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Irish rock band U2 have announced they will play a concert in Wellington in 2010 as part of their 360 World Tour.

Negotiations are continuing for two U2 concerts in Wellington but they are not confirmed at this stage. Dates are yet to be released but it is expected U2 will play either in October or November 2010. Keep an eye on Wotzon.com for details.

It will be a massive concert on a scale never seen before.

U2 are using a 50-metre-high stage set dubbed "The Claw" for their 360 World Tour, which started in Europe in June. The Claw is round and open on all sides, making it a perfect fit for Westpac Stadium.

Once erected in the centre of the grassed area and fans can sit or stand almost anywhere in the stadium to lap up the action. A suspended video screen wrapped around the centre of the stage would ensure those in the most far-flung corners of the stadium got a good view. And, in true rock'n'roll tradition, the sound will be loud, with each quadrant of The Claw having its own full-size sound system, each powerful enough for an entire arena.

Rolling Stone magazine has said the state-of-the-art stage would add an extra 20,000 fans to each stadium concert during the tour. It is understood that sporting fixtures would not be able to use the stadium for about 10 days to give an army of workers time to assemble and dismantle the stage.

U2 Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen last played in Wellington at Athletic Park in 1989 as part of their Lovetown tour, which also took in Auckland and Christchurch. They also played at the Wellington Show Buildings in 1984.

Their last appearance in New Zealand was three years ago at Auckland's Ericsson Stadium.

U2 consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards, and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums and percussion).

The band formed in 1976 in Dublin, Ireland when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency. By the mid-1980s, the band had become a top international act. Their success as a live act was greater than their success as a record selling act until their 1987 album The Joshua Tree, which according to Rolling Stone, elevated the band's stature "from heroes to superstars". U2 responded to the dance and alternative rock revolutions and their own sense of musical stagnation by reinventing themselves with their 1991 album Achtung Baby and the accompanying Zoo TV Tour. Since 2000, U2 have pursued a more conventional rock sound that retains the influence of their previous musical explorations.

U2 have sold more than 145 million albums worldwide and have won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band. In 2005, the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. Rolling Stone magazine listed U2 at #22 in its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. Throughout their career, as a band and as individuals, they have campaigned for human rights and social justice causes, including Amnesty International, the ONE Campaign and Bono's DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade in Africa) campaign.

Wotzon.com brings you the pick of the bunch when it comes to upcoming events – take a look at Today & This Week for a selection of events on this week, and our Future Events Guide for events happening in the next 12 months in Wellington. Make sure you check out what's hot on the Wotzon.com homepage too.

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Wotzon.com is your online authority on events and what's happening in the Wellington region - Wellington City, Hutt Valley, Porirua and Nature Coast (Kapiti Coast and Horowhenua). We cover music, gigs, theatre, exhibitions, movies, dance events, comedy, cultural events, fashion, sport, craft, education, festivals, wine and food events, business events including conferences and seminars, heritage events, retail sales and much more. We also feature event venues, Google Maps, event times and dates, and where and how to book your event and show tickets. You can stay up to date with events by signing up for our e-newsletters and you can freely enter your own events.