MERGED--> Ticket mess in Brazil + Chaos as U2 tickets go on sale in Brazil

[Mogi]

Ticket mess in Brazil

I am an American living in Brazil and I just wanted to report the complete mess that U2 fans are going through to get tickets.
First off, the original price for the tickets was $R 160 Brazilian (about $70 US) for most seats and $R1000 Brazilian for seats next to the stage. The tickets were to be sold on a Saturday only at a grocery store chain and online at a site called ticketronic. Students could get a half price discount only in person and everyone else could order online.
Then, the organizers decided to change the sell date for the tickets for a Monday and increase the tickets to $R200, $R230 for general, $R380, for a special area with food and drink and eliminate the $R1000 area only for contest winners.
At this point, the tickets were the highest prices of any U2 ticket on this tour(this is what I understood).
So when they went on sale today, it pretty much turned into a disaster. Lines for 18 hours in 33 c weather with many people not getting tickets, the internet did not work all day. Some people tried online for 12 hours, with no luck.
I assume most people need to wait in line for U2 tickets, but just wondering if 18 hours is an extreme?
Also, since the internet site for the tickets did not work, only people who could show up to the grocery store (Sao Paulo and Rio) had the ability to buy tickets.
Needless to say, there are many extremely frustrated fans, including myself who hope to get tickets for their second show. Already that is starting off on the wrong foot because people who stood in line today and didn´t get a ticket got a "reservation number" for them to bring that gives them priority. That is all good, but for those who had to work and could not stand all day in a line and depended on the internet, this puts us in a big disadvantange.
There has been little or no response from the organizers. Originally they said the high prices were because U2 had to fly 4 747´s with all their equipment. But my understanding is that the other latin american countries are paying much less that Brazil.
Sorry to be so long winded, but just wanted to let other people in the world know how much frustration Brazilians have been going through today to see their beloved band.

My main question is: Does U2 have power over who they outsource to sell tickets?
I really think the band should be more aware of what messes are being made with their name attached.

 

[cleazer]

Re: Ticket mess in Brazil

18 hours? That's insane!

Best of luck on getting tickets to the second show! Sounds like you'll need it!

Originally they said the high prices were because U2 had to fly 4 747´s with all their equipment. But my understanding is that the other latin american countries are paying much less that Brazil.

Chile is super expensive too.

Mexico and Argentina seemed to have prices that were right in line with US, Europe, Australia, etc.

 

[Miroslava]

Re: Ticket mess in Brazil

My main question is: Does U2 have power over who they outsource to sell tickets?
I really think the band should be more aware of what messes are being made with their name attached.

Not that I am informed in any way, shape or form, but I would assume that much like in the U.S. and in other countries, the options to outsource things like these are VERY limited and there are probably only a handful of companies/promoters "capable" of handling these things. Then i think I read somewhere that U2 had filed some sort of legal action against the promoter that they used furing PopMart, so I would assume that automatically would disqualify that specific company.

Sorry to hear this was such a mess.

Also, moving this to a more appropriate area.

 

[Halup]

18 hours was nothing compared to the 46.5 hours my girlfriend in Sao Paulo waited outside the Pao De Acucar on Ave Paulista. She arrived on Saturday at 11:30 and was first in line. She really did not need to arrive until Sunday to be near the front, but as she was buying 10 tickets for various people (myself included) she wanted to be sure.

She ended up not being the first to purchase tickets though as some pregnant girl showed up 10 minutes before they were to go on sale and they moved her to the front of the line. Apparently after this, they then created new lines for pregnant girls and older people that would have priority over the main line, regardless of how long people had been waiting. She told me fat girls then started saying they were pregnant and people started paying older people to stand in line to buy their tickets.

Apparently the second show will go onsale on Thursday.

 

[VertigoGal]

sorry to hear it was such a mess, 18 hrs in line is insane! hopefully you will get tickets to the second show, and they will add one in Rio too.

it's just odd that Brazil and Chile have such high prices, when Mexico has very normal prices and Argentina's are actually somewhat lower than the average.

