U2 for America!

[POP-ROMANCER]

I posted a thread like this a couple of months ago, but a few people were discussing about american people etc. so the thread was closed. This has nothing to do with american people or so!

It's just that I think u2 give everything for america, and less to europe or australia. What does u2 have with america?

1. Every u2 tour begins (1st leg) in America, not in Europe!

2. America gets always 2 legs, 1st and add. 3rd

3. They write songs about american cities: Miami, New york.

4. I heard u2's 'headquarter' is based in LA or NY or u2.com, i don't know for sure. But at u2.com prices are in $.

'We're not gonna go to London or NY, we're gonna stay and base or crew in Dublin!'

right...

5. Why don't we get something like that concert on the truck in NY, for example in Paris or Amsterdam or berlin?

6. Most of the video's are shot in USA, Boston, Live at red rocks, Rattle and hum, Streets, ABOY. And now chicago! (?)

What does u2 have to do in amrica? It's not about the money. Maybe they aren't satisfied with their charts or sales. Maybe they want to be the biggest in america. They know that in europe they have all of the succes and can't climb any further....

What do you guys think,

Why is u2 so obsessed with USA?

 

[daygloeyes2]

Why is u2 so obsessed with USA?

It's where the money is.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

u2's headquarters are based in dublin... principle management does have an office in new york, but they, too, are based out of dublin.

u2 have shot many videos in europe... stay, for example, was shot in berlin.

u2 go home was shot in ireland, zootv was shot in australia, popmart was shot in mexico.

u2 have written many songs set in europe (esp. ireland, obviously) and africa.

and as for the two legs vs. one leg... look at it this way.

in two legs u2 are playing 80 arena dates in the US...

in one leg they're playing 32 stadium dates in Europe...


at a low ball average, 80 dates * 17,000 people = 1,360,000

at a low ball average, 32 dates * 50,000 people = 1,600,000


i think the idea that u2 is sooo obsessed with the US is a little over-rated.

 

[digsy]

i don't know why but it does bug me too.

and i dont want this to turn into a pro/anti american thread but i do think U2 work a lot harder and give a lot more to their american fans.

theres the obvious number of concerts ameicans get versus the whole of europe or the UK in particular.

yes theres a lot more of you, yes its a bigger continent and yes, you're getting smaller conerts but i still don't believe that the numbers balance out to give people over here a fair deal either.
i remember reading recently that based on the demand U2 could have sold out 12 Croke park concert along with some blurb from management how amazing that is but they can only have 2/3.
NY has 8!
8!!!!!!
so the demand is there - if U2 can sell out 12 Croke Park concerts why not cater for more, if they 're willing to do it in NY and Chicago and Boston and other places where they have numurous concerts and return for second legs etc, why do European countries get a raw deal? where are our 4/5 concerts for London?
2 concerts - for a city this size? You've got to be kidding me.

Thats just the big stuff though, its really the little stuff that bugs me, some of which pop-romancer has listed above.
So far this year America has got ABOY/Brooklyn Bridge, COBL shoot (yes i know thats Canada, same continent tho) Chicago DVD
we got one TOTP "open air" recording which was closed off in a parking lot and you had to be under 21 to get into!

i want to know where out videos and our DVDs and our open air concerts are.

I'm not saying U2 dont shoot stuff here - there was the SYCMIOYO video in Dublin and they were on Jonathon Ross like they were SNL but it's never available to the fans - theres no invitation to all video shoots and theres no riding through cities and giving fans free concerts.

 

[Liesje]

1. Every u2 tour begins (1st leg) in America, not in Europe!

No biggie. The first few shows aren't always the best anyway. It takes some time for the band to get back into touring.

2. America gets always 2 legs, 1st and add. 3rd

Maybe b/c they play much smaller venues here so not as many people get to go, thus more concerts are needed

3. They write songs about american cities: Miami, New york.

Oh well, it's not like those were chart toppers

4. I heard u2's 'headquarter' is based in LA or NY or u2.com, i don't know for sure. But at u2.com prices are in $.

Not a big fan of u2.com so I wouldn't care if they moved to Dublin

5. Why don't we get something like that concert on the truck in NY, for example in Paris or Amsterdam or berlin?

They do that Top of the Pops thing and BBC stuff in Europe

6. Most of the video's are shot in USA, Boston, Live at red rocks, Rattle and hum, Streets, ABOY. And now chicago! (?)

What about Slane? PopMart Mexico City? ZooTV Sydney? The new year's eve broadcast from the Point Depot? And music videos like One, Stay, Electrical Storm, Beautiful Day....I could go on and on...

"What does u2 have to do in amrica? It's not about the money."

Maybe it is about the money. Maybe we're a bigger market or a market with greater potential.

