U2 Tour Wins Top Production Award

Roadies and stage crew from around the world have voted U2's recent groundbreaking 360 Degree tour the best stage show around.

In an indirect and possibly unconscious homage to Spinal Tap, U2 used a giant "claw" stage to perform under, the tour being named live production of the year at the Total Production International Awards, the winners voted for by readers of the industry magazine of the same name.

TPI magazine editor-in-chief Mark Cunningham said of the claw, "It is a massive engineering feat - from scenery to video to audio with the biggest PA system to ever be seen on a tour.

"The four members of U2 are effectively the icing on the cake."

Individual awards went to the Edge's roadie Dallas Schoo and the brains behind U2's stage production, Willie Williams.

The TPI Awards have been an annual event since 2002 and rewards the behind-the-scenes workers who allow such elaborate tours as U2's to happen. This year's event, held in Hammersmith, west London, was hosted by Chris Evans and was attended by the Pet Shop Boys, Kaiser Chiefs singer Ricky Wilson and Jah Wobble.

The 360 Degree tour continues throughout 2010 in Europe and the US.