The ground beneath U2’s feet

Heavy-duty flooring and grass protection systems were needed to support the 600-ton stage that is touring stadiums with U2 in Europe and the US

For the first time ever, a tour production is to take not only its stage, lighting and sound equipment with it on tour, but also all the ground protection. Infrastructure provider eps gmbh is sending four sets of newly developed heavy-duty Arena floor panels (24,000 m˛) and two sets of Terraplas turf protection systems (10,000 m˛) along on U2’s “360°” tour of Europe and the US, which takes in 19 cities and 55 shows over summer and autumn 2009.

The complete stage in Barcelona’s Camp Nou, ready for
the first date of the world tour on 30th June

In addition, eps is producing all the CAD layout plans for the stadiums and providing additional site material at several venues, including golf carts, flagpoles, security gates, barricades and Remopla heavy-duty mats.

The determining factor of the decision of Live Nation America, U2’s tour managers, to award eps the contract for infrastructure services and material for the whole tour, was the elaborate design of the show’s stage construction. From where the spectator stands, the centre stage, with a total weight of 600 tons, looks like a gigantic, four-legged creature, straight out of a science fiction film. The ground beneath each of the four legs has to support a load of 150 tons.

The construction schedule is tight in this production. For each show, just three and a half days are planned to erect and two days to dismantle the stage. The sensitive stadium ground has to be prepared to take cranes, lorries and fork-lift trucks whilst not suffering any damage. Enormous quantities of cable have to be laid throughout the spectator area. All this has to be performed perfectly and reliably in each of the stadiums covered by the tour, and always in compliance with health and safety regulations.

Up to 7,500 m˛ Arena Panels will be laid in each stadium. eps’ crew takes just six to eight hours to cover this area. This new flooring system can be laid by hand using fork-lift trucks and manpower, with no need for cranes. It is much lighter than conventional systems, is easy to lay and dismantle, and can take construction vehicles with no problem at all. The special design of the Arena Panels features fully retracted nuts and bolts and specially made ramps that leave the material absolutely free of trip holes. The slight profile on top prevents slipping in case of rain and provides safe access for the audience as well as for the construction vehicles. Specially made connectors also enable a perfect connection with the eps turf protection systems Terraplas and Rollaway. Depending on local conditions, eps Arena Panels can be left on the turf for up to eight days without causing it any damage.

After the last show in Europe on 22nd August in Wales, all the complete eps material will be loaded into 50 maritime containers and shipped to the US, where the second part of the U2 360° tour starts on 12 September.