Going to my first concert.

[shart1780]

Next June I'll be going to my first U2 concert ever in Seattle. Not only is this my first U2 concert, it's my first concert ever. I'll be going alone because no one else could afford the tickets. I don't really care, though. I'm just so friggin psyched. I wanted to see them live since I was 14 but I could never afford it.

I have a couple questions because I'll be alone and I've never been to a concert before. I just bought my ticket from ticketmaster and it's a GA seat. On my receipt under ticket type it says "Standard Admission/ - Select Ga/ Reserved Below. I'm in section 132, row AA.

Should I show up early for any reason or do you think I can just show up when it starts and be seated fine?

Anyways I'm super psyched. I've dreamed of this for years. I'm glad that my first concert ever will also be from my favorite band ever. I can't wait!

 

[ramblin rose]

There are no seats in GA, it's standing and it's first come first serve. Depending on where exactly you want to stand will determine what time you should get there.

There are a couple of threads on GA that you might want to read through to get a better idea of what to expect.

http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f304/ga-discussion-camera-policies-etc-198674.html

http://www.u2interference.com/forum...w-outside-of-it-whats-the-verdict-201083.html

 

[floweravalanche]

Usually if it's GA it's first come first serve how it works. As well as run for you lives for a good spot, Ticketmaster will put a seat and section number on the ticket as a way to keep track of how many they have sold etc.

I went to my first show ever in Phoenix Az last month, and I had GA, it was the greatest time of my life, everyone was awesome. What I have learned U2 fans are pretty cool, laid back, and nice for the most part. You hang out with a couple before the show and have the greatest time of your life.

I'll be going to the Denver show alone. So I understand about being alone, but like I said u2 fans are pretty awesome people.

 

[Visiongfx]

Yay goodluck it's so fun!!

I went to my first ever U2 concert (first stadium concert) this summer. And lined up about 7am in the morning... but me and my friend were crazy about U2.... he particularly loved sexy boots.... haha

 

[corianderstem]

Yeah, it's not a bad idea to read through those threads for more details, but here's the gist based on how the last leg went:

Show up very early in the morning if you must have a rail spot (inside the circle or outside).

If you want to be close but don't need to be on the rail, you can show up late afternoon or even after the gates open and still get inside the inner circle, or really close outside the circle.

If you don't care about being right up front, there usually is lots of room in the back of the field and it's a great spot to see the whole stage/Claw in action - if you're too close, it sounds like you miss a lot of the cool Claw stuff.

 

[shart1780]

I think I'll show up early and bring my iPod and gameboy and a few sandwiches etc. to pass the time. I want to be as close to the actual band as possible for my first time.

Does my seat basically mean I have a reservation to a limited part of the stadium? How much room will I have to roam around?

Thanks for the advice.

 

[corianderstem]

If you have GA, you'll be free to go wherever you want in the GA section, aside from the Red Zones. I think if you go into the inner circle, you get hand stamp that allows you to go in and out of it at any point, but it's kind of a moot point unless they actually stop letting people in once it hits a certain number. Not sure.

 

[tryan101]

I believe you have a seat, not GA. 132 is an actual section, and AA is the first row after Z. usually when you have GA, it may say something like GA4, seat 62, which is only for accounting purposes.

how much did you pay?

 

[PeckU2]

The only reason you have a number is for stadium purporses, so they can keep a track on how many GAs they sold.

Have fun, I've been in GA fives times and the U2 fans are like no other, the most friendly people ever.

 

[corianderstem]

Oh, I missed that bit of his post - I just took him at his word that he had GA! That "Standard admission - select GA" thing is pretty weird.

 

[shart1780]

i believe you have a seat, not ga. 132 is an actual section, and aa is the first row after z. Usually when you have ga, it may say something like ga4, seat 62, which is only for accounting purposes.

How much did you pay?

$250.

I have section 132, row AA, but not an actual seat number...

But if you look at the layout in this pic https://www.ticketmaster.com/seatingchart/123449/30669/ you see section 132, so I probably do actually have a seat. Pretty good seat though.

