U2 Builds wall to commemorate Berlin Wall

It’s a very nice gesture of “rock super group” U2 to play a “free” concert for Berliners as a way to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I am sure it will make for a wonderful music video, but not without a little bit of controversy.

From Yahoo News…

The show, which was free to 10,000 ticket holders who snapped up the tickets online last week in just three hours, drew some controversy because of the barrier surrounding the gig.

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.”

Boily, from Quebec City, was among several hundred people who gathered earlier in the day against the new fence, which was draped with a white tarp that blocked the view of the stage from the street. Some fans already were trying to tear down the tarp before the concert.

The music network MTV, which organized the concert, said it worked with the local promoter, the city and Berlin police to install a temporary fence “around the site to ensure the safety and security of the attendees at the event as well as residents and businesses in the area.”

U2’s publicist RMP refused comment about the barrier.

I love the Irony in this story. I am sure we can all understand that U2 is a “huge band” and needs security. But shutting down half a city for your concert seems a tad selfish when you consider what U2 is suppose to be celebrating. U2 probably should of picked a public park for this “free concert.”