West, who joins the legendary Irish act for just the last four dates of the "Vertigo" American tour, including Saturday's show at the Delta Center, is arguably bigger than U2 right now. Last week, "hip-hop's savior" was nominated for eight Grammy awards, including Album of the Year for his hit CD "Late Registration" and Record of the Year for the omnipresent "Gold Digger" single. He was also nominated in a variety of rap categories for his own music and for producing songs by Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys. West landed on the cover of Time magazine this year, famously chided George W. Bush on national television for the slow response to Hurricane Katrina, and will ring in 2006 with a performance on MTV's New Year's Eve telecast.
U2 was nominated for five Grammys, including Album of the Year, but ask any person under 25 who the biggest musician on the planet is, and you'll surely hear more "Kanye" than "Bono."
The Chicago-raised West first came to prominence in the rap game for his production skills, delivering delicious and unforgettable beats and sonic backgrounds for the likes of Jay-Z ("Izzo H.O.V.A."), Ludacris ("Stand Up") and Alicia Keys ("You Don't Know My Name") before releasing a single in his own name, the insistent "Through the Wire." The song is a harrowing tale of a real-life car accident that left West with his jaws wired tight, and helped spread his name among hip-hop fans. After another monster single, "Slow Jamz," West's debut album, "The College Dropout," debuted at No. 1 on the album-sales charts and eventually garnered 10 Grammy nominations.
West's intelligent hip-hop before U2's bombastic guitar rock is the most unusual combination of the tour, a bonus for Utah fans who most likely won't see West's solo "Touch the Sky" tour stop here any time soon.
- Dan Nailen
To go to either U2 or Neil Diamond
l U2, with Kanye West opening, plays Saturday at Salt Lake City's Delta Center at 7:30 p.m. The show is sold out.
l Neil Diamond plays tonight at West Valley City's E Center at 8 p.m. Scattered tickets remain at either $45.50 or $75, and are available at all Smith's Tix outlets and the E Center box office.
TO GO TO EITHER
U2 OR NEIL DIAMOND
