U2 to stream full concert live on YouTube

U2's concert Sunday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena will be streaming live over YouTube, sending the Irish rock band's iconic sound across the United States and to an additional 15 countries. YouTube has dabbled in the live concert scene before but hasn't ever streamed an entire concert live. Sunday's show will begin at 11:30 p.m. EST.

"We are streaming the Rose Bowl U2 live concert onto our platform, inviting millions of people around the country and around the world to participate in what we say is the world's largest band on the world's largest platform," said Chris Maxcy, Google's director of YouTube partner development.

Wired magazine said the concert--part of U2's 360 Degrees tour--isn't the start of a new trend of live concerts on the web, saying complex rights issues are a major stumbling block. Still, Dave Matthews, earlier this year, did stream the Internet's first live concert through Hulu. Smashing Pumpkins, meanwhile, in April began offering access to singer Billy Corgan at work in the studio.

Would you watch a concert online? Vote in the poll on our homepage.

You can watch the event at YouTube.com/U2.

For more:
- see this Wired story

Related articles:
Car batteries to cell phones 
RIM touts forthcoming U2 ‘mobile album'