MERGED --> Real Action + Legal Action? + TAKE ACTION + Bait and Switch

[Flying FuManchu]

I too believe the vagueness can be attributed to fear of some potential backlash or potential legal maneuvers (with reports in the LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Billboard, and maybe Rolling Stone identifying a problem). In other words, U2 Corp. knows there is a problem but to admit to it would be a bad thing at this point for them IMO.

 

[Knuckle]

You'd be surprised at what a heartfelt apology can do to take the wind out of the sails of people who are contemplating a lawsuit against you (especially if those same people have adored you for 20 years - minus four days of course).

 

[Flying FuManchu]

You'd be surprised at what a heartfelt apology can do to take the wind out of the sails of people who are contemplating a lawsuit against you (especially if those same people have adored you for 20 years - minus four days of course).

Sure, but if they intend on not giving refunds and doing little else (from now till they start touring), to fix whatever problems occured during the pre-sale, an apology would not be good for U2 to go through with. It admits to guilt or some sort of lawsuit inspiring problem.

 

[Bono's shades]

I truly hope the reason we haven't heard any kind of real apology from anyone involved with U2 and absolutely nothing from the band themselves is they are trying to figure out the best way to make amends. This whole mess is so confusing they may be having trouble sorting it all out. Hopefully they will figure out a plan of action that will please most of us soon so they can apologize (I can imagine the band really wanting to do this in the worst way, but being ordered not to for the time being by their legal team), and we can all get this bad taste out of our mouths and get on with being happy about the upcoming tour.

 

[boosterjuice]

Re: Stop crying - TAKE ACTION

We were promised access to the "best seats in the house" and we were lied to. My 10th row seats, opposite end of the arena, third (highest) deck are some of the WORST seats in the house. I've been a propaganda member and fan for decades. My favorite band shit in my mouth and called it a sundae.

But I'm through whining and complaining. U2's music will always live on and I'll always love and listen to their music, but U2, Inc. will not get ANY of my money. Here's what I plan on doing:

1) Selling these two shit tickets on eBay to the highest bidder and not going to the concert. (If you are angry and have been ripped off, and yet you still go to the concert you are a sucker and deserve to be ripped off in the future). Hopefully somebody who doesn't care about the band will buy them and U2 can play to a homogenous corporate crowd. It's the audience they deserve.

2) Burned my entire U2 CD collection and sold them all to a local used CD shop yesterday - I got $5 for each major album, and $2-3 for the October, Wide Awake, Passangers, Million Dollar Hotel-type albums. Depending on the b-sides, I got $1-$4 for the singles. I still have all the band's music, just none of their "product" and I made over $100.

3) If you don't have MP3 players or CD burners and need a physcial CD, then only buy used CDs from now on. This is great because when you buy a used CD absolutely none of the money from that sale goes to the band. It would be nice if the market was flooded with used CDs and people had the option of paying $15 for a new U2 CD (knowing that their money was going to line the pockets of these rat scum) or pay $10 for a used CD knowing that all of the money is going to help the CD store. Amazon.com offers used CDs, if you feel you need the actual album, make sure you buy it used not new.

3) I posted all U2 MP3s for public download. If you have wireless connection on a laptop, go to a public place, latch onto a wireless network and you CANNOT be caught. Make U2's music available for free to as many people as possible. I don't feel remotely bad - they are already rich, and they are gouging people like me - people with very little money.

4) From now on only take free U2 MP3s, and NEVER purchase anything ever again from them. The music is available for free, I used to feel like it was wrong to take it, I no longer do.

5) Contact U2.com and ask for a refund, apparently they are offering refunds in time. Everyone should do this. Even if they start refusing cancellation orders, make the effort to cancel your membership. It sends a message. 90,000 people paid $40 (and even long-time fans like me who paid $20, still had to pay the propaganda fees originally, so we all paid $40) this amounts to $3.6 MILLLION dollars the band made to give us the right to buy the WORST seats in the house. Sickening. Despicable.


