The Vertigo Tour was a concert tour by the Irish rock band U2, which took place in 2005 and 2006 in support of the group's 2004 album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.
The tour grossed $260 million in 110 sold-out concerts in 2005, making it the top-grossing tour of the year. In North America alone, the tour grossed $138.9 million The Vertigo Tour won the 2005 Billboard Roadwork Touring Awards for Top Tour, Top Draw, and Top Single Event.
By the time it finished, the Vertigo Tour had sold 4,619,021 tickets — with all 131 shows a sellout — for a total gross of $389 million; the gross was the second-highest such figure ever, bested only by The Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour (which took place at roughly the same time but was longer overall).
"Vertigo" is the opening track and first single from U2's 2004 album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. The single was released for airplay on September 24, 2004; upon release the song received extensive airplay and was an international hit. It won Best Rock Song, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Short Form Music Video at the 2005 Grammy Awards.
"Vertigo" was the Maltese entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007, performed in English by Olivia Lewis.
The song is a moderately up-tempo number. Lewis describes the difficulties she faces in her relationship, as her lover apparently spends much of his time doing exactly the opposite of what she expects him to. She likens this feeling to vertigo, and wonders if perhaps "solo is the way to go", suggesting that she may choose to end the relationship rather than deal with the problems. Musically, the song features a tune described as "oriental" and containing elements both of Middle Eastern and Far Eastern music (most notably a gong, struck at various points during the song). Lewis herself performed in a costume made of silk and giving the appearance of being from China.
As Malta had not finished the previous Contest in the top ten, the song was performed in the semi-final. Here, it was performed twentieth (following Norway's Guri Schanke with Ven a bailar conmigo and preceding Andorra's Anonymous with Salvem el món). At the close of voting, it had received 15 points, placing 25th in a field of 28 and thus preventing Malta from qualifying for the final. The result represents Malta's first failure to appear in the final since the country's debut - however there was a long hiatus in Maltese entries as well.
It is said by Maltese singer Enzo Gusman that the song itself may be derivative of a song in the film Vertigo, directed by Alfred Hitchcock .
