WHY bring back a lottery system?!

[northernscum]

Puuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhlease

Wrong is it? And please refresh everyone what happened afterwards when fans sat DOWN in the heart. He fails to mention folks that those who were skipped still got into the Heart on the Elevation tour. But what did they do.... They sat down and protested INSIDE the heart like a bunch of children who just found out they didnt get a toy with their Happy Meal from Macdonalds.
And then the best part was when a few of them cried and cried and went up to Bono and complained and cried. Pathetic really.

"u2 will also resurrect its random upgrade program first seen on the Elevation tour in 2001, where select fans purchasing GA tickets will be moved closest to the stage"

whit a load of shite. Elevation was first come first served apart from Boston.

What u2 done in Boston was wrong and led to the Vertigo farce of the so called random entry to the elipse.

I was waiting in line at the bank the other day and they let someone at the end of the line in front of me. I complained and they told me they were bored of seeing me first in line everyday.

GA = bring yir kids, u will get in or maybe u will get a magic press of the button and u will get in
Filming a show = if u follow the band, wait all day, saved your money up all year or maybe 4 years for your u2 vacation= they will let the plebs in who just showed up in front of you.

changed days from when they didnt complain about people from all over Scotland and Ingurland showing up at every show

I dunno if any of you have been in bands but seeing the same faces following your band around the country or even in the same city is amazing and you should treat these fans as family. just my opinion

 

[northernscum]

Maybe do what they did in Ottawa on the Veritgo tour which worked awesome. You got there at 7am to get your number in line, come back at 5pm with your number and regardless of whether or not you were scanned in you had a nice spot on the rail. We didnt get scanned but was on the rail and had a fantastic time.

 

[gvox]

well, not really. those people were let in/hooked up all the time by alison. so for instance,

Cmon now. I personally saw them scan in.

 

[popbellydancer]

Cmon now. I personally saw them scan in.

ok...sure...once or twice.


but i saw her let many regulars in nightly. those were the faces onstage. they were also the lucky folks who brought 6 people in on one scan. maybe because she was new to this tour she felt that if bono pulled a girl/guy up onstage, it must be ok to break her own rules for them. but i'm sorry, there are MANY more regulars from the tours before vertigo that she didnt know (BECAUSE SHE WAS NEW.) so because she doesn't realize most U2 fans have all been around for a long time, or because she didn't witness us get onstage (even if we did), suddenly we are less worthy to have the rules bent then others?? whatever.... old fan, new fan, onstage fan, dude in the nosebleeds...we ALL deserve either old-school GA or at least a better run system free from favouritism.

for instance in my case she told me i had to choose between my two best friends....cuz we dared to go to a concert in a threesome! how stupid could we BE!?? i mean, i watched 6 girls go in together in front of me on NO scan, but then when i scanned i had to choose one or the other.

i hate the lottery....it makes my blood boil!

 

[Super_Fan]

I think Springsteen's system is the best because although it is random it means that to be in the front area you need to line up by the time doors open. What I would hate about U2's system is that anyone who shows up even while U2 are on stage could still get in to the front area

Springsteen's lottery is not as random anymore. Due to what happened in LA first night and second night #1 was pick night 1 and #2 ware pick night 2. There is a new person handling the lottery and they do not put all the numbers in the Jar. They estimate or rig the lottery. Too many #1's have been picked over the 6 year Bruce Springsteen lottery process beginning with the first night in Dultn, GA at Gwinnett Center. I will meet the new guy on Tuesday in Philly. Everyone is watching the lottery numbers and the Jar after back to back nights in LA last week.

BTW at least 10 to 15 people have picked #1 for the lottery. The odds are impossible!

 

[starsgoblue]

Nor should it be contingent upon your current state of family and household affiars -- those that can NOT camp out for days and wait hours in line due to work, medical conditions, kids soccer games or whatever should not be at a disadvantage to those that can.

Besides, IMHO it's a total waste of human energy and effort: go volunteer for a day somewhere and then line up before the show.

Not saying I totally disagree with you but I really think this whole thing just comes down to simple economics. The demand for the closest spot to the band is always going to be there. It comes down to what a person is willing to do/sacrifice to satisfy that demand. There's always going to be that driving factor no matter what system you have in place. Even with the Springsteen system, I can still see people lining up, because of someone's anxiety about something like what if they'd didn't come early enough and the drawing for the line started at #12? Same goes for tickets....some of us here wouldn't bat an eyelash at paying a broker $200 for a $50 ticket because they want to go to that show that badly and are willing to pay that much to do so, while others may find that to be absurd. Besides, I always liked hanging out in line with other people...I've met some great people that I wouldn't have met otherwise.