You can still be a fan of U2 and not give them any of your money. If you want to complain and bitch and yet still buy this company's products, then you deserve to be ripped off. I will always love U2's music, nothing can change that. They will never see another penny from me unless something changes quickly and drastically.

Not cool.

If you like their music (as you have stated), then you should pay for it.

 

[boosterjuice]

This is $40 that we are talking about! Big frickin' deal! People are acting like they lost their first-born child or something. Get a grip!

 

[nbcrusader]

This is $40 that we are talking about! Big frickin' deal! People are acting like they lost their first-born child or something. Get a grip!

Why don't you send me $40. I'll give you a priority in line.

 

[boosterjuice]

Why don't you send me $40. I'll give you a priority in line.

Hahaha. Nice one.

My point is that too many people are jumping on the "anger" band wagon. U2.com gives a bunch of other perks that I am happy about. Firstly, it is nice to have access to almost every u2 song via audio/video. Secondly, I've heard that the keychain is really nice (I'm still waiting for mine ) . Thirdly, the timely editorials are often witty and insightful.
I know a lot of ppl got screwed. Just don't go making it sound so much more drastic that what it is. IF you want to sue u2.com, go for it! I hope this kind of debacle never happens again. But some fans take it too far and start selling all of their CDs and will hold eternal grudges/bitterness.

 

[bloodysunday972]

well here is all ive found in response to what happened.

27.01.2005
Presale: More Information, More Shows

Thanks to everyone who took part in our first U2.Com ticket presale for the European and North American 'Vertigo Tour'.

We know that subscribers experienced difficulties buying their tickets and we're pleased that those problems are now being ironed out.

Most of you have now be able to book tickets for these shows and we appreciate your messages of thanks and support. Sorry that demand exceeded supply for Madison Square Garden NY and Wachovia Centre, Philadelphia shows. We went way over the original allocation.

We really appreciate your patience as this is the first time we've attempted an online presale. New technology ­ including U2.Com - helps us stay in touch with you but also reveals its drawbacks when everyone tries to do the same thing at once.

Don't forget, if you have a subscriber code it will still be honoured when the band plays more dates. There will be more tickets for U2.Com subscribers.

We are very aware that some people seem to have abused the system to scalp on Ebay or similar sites. We are currently looking into the possibility of identifying these people and withdrawing their tickets. Any help you can give us on this would be gratefully received.

Remember that your subscription to U2.Com gives you much more than access to the presale - not least the fact that you can watch on demand every video
the band have made and listen to every track on every album, every b-side on
every single!

Right now you can check the band taking you through 'How To Dismantle An
Atomic Bomb' track-by-track, watch the 'Making Of Vertigo' documentary, read the new Jacknife Lee profile and catch Phil Joanou's 'All Because of You' video ... there's lots more on the way.

 

[sonicsmurf]

Buying GA's this tour seems much like the last tour. I was second in line at an actual ticketmaster outlet for the 2001 Elevation show, and still did not get GA's.

I tried U2.com's Vertigo presale for GA's at 10:00am with no success. Then, I got my reserve Vertigo GA's booted from ETS the next day. I will try again for GA's with the general public sale this Saturday morning. I still give mad props to the band and love their music because it's above all this crap. Yet, I'd be for a class action lawsuit against the band's management team. Can we sue them for being greedy lying fat dumbasses?

 

[Diemen]

Re: Stop crying - TAKE ACTION

1) Selling these two shit tickets on eBay to the highest bidder and not going to the concert. (If you are angry and have been ripped off, and yet you still go to the concert you are a sucker and deserve to be ripped off in the future). Hopefully somebody who doesn't care about the band will buy them and U2 can play to a homogenous corporate crowd. It's the audience they deserve.

That's right. Rather than sell them at face value to a diehard fan who would love to go and wouldn't turn down bad seats to their favorite band, turn into a greedy pig yourself. That'll teach them!