 

[digsy]

Re: Re: U2 for America!

1.

5. Why don't we get something like that concert on the truck in NY, for example in Paris or Amsterdam or berlin?

They do that Top of the Pops thing and BBC stuff in Europe

6. Most of the video's are shot in USA, Boston, Live at red rocks, Rattle and hum, Streets, ABOY. And now chicago! (?)

What about Slane? PopMart Mexico City? ZooTV Sydney? The new year's eve broadcast from the Point Depot? And music videos like One, Stay, Electrical Storm, Beautiful Day....I could go on and on...

i think the videos and stuff pop-romancer is specifically pointing out is the stuff thats been openly avilable to fans - they may have shot One in a European City but they didnt do it with thousands of fans able to watch from the side of the road and throw them a free concert when they were done.

 

[digsy]

(double post)

 

[MsMofoGone]

Originally posted by POP-ROMANCER

What does u2 have with america?

I think Bono answered this best at The Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame
Induction Ceremony ...
Bono mentioned in his speech how "This country (USA) has taken this band (U2) into it's bosom all the way, right from the very beginning" ...
I believe U2 are now giving the USA some extra payback ... and it's also about where the money is ... that is a given fact !!

 

[POP-ROMANCER]

I don't believe U2 is doing it for the money... They have got loads of money. I think they expected more succes in the USA, after the joshua tree and that zoo tv stuff which was at the highest point of their popularity in the usa. Have a look at the charts.

And the tour: They can do a indoor first leg in europe (or maybe australia for once!), then go to usa for the 2nd leg (50 shows or something) and for 3rd leg a stadium tour in Europe.

 

[POP-ROMANCER]

u2 have shot many videos in europe... stay, for example, was shot in berlin.

u2 go home was shot in ireland, zootv was shot in australia, popmart was shot in mexico.

Nothing more than normal!
(is this good english??)

 

[BONO'ppetit]

I don't think it has anything to do with the money--although it's a fantastic perk. I think it's b'c they're so loved here. I know they do okay in Europe too. But they're the #1 band here. Have been for a long time.

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

Ya know I could bitch about the fact that places like LA, Chicago and NYC have a lot more shows than Atlanta.

 

[BONO'ppetit]

Oh, they also said, "You've given us a good life", and I think they're showing their gratitude. Although, he could've been talking about all fans in general. Hell, I don't know. Just enjoy them. They won't be around forever.

 

[indra]

Maybe the groupies are cuter here.


And perhaps the big push esp. in New York is part of the whole "if you can make it here, you'll make it anywhere" idea about NY.

 

[U2girl]

Agreed. U2 has neglected other parts of the world in favor of US.

(EU alone is a bigger - and better - market than US.
Nowhere else in the world does U2 have to work this hard to get on TV and radio)

 

[korczykp]

i remember reading recently that based on the demand U2 could have sold out 12 Croke park concert along with some blurb from management how amazing that is but they can only have 2/3.
NY has 8!
8!!!!!!
so the demand is there - if U2 can sell out 12 Croke Park concerts why not cater for more, if they 're willing to do it in NY and Chicago and Boston and other places where they have numurous concerts and return for second legs etc, why do European countries get a raw deal? where are our 4/5 concerts for London?
2 concerts - for a city this size? You've got to be kidding me.

that's a weak argument..

NY's 8 shows @ about 20,000 people in MSG = 160,000 tickets

Croke Park has a capacity of about 80,000... so 3 shows shows at Croke = 240,000 tickets

I don't think it has anything to do with the money--although it's a fantastic perk. I think it's b'c they're so loved here. I know they do okay in Europe too. But they're the #1 band here. Have been for a long time.

I don't buy this argument either though. I haven't been to Europe in a while, but the amount of hate I see for U2 here is pretty significant. They are nowhere near the #1 band here. It seems to me like Europe likes the band a lot more.

 

[POP-ROMANCER]

Take a look at the charts in Europe and compare it to america, they are much more popular here. And they can't sell out stadiums anymore in usa. So maybe that's why they are working harder for usa, to reach the same as here in europe.

 

[Miroslava]

Take a look at the charts in Europe and compare it to america, they are much more popular here. And they can't sell out stadiums anymore in usa. So maybe that's why they are working harder for usa, to reach the same as here in europe.

So I believe you have answered your own question and this whole thing can be dropped already, right?

 

[starsforu2]

Maybe they just like us better

yeah, yeah, I know we're reviled for all sorts of things, but maybe, just maybe they like the vast North American continent and have a romantic attachment to it. I feel that way about NY, because we used to drive through it on our way to Long Island and it looked so cool!
I also love Denver because it's where I went when I had my college years and there is a magic there for me.
So it seems that U2 came of age in America traveling the heartland, coast to coast, the desert, Chicago, LA, NY and even Miami and attach an unexplainable fascination and excitement to it.
It's not rational, it's love!