 

[Halup]

Re: Re: Ticket mess in Brazil

Also, moving this to a more appropriate area.

Why move this when it directly applies to the Sao Paulo shows, yet keep the Hawaii thread with all its completely unrelated talk about skanky tops under Tour Dates instead of where it belongs in PLEBA?

 

[cleazer]

She told me fat girls then started saying they were pregnant and people started paying older people to stand in line to buy their tickets.

On the plus side, congratulations on having a girlfriend who is neither fat nor old!

 

[Miroslava]

Re: Re: Re: Ticket mess in Brazil

Why move this when it directly applies to the Sao Paulo shows, yet keep the Hawaii thread with all its completely unrelated talk about skanky tops under Tour Dates instead of where it belongs in PLEBA?

Because it is in relation to specific TOUR dates as you mentioned in your own post, and not GENERAL tour talk. Thanks for incorrectly telling me how to do my job. Much appreciated.

If the Hawaii thread is of no interest to you, please feel free to never enter it again.

 

[Halup]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Ticket mess in Brazil

Because it is in relation to a TOUR date, and not GENERAL tour talk. Thanks for telling me how to do my job. Much appreciated.

If the Hawaii thread is of no interest to you, please feel free to never enter it again.

That's a pretty pour attitude to take just because not everyone who wants to find out info on the Hawaii shows wants to weed through hundreds of irrelevant posts. I noticed there were several Hawaii based fans posting for the first time who wanted info since many have never seen U2 before or purchased tickets for such a big concert. It makes it hard for them and others to weed through 5 differen threads for answers.

 

[Miroslava]

Again, this thread is EXACTLY where it belongs. And if you read the FIRST post in the Hawaii thread, you will see that all the relevant and KNOWN information about the Hawaii show is clearly delineated for anyone to see. Specific questions, have been answered each and every time someone has popped in with them regardless of whether they are being asked for the first or the umpteenth time or whether they were already answered in the first post as was often the case.

So who's the one with the poor attitude? I understand you are frustrated with your specific ticket situation, but that is no excuse for you to come and question what I have legitimately done in keeping with Interference posting standards.

 

[cleazer]

Again, this thread is EXACTLY where it belongs. And if you read the FIRST post in the Hawaii thread, you will see that all the relevant and KNOWN information about the Hawaii show is clearly delineated for anyone to see.

Yeah, I'm with Miro on this one. This thread is exactly where it belongs, and the Hawaii threads, while unwieldy, have all pertinent info located in the first posts, or at least get questions answered pretty darn quick.

 

[Halup]

Again, this thread is EXACTLY where it belongs. And if you read the FIRST post in the Hawaii thread, you will see that all the relevant and KNOWN information about the Hawaii show is clearly delineated for anyone to see. Specific questions, have been answered each and every time someone has popped in with them regardless of whether they are being asked for the first or the umpteenth time or whether they were already answered in the first post as was often the case.

So who's the one with the poor attitude? I understand you are frustrated with your specific ticket situation, but that is no excuse for you to come and question what I have legitimately done in keeping with Interference posting standards.

Maybe there was a misunderstanding regarding this thread. When I first read it, it was prior to you posting your first post and I found it under Tour Dates where it seemed appropriate. I wrote my post and sent it, then saw your post before mine and it said you were mocing it. Maybe you had moved this post into Tour Dates prior to writing your post and prior to me accesing this thread. If so, I'm sorry I made my comments.

Also I am not frustrated with my specific ticket situations, as I was able to easily get GA tickets for Honolulu online and my girlfriend was able to get my GA ticket for Sao Paulo, so I'm set.

 

[Miroslava]

Damn the internet!

You just made my blood boil for nothing. This thread was originally under General Discussions, so I moved over here!

So ok, we're all set.