 

[bratty_cat]

as a matter of fact (and i will STAND BY THIS til my dying day) i saw more of the same faces up front on vertigo than i ever did on elevation or popmart. but hey, that goes back to the whole thing being run improperly and being a joke!

I totally agree! And I went to more Elevation shows than Vertigo. The way lottery was managed sucked. It was only random if you didn't know the person running the line. And I know of a couple of people who were smart enough to figure out that the barcode on your ticket had nothing to do with scanning in. I stupidly thought it did.

 

[tryan101]

the barcode on your ticket had nothing to do with scanning in

well it did and it didn't. anyone's specific barcode had no relevance. there were no "golden" tickets that were pre-determined to scan in at any time. it WAS based on a random number generator, whose frequency was able to be dialed up or down, and of course, over-ridden. a ticket that scanned in at 6:45:31, may not have ten seconds later. I scanned in once with a reserved ticket, so obviously there was nothing particular about that ticket.

 

[dazzlingamy]

i like the idea of the lottery if it is run totally random. but i was glad that in Australia we didn't have it this time because i doubt i would have had the best seat in the house.

I also get freaking annoyed with the crazy fans who travel the world to see u2 and want to get front row for the 20th time, its like calm down and share it around you know? There were these girls from some south american country who had this big sign that people had signed who were in a blue fit because security kept standing in front of it, oh they also tried to make me and my group of friends feel bad because the girl had brought her sick mother who was suffering from breast cancer and then asked us if we could let her have front row and when we refused bitched us out as cold hearted, oh we're the ones who brought our sick mother (i doubt she was sick anyway) into the concert and then wouldn't give her our spot. It made me laugh.

Ahhh u2 concerts, the best and worst you can get.

 

[popbellydancer]

the girl had brought her sick mother who was suffering from breast cancer

 

[bonoschild2009]

I also get freaking annoyed with the crazy fans who travel the world to see u2 and want to get front row for the 20th time, its like calm down and share it around you know?

Amen to that...I barely have enough funds for my trip to the ONE show that I'll be seeing.....I'll be there the night before, and the fact that the front row might come down to another lottery kind of bothers me...

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

I also get freaking annoyed with the crazy fans who travel the world to see u2 and want to get front row for the 20th time, its like calm down and share it around you know?

yes. i don't see the pleasure in getting ga tickets to 15 u2 shows, but everyone gets joy out of different stuff. but if it were me, i'd really try for front row a couple times and the rest of the time just line up whenever. this is a big reason why i doubt i'd ever do ga, not just for u2 but for any band of that size. it's one thing when i do ga for more intimate venues (given that's all there is anyway is ga ) but for a stadium or arena? no way.

 

[popbellydancer]

well, to each his own, and i don't see why we need to put down people who have the funds and desire. of course there's jealousy, that's natural, but if you're NOT jealous and don't have the desire to put in the time (if you could afford it) and effort into getting up front at 20 shows, then great...buy a seat, and live and let live. jmo.

i was lucky and had the funds and desire on the last two tours...so i'm a bad person? ok, guess i am. i know my "normal" non u2-friends think i'm crazy, and i would never deny that! however, this time i can't go to anywhere near the same amount of shows i have in the past, but i don't begrudge those that can.

i never had a problem with the same people getting hooked up by alison, who wouldn't take advantage of that really??? i know i would! my anger with the lottery was the way it was handled, which we've all agreed was less than kosher. the fact that we were TOLD it was to keep from having the same faces up front every night, and then the same faces were purposefully let up. but only a handful of the same faces as elevation. those of us from the elevation days knew that like half of the people who usually went for rail, rarely if ever got rail on the vertigo tour, which is fine...but irritating when you watch the other half get up front just because a chic who got hired for one tour recognized them and bent the so -called rules. the lottery was not a TRUE lottery....something it seems most of us can agree on. and i understand thinking it's crazy to go to tons of shows and wait out to get up front, but it's what some people love most in their concert going life, and for others it's not something you'd do. i guess i'm just saying, try to see both sides.

