Best position for a U2 gig...

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achtungbaby92

The Fly
Joined
May 31, 2007
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now, sounds like a bit of a stupid question at first. :ohmy:
Having never had the fortune of seeing U2 live, i am definitely seeing them on the coming tour. Just wondering, to those more experienced U2 gig goers, where do you prefer to watch the boys play? Stadium floor (standing) or in the stands (seats)? Ive always preferred standing for gigs, but these have always been for heavier acts (Muse, Smashing Pumpkins etc.) What do you think?
Thanks, gives me and idea of what ticket to buy when they come on sale :wave:
 
Always standing for me - I normally take up a spot near the back of the gold circle where it doesn't get packed and you can see the whole thing. Personally wouldn't bother with seats other than as a last resort.
 
Floor definitly. It may hurt your feet and back, but when the music starts it all goes away.
 
It's hard to say because depending on where you are, you get a whole different experience.

Once I was front row on the rail for Vertigo. While it was freaking awesome, and the closest I've EVER been at a U2 show, you dont get the full effect, if you were standing from afar, to see the whole stage, lights, etc. With seats you can see everything and its just a different experience. So I guess it depends on what kind of experience you want. An up close and personal one, or a full view experience. Though it also depends on the set up, you could be standing and still have a good view/experience.
 
^
Agreed.
I prefer to have a seat, although there is no sitting at a U2 concert! The seat becomes a barrier and you don't get squished. Also, one can dance, sing etc without getting someone's hair, arm, or other body part in the way.
 
I also would advocate for seeing U2 shows from both the floor/field and from the seats. People who only saw Vertigo shows from the floor never got to see the cool little lights ringing the stage (especially during Miracle Drug) among many other things.
But, if you only see a show from the seats, you don't get to see Edge's and Adam's fingers working furiously, the little smiles the band give each other, and perhaps the best, the little scowls the band give each other occasionally.

So, you MUST see at least 2 shows per tour. Minimum.


Mark---my 2 cents.
 
That's the reason I get seats when I go to concerts. I want to see everything that happens.
 
I'm glad that I got to go through the GA experience, but I still prefer seats. Crowds can make me anxious, so it's nice to have my own little designated spot. It is also nice to have a great view and just soak everything up.
 
I have had GA at every show I went to and wouldn't do it any other way, unless I can't get GA. On the outside up against the rail I had the full experience and the band right at my face
 
Standing is the way to go. I've done seats (thanks for the nosebleeds, U2.com presale! :happy: ), and I've done the back of GA (was a little unwell and didn't want to queue for hours), and while it's good to see all the little extras that come with the broader perspective, I'd trade those in a heartbeat for being within a few rows of the stage. Most of the time I've seen U2, I've been on the rail or very close to it, and the atmosphere around there is incredible. Worth the lengthy queuing as long as you've decent people around you in the queue to pass the day with (though anybody who tells you that you need to arrive before midday to get a good spot close to the front at a stadium show is lying).
 
If this is a stadium tour, then I can't wait to take off of school so I can drive to Dallas/Houston for a day, despite my parents' wishes and my own better judgment, so I can get in queue early for GA at a stadium with crappy acoustics. :hyper:
 
I loved GA (standing). I stood in line all day and managed to get very close to the front rail for Vertigo Tour. I was at the Vancouver show #2. The energy of being so close to other u2 fans was awesome. It brought the excitement to another level.

However, the GA experience does have some drawbacks. My wife, got very clausterphoic because of the GA. She actually had to leave prematurely because of this. The security guys helped her climb over the fence to get water and fresh air.
 
i imagine i will probably attempt to try and catch at least 2 shows this tour in order to get both standing and seated views. unfortunately my country (wales) has only one potential venue (cardiff), and every time they've done that, its only been once per tour. i imagine ill have to travel to bristol or somehwere to catch the second.
 
digitize said:
If this is a stadium tour, then I can't wait to take off of school so I can drive to Dallas/Houston for a day, despite my parents' wishes and my own better judgment, so I can get in queue early for GA at a stadium with crappy acoustics. :hyper:
Click to expand...

actually the acoustics tend to be better in stadiums (particularly open air stadiums) for two reasons:

1) the lack of reverb. having a close ceiling, concrete floors, etc create for some very harsh sounds at times in arenas.
2) the people. the ratio of bodies:free space in arenas is so low that the people absorb a ton of the sound taking all of the room out of the bottom end.

so basically in an arena the highs are washed out due to the reverb and the lows are absorbed by 20,000 people in such a small place.