 

[cleazer]

And they all lived happily ever after.

 

[u2rulesmyworld]

some post nude

of Brazilians

I wanna stay on topic

 

[victor_f]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Ticket mess in Brazil

nevermind

 

[wenda]

Has this been posted? Chaos as U2 tickets go on sale in Brazil.

Didn't see it...maybe I'm hard of seeing?

Chaos as U2 tickets go on sale in Brazil

Chaos as U2 tickets go on sale in Brazil

SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - Chaos reigned in supermarkets in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo on Monday as tens of thousands of fans tried to buy tickets for a concert by Irish rockers U2.

Cashiers' machines broke down and lines went round city blocks. People who had waited for more than 12 hours under a blazing sun grew frustrated and angry as night fell and they still hadn't found what they were looking for.

Squads of police were on standby for trouble and although tempers began to fray, no major incidents were reported.

U2 is scheduled to play the Morumbi soccer stadium -- home to world club champions Sao Paulo -- on February 20 as part of its Vertigo tour.

The organizers issued an apology and said an extra show would be added for the following day.

Self-styled champions of the world's poor and oppressed, U2 had been criticized by fans for the high price of the tickets. Students could buy tickets for half price but the cheapest full price ticket was 200 reais -- about $75, or two-thirds of Brazil's minimum monthly wage.

The organizers marketed the show through a tie-up with the Pao de Acucar supermarket chain, which is owned jointly by Brazil's wealthy Diniz family and French company Casino Guichard-Perrachon. Tickets went on sale only at 10 supermarkets in Sao Paulo and two in Rio de Janeiro at 10 a.m. Lines formed before midnight on Sunday.

At most outlets, only one cashier was handling the sales and machines broke down, leading to chaos.

The demand was unexpected, Pao de Acucar press officer Paulo Pompilio said.

"There were 73,000 tickets. The demand was much, much more," Pompilio told Reuters outside the Brigadeiro branch where crowds swirled. "We estimate about 100,000 people want tickets and all were buying the 10 ticket limit."

Ricardo Luiz Nacedo, a 30-year-old welder, had waited since 4:30 a.m., and by 8 p.m. he was no closer to getting a ticket. "This is the worst. When there's a soccer game at Morumbi, they sell 70,000 tickets quickly without problem. I love them -- this would have been my first time to see them."

Verna Zula, a 29-year-old physical education teacher, had waited unsuccessfully since 3 a.m.

"I wouldn't have bothered if I had known it would be like this. When I got here there were 150 people in front of me. None of them have got tickets yet," she said as the evening wore on.

Fans in line shouted out improvised chants against Abilio Diniz, president of Pao de Acucar, saying in future they would shop at the rival Carrefour.

The situation was complicated by the Brazilian custom of allowing senior citizens, invalids and pregnant women to the front of lines, leading to a bottleneck of uncomfortable looking old folk as well as a number of fit-looking young men on crutches at the shop entrance.

 

[pepokiss]

is practicaly the same situation that happened here... except for the hours in line...

same problems, 10 stores in Santiago, 2 in the 5th Region, Internet or phone for anybody else... 1 cashier per store... EXACTLY the same thing...

this show us how we're still in the 3rd world...


10 ticket limit? ... that's TOO MUCH... the illegal sale will be HUGE

 

[VertigoGal]

"Self-styled champions of the world's poor and oppressed, U2 had been criticized by fans for the high price of the tickets. Students could buy tickets for half price but the cheapest full price ticket was 200 reais -- about $75, or two-thirds of Brazil's minimum monthly wage."

 

[shy]

My friends in line 16 hours, and i received a pre sale code for Japan.
Where is the Brazilian pre sale?

 

[Chrisedge]

F' the pregnant women, and old folks.

 

[Dragonfave]

Look like it's time for another apology from Larry.