 

[tryan101]

its a great seat. perfect side section, 27 rows up. you'll love it. enjoy!

 

[OrARoundabout]

JUST IN HERE FOR CORIANDERSTEM'S AVATAR

That is all

 

[mikal]

good for you shart. have an awesome time! and i swear it will change your perspective on U2. knowing you just a little for your opinions on the band, i'll be interested to see what your views are about songs like Vertigo, Elevation, COBL, etc.....after you see them live.

 

[corianderstem]

$250.

I have section 132, row AA, but not an actual seat number...

Yeah, good spot. Ignore everything else I said in this thread - just waltz in whenever you feel like it. No need to get there early unless you like to people-watch.

JUST IN HERE FOR CORIANDERSTEM'S AVATAR

That is all

Rah-rah ah-ah-ah!
Romah ro-mah-mah!
GaGa ooh-la-la!

 

[shart1780]

Oh well it's fine if I don't have GA. It looks like I'll have a pretty much perfect view of the stage and I'll probably have some of the closest seats to it. Also glad I won't have to camp out.

 

[tryan101]

I envy your wide open horizons shart. If I could recapture the wonder......

 

[shart1780]

Would you say there's no line on my horizon?

 

[joerags]

Next June I'll be going to my first U2 concert ever in Seattle. Not only is this my first U2 concert, it's my first concert ever. I'll be going alone because no one else could afford the tickets. I don't really care, though. I'm just so friggin psyched. I wanted to see them live since I was 14 but I could never afford it.

I have a couple questions because I'll be alone and I've never been to a concert before. I just bought my ticket from ticketmaster and it's a GA seat. On my receipt under ticket type it says "Standard Admission/ - Select Ga/ Reserved Below. I'm in section 132, row AA.

Should I show up early for any reason or do you think I can just show up when it starts and be seated fine?

Anyways I'm super psyched. I've dreamed of this for years. I'm glad that my first concert ever will also be from my favorite band ever. I can't wait!

Wow, I am so happy for you. I remember my first U2 concert. I waited a long time to see them. It was the Vertigo Tour and I have been a fan since 1985. You'll definitely have a great time.

 

[KristenCaNaDiAn]

Your first concert is gonna rock
Mine was in September in Toronto and I'll never forget it. Watch out though it becomes addicting very fast. I'm going to three shows on the next leg

 

[shart1780]

good for you shart. have an awesome time! and i swear it will change your perspective on U2. knowing you just a little for your opinions on the band, i'll be interested to see what your views are about songs like Vertigo, Elevation, COBL, etc.....after you see them live.

Actually I like the songs you listed a lot... I just don't like the rest of HTDAAB I think NLOTH is awesome though and I'm excited to hear those live. I doubt I'll really care about the setlist anyways because I'll be so hyped to be there.

Although if they play Your Blue Room I'll probably soil myself.

 

[KristenCaNaDiAn]

Actually I like the songs you listed a lot... I just don't like the rest of HTDAAB I think NLOTH is awesome though and I'm excited to hear those live. I doubt I'll really care about the setlist anyways because I'll be so hyped to be there.

Although if they play Your Blue Room I'll probably soil myself.

During YBR in Toronto I was the whole time

 

[Muldfeld]

shart1780, my biggest advice to you -- besides coming early to have a place in line -- is to avoid reading setlists.

I did this for my first ever concert (The Cure) and it ruined things because I was able to predict which song would be played.

I'd also strongly advise you to not listen to any songs likely to be played for months. Knowing songs well can upset the spontaneity of things. You want that moment of rediscovering things. It's hard to do, though, when you're pumped up. If U2 releases "Songs of Ascent", I'd just listen to that.

Also, don't feel you have to act like some cliche, yelling and screaming and proving your fandom. I did this in 2004 at the Cure show and it totally messed things up; I was trying so hard to show the band my love that I couldn't relax and enjoy the music; the whole thing was a blur, and I just felt depressed for days afterward that I had waited to enjoy this moment and hadn't. When you get that agitated, you become a pain to those around you and you become too self-conscious.

