Might have found something here... arenas next year?

[Headache in a Suitcase]

ok so they're touring stadiums, we know it, there are a lot of dates missing, blah blah blah.

But when looking at the bigger image of the giants stadium schematic, i noticed something... not in the picture it's self, but in the html address...

http://360.u2.com/images/largevenues/lg_newyork.jpg



the images is contained in a folder named "largevenues"

so does this mean that eventually we will see this tour in small venues, i.e. arenas?

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Let's hope so...

 

[mikal]

i wouldn't be surprised either.

good catch!

 

[ouizy]

Thanks for sharing this stage porn.

The images make me wonder why they are not positioning the stage in the center of each of the stadiums?

They way they have it laid out there will still be seats at one end of the stadium than are pretty far away.

I do not get it.

Maybe it has to do witht he logistics of running power etc to the stage from one end of the stadium, but seems strange to me.

 

[U2FanPeter]

Principle management still planned to do some arenas in the US just a few months ago.

 

[Liesje]

I hope so! I really want arena dates.

 

[Hewson]

the images is contained in a folder named "largevenues"

so does this mean that eventually we will see this tour in small venues, i.e. arenas?

Or some of the stadia are considered "small" as compared to Giants Stadium. (I hope you're right and I'm wrong)

 

[zooropop40]

it said "giants stadium" under it so I wouldnt be so sure, and I also see an obvious football field drawn out so I really dont think this is an arena...

perhaps I am missing something here ?

 

[GretzkyU2Yanks]

the picture isnt of an arena, you are right but the name in the link implies to different sizes have been designed.

Giants Stadium is in fact bigger than other stadiums (1 that is confirmed is Gillette in Boston). Not sure if its a big enough difference (since the field size is approximately the same) to have an impact on their design though so it still could be a hint at arenas.

 

[BonosBaby12]

I really hope they go with arenas

 

[GretzkyU2Yanks]

Gillette is also under the large venue directory...

 

[Y2K]

LOL, at saying Giants Stadium is located in New York, NY. For as long as U2 have existed, they've correctly credited their Meadowlands appearances as "East Rutherford, NJ", no matter how lame that sounds.

Somehow, I am doubting that this tour would move indoors at all, considering how it is named. Unless, of course, they can make this free standing stage support structure fit into an indoor arena.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

if zoo tv can go inside this one can... just place the stage in the center of the arena, add a ramp or too... attach the screens to the roof and ta da... you have an arena show.

if the rolling stones can bring their moving stage into arenas, anything can be brought into arenas.


and as for the person who said that that picture isn't of an arena... well... no shit. the point was that the stadium was located in a folder named "largevenues" meaning thus then why would they need to seperate large venues into one folder unless, of course, there were also small venues.

 

[Dani California]

Yes please let them do arenas.....

 

[zuropa_fit]

 

[Halup]

I believe that the plan now is only to play stadiums in 2009 and 2010. That could possibly change if the shows this year don't sell well enough, but on this tour, it seems that they want to play a smaller amount of total shows, with shorter tour legs.

 

[U2girl]

What Halup said.

 

[pudgie_child]

Arenas in North America (has common sense prevailed)?

I suspect the reason that the band has "officially" announced dates only in Chicago, Toronto, Boston, and New York (and retracted 12 others) is because they may be having second thoughts about embarking on a stadium-only tour across all of North America.

I mean, really, are there enough U2 fans in Raleigh or Norman to justify playing stadium shows in those cities? Even if every ticket was $30 or $55, they would likely not sell out in those markets.

I'm cautiously optimistic that the band may decide to switch to arenas for the rest of North America, but may be waiting to figure out if there is enough demand for tickets in the first 4 cities before they decide. Thoughts?

(Sicy, you won't be hurting my feelings if you consolidate this with another topic.)

 

[diamond]

I suspect the reason that the band has "officially" announced dates only in Chicago, Toronto, Boston, and New York (and retracted 12 others) is because they may be having second thoughts about embarking on a stadium-only tour across all of North America.

I mean, really, are there enough U2 fans in Raleigh or Norman to justify playing stadium shows in those cities? Even if every ticket was $30 or $55, they would likely not sell out in those markets.

I'm cautiously optimistic that the band may decide to switch to arenas for the rest of North America, but may be waiting to figure out if there is enough demand for tickets in the first 4 cities before they decide. Thoughts?

(Sicy, you won't be hurting my feelings if you consolidate this with another topic.)

I had the same thoughts.

<>

 

[Y2K]

I suspect the reason that the band has "officially" announced dates only in Chicago, Toronto, Boston, and New York (and retracted 12 others) is because they may be having second thoughts about embarking on a stadium-only tour across all of North America.

