U2 & Hyundai = "Elevation"

On the 3rd of September 2010, one of the biggest concerts ever took place in Greece, in the Olympic Stadium of Athens. Over 85.000 people where there to enjoy this extraordinary concert by the famous Irish group "U2".

"ANDREAS FILLIS AEBE" was the company responsible for the forklifts and the trucks in order to unload and after load back again the 140 trucks of the “U2” production

 

Specifically, the company supplied 15 diesel HYUNDAI forklifts with operators, with lifting capacity 3tn to 7tn (30D-7, 35DS-7, 45DS-7, HDF70-7S), and four trucks FLAT-BED type, for daily use at the Olympic Stadium of Athens.

The steel structure takes 4 days to be built. It takes 12 hours to load in screen, stage and universal production equipment. It takes 6 hours for production to dismantle and it takes 48 hours to dismantle and load the steel structure out of the stadium.

Some details from the U2 360o Production:

• · U2360º is designer Willie Williams 10th production for U2.
• · Mark Fisher serves as the architect on his 6th production for U2.
• · The stage design includes a cylindrical video screen
• · The band and Williams had discussed ideas for 360-degree stadium set for a number of years. Sketches of a four-legged set were first drawn after a model was built with forks over dinner during the Vertigo Tour 2006.
• · The Belgian company, Stageco, builds the stage. The construction of each requires the use of high-pressure and innovative hydraulic systems.
• · The steel structure is 90 feet tall with the center pylon reaching 150 feet tall. The design can support up to 180 tonnes.
• · The steel structure is clad in a fabric originally developed for Formula 1 motor racing. Green in daylight, at night it reflects whatever colour is shone on it.
• · The cylindrical video screen is 54 tonnes. When closed the screen is 4,300 square feet, opening to a size of 14,000 square feet.
• · The video screen is made up of 1 million pieces (500,000 pixels, 320 000 fasteners, 30,000 cables, 150,000 machined pieces).
• · The video screen is broken into segments mounted on a multiple pantograph system, which enables the screen to "open up" or spread apart vertically as an effect during different stages of the concerts.

Some photos during the concert preperation :

This is the stadium where the 2004 Olympic Games were held and if the times have changed since those heady days for this country, the venue was packed to the rafters tonight, with the Greek audience generating as much noise as any on the tour to date.

Bono acknowledge that there have been tough financial times here lately before adding:

"Greece is a great country because of the Greeks... Ireland is a great country because of the Irish."

The place was illuminated like fireworks night during One, not just with phones held high but an ocean of glow-sticks. Looked like someone even set off a flare in the inner circle. The excitement was tangible.

'Incredible people,' announced Bono at the end of a breathtaking performance of 'Streets. 'Incredible place'

Hold Me Thrill Me is back in tonight and by the time we get to With Or Without You, the audience have decided they can sing the song on their own. 'Wow!' exclaims Bono.' We won't forget this'

Links:

http://www.u2.com/tour/date/id/4477

http://www.tpimagazine.com/production-profiles/300554/u2_360.html

http://www.bigconcerts.co.za/media_centre/press_releases/2010/october/U2%20360Tour_2010_PressPackage.pdf