Think about it, no one acts like that normally when they're happy; people just do it because they've watched generations of people go "whoo" (especially during quiet parts of songs or when the song changes gear), move arms around, and make devil horns. Now, it has extended into the annoying realm of people taking pictures with their cellphones every fracking song and obstructing people's views. I have no trouble with doing it as long as people's views behind aren't blocked, though the glare is also upsetting. Also, the time to scream is between songs, not during them.

If anyone's engaging in this disturbing behavior, remember that you have rights, that they're infringing on yours to enjoy the music, and that you should ask them to please stop. This stuff usually goes on because most people are too scared to say anything.

Have a good time and enjoy the subtleties of the music; after all, the band will only sound exactly this way once!

 

[clifedge]

^

Basically just don't be any of these people:
7 Obnoxious Assholes Who Show Up At Every Concert | Cracked.com

 

[nielsgov]

shart1780, my biggest advice to you -- besides coming early to have a place in line -- is to avoid reading setlists.

I did this for my first ever concert (The Cure) and it ruined things because I was able to predict which song would be played.

I'd also strongly advise you to not listen to any songs likely to be played for months. Knowing songs well can upset the spontaneity of things. You want that moment of rediscovering things. It's hard to do, though, when you're pumped up. If U2 releases "Songs of Ascent", I'd just listen to that.

Also, don't feel you have to act like some cliche, yelling and screaming and proving your fandom. I did this in 2004 at the Cure show and it totally messed things up; I was trying so hard to show the band my love that I couldn't relax and enjoy the music; the whole thing was a blur, and I just felt depressed for days afterward that I had waited to enjoy this moment and hadn't. When you get that agitated, you become a pain to those around you and you become too self-conscious.

Think about it, no one acts like that normally when they're happy; people just do it because they've watched generations of people go "whoo" (especially during quiet parts of songs or when the song changes gear), move arms around, and make devil horns. Now, it has extended into the annoying realm of people taking pictures with their cellphones every fracking song and obstructing people's views. I have no trouble with doing it as long as people's views behind aren't blocked, though the glare is also upsetting. Also, the time to scream is between songs, not during them.

If anyone's engaging in this disturbing behavior, remember that you have rights, that they're infringing on yours to enjoy the music, and that you should ask them to please stop. This stuff usually goes on because most people are too scared to say anything.

Have a good time and enjoy the subtleties of the music; after all, the band will only sound exactly this way once!

Reminds me a bit of my first U2 concert (and last one for now).
Well it wasn´t that bad, I actually had a lot of fun but I was a little pissed off afterwards that I couldn´t remember a thing about it.

 

[U2girl]

OP I saw my first show on this tour as well.

I did follow the setlists, only right before the show because up until 4 days or so I didn't think I'd be going, but I still didn't enjoy the show any less. I didn't think "now _____ is coming next".
What I didn't do though is listen to any mp3s or watch any Youtube so there were still plenty of surprises. (despite, say, reading they're doing the Crazy remix I still was surprised to see the 4 heads grooving along on the big screen and thinking "what's this?") I did take lots of photos though, but I guess everyone does it the first time.

I planned to avoid the US setlists just in case I see them again in 2010 (depending on mostly whether or not SOA comes out) but then the broadcast came along. But come the US/Euro leg part II I'm staying out of this subforum.

 

[Marmoset]

The suggestion to avoid setlists is a great one. I avoided all of the setlists for this tour, and it was amazing for me when they played Ultraviolet because it's always been one of my favorite U2 songs and I had no idea they were going to play it. If I knew it was coming, I'd still have enjoyed it no doubt, but that moment of excitement when you hear the beginning of the song wouldn't have been quite the same.

I disagree with any comments that you should sit back and enjoy the music, scream like a lunatic for the whole show, or anything in between. You should do whatever you want to do. It's a U2 concert! As long as you're not over-the-line obnoxious or completely drunk and stumbling, do whatever you want to do to enjoy the show as much as possible.

 

[corianderstem]

Think about it, no one acts like that normally when they're happy;

Thank goodness you're here to tell us how to appropriately display happiness.