an idea: LA fans should protest U2 at the grammys

[bostonmike4444]

I agree with you Lisa71 - but all the legitimate complaining (vs. blind hero worship) that has gotten these policies to change.

The threat of a Grammy protest, even just 20 or so fans standing outside the parking lot entrances with signs and stuff would be just the type of bad publicity that would scare any coporation into crisis management mode. It's the type of thing CNN would send a field reporter out, and garner maybe 4-5 seconds on a newscast, and it's just the type of thing that a small group of Davids could do when they're up against the Goliath of ticketmaster/CC/U2 et al.

I think the bitching and the complaining, the letters, FAXes, e-mails and internet postings (even this thread regarding the Grammys protest) all collectively have made a difference.

U2 went from apologies, to reaction (refunds) and know have even gone a step further to direct action (going after scalpers).

I think enough fans complained loud enough, and to the right people, and you can see the results.

 

[Yahweh]

the legitimate complaining should come in the fact that U2 could have and probably should have been playing in stadiums, but this is infact what the US asked for during the Elevation Tour and got, now you are complaining you cant get tickets too bad cant have it both ways, and not everybody can be in the front row.

I had no problems with the presale some people did some people didnt and those that did are being dealt with with a refund and an offer for better tickets what more are you asking for what more can you realistically want?

The bitching and complaining coming out of the US has gotton out of hand in recent years and I quite frankly am tired of it. What would really make a statement is if they skipped the US on the tour but that wouldnt be fair to the few respectful fans U2 has down there.

 

[bostonmike4444]

America is the wealthiest nation on planet earth and U2 Corporation is a one of the most profitable music companies out there - they're not going to waste their time on countries without money. They simply don't care enough about poor countries - even Australia was cut out on the last tour because of the poor exchange rate. And they have a HUGE following in Australia, but it doesn't matter to them, it's not about the fans, it's about the money. And that "they are already rich, they don't need the money" agreement is bogus because it costs a lot of money to be as wealthy as they are.

The worldwide (not US) anger at U2 was rightfully expressed, and due to it, policies have changed. Threatening a Grammy protest was a very smart tactic. It showed the level of anger and resentment of many thousands of fans. But hey, I think they're doing a great job to remedy the mess they made. You have to give credit where credit is due.

 

[ramblin rose]

America is the wealthiest nation on planet earth and U2 Corporation is a one of the most profitable music companies out there - they're not going to waste their time on countries without money. They simply don't care enough about poor countries - even Australia was cut out on the last tour because of the poor exchange rate. And they have a HUGE following in Australia, but it doesn't matter to them, it's not about the fans, it's about the money. And that "they are already rich, they don't need the money" agreement is bogus because it costs a lot of money to be as wealthy as they are.

The worldwide (not US) anger at U2 was rightfully expressed, and due to it, policies have changed. Threatening a Grammy protest was a very smart tactic. It showed the level of anger and resentment of many thousands of fans. But hey, I think they're doing a great job to remedy the mess they made. You have to give credit where credit is due.

Worldwide? Please. Most people in the UK ended up getting their tickets and personally I witnessed them have a whole lot more problems than we had in the U.S. with a lot less of the moaning and complaining that we here in the U.S. have done (oh and with ticket prices twice as high as ours).

The presales in every other country have gone down practically without a hitch. Most u2.com members worldwide (except the U.S) got tickets. For crying out loud quite a few people in the U.S. who bought tickets in the U.S. presale have even purchased tickets for Europe during those presales.

You are exaggerating the problem. You didn't get tickets, yes, many other people here didn't get tickets or had problems, but guess what, many people here had no problems and did get tickets.

I'm not against complaining. Hell, I did enough of it in relation to the propaganda $20 discount fiasco. Guess what, I finally got my discount and refused to give in and sign up prior to that. I think the complaining/protest should be directed at the companies that were responsible for the screw up, not the band. Yes, the band or u2.com hired these clowns, (fanfire), who ended up contracting Ticketmaster for the presale but they didn't hire them with the intention of fucking over the fans. I said it back when the whole website launch, propaganda problems happened, I would love to have seen the presentation Fanfire made to the U2 corporation that ended up getting them hired. I would love to eventually get the actual statistic, how many u2.com subscribers got tickets vs. how many didn't.

