This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Workers at Rice-Eccles Stadium — including more than 1,500 Utahns — spent Wednesday finishing up the erection of what audiences and the worldwide media have dubbed "The Claw" in advance of the band U2's Tuesday night performance in Salt Lake City.
The tentacle-like structure is a 164-foot-tall in-the-round set that spans the width of the football stadium at the University of Utah. It perches on four legs with sound systems inside each.
Utah fans have been waiting 18 months for U2 to finally bring its "360 Tour" to Salt Lake City after the band postponed an earlier appearance because of lead singer Bono's back injury in 2010.
The U.S. leg of the U2 360 Tour, the largest touring show ever, got under way Saturday in Denver.
Tuesday's Salt Lake City show starts at 7 p.m. with The Fray opening. Gates will open at 5 p.m. U2 is scheduled to take the stage sometime around 8:45 p.m.
The weather forecast for Tuesday evening, according to the National Weather Service, shows a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight, with a low around 47. On Monday, U2 tour director Craig Evans said the show will go on, rain or shine.
Be advised: Umbrellas are not permitted inside Rice-Eccles Stadium. And neither is alcohol, in case you wanted to imbibe a little brandy to keep warm.