snow Patrol either, but as Leigh pointed out earlier they were here relatively recently already. I guess the same is true of BEP though.
Announcement will be made soon I’m sure.
Incidently if you look around the site (maybe do a search for U2 or YouTube) you’ll find a clip posted up by Voted of the BEPs doing ‘Sweet child ‘o mine” with Slash when they opened for U2 in the States. Fergie. Hot. ‘Nuff said!
The peas are also CRAP live……
Okay, who broke the poll?! Own up already.
[working to fix it soonest.... sorry]
Just Jinjer , Prime Circle, Seether ?
All worthy of a mention Chrome – thanks.
Added Seether – removed Glasvegas (0 votes)
Added Just Jinger – removed BLK JKS (0 votes)
Added Prime Circle – removed Taxi Violence (2 votes)
We got an indirect request to add Kings of Leon to the International list which we’ve done.
Shirley Manson & Garbage (1%, 2 Votes) removed.
[...] comment made by Leigh on our recent “Who would you like to see supporting U2?” poll post led me to a quick and [...]
Elvis Blue
We’ve updated the poll to reflect Elvis Blue specifically, as opposed to the generic “2010 SA Idol Winner” we had up there.
I know Elvis Blue is a HUGE fan of U2 if he was part of the show it would be a highlight in his life!!!
We’re still really hoping that U2 agree to two support acts – one local and one international. If they do, and the local act is Elvis Blue, you’re right Mandy – it would be huge for him.
There’s still no official word on the choice/s yet, so there is still hope. Make sure you vote for him here regularly, and get all you friends to do the same!
Wow it would be great, Idols was huge for him but U2 that is total other league, i really hope this can be done. VOTE VOTE VOTE and hope and pray all we can do!!!!
I think that it would be most appropriate for The Parlotones to open for U2, but in my own personal understanding, they should actually be the International Act that is to open for them. They have achieved world wide fame themselves and could certainly pull this off. Just because they are South African does not preclude them from pulling in the International Band title. We, as worldwide fans of the Parlotones certainly consider them of international prominence everywhere that they have been on their current tour. I am in America and know that I am not the only American that feels that way. There are many of their European fans that feel this way about their status also. My 2 votes go for the Parlotones on both categories!!
Hi Jackie
A well argued sentiment. But, the ‘tones are still SA-based, and that’s why they’re in the SA Acts list only. A similar sentiment could be argue for a band like Seether, but as they are 99%-based and comprised of US musicians, they’re in the International Acts list only.
ELVIS BLUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Isochronous
Categorised in MySpace under “Rock/Experimental/Other” and described as being “an epic progressive synth-rock band” Isochronous are a Pretoria-based band presently making great inroads in Germany.
Check out their videos on YouTube at : http://www.youtube.com/user/isochronousband
And their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Isochronous/38704641867?v=info
Definitely a band worthy of greater exposure here in SA! Thanks for highlighting them JL.
Rudimentals (3 votes) removed
Elvis Blue should be the supporting act,seeing that he won Idols.The other SA artists are all big already and have received exposure.U2 is also one of Elvis’ favourite groups of all time.It will be a special highlight in his life and also an honour for him to open the show.
I think it’d be an honour for anyone to open for U2 Maria. And I’d disagree with the point that the other acts are “all big already and have received exposure” myself.
Idols is watched by millions – very significant exposure that at least half of our list of SA acts would only ever be able to dream of getting. Not to mention the money, the publicity and the exposure.
And as for big already – well, have you heard of and supported all of them yourself? Have you even heard their music?
Don’t get me wrong – I like Elvis, and agree that he should have won the competition. Just don’t consider him the most deserving simply because he won Idols – there’s a lot of very worthy, very talented performers in our list, all of whom are equally deserving (if not more so in some cases!) of the right to open on the U2 stage.
Elvis Blue!
Go that.
LOL!!!!!!!!! elvis blue??? what a joke, who wants to see a crappy idol winner on the same stage as u2, give us value for money, not something we have seen to much of on tv for the past 2 months. AC/DC would be great to see, we probably wont have another chance. and as far as local bands go, aKing, prime circle or the parlotones are the only ones even worth putting in front of 100k people
As I mentioned to Maria above – lots of exposure for Elvis, and equally, lots of SA music lovers who would disagree that he is the one for the U2 stage.
Keep the votes coming!