 

[Halup]

Shy or Victor_F,

Do you have on video tape the interview that U2 and Paul McGuinness gave on Brasil tv last year, when they were on tour in Europe where they talked about playing in Brasil this year? If not, do you know anyone who does have it?

Also, last April there was a show on tv, at least on tv in Sao Paulo, where they had a film crew outside the first show in San Diego. They interviewed my girlfriend for this show outside the arena.

She lives in Sao Paulo had these things recorded on video tape. Unfortunately they got erased, so we are trying to find people who may have these 2 things recorded so she can get a copy again.

Obrigado!

 

[VertigoGal]

Look like it's time for another apology from Larry.

no shit.

there will be at least one more show, won't there? I thought they would've announced it today.

 

[the-wanderer]

Re: Ticket mess in Brazil

I am an American living in Brazil and I just wanted to report the complete mess that U2 fans are going through to get tickets.
First off, the original price for the tickets was $R 160 Brazilian (about $70 US) for most seats and $R1000 Brazilian for seats next to the stage. The tickets were to be sold on a Saturday only at a grocery store chain and online at a site called ticketronic. Students could get a half price discount only in person and everyone else could order online.
Then, the organizers decided to change the sell date for the tickets for a Monday and increase the tickets to $R200, $R230 for general, $R380, for a special area with food and drink and eliminate the $R1000 area only for contest winners.
At this point, the tickets were the highest prices of any U2 ticket on this tour(this is what I understood).
So when they went on sale today, it pretty much turned into a disaster. Lines for 18 hours in 33 c weather with many people not getting tickets, the internet did not work all day. Some people tried online for 12 hours, with no luck.
I assume most people need to wait in line for U2 tickets, but just wondering if 18 hours is an extreme?
Also, since the internet site for the tickets did not work, only people who could show up to the grocery store (Sao Paulo and Rio) had the ability to buy tickets.
Needless to say, there are many extremely frustrated fans, including myself who hope to get tickets for their second show. Already that is starting off on the wrong foot because people who stood in line today and didn´t get a ticket got a "reservation number" for them to bring that gives them priority. That is all good, but for those who had to work and could not stand all day in a line and depended on the internet, this puts us in a big disadvantange.
There has been little or no response from the organizers. Originally they said the high prices were because U2 had to fly 4 747´s with all their equipment. But my understanding is that the other latin american countries are paying much less that Brazil.
Sorry to be so long winded, but just wanted to let other people in the world know how much frustration Brazilians have been going through today to see their beloved band.

My main question is: Does U2 have power over who they outsource to sell tickets?
I really think the band should be more aware of what messes are being made with their name attached.

Is there going to be any hope to get tix for pleople living outside Sao Paulo or Rio?

 

[Benh5555]

According to pollstar.com second U2 concert is added for Sao Paulo on 21 February.

Good luck with the tickets to all of you in Brazil and in the rest of South America.

You deserve this and we all know that you are crazy and loud U2 audience.

 

[VertigoGal]

did they add a second sao paulo show already or not? I mean there hasn't been anything about it on U2.com for nearly a week after the first show mess, but I wouldn't really count on them to report such details...

 

[victor_f]

Shy or Victor_F,

Do you have on video tape the interview that U2 and Paul McGuinness gave on Brasil tv last year, when they were on tour in Europe where they talked about playing in Brasil this year? If not, do you know anyone who does have it?

Also, last April there was a show on tv, at least on tv in Sao Paulo, where they had a film crew outside the first show in San Diego. They interviewed my girlfriend for this show outside the arena.

She lives in Sao Paulo had these things recorded on video tape. Unfortunately they got erased, so we are trying to find people who may have these 2 things recorded so she can get a copy again.

Obrigado!

I remember both, but I have none.

Sorry.

 

[VertigoGal]

when are they going to add another show?

 

[Halup]

The second show has already been added for February 21. On this Friday, they will announce the onsale information for the show. From what I'm hearing they have dropped the 10 ticket limit per person down to 4 for the second show.