 

[indra]

the fact that we were TOLD it was to keep from having the same faces up front every night, and then the same faces were purposefully let up. but only a handful of the same faces as elevation. those of us from the elevation days knew that like half of the people who usually went for rail, rarely if ever got rail on the vertigo tour

Maybe keeping the faces that showed up at the front every night on the Elevation tour from being at the front every night at the Vertigo tour was the plan.

 

[popbellydancer]

Maybe keeping the faces that showed up at the front every night on the Elevation tour from being at the front every night at the Vertigo tour was the plan.

well, that worked well then didn't it?

i guess my post wasn't clear. it's not like any new faces were the ones let in/helped by alison etc for vertigo. the people of which i speak (who were helped by alison/the lottery) WERE up front every night on elevation, along with me, my friends, and a lot of others. she just didn't know that, cuz she didn't work that tour. so randomly half of the same faces from elevation, were the very same people who purposefully got let in up front. which is yet another reason the whole "we don't want the same faces" thing was a joke.

 

[Diemen]

Speaking of jealousy...

 

[anitram]

well, to each his own, and i don't see why we need to put down people who have the funds and desire. of course there's jealousy, that's natural, but if you're NOT jealous and don't have the desire to put in the time (if you could afford it) and effort into getting up front at 20 shows, then great...buy a seat, and live and let live. jmo.

Look, I went to 4 GA shows on Vertigo. I never scanned in once on my ticket. One of my best friends scanned one time, so I went in with her. Another time Alison gave me a wristband when I was dancing out by the soundboard. I lined up all day, got the rail and then some crazy chicks behind me basically started climbing on my back in their haste to get to the front. I said fuck it, and went back to the soundboard where I could observe, dance and have a great time. About the second or maybe 3rd song in, this woman I'd never seen before showed up and wristbanded me and maybe 10 other people (I wasn't with them, I was with one other friend), totally randomly seemingly. The other 2 times I hung out by the back, didn't get scanned, and had a great time.

You went to a shitload of shows and you're still complaining about the lottery, Alison, the fans, the system, this and that...honestly, I just don't get it. I was overjoyed with my 4 shows, I can't comprehend somebody going to 2, 3, 4 times as many and posting over and over about various transgressions...if you think that you were ripped off by Alison/the lottery, well guess what, so were the rest of us, but we feel too fortunate to sit here and bitch about it 5 years later.

To each his own.

 

[popbellydancer]

Look, I went to 4 GA shows on Vertigo. I never scanned in once on my ticket. One of my best friends scanned one time, so I went in with her. Another time Alison gave me a wristband when I was dancing out by the soundboard. I lined up all day, got the rail and then some crazy chicks behind me basically started climbing on my back in their haste to get to the front. I said fuck it, and went back to the soundboard where I could observe, dance and have a great time. About the second or maybe 3rd song in, this woman I'd never seen before showed up and wristbanded me and maybe 10 other people (I wasn't with them, I was with one other friend), totally randomly seemingly. The other 2 times I hung out by the back, didn't get scanned, and had a great time.

You went to a shitload of shows and you're still complaining about the lottery, Alison, the fans, the system, this and that...honestly, I just don't get it. I was overjoyed with my 4 shows, I can't comprehend somebody going to 2, 3, 4 times as many and posting over and over about various transgressions...if you think that you were ripped off by Alison/the lottery, well guess what, so were the rest of us, but we feel too fortunate to sit here and bitch about it 5 years later.

To each his own.

i am not the only one who feels this way, if you read back through this thread many others feel the same. those of us who have a general distaste for the lottery and feel it was badly mis-handled, have actually ALL stated and agreed that while it was good in some cases, and had great potential, it ended up being a much more negative thing rather than positive. i have simply shared my viewpoints and opinions which, while they are shared by many, are not shared my many others as well. that is totally fine.


to each his own...indeed.

 

[popbellydancer]

Speaking of jealousy...

abso-fucking-lutley!

 

[dazzlingamy]

No jealously on my part. I went to four shows had front row once, was in the ellipse two times at the back dancing with friends (our choice) and once from amazing seats. I also don't have a problem if people want to travel the world seeing u2, but my problem is, that these people don't think of other people who maybe are going to one concert? To push and shove and lie your way to the front, and then bitch and complain that this is your 20th concert and you ALWAYS get front, just seems, yuck. I don't want to be near people like that.