No other South African artist will pull this off beter than the king himself…. ELVIS BLUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEE!!!!
I’m thinking the EB supporters are clearly missing their weekly dose of “let’s vote for Elvis!” Glad that we can provide an outlet for your withdrawal symptoms
Remember though, only one vote person per day around here – none of that 10 votes via SMS and Mixit here.
Let’s go BLUE!!!
Seems a LOT of lady names linked to the Elvis Blue bandwagon. Why is that I wonder?
Elvis Blue definitely! Everyone will love him…. he is great!
Definite voting withdrawals at play here. The Elvis Blue fan-club have made a solid effort to get their man comfortably to the top of the list, with 3 times as many votes as next best – The Parlotones.
And bravo to them!
Clearly, supporters of the other acts need to, well, get their act together! Get your love for the ‘tones, Prime Circle, The Sick-Leaves, whoever out there and spread it – Facebook, email, MySpace posts, Twitter. Whatever it takes.
If this poll was official – it’s not, but Big Concerts and Live Nation Touring are watching it – and it closed today, Elvis Blue would be opening for U2 next year. Hands down.
Who else but our new young star ELVIS BLUE !!!!
Well Louise, there’s at least another 30-odd in our lists and the comments, but don’t let that bother you. I’m sure Elvis is hugely happy with all the support you and the others have been giving him. Don’t quit yet!
Expose Elvis Blue our Idols winner. Why expose bands etc that are already popular in SA.
Thanks for your vote Corley! You and the rest of the EB Fans are doing a great job of just that – exposing him.
I voted for Elvis Blue! Please vote for him 2. THanks
Just because you asked so nicely Gerda.
Who the heck is Elvis Blue anyway? Does someone have a youtube or mp3 link to anything he’s done? If he’s an Idols winner does he even have enough original music to do a 15 – 20 minute support set? If your Idols is like ours, all the contestants do is covers of other people, and I for one don’t think that is enough to go by. Let’s hear something original and then make a choice rather.
You will be blown away if you hear him sing!!!! He is awesome!
He is definitely not a cover artist , that is the difference between him and the other Idols winners , he stood out from the beginning being an individual artist doing his own thing , go to his fan page you will be able to down load some of his own composition’s you will be blown away and then you will understand why we all rooting and voting for him
Elvis blue should not open of U2 as he is not a rock artist. he is a pop artist that got catapulted into stardom by a con traversal show.
I would go for 2 SA acts. Arno Carstens up first, then The Parlotones
They say we can vote once per day! Why is Elvis Blue not on the list? He is such a huge fan of U2 and apart from that he is a wonderful guy, who really deserves this break. He also gives lessons (guitar\singing) to the under privilaged. His name he uses, was one of the aids kids name, who passed away, he used to go and play guitar and sing for him. He is just a great guy, who can sing!!!!
Hi Corley
You should be able to vote once every 24 hours. The poll resets on a timed cookie basis. We’ll check the settings, but it seems to be working for us.
Elvis Blue is on the list – it randomises the vote order each time so that voters are not influenced by preset order.
Evolver One all the way!!
We’ll get Evolver One onto the list laster today Maz. Hope there’s a lot more votes for them after yours – I sorta dig them too!
Love all the choices. However take note. Being an opening band can either make or break you. If you are not up to standard, are not ready (which takes years of experience) and don’t deliver a stellar arena performance (without the same amount of lighting and quality of sound as the headliner) it will largely be ignored and over looked. Also you can’t sit back and think the job is done as it will take a good publicist to ensure press know about it and drive home the news you are opening to the public taking advantage of the potential exposure. I have seen many bands look awful after their opening slot as the headliner blows them away and makes them look worse than they.
Tracey makes a very, very important point here!
100,000 people in the FNB Stadium could easily destroy the artist who is not up to the challenge in the space of a single song performed badly.
A couple of 100 people cheering for you in the safety of a television studio is not comparison. Elvis Blue fans beware – you may be asking your man to run well before he is able to walk.
No doubt in my mind that Elvis Blue will be able to perform in front of 100,000 people! He is way past the crawling and walking stages. He can run like Forest Gump…lol. Elvis Blue you rock!
It has to be ELVIS BLUE!!! for all the reasons listed above by my other BLUE friends but also because he is going to be one of the biggest stars this country has ever seen, he is going to have an impact on our nation & affect change in peoples lives…he is a passionate humanitarian & the most deserving candiate to open for U2!! I truly believe that Elvis Blue is going to bring people in this country together in an awesome way!!