So you want to protest, great. I hope your placards read "DOWN WITH THE TICKETMASTER MONOPOLY" and not "DOWN WITH U2 - THEY TRIED TO SCREW THEIR FANS"

Oh and PS - Our exchange rate sucks right now.

 

[bostonmike4444]

There is a growing and palpable sense of anger regarding ticketmaster/Clear Channel policies when it comes to live music.

I really think it took a band like U2 to get caught up in this mess to have media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe and LA Times to bring these issues to the mainstream.

A protest at the Grammy's would have continued to bring this issue to the mainstream media, and I think you'd be surprised how a simple gathering of 20-25 fans with signs and brochures (the list of e-mails from U2.com that somebody compiled was particularly damning and should be distributed) would garner some major media attention.

It wouldn't be "revenge" so to speak, it would simply be a forum where fans of all live music could voice their displeasure at Ticketmaster/Fanfire/U2 Corporation/Clear Channel, etc. I think the tone of the Wall Street Journal article wasn't damning to U2 themselves, more towards their management comapny.

And the funny thing is, with just 20-25 people, you would get media coverage, and that alone would keep these issues at the forefront of music industry coverage, especially at the Grammy's. It would be a much more interesting story to cover than what dress people are wearing.

 

[Johnovox]

Sorry I think a Grammy protest is ludicrous and hurtful. I mean, if this experience has soured you that much, then don't follow the band anymore. You know what I mean?

I understand many of the complaints, I've made quite a few myself over the last week or so. But the band did not have a scheme to rob its fans; howevr, I do feel like the management team really let us down this time.

 

[stevec]

Mike if you want to protest "Ticketmaster/Fanfire/U2 Corporation/Clear Channel" as you say, then go protest in front of their offices. This vendetta against U2 is laughable, as is your fixation on how much money they have. They have more than us all - just deal with it!!

Making a noise has produced results, so I'll certainly give you that one. However, the noise was directed at U2.com and Ticketmaster and not the band members directly. So why then would you advocate a demo as the band performs at the Grammys? What possible good would come of humiliating them?

Protest the right people at the right locations!

 

[stevec]

It's actually pretty simple, sorry I over-complicated, I realize English is a second language for a lot of you.

Actually Mike, of the people who replied whose profile gives a location, only 1 is from a country where English is not traditionally the first language.

Having been to the Netherlands many times however, I have found their command of English to be very good indeed for the most part. Certainly better than my attempts at Dutch!

Just an attempt at a cheap shot was it?

 

[bostonmike4444]

A cheap shot? YUP!

Hahaha, I'm actually really pleased with U2's reaction to all this. But it took a hell of a lot of bitching and screaming and media coverage. At the beginning of all this, many people were saying "oh well, there's nothing we can do" and in fact, by staying vocal, contacting newspapers and media outlets, filing complaints with Attorney General offices around the country, and posting lots of really angry e-mails on fan site's that we know U2's management reads... well, we got things loud enough so that it went from the management underlings issuing hollow apologies all the way up to the band members themselves suddenly realizing that there were problems and taking very direct and strong action to fix them.

Of course at this point a Grammy protest would be stupid. But I wouldn't say that a few days ago. I think blanketing internet sites such as this has been a huge help to get the message across that we were lied to and cheated, even if it was inadvertantly.

 

[norsehorse23]

put it this way... if you are desperate to see u2, you can still get presale tickets in norway, and some other european nations. my presale code, which has been used, can still get me to the purchase page in most of those venues. if you want to protest, protest, but in the end we are talking about concert tickets, think of how many millions of fans u2 has, i am sure that not all of them will be able to see them live either. still, i would have loved to have had GAs at MSG.

 

[what a bomb!]

Worldwide? Please. Most people in the UK ended up getting their tickets and personally I witnessed them have a whole lot more problems than we had in the U.S. with a lot less of the moaning and complaining that we here in the U.S. have done (oh and with ticket prices twice as high as ours).

Its called the British Stiff Upper Lip old chap! a nation that survives on tea and crumpets! Good old British Bulldog roll your sleeves up and get on with it spirit!

(ok I did whine with the rest of them till I got my tickets day after they went on pre sale!)