I just think soooooooo much stress and anger goes into where a perfect spot if, and really at the end of the day its just a concert. You can enjoy it anywhere, from seats in the crowd, from the back of the stadium and from the front row. Each has pros and cons, and i think you ruin your experience annoyed what you don;t have

 

[gvox]

ok...sure...once or twice.


but i saw her let many regulars in nightly. those were the faces onstage. they were also the lucky folks who brought 6 people in on one scan. maybe because she was new to this tour she felt that if bono pulled a girl/guy up onstage, it must be ok to break her own rules for them. but i'm sorry, there are MANY more regulars from the tours before vertigo that she didnt know (BECAUSE SHE WAS NEW.) so because she doesn't realize most U2 fans have all been around for a long time, or because she didn't witness us get onstage (even if we did), suddenly we are less worthy to have the rules bent then others?? whatever.... old fan, new fan, onstage fan, dude in the nosebleeds...we ALL deserve either old-school GA or at least a better run system free from favouritism.

for instance in my case she told me i had to choose between my two best friends....cuz we dared to go to a concert in a threesome! how stupid could we BE!?? i mean, i watched 6 girls go in together in front of me on NO scan, but then when i scanned i had to choose one or the other.

i hate the lottery....it makes my blood boil!

You know how many times I or someone I was with got scanned in? Too many to list. And it was totally legit. To be honest, I don't think you are either being honest with us or yourself. Nor are you really in any position to complain, both you and your bf have been pretty well blessed at shows, no? I'd rate getting onstage pretty damn highly. You have this overinflated notion of entitlement. You worry way too much about it way too much and personally I wish you'd just cut it out. You and what you saw or think you saw happens represents less than 1% of the entire lottery experience. Please try to have a little perspective!

 

[gvox]

we feel too fortunate to sit here and bitch about it 5 years later.

QFTMFT

 

[tryan101]

I have to say I've seen all ends of the spectrum, from lining up from sunrise on Elevation to bringing kids on Vertigo (and dont get me started on POP). We've enjoyed it all, and thankful we were. So many times I've stopped in the middle of shows just to capture the moment, and revel in the fact that this experience as I know it may never happen again. These times I felt as close to perfect harmony as possible. As in Lord, if you take me now I'd be OK with it. That may sound corny, but it sums up my feelings.

What I can't fathom is the angst and ill will that seems to plague some people. If something gives you so much consternation, then by all means, stop doing it. Why beat yourself (and others) up when your own happiness is in your control? Does a spot of concrete weigh so heavily as to overshadow that which is truly important? I mean, really. Do we have our health, family, friends etc? I'm grateful for all those, as well as whatever concert passion I get from this band I love.

 

[mikal]

I just think soooooooo much stress and anger goes into where a perfect spot if, and really at the end of the day its just a concert. You can enjoy it anywhere, from seats in the crowd, from the back of the stadium and from the front row. Each has pros and cons, and i think you ruin your experience annoyed what you don;t have

the shows i've had the most fun at were the ones that i didn't really care how close up i was.

 

[bfloxng]

the shows i've had the most fun at were the ones that i didn't really care how close up i was.

agreed. for me that ended up being hawaii, where i had seats AND ga (where there was the two+ day lineup fiasco where people signed up and left). I went in with both tickets, got my wristband and wandered about whimsically. awesome show and memory.

 

[gvox]

the shows i've had the most fun at were the ones that i didn't really care how close up i was.

Oddly enough, those were the times I scanned in or got a great spot. Weird how that works out, huh?

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

well, to each his own, and i don't see why we need to put down people who have the funds and desire. of course there's jealousy, that's natural, but if you're NOT jealous and don't have the desire to put in the time (if you could afford it) and effort into getting up front at 20 shows, then great...buy a seat, and live and let live. jmo.

the only jealousy that i have is that a person can afford it, especially in this economy. i'm unemployed and wish i could attend any show, no matter where i sit. of course if a person can afford to attend 20 shows, great, it's your money and you can spend it however you see fit. i just hope those who can afford to spend money for multiple shows look at the big picture when they attend these shows and don't get access to the heart/ellipse/whatever area.

 

[SUPER_SUPER_FAN]

there was no lottery at the stadium shows in Europe on Vertigo tour . Nor was there in Hawaii

 

[gunsnroses]

Who is this Alison everybody is referring too?

 

[ramblin rose]

Who is this Alison everybody is referring too?

The blonde woman with the megaphone that would explain about the lottery before the shows and would usually be at one of the scanning tables.