Blackberry maker Research in Motion sponsors U2's 360 Degree Tour

U2.com has confirmed that the band's U2 360° tour will open at the Nou Camp Stadium in Barcelona on 30th June. The tour will be sponsored by BlackBerry® and is the band's first stadium outing since the Vertigo Tour of 2005/2006. The 360° tour follows the release of the band's acclaimed album, No Line On The Horizon. Their twelfth studio album, No Line On The Horizon is already number one in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Belgium, Finland, Japan and the Czech Republic, with further chart positions to be announced this week.

Produced by Live Nation Global Touring, U2 360° will visit fourteen cities across Europe including dates in Milan, Gothenburg, Amsterdam, Paris, Nice, Dublin, Chorzow, Berlin, Gelsenkirchen, London, Sheffield and Glasgow, before finishing at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 22nd August. The European tour will be followed by dates in North America beginning at Chicago's Soldier Field on September 12th, 2009. Commenting on the new relationship between U2 and BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion (RIM), the group's manager, Paul McGuinness, added: "This tour announcement marks the first stage of a relationship and shared vision between RIM and U2 that we expect will lead to new and innovative ways to enhance the mobile music experience on the BlackBerry platform for U2 fans. We look forward to sharing more details as the relationship unfolds. "U2 has always been at their best when surrounded by their audience. This staging takes a giant leap forward. With 85 percent of the tickets priced at less than     $95.00, general admission floor tickets priced at $55.00 and at least 10,000 tickets at every venue priced at the $30.00 price range, we have worked very hard to ensure that U2 fans can purchase a great priced ticket with a guaranteed great view", he added. In keeping with their long-standing tradition, U2 will welcome a number of different support acts to the tour including Glasvegas, Elbow, Kaiser Chiefs, Snow Patrol and Black Eyed Peas, with additional artists to be announced. Tickets for U2 360° performances in Milan and Gothenburg go on sale this Friday, March 13th.