My unreal ellipse story - Anaheim!

[digitalrealtor]

Wow!

My friend and I were praying to get in to the ellipse for the 1st Anaheim show on Friday. We ate dinner at the restaurant across the street which was crammed with U2 fans. My friend met a couple who were in their early fifties and were casual fans. They were there with another younger couple. We chit -chatted for a couple of minutes and went to eat. After dinner we went back to the car and downed a few more brews.

We got to the gate at about 7:25 and were not going to get in to the ellipse-or so we thought. Once inside the Pond we went to the bar. At the bar, my friend met the same couple we met at the restaurant. Lo and behold, they were selected to go in to the ellipse and they had the coveted white wristbands.

However, and this is shocking...they wanted to stay with their friends out side the ellipse because their friends didn't get in. So my friend talked them in to selling us their wristbands and trading their specially punched tickets
for get this---$20! I could not believe our luck! In fact I was so stunned I gave her another $20 bucks.

Well needless to say, the concert was awesome. I parked my self right in front of the Edge, which is the best place to see the show in my opinion. We were close enough to see his nosehairs! There is nothing in the world like watching transfixed as the Edge solos on The Fly, the best, most complete U2 song ever by the lads!

We were just grinning ear to ear the whole night and today as well. I was going to go to the LA show but since I won't be able to duplicate the experience I think I'll just sit it out.

Good night and good luck GA ticket holders. Dreams sometimes do come true!

 

[njelevation06]

you sure those people at the bar weren't drunk when they sold you their wristbands???? haha congrats!!

 

[SFGAL]

Edge's nosehairs???

Did you get one as a souvenir??

Congrats... sounds like you had a great time.

 

[HappyFatBono]

Awesome! We need more stories like yours to show the pros of the lottery.

Similiar thing happened to me in Charlotte for the elevation tour - I showed up late, but still got into the heart.

It was a life changing event!

 

[Hallelujah Here She Comes]

Wow! That's awesome! Congrats!

It's always so great to read about people having such amazing times at concerts.

 

[Iskra]

Iwalked into the heart at the garden first elevation show and to top that my buddy was Handed 2 tix for FREE that same night.
That's the luck of the Irish!

 

[Mr. BAW]

Were you and your friend the one's doing the Irish jig, the polka or square dance inside the ellipse because you were so happy????

If not you, someone was VERY happy about where they were! congrats....and, nice post #1..

 

[unosdostres14]

Congrats on getting into the BOMB SHELTER! I think the best place to see the concert is in front of Edge, too.

 

[Teta040]

*CHOKE*..
Should I say am I overjoyed for you or just JEALOUS...but then, I was parked in front of Edge for the first post 9/11 show in NYC..so I shouldn't be.

 

[jrjunior31]

that's getting lucky for sure, I was just outside the elipse 2nd row from the rail... for the second straight show I had GAs but didnt get inside the elipse... really frustrating

what a show though, I saw both in SD and the changing of the set combined with far superior acoustics at the Pond made the Anaheim show the best gig to date by far...

intense opening to Love and Peace with all the band members on the catwalk (Bono was like 15 ft. from us belting out "Lay down your treasure...")... unreal

 

[dizzy]

That's amazing! The wristband trade, not the nosehairs.

 

[celia]

wow thats great, I hope I meet some nice people like that at the shows I attend! Can you chuck some of your luckmy way?

 

[lancerla]

I got in the Ellipse on Friday, but I'm still against the lottery. I waited in line for 8 hours on Friday and then found out I had a lucky ticket. After I saw where I where I would have ended up -- where people who waited longer than me ended up -- it seemed completely unfair.

Re: the bomb shelter? It was the greatest thing in the world. It really was. It will be with me the rest of my life.

But...the sound sucks there and you don't get a complete look at the show. I was in the back of the floor the next night, and it was a little depressing, but I'm looking forward to seats on Tuesday.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

I got in the Ellipse on Friday, but I'm still against the lottery. I waited in line for 8 hours on Friday and then found out I had a lucky ticket. After I saw where I where I would have ended up -- where people who waited longer than me ended up -- it seemed completely unfair.

Re: the bomb shelter? It was the greatest thing in the world. It really was. It will be with me the rest of my life.

But...the sound sucks there and you don't get a complete look at the show. I was in the back of the floor the next night, and it was a little depressing, but I'm looking forward to seats on Tuesday.

a little depressing? wtf your at one of the biggest concerts of the year and your calling it depressing? at least your in the building, when some people failed to get tickets at all

 

[celticlemango]

hey man! i think we met! i was one of the kroq promo girls...
what an awesome awesome awesome show!!

i have pics...lemme know if youd like some....

U2 ROCKS hehehe

 

[lancerla]

a little depressing? wtf your at one of the biggest concerts of the year and your calling it depressing? at least your in the building, when some people failed to get tickets at all

Sorry, it was. I was spoiled, I admit it. The Ellipse experience was that good. But I didn't wait out that day, so I certainly didn't deserve it.

And please don't get high and mighty. Everyone who didn't get a ticket in the pre-sale could have worked a TON of overtime to buy tickets from a scalper just like I did -- for both shows.

KUEFC09U2, most of your posts either attack people for not feeling the way you think they should, or comment on what an amazing tour U2 have when you haven't even seen a show.

I think the tour is amazing, but it has some kinks. Let people make up their own minds.

 

[ShellBeThere]

ooh, ooh, lancerla...then perhaps you can tell the folks...damn I can't find the thread!...who've been asking forever whether it stinks to be at the rear of the floor.

Give us your opinion...if you hadn't been spoiled by the shelter, would you have found it problematic still?


cheers all!

 

[lancerla]

I did the back of the floor for a bunch of Elevation shows. This one was a little different because Bono isn't on the ramp much.