I love the passionate support Tanya!
Personally, I’m not entirely convinced that his impact is going to be as broad and profound as you’re suggesting, but I would love to be proven wrong.
You go girl! Greg keep a eye on the news. Elvis Blue rules!
With all due respect to Elvis Blue, this is a pipe dream. U2 is the biggest act in the world and all their openers are established recording stars, who can fill stadiums on their own. On their tour of Australia and New Zealand Jay Z is opening for them. He has sold 150 million album to date, is a philanthropist and political campaigner – and he’s not an Ausissie or a Kiwi, so it’s hard to believe that any South African artist will get the nod. Check out the recent openers on the European leg of their tour – all have platinum album sales and or Grammy nominations. No American Idol winner would expect this until they have Kelly/Carrie/Daughtry success. AC/DC were the second biggest earners of 2010, so they don’t belong on the list ….. and neither do KOL, I don’t think.
How are we supposed to vote if you’ve had a problem on your page for 2 days!!! Its frustrating!!!
Dude. I think you are being a bit f—ing bolshy here for no reason. I’ve just voted again – probably about the 20th time – without any problems at all. And I did it in Australia on my mobile phone!
Before you go off at the guys at BlaBla, who owe you nothing whatsoever, you may want to check your computer is not the problem. You’d have thought that you’d have realised that after your last bitch at BlaBla saying much the same thing and being told then (way too politely) by Greg that there was no prob with the poll.
In short, wind your frikkin neck in.
I 2nd that. Just voted gain for the AMAZING!!!! Elvis Blue and had no problem at all with the poll.
Sorry Corley, but it looks like you need to check your computer. And apologise to the BlaBla people who are doing this poll for no reward for us.
A-R, Celia: Thanks for the support and for confirming that the polls are working okay. I’ve just rechecked the polls here, and as you’ve indicated, they seem to be all okay. Don’t be too hard on Corley though. It seems that he/she is suffering from an issue of compatibility.
Corley: Again, I’m sorry to hear that you are still unable to vote. With the large variety of computer systems, operating environments, web browsers, java versions, etc. it is really difficult to ensure that everyone sees things the same way and everything works the same way. If you let us know what your system specs are, we might be able to help figure things out for you.
Elvis Blue?! Seriously?! What songs will he be performing? Covers? Be serious. Parlotones?! How many opening support acts have they done over the years? I think they’ve had their fair share of chances. Time for some new bands to come through. Let Goldfish start the party!
Elvis Blue will be releasing his cd with original songs on monday… I think you must get it! You will change your mind about him very fast!!!! Lol
I doubt that it’ll be Kings of leon after the announcement yesterday that they will be touring in SA next year themselves…
A very good point Chuckie. A probably 100% correct. If the 170,000-odd U2 concert goers see KoL in action at U2, a lot of them will probably refrain from forking out a full-price ticket to see them as headliners on their own.
You think we should take them off our poll list to avoid confusion? Or maybe we’ll leave them on and see how many more votes are made for them! (Right now KoL have 131 votes.) I think we’ll leave it for a while and see…
oh, and I agree that Elvis Blue shouldn’t be the one. I think you have the best idea that we could have two openers, one local and one international. Like Peter above me I think Goldfish would be awesome to start things off with a bit of a groove in a short set, then lets have Snow Patrol to do their rocking thing before Bono and the band blow us away.
Now that would be an AWESUM line up!
I like the way you think. Especially because you agree with us!
Your two choices aren’t too shabby either.
The answer is clearly the sick leaves for the local band as they will be able to get the crowed worked up for U2.
the international artist should be Kasabian.
What about adding Wonderboom to the local SA supporting Acts???
Not a bad suggestion there Michael. I’ll add them in…
Got the news today….supporting acts for U2; Springbok Nude Girls…GREAT STUFF!!!…& Amadou & Mariam from Mali – with all respect, but who the fk are they???Never heard of them; what is their “hit single” called???? How do they end up opening for the best rock act currently on the planet? I smell a bit of good old African politics in this ine again.
Paying gigantic prices to see an opening act the most people never even heard of?
Springbok Nude Girls also have’nt been performing together for quite a while now, but at least we know who they are and what to expect.