2) Burned my entire U2 CD collection and sold them all to a local used CD shop yesterday - I got $5 for each major album, and $2-3 for the October, Wide Awake, Passangers, Million Dollar Hotel-type albums. Depending on the b-sides, I got $1-$4 for the singles. I still have all the band's music, just none of their "product" and I made over $100.

Once again, turning into a greedy pig. I thought we were supposed to be teaching a lesson here, not becoming just as bad or worse than those you're trying to prove a point to.

3) If you don't have MP3 players or CD burners and need a physcial CD, then only buy used CDs from now on. This is great because when you buy a used CD absolutely none of the money from that sale goes to the band. It would be nice if the market was flooded with used CDs and people had the option of paying $15 for a new U2 CD (knowing that their money was going to line the pockets of these rat scum) or pay $10 for a used CD knowing that all of the money is going to help the CD store. Amazon.com offers used CDs, if you feel you need the actual album, make sure you buy it used not new.

Oh the melodrama. So thick you can cut it with a knife. One bad ticket experience and they're rat scum. Poor you.

3) I posted all U2 MP3s for public download. If you have wireless connection on a laptop, go to a public place, latch onto a wireless network and you CANNOT be caught. Make U2's music available for free to as many people as possible. I don't feel remotely bad - they are already rich, and they are gouging people like me - people with very little money.

Now we're advocating illegal practices. Once again, stooping down to their supposed level. nice of you to take the high road on this.

5) Contact U2.com and ask for a refund, apparently they are offering refunds in time. Everyone should do this. Even if they start refusing cancellation orders, make the effort to cancel your membership. It sends a message. 90,000 people paid $40 (and even long-time fans like me who paid $20, still had to pay the propaganda fees originally, so we all paid $40) this amounts to $3.6 MILLLION dollars the band made to give us the right to buy the WORST seats in the house. Sickening. Despicable.

As someone said before, was someone holding a gun to your heard at the time of ticket purchase? Were you forced to buy those tickets? Get over your whiny sense of entitlement and get a sense of perspective on this whole ordeal. It sucks. It sucks big time. U2.com could've handled it a helluva lot better. We all agree on this. But in the grand scheme of things it's really not that big a deal. Seeing a U2 show is a luxury, not a God-given right. U2 did not personally come to your place and rip $40 out of your wallet. It was your choice to spend that money, and yours alone. U2.com offered no guaranteed results with the membership other than exclusive content on their site (which they delivered).

Go ahead and spin your conspiracy theories about me being a u2.com shill (which is laughable), but I'm sick of this outlandish sense of entitlement a lot of people have developed lately.

 

[la princess]

I don't blame the group, I blame the scalpers. I didn't get tickets through the presale, but figured I'd get them on regular sale.

 

[norsehorse23]

Being that this is the first tour in which I had money to spend on, I wanted to go to as many shows as possible, within reason. I had multiple friends trying to get tickets, my friend and I were on the ticketmaster website for a good half hour on saturday morning trying to get philly tickets, we succeeded. I got my presale tickets, granted not the 'priority' seats that I would have hoped for, but I just wanted to get into MSG so badly that I didn't care. I have always wanted to see a major act at the Garden. Getting tickets is always a crapshoot, you either are really fortunate and score a few, or you are left out. I have tried countless times to get Yanks/Red Sox tix, concert tix, or playoff tix, and I have only been successful once. Now, even though I was one of the lucky ones who got tickets, I completely support what you want to do, do a lawsuit, maybe it will change the whole system, not just U2. The more attention this gets, the greater possibility it has to get the ears of influential people who have the power to change the system. Unfortunately, there will always be people who are willing to pony up ridiculous sums of money for concert tickets or sports tickets. As long as those people exist, there will be a market for scalpers and brokers.

 

[norsehorse23]

By the way, I do not think that U2 themselves had anything to do with this mess, but I do think that they should be a little more aware of the demand there is to see them live. With that said, the PJ system, or the DMB system would be the best to alleviate any angst caused by this ignorance.