U2 tour sells out five stadium shows in first weekend of ticket sales

U2 360 Tour tickets went on sale this past weekend in three European cities, moving 312,000 tickets and selling out in all three. As a result, the rock group added second nights to the three cities' on-sales, selling out two of the additional dates.

Ticket sales in Europe generally start on a Friday. On March 13, tickets for U2's July 31 show in Gothenberg, SWE, sold out in 30 minutes, resulting in an additional show set for August 1. Both events sold out 56,000 tickets per concert.

The next day, their July 20 show in Amerstadam, NET, took only 15 minutes to go clean. A new show for July 21 was added and sold out its 60,000 tickets. The Milan, ITA, concert for July 7 sold its 80,000 capacity allotment with a new show added for July 8 that goes on sale on March 20.

Even though tickets for the Dublin, IRE, show on July 24 are not on sale yet, the buzz was considered so high for its hometown quartet that a second show was added for July 25. Both concerts go on sale on March 20, as well. Other gigs going on sale on March 20 include Paris, FRA; Nice, FRA; Chorzow, POL; Glasgow, SCO; Sheffield, ENG; and Cardiff, WAL.

"U2 will be touring July-August in Europe and September-October in North America," Arthur Fogel, CEO of Global Touring and chairman of Global Music for Live Nation, told TicketNews. "Next year, U2 will be touring North America and then Europe."

There are no set plans for Australia and South America, but if they do happen, it will not be on the 2009 leg of the world tour.