April Fools Day joke leads to return of concerts to Sun Bowl stadium: Trish Long
An April Fool's Day prank by local radio station, Power 102, set off a chain of events leading to U2 performing at the Sun Bowl, the first concert at the stadium in 20 years.
April 2, 1992, El Paso Herald-Post
Radio joke about U2 concert carries hopes for Sun Bowl
A local radio station’s April Fool’s Day announcements insinuating that a rock supergroup might perform in the Sun Bowl had excited fans calling the station and the UTEP special events offices all day, officials said.
Mike Martinez, program director for KPRR, FM-102 or Power 102, says that though the announcements were just part of a ticket promotion, they also brought up the larger issue of the UTEP football stadium’s not being used for concerts.
On Wednesday, the station broadcast recorded spots asking listeners whether they thought the Sun Bowl would be a big enough venue for a concert by U2. The end of the spots said to tune in Wednesday afternoon for an important announcement. That announcement, however, was not about a U2 concert at the Sun Bowl.
“It was a very ambiguous April Fool’s Day promotional spot for our U2 weekend,” said Martinez. The station will give away tickets for the band's April 10 concert in Tempe, Ariz. he said.
“Even though it was part of an April Fool’s promotion, there’s an important message here,” Martinez said. “Obviously, there is an incredible amount of local interest in this particular group, but also in the idea of having major concerts in the Sun Bowl.”
“Maybe this will help send a message to the University of Texas Board of Regents, or whomever it is that has prevented this town from being able to enjoy big shows in the Sun Bowl while other cities across the nation are able to have stadium shows … It seems to me that a lot of money could be made, not only in ticket sales but also in concessions, hotel revenues et cetera.”
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ZZ Top concert ends concerts in UT stadiums
It was after a Labor Day, 1973, ZZ Top concert at the University of Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin that the University of Texas Board of Regents banned concerts at their football stadiums.
80,000 fans showed up for that concert. The following Monday, Dr. James H. Covin, UT vice president for business affairs, described the aftermath of the concert, “It’s an abominable mess.”
He described “tons” of litter, stadium restroom sinks torn from the walls, dozens of cigarette burns and one gash in the newly recarpeted AstroTurf.
Colvin said if he has anything to say about allowing any future concerts in the stadium, it will be “absolutely not.”
U2 headed for Sun Bowl concert
In Aug. 1992, Bob Conrad, a representative for fey concert Co. the group that would bring U2 to El Paso, met with UTEP concert promoters and El Paso media.
“We were there on a fact-finding mission talking to all of the media to see if (El Paso) would be a viable market,” Conrad said. “There hasn’t been a show (at the Sun Bowl) in some time. People were very gung-ho about the idea.”
Bobbie Welch, UTEP’s special events director, had appealed the rule banning concerts in University of Texas athletic stadiums but had not yet received a reply.
First show in 20 years
Concerts were soon allowed to be held in Texas University stadiums. The only other concert I found in the Sun Bowl, built in 1963, was an April 29, 1972 concert by “the newest singing sensation from England,” Elton John.
40,000 get high-tech thrills at U2 concert
Oct. 28, 1992, El Paso Times
An electronically enhanced George Bush opened Tuesday’s U2 concert, mothing the Queen lyrics “We will, we will rock you.”
The parody set the theme – music, politics and high-tech humor – for the group’s two-hour performance that drew 40,000 people to the Sun Bowl.
Lead singer Bono controlled the actions of the screaming crowd. They sang along with “Mysterious Ways,” swayed en masse during “One” and danced into a frenzy during “New Year’s Day.”
“I’ve never been to a show like this before,” said David Gomez, a supervisor at Coca-cola. “The stage is huge.”
Colored cars carrying spotlights swung out over the audience on giant steel arms. Seven video walls and 0 monitors broadcast the stage show to stadium seats far from the action. Spotlights and lasers made the crowd seem like it was part of an MTV video – which it was.
The concert was broadcast live into MTV contest winner Sheri Hogan’s home in Huntington Beach, Calif.
El Paso was an unexpected stop for the Irish rock band. It added the Sun City date a month ago after dropping a San Diego show.
And the Sun Bowl was an unexpected venue. Tuesday’s show was it first rock concert in 20 years.
Icelandic alternative band Sugar Cubes opened the concert with its quirky dance tunes.
The controversial rap group Public Enemy kept the energy high. Its half-hour set opened with a person dressed in a Ku Klux Klan robe walking on stage.
The stadium rocked with boos and screams. The figure was chased off stage with the performers and crowd chanting, “Public Enemy No. 1.”
Police and security officials reported no major problems. Police didn’t have any numbers on people arrested.
Stadium gates opened at 5:30 p.m., a half-hour late. The show started 10 minutes late.
Sun Bowl concerts
The U2 concert was followed by Pink Floyd, 1992; Bryan Adams with The Rolling Stones, 1994; George Strait’s Country Music Festival 1999, 1999 (stopped early due to winds); Ricky Martin, 2000; *NSYNC, 2001; Power Jam, 2002; The Rolling Stones with Dave Matthews Band, 2006; One Direction, 2014; Lonestar, 2014; Collin Raye, 2016; ZZ Top and Guns N’ Roses, 2017; Motley Crue, Def Leppard and Allice Cooper, 2023.
Still to come this year is RBD’s Soy Rebelde Tour, Aug. 25.
Trish Long may be reached at tlong@elpasotimes.com or 915-546-6179.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: April Fools Day joke leads to return of concerts to Sun Bowl: Trish Long
