from Launch

U2 is among several bands being approached to perform by organizers of next month's Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Irish quartet is apparently already planning to be in town during the games--which begin February 24--to perform at a private party, although it has not yet been revealed for whom the group will play. Olympics organizers have asked the group to play one of the nightly free concerts at the Olympic Medals Plaza.

Already signed on to perform at that site are Creed, Sheryl Crow, *NSYNC, Smash Mouth, Brooks & Dunn, Marc Anthony, and Martina McBride, and organizers hope to add five more headliners, who will perform before each night's medals presentation. U2, which is slated to perform at halftime of the Super Bowl in New Orleans on February 3, has not yet responded to the Olympics invitation.

-- Gary Graff, Detroit