The old, lazy, wealthy man's tour

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ouizy

ouizy

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Saturday night and I am bored, so:

I am ready to be crucified for this, but doesn't it just seem like this tour is being set up to really just be as efficient and easy for the band as possible, and less about the fans?

North America Leg One: 34 shows - 9 cities (so far...)
Europe Leg Two: 33 shows - 10 cities (so far...)

New York City now has (8) eight shows booked. Eight. Miami? Zero. Dallas? Zero. Seattle, Philadelphia, Washington DC? Zero. Actually, in the US, the only city they are playing between New York and Los Angeles is, well, Chicago.

How much of a 'tour' is then actually? They have been much more expansive in the past, but this smells like something different all together.

Bono was just quoted in Rolling Stone that he is trying to get ready because they are bringing something 'incredible' on the road. I sure hope so.

They have said they were going to 'alternate' set lists. OK, sounds great - if they did two shows per city. With eight in NYC, are they going to alternate four times? I just cannot see the band pulling a Pearl Jam and crafting different set lists for each night. I sure hope I am wrong, because if I am they will dig out a ton of old tunes (perhaps all of them...)

I think they proved a valuable rich-man model on the last tour. Try to sleep in the same bed for as many nights as possible - they would play a US city and quickly fly back to NY to crash. Rather than stay in smaller cities, also because most of them have homes in NYC. Does that make sense when you have your own plane, yes, but 9 cities total? It just seems odd. Why make your fans travel to you rather than the other way around?

Somehow I see a converse correlation to them loading their latest album on everyone's iOS device. Make sure everyone has their music, but then only play a handful of places. Just odd. Maybe, just lazy.

And I live in NYC...

To me, they again have something to prove.

Any thoughts?

:wave:
 
I really hate this tour schedule. Instead of scheduling a 5th show in Chicago that won't sell out , why not instead add a show in Detroit or Cleveland or something?

The arena tour Madonna just announced if probably closer to what U2 should've done, with obvious gaps in her schedule for additional shows to be added in most cities. More cities, same amount of shows.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference
 
Another band that I follow had a band member that suggested they might follow the 'fewer cities' model of touring in the future, and one of the reasons he hinted at was because of their age. I suppose the traveling aspect is going to happen either way, but they kind of hinted that the travel involved can be a grind overall. Plus, with another band member who had went through some health issues on the most recent tours, I suppose it would make sense in giving them a 'base' of sorts in the event of things going wrong or wanting to recover.

I can't make too much of an opinion without knowing what it's like to tour, but I get it to an extent. Some artists aren't even doing a straight out tour any more and just doing shows spread out over a period of time. Paul McCartney is the type that only does a few shows here and there, so he's never consistently on the road so to speak. But he's over 70 now and that sort of fits his m.o. for being able to still perform. I imagine this case isn't too different. Weezer does something similar and that's only because they want to spend more time with their families (from what I remember them saying anyway).

Maybe some fans have to travel more as a result, but isn't that the case for every tour? If you live in Omaha and the closest show is in Chicago or Minneapolis, you're still going to have to travel, you know? Of course it's going to be more convenient if they play in your back yard or in the tri-state area at least. But if I'm a close follower of a band and really want to see them, odds are I'm going to look into traveling anyway...
 
This tour is definitely about making it convenient for the band.
Its 2 steps away from a Britney Spears Vegas residency.
I'm glad Boston has always supported the band well so we got included, I'd be upset if I lived in Philly or DC or Miami or Dallas or a lot of places.
Will be interesting to see what 2016 brings, but they don't look much like a band of the people these days.
 
It's a terrible schedule, but I'm just grateful to be living in a huge market so I can see the band.
 
The entire southeast U.S. was left out. Hopefully, they will return in 2016 with some shows other than Chicago, New York, Boston, and the west coast. :sad:
 
At this point and considering Bono's injury I'm just glad they're touring at all. The current model is certainly convenient for the band and I cannot blame them.

I remember a time when this forum was all about loving the residency idea, and that was long before the actual tour dates were announced. I have mixed feelings about it, but mainly because it's so hard to get tickets for arena shows. I'm used to traveling to concerts because the acts I want to see live hardly ever play in my city ore area. I don't mind getting abroad for some shows, but fighting for the tickets isn't fun. While I prefer smaller settings, I'm still hoping for a stadium tour in 2016.
 
I'm pretty sure they are going to go to others cities and countries. I'm kinda surprised nobody is talking about how many legs there are going to be.:hmm:
 
To say that it's a great tour schedule, it isn't. However, I am sure more of the US cities will be covered on 2016 leg of the tour. To me it doesn't make a difference...I'd travel to see them. Did it on 360 tour and doing it again this fall, because they never are in the city where I live, so used to it by now.
 
At this point I would not be surprised, especially given the more drawn out 360 touring of 2009-2010 (prior to 'the back' incident), if 2016 is just pretty much the rest of the world done this style and not some second US/CA leg, well short of a few dates. Unless they ditch this theme aspect in the midterm.
 
Like U2 is the only band that does this? Someone is allways gonna miss out somewhere when a band / artist tours. Here in Sweden people all the time complain when some act plays in Gothenburg instead of Stockholm and vice versa. :doh: It's like a 3 hour train ride.. People also complained on Live Nation's facebook page about the venue, why not choose Friends Arena (50k seater stadium that is complete rubbish when it comes to concert sound) or Tele2 Arena(30k stadium) instead of Globen.

I am just hyped that they are gonna go out on a tour again.
 
can't say I blame them for doing this...if you can get people to travel to you rather than other way round then why not.

Although it drifted over 3 calendar years I thought 360 was a great model for them...they did 110 shows on 3 years...not the most arduous touring schedule ever (in comparison to previous tours)

Given that most foreign acts view London as all of the UK I'm used to travelling to see bands.