I'm tall (6'4) so I could see everything easily. My wife is also tall (5'10) and had no problem seeing. She loved the show. One thing that might help is standing directly in front of the soundboard. There's a metal gate with a grate at the bottom that's about two inches tall that you can stand on. Might help. The light show is obviously much better from the back, and the sound should, in theory, be the best possible. But, you still can't see the lights on the stage, and sometimes the people putting up hands get in your way.

Surprisingly, the thing I liked least about being near the soundboard was not being in a crowd. I HATE the pushing in the pack, but not being completely surrounded from people took away a bit of the intensity. Also, since people have a lot of room, there's a lot of distractions. Some of the people in front of me were just milling around, some were dancing rather strangely (square dancing and such), and some weren't paying much attention. That was kind of a turn-off.

With that said, it really comes down to a matter of luck and height.

I have seats in the upper bowl next week. Should be interesting to see the difference.

Oh, and Shall, I lived in A2 for a couple years when I went to school. Did you get tickets for the Palace?

 

[ShellBeThere]

Thanks for those details lancerla!

I did get tix for the Palace, GAs in the make-up presale bless larry's soul! That was even after buying nosebleeds for Chicago 5/7, wanting to make sure I got tix to *something*. Never been to see U2, so now I get to do nosebleeds and GAs. I'm short, and bringing a hubby who doesn't really like crowds, so though I hope we get in the shelter, the back might be best for him (he's tall enough, though not at tall as 6'4''!). He wouldn't want to deal with any level of shoving I think. But he'd also just love to have the experience you had, he would just love to watch the Edge do his thing all night, as would I!
I've never been to the Palace before either so that'll be cool...
I've been thinking about getting a good pair of platform shoes, though not quite like the one's "tiffany" the mysteriousways woman from anaheim had!
We also don't have all day to wait in line, job and babysitters and all...
cheers and goblue! ( I presume that's where you were at school?)

 

[lancerla]

Thanks for those details lancerla!

I did get tix for the Palace, GAs in the make-up presale bless larry's soul! That was even after buying nosebleeds for Chicago 5/7, wanting to make sure I got tix to *something*. Never been to see U2, so now I get to do nosebleeds and GAs. I'm short, and bringing a hubby who doesn't really like crowds, so though I hope we get in the shelter, the back might be best for him (he's tall enough, though not at tall as 6'4''!). He wouldn't want to deal with any level of shoving I think. But he'd also just love to have the experience you had, he would just love to watch the Edge do his thing all night, as would I!
I've never been to the Palace before either so that'll be cool...
I've been thinking about getting a good pair of platform shoes, though not quite like the one's "tiffany" the mysteriousways woman from anaheim had!
We also don't have all day to wait in line, job and babysitters and all...
cheers and goblue! ( I presume that's where you were at school?)

Palace is a pretty good place to see a show. I grew up in Garden City (near Dearborn) then went to UofM, so all of my formative arena concerts were there. The drive, however...

I watched that girl, Tiffany, all day in line. I think I posted about her somewhere. My wife kept saying that she was cheating with those shoes, but I don't think I'd want to spend much time standing in footwear like that. She did a pretty great job though.

Anyway, I really hope you guys end up getting into the ellipse. And I hope those nosebleeds rock, too!

 

[U2SJ]

I got in the Ellipse on Friday, but I'm still against the lottery. I waited in line for 8 hours on Friday and then found out I had a lucky ticket. After I saw where I where I would have ended up -- where people who waited longer than me ended up -- it seemed completely unfair.

Hi there! Could you please tell me what time you lined up then? You say you waited 8 hours so was it about 11-12? How far back of the rail outside the ellipse were others that got in line at that time? If I plan to line up around 9am does that give me a good chance to get close to the outer rail if I dont make it inside the ellipse? Would you wait again if you had to or just show up about 6 and be in the back of the floor?
I HATE THE LOTTERY.

 

[SummerRainU2]

Wow!

My friend and I were praying to get in to the ellipse for the 1st Anaheim show on Friday. We ate dinner at the restaurant across the street which was crammed with U2 fans. My friend met a couple who were in their early fifties and were casual fans. They were there with another younger couple. We chit -chatted for a couple of minutes and went to eat. After dinner we went back to the car and downed a few more brews.

We got to the gate at about 7:25 and were not going to get in to the ellipse-or so we thought. Once inside the Pond we went to the bar. At the bar, my friend met the same couple we met at the restaurant. Lo and behold, they were selected to go in to the ellipse and they had the coveted white wristbands.

However, and this is shocking...they wanted to stay with their friends out side the ellipse because their friends didn't get in. So my friend talked them in to selling us their wristbands and trading their specially punched tickets
for get this---$20! I could not believe our luck! In fact I was so stunned I gave her another $20 bucks.

Well needless to say, the concert was awesome. I parked my self right in front of the Edge, which is the best place to see the show in my opinion. We were close enough to see his nosehairs! There is nothing in the world like watching transfixed as the Edge solos on The Fly, the best, most complete U2 song ever by the lads!

We were just grinning ear to ear the whole night and today as well. I was going to go to the LA show but since I won't be able to duplicate the experience I think I'll just sit it out.

Good night and good luck GA ticket holders. Dreams sometimes do come true!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! VERY COOL!!!

...loving all these amazing stories!!!

 

[4EVRU2]

a little depressing? wtf your at one of the biggest concerts of the year and your calling it depressing? at least your in the building, when some people failed to get tickets at all

Hear, Hear!! I am one such failures (hmm, don't like the sound of that...)

At this point I'd be happy if someone threw me a pair of nosebleeds! But then, since they're not coming any closer than Vancouver, travel still would be a limiting factor...