Thirteen months after the Dome was ravaged by Katrina, the dome is reopening with a party usually reserved for the Super Bowl but New Orleans is welcoming back the Saints in style.
The festivities begin before Monday night's game featuring U2 and Green Day, together publicly for the first time!
JazzFest producer Quint Davis was called in to orchestrate Monday's event in conjunction with Ken Ehrlich, producer of the Grammy Awards telecast. Also featured on the bill are Big Sam's Funky Nation, the Rebirth Brass Band, Storyville brass band and the GooGoo Dolls.
In the days following Hurricane Katrina, the Louisiana Superdome became a symbol of agony and distress. This NFL football game is the first event to originate from the stadium since the Katrina devastation. It will be highlighted by a special live performance by U2 and Green Day that will be televised during ESPN?s Monday Night Countdown pre-game show between 7:00pm-8:30pm EDT (performance 8:20-8:30pm). An opening video presentation showcasing the efforts of Music Rising and the Superdome will air prior to the performance by the two super-groups.
The official re-opening of the Dome will begin at 5:30 p.m. The first people allowed to enter the Dome will be 150 first-responders from Gulf Coast search and rescue teams.
Allen Toussaint and Irma Thomas will sing the national anthem and Former President George H. Bush will preside over the coin toss.
RealNetworks? Rhapsody music service will stream U2/Green Day live from the SuperDome, and sell downloads afterwards, with proceeds going to Music Rising.
