(02-03-2005) An open letter from Larry Mullen - U2.com

[HelloAngel]

An open letter from Larry Mullen


This is not something that I would normally do, but I feel that I have to do something to redress this situation.

There was a mess up in the way the tickets were distributed through U2.com for the Vertigo pre-sale. Some of it was beyond our control, but some of it wasn't.

I am now in the process of figuring out a way of distributing the tickets for our intended return to North America in the fall. The only fair way of doing this, is to give U2 Propaganda members, who are now U2.com members, priority in the queue.

After that, people will be given priority in the order in which they joined. Many people who joined U2.com and didn't get tickets are understandably angry. They now have the option to get a full refund of their subscription fee.

The idea that our long-time U2 fans and scalpers competed for U2 tickets through our own web site is appalling to me. I want to apologise to you who have suffered that.

If your U2.com pre-sale experience has left you disappointed, I hope this will go some way towards reassuring you of our total commitment to our audience.

Slainte
Larry.

By the way, a note to those so-called U2 fans who are quick to accuse U2 of unseemly behaviour, I've only got two words for you...


Click here for information on a refund.

http://www.u2.com/news/index.php?mode=full&news_id=1318

 

[Maeve]

Thanks Hello Angel for posting this.

Maeve

 

[nbcrusader]

 

[verte76]

I am glad that Larry wrote that. Thanks for posting it HelloAngel.

 

[hanshess]

GO Laryy

This open letter is what makes U2 great... a band with a heart for their fans!

I've been a fan for about 22 years but only recently joined the fan club. But I will gladly wait in line behind people who have been in the club longer. It only drove me crazy to know that after I got locked out of the presale, scalpers were selling tickets for $800 a piece.

 

[applenut]

Re: GO Laryy

This open letter is what makes U2 great... a band with a heart for their fans!

o god. you're only kidding yourself.

 

[U2WOJO]

Umm, I don't get it. What are the two words? Nice to finally after weeks see a real apology instead of the tap dancing we got from TicketBastard and McGinnis. A sincere thank you to Larry for having the character to finally get out in front of this and say sorry with out if, ands, or buts. Outstanding that there will be a true effort to distinguish between old Prop members and the newest fans. Sorry for everyone that is new, but it is much less likely that an old Prop member is in fact a scalper versus a new U2.coN member. In addition, by their own assertions, the Prop member were to get priority treatment in the ticketing which did not happen.

 

[u2_england]

Umm, I don't get it. What are the two words?B]

The two words are **** off!

Yeh, he had the balls to write a letter, but to end it in that way is a ****ing joke.

To say **** off to your own fans is just appalling to the extreme(remember that this dig IS aimed at fans who doubted U2's "unseemly behaviour" and not at scalpers, ticketbastard or Adam's brother - who couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery).

I've got two words for you Larry - can you guess what they are?

 

[RABIDLAMB]

Didn't Know Where Else to Post This:

U2's Croke Park gigs sell out in less than one hour



09:02 Friday February 4th 2005



U2's two gigs at Croke Park in Dublin this summer have sold out in less than an hour.
Tickets for the June 24th and 25th concerts went on sale at 8am and were snapped up by thousands of die-hard fans in around 50 minutes.

Demand for tickets was so high that Ticketmaster's website and phonelines were jammed from 8am.

Thousands of fans had also queued for hours at Ticketmaster outlets throughout the country and many were left disappointed when the tickets sold out.

However, there is speculation that a third Irish date on the U2 world tour will be announced in the coming weeks or months.

 

[Party Boy]

The two words are **** off!

Yeh, he had the balls to write a letter, but to end it in that way is a ****ing joke.

To say **** off to your own fans is just appalling to the extreme(remember that this dig IS aimed at fans who doubted U2's "unseemly behaviour" and not at scalpers, ticketbastard or Adam's brother - who couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery).

I've got two words for you Larry - can you guess what they are?

I think to say f**k off to the fans who questioned their integrity is fair enough. Thats the point of the last line. Seems like some people still don't get it.

 

[u2_england]

I think to say f**k off to the fans who questioned their integrity is fair enough. Thats the point of the last line. Seems like some people still don't get it.

I think YOU still don't get what I'm saying.

