U2 concert to be streamed live on YouTube

(AFP PHOTO/LLUIS GENE)

Irish rock megastars U2 announced Monday that their upcoming concert at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in California will be streamed live on YouTube.

"The band has wanted to do something like this for a long time," U2 manager Paul McGuinness said in a statement on the band's website.

"Fans often travel long distances to come to see U2 -- this time U2 can go to them, globally," he said.

YouTube said Sunday's concert will be streamed live on the U2 channel at the video-sharing site.

It can be watched live in 16 countries: Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, France, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, Spain and the United States.

"YouTube is thrilled to be able to provide our global audience with a live streaming performance from one of the world's greatest bands," Chris Maxcy, director of YouTube partner development, said in a blog post.

YouTube has been experimenting with more live events as Google seeks ways to turn the video-sharing site it purchased for 1.65 billion dollars in 2006 into a money-making venture.