This tour works fine for me as for once Europe gets arenas and it's a chance to visit some new places
 
djparky said:
can't say I blame them for doing this...if you can get people to travel to you rather than other way round then why not.

Although it drifted over 3 calendar years I thought 360 was a great model for them...they did 110 shows on 3 years...not the most arduous touring schedule ever (in comparison to previous tours)

Given that most foreign acts view London as all of the UK I'm used to travelling to see bands.

This tour works fine for me as for once Europe gets arenas and it's a chance to visit some new places
Click to expand...

I am also excited about this arena thing. Never gotten the chance to see U2 in an arena setting before. Last time they did it in Europe was in 2001.

I allways catch a stadium concert in Gothenburg each summer (This year it is Foo Fighters and Metallica) but i usually prefer the smaller setting if available as you get closer to the band etc. I've seen bands like Biffy Clyro, In Flames etc at places that holds like 400-500 and thats awesome. Even if you get front rail at a stadium concert the stage is usually too big and tall so you dont see much anyway.

Prefer to be in the middle of the "golden circle" at stadiums and closer in arenas.
 
It's more the "dude, we're getting too old for this shit" world tour than the lazy man's world tour, me thinks.

They have physical issues, and that's not even including what Bono just went through. Back problems don't magically disappear because you're rich. I imagine this is how most of their touring will go, especially when they do arenas.

If/when they play stadiums they can play a few more locations because there will be fewer shows and more time between gigs to recover.
 
Play the big markets and you'll sell the tickets, people will come to you, and you don't have to pay to keep moving the stage setup. Makes sense if it works for them.
 
It's nothing to do with the band getting old, it's all about the roadcrew. They've only got to put the stage up once for a 8 night stint at MSG. A 'normal' touring schedule would mean 4-5 erections in that time. They're not getting any younger you know.
 
When did anyone actually say this was the only leg? They're putting out a SECOND album (SoE) in case anyone forgot, this is only the first set of shows for both NA and Europe. The residency idea was bounced around here for ages long before Adam suggested "pairs" of shows for this tour. They will most likely do a stadium show in 2016 and it will probably be in "pairs" as well if they are simply expanding the arena tour. Or by the time they move outdoors they may go back to the usual "one night per city" and only do multiple shows in the bigger markets. *shrug*

I am grateful they are even touring. They could have easily cancelled this entire process after Bono's accident.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using U2 Interference mobile app
 
KEVIN051269 said:
It's nothing to do with the band getting old, it's all about the roadcrew. They've only got to put the stage up once for a 8 night stint at MSG. A 'normal' touring schedule would mean 4-5 erections in that time. They're not getting any younger you know.
Click to expand...

:lol: Yeah, cause they can't hire younger crew...
 
Also, think about if they work on songs of experience (or even songs of ascent) on the road like in New York where they will have I think two weeks of studio time :hmm:
 
ClaytonsKitten said:
When did anyone actually say this was the only leg? They're putting out a SECOND album (SoE) in case anyone forgot, this is only the first set of shows for both NA and Europe. The residency idea was bounced around here for ages long before Adam suggested "pairs" of shows for this tour. They will most likely do a stadium show in 2016 and it will probably be in "pairs" as well if they are simply expanding the arena tour. Or by the time they move outdoors they may go back to the usual "one night per city" and only do multiple shows in the bigger markets. *shrug*

I am grateful they are even touring. They could have easily cancelled this entire process after Bono's accident.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using U2 Interference mobile app
Click to expand...

Ha. You still think there will be a second album.

That's precious.
 
U2 have never toured widely anyway, not in a global sense. I have a list of countries visited by major touring artists and U2 are well down the bottom. So the fact their tour schedule has become even more limited as they age and deteriorate does not surprise me. They've never evinced a particular desire to perform anywhere and everywhere.
 
Just a quick note, you don't become wealthy by being lazy so this thread is poorly named. IMO
Who cares, I can't wait to see the guys and on the days of the shows and everyone here at Interference will be too.
 
They don't want to visit that many cities, that's understandable. I won't be seeing them this year, but I'm hoping for a Miami date in 2016 so I can fly out to see them.
 
I just think the band is doing something very different from the last tour. The 360 took them everywhere and everyone who wanted to see a U2/Stadium show (the biggest ever) got to see them.

Part of this approach too is for the band to play SOI. Based on the promo tour and interviews they seem really focused on playing this album live. Being on residency will give them time to rehearse songs (if they rehearse anymore than in years past).

And last thing. Maybe the stage setup is more mind blowing than anything they've ever done? This is the most $$ U2 show ever. If the stage/production is really complex its that much harder to tear down and erect again.
 
zoopop said:
I just think the band is doing something very different from the last tour. The 360 took them everywhere and everyone who wanted to see a U2/Stadium show (the biggest ever) got to see them.

Part of this approach too is for the band to play SOI. Based on the promo tour and interviews they seem really focused on playing this album live. Being on residency will give them time to rehearse songs (if they rehearse anymore than in years past).

And last thing. Maybe the stage setup is more mind blowing than anything they've ever done? This is the most $$ U2 show ever. If the stage/production is really complex its that much harder to tear down and erect again.
Click to expand...

Unless you're in Asia.

The long residencies (NY, Chicago, LA) all avoid any potential NHL or NBA playoff conflicts, but the shorter dates do not... Phoenix, San Jose, Vancouver, Boston Toronto and Montreal all have potential playoff conflicts at the time their shows take place...

So while the stage may be elaborate, it has to be able to be moved easier than, say, 360, as many venues will have potential conflicts.

I still think it's because they're old.
 
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