The stage design is by STUFISH Entertainment Architects who have designed every show for U2 since 1992. The design for the Joshua Tree Tour 2017 continues to push all boundaries of technology and engineering.

The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 is a celebration of the original album and tour of the same name undertaken by U2 in 1987 reflecting the group’s fascination for the American landscape, its people, literature and myths. 30 years on this fascination remains particularly contemporary and revisiting the album a timely confirmation of the group’s love affair with the continent.

This is a very large and technical piece of engineering, technology and art. The statement of the set is simple but to make it happen is very complicated – and STUFISH are proud to be part of the creative team on U2’s Joshua Tree Tour 2017.

STUFISH are very proud to unveil U2’s Joshua Tree design because the creative concept is derived from the original show 30 years ago and reimagined with the latest technology. It honours the original production and reinvents it for the current climate in 2017.

The stage is 200ft wide and 40ft deep overall which is nearly the full width of a stadium.

At the back of the stage is the largest, unobscured, most high resolution LED video screen (nearly 8k) ever used in a touring show. The 200ft wide and 45ft high custom built screen is painted to look like a golden piece of cardboard with a silver Joshua tree logo painted on top of it.

Huge custom designed structural beams have been designed to hang the PA and lighting above the video screen in order to ensure the screen is not obscured: thereby removing the PA rig from the usual position in front of and side of stage. U2 and STUFISH push the limits of the engineering possibilities to redefine how these shows are done.

The tree on the screen is mirrored with a shadow tree B stage of equal size that extends into the audience from the Main Stage. This tree shaped catwalk satellite stage extends 120ft into the audience and at its widest point is 50ft wide. During the show, U2 perform on each of the stages.

34 articulated lorries will take the STUFISH designed set round the USA, then Europe (in London at Twickenham on the 8th and 9th July 2017.) Touring 100 of tons of steel, video screen, lighting and PA!

There are 3 sets of steelwork for the show that leapfrog in advance from city to city. It takes 4 days to build the steelwork before the specialised touring production arrives the day before the show. It takes a day to assemble the screen, lighting, stage, sound and video for the show. The production part can be taken down in 7 hours by a crew of hundreds.

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For further information
please contact: Deborah Goodman at DGPR

+44 (0)20 8959 9980
publicity@dgpr.co.uk