 

[POP-ROMANCER]

So I believe you have answered your own question and this whole thing can be dropped already, right?

that's what I think why u2 is a little america 'obsessed', I was just wondering or others think the same and what their opinions are...

 

[Jim]

Bono was asked in an interview (I think) in 1988/89 on the BBC, "Why do you always start your tours in America?", his response was something along the lines of it takes them a long time to get into their stride on tour, that they are shite for a while, so, "we don't want to fuck up in front our our best fans"..

***don't shoot the messanger****

I just remembered that comment from my mental U2 archive.

I for one would rather see a mid-tour carnival vibe stadium tour in Europe than an indoor tour. For example, U2 in Cardiff or Manchester this summer - most people will take the day off work and there will be a party going on in town all day long. When I saw U2 at Earls Cours in 2001 most folks rushed to the gig after work and home straight afterwards.

I am however going to NYC for the 3rd leg, and have never seen a U2 concert in the States so I can't wait!

I guess it's you U2 fans down under that must be the most frustrated.. but it seems pretty confirmed for a U2 on this tour right?

 

[Pero]

What about other parts of the world?
Africa-Bono love it so much, played ther 2 times out of 400 shows
Australia-no concert for 7 years as somebody's location says
Asia-China has more than billion people, yet no show.
South America-had shows in PopMart, but only because U2 couldn't sell Pop in Usa and fat Americans wouldn't get Popmart and would say:"Sellouts.", "Joshua tree period is gone" and ALL KIND OF BULLSHIT.

What about other cities?
What did NY do to get a song and 8 shows. Balkan itself had 1 out of 400 shows, and Balkan is bigger than NY, doesn't have more people, but less people are rich snobs who have to be seen, rappers, dark-matal stuff...so U2 must make a show in Zagreb, Belgrade, Ljubljana, again Sarajevo, Sofia, Bukurest, Athens.

This is a post by an angry teenager. I hate Americans because they get most of the shows.
Only Axver is that kind of fanatic to go to Usa to a U2 show.(get a life)
You talk about smaller venues.
They can play 200 shows in my backyard and i'll be on every one of them.(point beeing, on 8 shows in NY 1000 people out of 20000, or how much it fits in, will be on every show.)

Hope this reaches U2 and their American hearts.
As for starting the tour in Usa, it shows that U2 has some European in them. Firstly they show you bad concerts, then come to Europe on their peak, and then tired go to Usa again.
So you Americans can talk:"Joshua is the best album" or "Joshua days are gone" and all kinds of BULLSHIT

 

[neutral]

Did you not learn anything after the last thread about this Pero? When you got banned from this forum?







FYI, the mods may close this thread without further warning if it starts getting as nasty as the last one did.

 

[gareth brown]

Sorry, Pero...but that's the biggest pile of bullshit I've read in days.

There are hundreds of people each tour who travel overseas each tour to see the band play. It's U2, for crying out loud! Who wouldn't?! I don't see U2 planning any dates in...'Croatia'...so you're telling me if you had the money, you wouldn't consider travelling to the closest European gig?? Get down from that soapbox and stop telling people to get a life when, in theory, everyone here needs to get a life considering we're dedicating hours of our time to a band on an online forum!! but i still love it...

Ranting about America's national waistline is crap as well, why are you trying to use your warped opinion of an ENTIRE COUNTRY, may i remind you, to put your point across concerning something to do with U2 choosing where they tour first...!

In my opinion America, without a doubt, brings in the big bucks. Starting a tour over there makes financial sense, surely?? They have the biggest shows over there in the biggest venues, and there are MORE shows. Can you imagine what the first takings would have been had they started the Popmart tour in Sarajevo or something?! I think they're making the majority of the money in the first leg after every other tour's gone down so well starting in the US, why change and risk possible financial loss?

 

[mtoreilly]

What about other parts of the world?
Africa-Bono love it so much, played ther 2 times out of 400 shows
Australia-no concert for 7 years as somebody's location says
Asia-China has more than billion people, yet no show.
South America-had shows in PopMart, but only because U2 couldn't sell Pop in Usa and fat Americans wouldn't get Popmart and would say:"Sellouts.", "Joshua tree period is gone" and ALL KIND OF BULLSHIT.

What about other cities?
What did NY do to get a song and 8 shows. Balkan itself had 1 out of 400 shows, and Balkan is bigger than NY, doesn't have more people, but less people are rich snobs who have to be seen, rappers, dark-matal stuff...so U2 must make a show in Zagreb, Belgrade, Ljubljana, again Sarajevo, Sofia, Bukurest, Athens.