I mean, really, are there enough U2 fans in Raleigh or Norman to justify playing stadium shows in those cities? Even if every ticket was $30 or $55, they would likely not sell out in those markets.

I'm cautiously optimistic that the band may decide to switch to arenas for the rest of North America, but may be waiting to figure out if there is enough demand for tickets in the first 4 cities before they decide. Thoughts?

(Sicy, you won't be hurting my feelings if you consolidate this with another topic.)

There's no way they retracted their plans to tour more North American cities on the day of the tour announcement, after all the cities were already leaked. They would have decided this a long time ago.

 

[ntalwar]

I suspect the reason that the band has "officially" announced dates only in Chicago, Toronto, Boston, and New York (and retracted 12 others) is because they may be having second thoughts about embarking on a stadium-only tour across all of North America.

I thought it was to help prevent overload on the website or schedule issues, etc.. They'd have to spend more money to build a new stage and the crew would have to be trained on a new stage design, lighting, etc. if they went indoors. The stadium configuration has a higher profit margin imo.

 

[U2FanPeter]

When the Police rolled out dates in 2007 they were VERY cautious at first.

They want to sell thru the US stadiums over a couple weeks.

This is 16 stadiums and Popmart was 48 in the US. They will sell the 33%.

 

[pudgie_child]

When the Police rolled out dates in 2007 they were VERY cautious at first.

They want to sell thru the US stadiums over a couple weeks.

This is 16 stadiums and Popmart was 48 in the US. They will sell the 33%.

A lot of Popmart tickets went unsold. I think they would have similar (if not more) trouble selling tickets in places like Norman, OK, Raleigh, NC, and Charlottesville, VA. And keep in mind that the average ticket price in 1997 was only $45. How in the world are they going to sell so many $250 tickets in such small markets?

 

[U2FanPeter]

A lot of Popmart tickets went unsold. I think they would have similar (if not more) trouble selling tickets in places like Norman, OK, Raleigh, NC, and Charlottesville, VA. And keep in mind that the average ticket price in 1997 was only $45. How in the world are they going to sell so many $250 tickets in such small markets?

I too wonder about those 3 markets and possibly the Florida date selling out right away.

Everywhere else should be gone within a week in North America.

Though, the albums sales would still be slowly coming into the Principal office. Maybe they are confident, maybe they got cold feet.

Get 6 solid sellouts in the US, maybe add a show or two and use that as PR leverage for the other stateside concerts.

 

[jecofficial]

cause you cant play open stadiums all winter long..

 

[cdparky]

Thanks for sharing this stage porn.

The images make me wonder why they are not positioning the stage in the center of each of the stadiums?

They way they have it laid out there will still be seats at one end of the stadium than are pretty far away.

I do not get it.

Maybe it has to do witht he logistics of running power etc to the stage from one end of the stadium, but seems strange to me.

Might be a health & safety thing - The Foo Fighters at Wembley Stadium last year wanted to haev their stage in the middle but were stopped by health & safety rules.

 

[digitize]

I suspect the reason that the band has "officially" announced dates only in Chicago, Toronto, Boston, and New York (and retracted 12 others) is because they may be having second thoughts about embarking on a stadium-only tour across all of North America.

I mean, really, are there enough U2 fans in Raleigh or Norman to justify playing stadium shows in those cities? Even if every ticket was $30 or $55, they would likely not sell out in those markets.

I'm cautiously optimistic that the band may decide to switch to arenas for the rest of North America, but may be waiting to figure out if there is enough demand for tickets in the first 4 cities before they decide. Thoughts?

(Sicy, you won't be hurting my feelings if you consolidate this with another topic.)

It still says they are playing in those cities, although it doesn't list venues.

I'm sorry... but this has been announced as an all-stadium tour... I think it's gonna be an all-stadium tour.

 

[Halup]

Raleigh has vanished from the list of cities that been had scheduled for October, but all the rest are there.

 

[U2FanPeter]

cause you cant play open stadiums all winter long..

This is what the Southern Hemisphere is good at - summer shows in Oz/Brazil in Nov-Feb.

 

[Canadiens1131]

Thanks for sharing this stage porn.

The images make me wonder why they are not positioning the stage in the center of each of the stadiums?

They way they have it laid out there will still be seats at one end of the stadium than are pretty far away.

I do not get it.

Two guesses:

1. The soundboard and lighting control goes at the other end and is already represented on the schematics on the tour site.
2. Having the stage at one end allows for tiered pricing of seats in the stands. The 35 Euro seats will be at the far end.