Fair enough, for Larry to have a go at fans who are saying U2 are con-artists or assholes - we know they're not, but to put ALL the fans who had a go at U2 and their management over this issue into one pot and then to go and tell all of them to **** off IS a joke.

I didn't question U2's integrity - I questioned U2's management of this fisaco WHICH IS WHAT LARRY IS APOLOGISING FOR!duh!
Get it now?
Un-der-stand?

 

[Party Boy]

I didn't question U2's integrity - I questioned U2's management of this fisaco WHICH IS WHAT LARRY IS APOLOGISING FOR!duh!
Get it now?
Un-der-stand?

Whats with the Un-der-stand bit??

If you read Larrys letter again, it states:

"By the way, a note to those so-called U2 fans who are quick to accuse U2 of unseemly behaviour, I've only got two words for you..."

It doesnt take a genius to see the last lines are aimed at those fans who questioned the bands integrity and so-called money grabbing ways. Thats all it is referring to.

If you questioned the bands integrity then the last line is for you. If you didn't, then you have nothing to worry about. Its pretty plain and simple to me and a lot of other people on this site.

Now do you Un-der-stand??

 

[esselte]

Scalpers will always drive up ticket prices and they already use well-established methods for acquiring tickets that have nothing to do with U2.com presales (e.g. insider trading). Indeed many “true fans” will engage in scalping as the market prices go up.

The only sure way to guarantee that fans willing to endure a long wait to have the best tickets and then to actually use those tickets and occupy those areas (GA or reserved) is to require them to go into the event immediately after acquiring the tickets. This leaves absolutely no chance for resale of the tickets.

Springsteen did this on his last tour and it worked very well. The tickets were sold in advance and held at the box office until the day of the show. You were only allowed to pick up your tickets in-person, with identification and the credit card used for the purchase. When you picked up your tickets at the box office, you had to enter the venue immediately.

 

[ShellBeThere]

Springsteen did this on his last tour and it worked very well. The tickets were sold in advance and held at the box office until the day of the show. You were only allowed to pick up your tickets in-person, with identification and the credit card used for the purchase. When you picked up your tickets at the box office, you had to enter the venue immediately.

What a great idea! It must have created sort of hellish lines on concert day though, no?

cheers!

 

[Popmartijn]

I didn't question U2's integrity - I questioned U2's management of this fisaco WHICH IS WHAT LARRY IS APOLOGISING FOR!duh!
Get it now?
Un-der-stand?

Whats with the Un-der-stand bit??

If you read Larrys letter again, it states:

"By the way, a note to those so-called U2 fans who are quick to accuse U2 of unseemly behaviour, I've only got two words for you..."

It doesnt take a genius to see the last lines are aimed at those fans who questioned the bands integrity and so-called money grabbing ways. Thats all it is referring to.

If you questioned the bands integrity then the last line is for you. If you didn't, then you have nothing to worry about. Its pretty plain and simple to me and a lot of other people on this site.

Now do you Un-der-stand??

Maybe the first poster doesn't Un-der-stand the word 'unseemly'...

So here it is, from Dictionary.com:

un·seem·ly
adj. un·seem·li·er, un·seem·li·est

1. Not in accord with accepted standards of good taste; grossly improper. See Synonyms at improper.
2. Not suited to the circumstances; inappropriate.

Un-der-stand now, or do we have to spell it out for you?

C ya!

Marty

 

[esselte]

What a great idea! It must have created sort of hellish lines on concert day though, no?

cheers!

Actually, it wasn't the very last tour, but a previous tour. The process was only for those who bought seats in the first 17 rows on the floor (best in the house), so the lines were not excessive.

 

[u2_england]

After reading further comments attributed to Larry and taking other fans writings into consideration...

I withdraw my childish remarks to Party Boy and accept that Larry wasn't aiming his attack at fans like me, but at other 'unseemly' types.

BUT I still don't agree Larry using/referring to those last two words - even for pond scum - because he's in a highly responsible role and should've been more professional in his attack.

It might be a laugh hearing Ozzy f-ing and blinding, but Larrry (U2) is in a different league.

So Larry, two words for you - I understand.

 

[Party Boy]

No prob.. its been a bit heated lately and can understand why some people might misunderstand Larrys sentence. Anyways, hopefully with tour starting soon, we can forget the whole ticket nightmare!

Managed to get 2 for Twickenham totalling £157.... not happy about spending that much money but it was either pay it or not go at all..