while the volume level may seem lower in a stadium setting (though it isn't, it just has more room to "breathe"), it's often far more clear and the separation between the highs and lows is much better.
__________

as far as where to sit/stand. if you aren't willing to make a day out of it to ensure something within the first two "rows" of people against a barricade, then i say that the best place to be is on the floor right in front of the mixing platform(s). there's a metal "floor" that extends 3-6 feet out that is about 2" off the ground. you get a great angle to see the show and an extra 2" boost in heigth.

the only problem with seats is that, typically, during the running to stand stills of the setlist people around you will sit down. and if you don't, prepare to get berated by some moron who is just there to hear pride.

i'd rather have a high up seat with a front-on view of the stage than a lower seat that is too close to the back of the stage.
 
i have seen 27 shows, and i have been lucky enough to be front row center against the stage four times. once for popmart, two elevation, and once for vertigo. that is the best place to be, nothing will top those four concert experiences. you either have to be very wealthy (not me) or very lucky.

the outside of the rail when the had the ellipse/ heart were good as well in arenas. just far enough to see the whole show, and still close enough to have the intimate feel. i have had seats in the first several rows on the side of the stage a few times, and those are always very good. you are still close, but can everything very well. you don't have to stand in line all day though- which is a big plus.

the only seats i didn't like is very back of ga floor. too many people talking, not interested, very distracting to me.
 
I've only ever been standing near the stage before so i might try get seats (but decent ones) this time around but hope to see them at least twice...
 
achtungbaby92 said:
i imagine i will probably attempt to try and catch at least 2 shows this tour in order to get both standing and seated views. unfortunately my country (wales) has only one potential venue (cardiff), and every time they've done that, its only been once per tour. i imagine ill have to travel to bristol or somehwere to catch the second.
Click to expand...

I went to the Vertigo show in Cardiff last year. :wave: My first show no less.

I had GA, but the closest I got was halfway, which was shit, because at 15, Im short, and was getting squashed, and having beer spilt on me. The best and only good part of being in the crowd was when I picked up a tour guide, and gave it back to the owner, and a few minutes later, when the killers were on, the boyfriend of the tour-guide girl lifted me up to take pictures. :lol:

I ended up at the back on the free seats, which was better, but obviously miles away from the band.

SO. My advice would be, UNLESS you're going to get the opportunity to get near the front/some stage, dont bother with GA. Unless you're tall or something. Being lost in a crowd is no fun at all. :(

Like I said though, worst comes to worst, there are free seats (for GA) right at the back in Cardiff.
 
MooMoo! said:
I went to the Vertigo show in Cardiff last year. :wave: My first show no less.

I had GA, but the closest I got was halfway, which was shit, because at 15, Im short, and was getting squashed, and having beer spilt on me. The best and only good part of being in the crowd was when I picked up a tour guide, and gave it back to the owner, and a few minutes later, when the killers were on, the boyfriend of the tour-guide girl lifted me up to take pictures. :lol:

I ended up at the back on the free seats, which was better, but obviously miles away from the band.

SO. My advice would be, UNLESS you're going to get the opportunity to get near the front/some stage, dont bother with GA. Unless you're tall or something. Being lost in a crowd is no fun at all. :(

Like I said though, worst comes to worst, there are free seats (for GA) right at the back in Cardiff.
Click to expand...

i have no idea why i didnt go to that show :sad:
hey moomoo, whats the situation with the millennium stadium in terms of GA? do you show up and simply que all day, or do they operate on a wristband system (get there early, get a wristband, bugger off until about 6pm, take up your reserved queing space)?
 
I did both GA and good seats on the last tour, and had great experiences with both.

I'm short, so being near the front is a must for me in GA, although I did see a few shows from the back of the floor and it was okay. I could see most of what was going on and wasn't in a crush of people. Not ideal, but better than being lost in the crowd and not being able to see anything at all.

I'd like to be able to do one show GA and one with seats, but I'll be happy with whatever I can get, to be honest.
 
i had GA in Toronto right at the base of the circle, seats in Boston right behind the soundboard for Vertigo tour

100-level seats in Toronto for Elevation tour.

I had seats right behind B-stage for PopMart in Toronto, that was a wicked time and probably best place - good view of video wall and bigger stage, nice and close for acoustic set

It will be interesting where we should be for the upcoming tour

GA floor in stadiums in North America? would be a first for U2...


I recall pre-sale tickets from U2.com were not GA tix though for Elevation and Vertigo, anyone confirm??
 
The best position to be in?

Inside the ellipse. About 10-12 feet back on Adam's side. Against the ramp. Seeing Bono lie down on the floor, serenade Into the Heart to your wife and then watch him give her a corsage. I shit you not!
He could of taken her to a hotel room that night. I would of been damn proud to have his "stamp" of approval. :wink:
 
If you've got field tickets....as close to the front as poss. Otherwise just be thankful to get tickets at all.

Inside the stadium is always better than outside!
 
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