This is a post by an angry teenager. I hate Americans because they get most of the shows.
Only Axver is that kind of fanatic to go to Usa to a U2 show.(get a life)
You talk about smaller venues.
They can play 200 shows in my backyard and i'll be on every one of them.(point beeing, on 8 shows in NY 1000 people out of 20000, or how much it fits in, will be on every show.)

Hope this reaches U2 and their American hearts.
As for starting the tour in Usa, it shows that U2 has some European in them. Firstly they show you bad concerts, then come to Europe on their peak, and then tired go to Usa again.
So you Americans can talk:"Joshua is the best album" or "Joshua days are gone" and all kinds of BULLSHIT

I think I find everything in this post offensive.

And I'm not American.

I wish people could get these terrible stereotypical images out of their heads. That's right, all Americans are fat and stupid and greedy, in exactly the same way all British people sit around watching cricket while drinking tea and saying 'Rather! Good show old chap!' all the time. I think not.

I'm sure, Pero, that you wouldn't appreciate people making unfounded and rude stereotypical statements about your country and it's people, such as concerns over their human rights record?

If you feel so strongly in your anti-U2 stance, then why are you posting in these forums?

 

[Pero]

Sorry about my recent post. I'm asking, please, mods delete it.
I don't think that all Americans are fat and stupid, as a matter of fact i know 2 Americans who aren't fat and stupid. I love u2 but i can't stand the fact that Usa gets many concerts and every bigger city in Europe gets one or two.
About going long distances to see a show, i'm underage and i can't travel over the border. My parents won't go with me.
SORRY AGAIN.

 

[POP-ROMANCER]

It's got nothing to do with fat americans or something or that america got more gigs. because they are all smaller. But you americans, don't you think u2 is giving more to america than europe, or australia? just be honest! And not a stupid argument as u2 do like americans more or something...

 

[Dudette]

Ok this is my opinion, a rebelious 19 year old! From watching the popular music scene since I was knee-high, endless episodes of TOTPs and MTV. It's clear that when releasing material in the US the artist has to work damn hard to promote their new record to get a good chart position. You hear these stories about Britney Spears and the alike suffering from exhaustion from long promo tours. They seem to spend days talking to radio shows, newspapers, magazines etc. Whereas in the UK (I don't know about the rest of Europe) but artists do the odd interview and TV apperances. Not a great deal from what I see but still achieve good chart positions. Did U2 do any promo for SYCMIOYO?

There has always been a great to do in the UK about bands not making it until they have "cracked America" because it is so much hard work and where your income can quickly double. Us British all know the famous story about Robbie.

So from what I see U2 have a huugggee fan base in the U.S (I haven't been on these forums for very long but it seems the fair majority is American) and they need to work hard like any other band to keep it up. Hence all those shows!

BUT I do think our boys should concentrate on Ireland and the UK. It just seems like their home turf. Often feels like we miss out on alot, with all these videos and concerts from the other side of the pond.

BUT then again, at the end of the day (ggrrr hate that phrase) it's all about the music. Surely the more people who listen and react to their music the better...whatever their nationality! "we're one...but we're not the same"

 

[laurent24]

It's a bit of a joke that U2 is putting so much effort in promotion just because they want to compete with Christina and Britney. In the past they didn't do talkshows or other irrelevant stuff and they were still very popular with the underground scene and the mainstream. Nowadays they go for the biggest audience and the result is playing it safe with an irrelevant record that is miles away from masterpieces like the Joshua Tree or achtung Baby.
U2 on stage is still untouchable by any act but those last two records have reduced U2 from being the best to being the biggest.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

I don't understand this obsession U2 have with being the biggest band in the world (as Bono has so often boasted), for a band who so often talk about their humility, they're contradictory.

And I don't understand the rationale behind playing 8 arena shows in New York and 2 stadium shows in London. I've heard them criticise doing repeat shows in the past "cos they get stale and start going through the motions", then what's 8 shows in MSG about?

So without getting into arguments about numbers of people, THIS is what the discussion's about. Why does New York get 8 relatively intimate shows while Londoners get to see them from the back of a stadium? Why are six months devoted to covering one continent when a similar sized continent, with a similar population, is "bounced over" in three months?

So OK it's about making money, so that carting around their mega stage setup, they still make a profit. Are all audiences considered to be so shallow that we can't enjoy a concert if there isn't a colourful back drop? (Sorry, this is a whole other argument not relevant to this thread).

As for Australia, well forget it. We are now so used to being passed over by many bands, and those that do never get past Sydney/Melbourne, that I've come to the conclusion that when we do get bands touring, it's only cos we are an English speaking country.

Otherwise forget it.