Here’s some info on Amadou and Mali – bet they got a big thumbs up from Bono.:
Amadou & Mariam are a musical duo from Mali, composed of the couple Amadou Bagayoko (guitar and vocals) (born in Bamako 24 October 1954) and Mariam Doumbia (vocals) (born in Bamako 15 April 1958). The pair, known as “the blind couple from Mali” met at Mali’s Institute for the Young Blind, and found they shared an interest in music.
The duo’s early recordings in the 1980s and 1990s feature sparse arrangements of guitar and voice. Since the late 1990s Amadou & Mariam produce music that mixes traditional Mali sound with rock guitars, Syrian violins, Cuban trumpets, Egyptian ney, Indian tablas and Dogon percussion. All these elements put together have been referred to as “Afro-blues”.
In 2003 they were approached by World–Latin music star Manu Chao, who then produced their 2004 album Dimanche à Bamako (“Sunday in Bamako”), which also features his distinctive vocals.
In 2006 they recorded, together with Herbert Grönemeyer, the official anthem for the 2006 FIFA World Cup “Celebrate The Day” (German: “Zeit, dass sich was dreht”). The song topped the German charts in June 2006.
In 2007 they supported Scissor Sisters at the MEN Arena on 30 July. In summer of 2008, they played the Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago, Illinois and the Latitude Festival in Henham Park, Suffolk.
In 2008, their song “Sabali” placed 15 on Pitchfork Media’s Top 100 Best Tracks of 2008.
Amadou & Mariam won the Best Group category in the inaugural Songlines Music Awards (2009) – announced May 1, 2009 – the new ‘world music’ awards organised by the UK-based magazine, Songlines.
On May 26, 2009 they played a gig to support the homeless charity Crisis at the Union Chapel, in north London with David Gilmour playing second guitar supporting the whole 80 minute set and a 5-minute encore. On June 8, 2009 they performed on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
In 2009, they supported Blur during their two reunion gigs in Hyde Park and also supported UK based band Coldplay on their Viva la Vida Tour. They were chosen by Matt Groening to perform at the edition of the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival he curated in May 2010 in Minehead, England.
Also in the 2009, they became Zeitz Foundation Ambassadors for Culture (Art); they help raise awareness and shape activities in their respective dimension.
In 2010 their autobiography ‘Away From the Light of Day’ was published in English by Route Publishing.
On June 11th, 2010, Amadou & Mariam appeared on FIFA’s Kick-Off Celebration for 2010′s World Cup, hosted in South Africa.
Here’s what they sound like
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEc-3ClvCe8
King Of Leon – a must , and although the suggestions are ok Watershed has not surfaced , what happened to SA Pride man !!!!
I’m with Johan… I’m really upset about the opening acts. We’re paying so much for these tickets and are going to be watching people we’ve never heard of! Miriam & Amadou played at the Fifa concert in June and were terrible. I was really expecting something better… Even if it is 2 local artists but at least those we would be proud to put on stage with U2!
Hello from a Dreary eyed U2 Fan! Concert was absolutely amazing!!!
Opening acts however! Sadly lacking. Miriam & Amadou, what a waste of stage space and time. We have Lira, Freshly Ground, Crash Car Burn, Parlotones, Black Hotel, Goldfish and Prime Circle. All music that would compliment or being in a similar genre to that of U2. Why the hell??
I must admit I was looking forward to Springbok Nude Girls, but found their live performance terrible. Could not hear the vocals, sound was bad, the screaming and scratchy guitar a bit tiring and would have maybe been better to have Arno Carstens by himself doing his ballads. Like Chicita, said maybe it’s coz Springbok nude girls have not been together for a while.
Any ways! All for local music but at least be selective and put your best foot forward!
Hey Pat
Thanks for the concert feedback. Agree that SNG could have sounded better, but think that may have something to do with the audio mix and not wanting them to sound even vaguely as good as the main act. I guess it could detract from the impact that U2 have when they come on if the support artists sound better than them?
I unfortunately missed A&M, although I hear their performance was equally as bad acoustically speaking. I personally don’t think they were the right act to support U2 myself, but having listened to some of their music recently I have to say that they are musically and vocally an impressive talent. The guitar work is really, really good and the vocals (while I can’t understand a word of it) has a really unique sound to it. (I subsequently heard that Larry Mullen wants to work on a side-project with them? Totally unconfirmed, but interesting to see if it ever comes about…)
Each to his own I guess.