Why don't U2 do some 'fan-club' only shows?

[popacrobat]

Mmm but you are aware that there are LOTS of ticket brokers who have U2.com subscriptions just to get tickets?

I'd like to see it happen just to see the outrage when tickets for such a show end up on the secondary market, and people freak out because they don't really understand how it works.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N90D68_NfQ

 

[Galeongirl]

What I think it should happen is to include the cost of 1 concert ticket and 1 album with the yearly subscription.

If the band releases an album in that year, good for you, you'll get the album for free (or if you have iTunes, whatever).

If the band put some tour tickets for sale, good for you, you'll get 1 ticket for the show you want (limited only for availability) instead of the pre-sale.

If the band doesn't release an album or a tour that year, well, we'll send you an aditional gift at the end of the year.

What would be the use of receiving ONE ticket? Nobody goes to concerts alone.

Plus, upping the price even more would cause people like me to drop out. I think 50$ is pretty damn steep for getting one fanclub gift a year and nothing extra. Yes, the presale is great, but not worth even more contribution costs. An album would be around 20$ tops?

 

[gareth brown]

I was actually thinking about this the other week when the presale thread was in flames and someone said something that more or less amounted to "I'm a bigger fan than most others, I deserve to get multiple tickets for half a dozen gigs. Unworthy casual fan (who'd be happy to see U2 just once) be damned."
I'm MASSIVELY paraphrasing there, obviously, but I do think any U2 fan club gigs would just end in complete chaos. You can't please everyone.

If they DID do a bunch of fan club only concerts, I personally think they'd need to go down the very successful road Glastonbury (among others) has, having photos on the tickets and a unique number you have to enter for each person when booking. It probably won't happen as live nation would lose a lot of that juicy resale cash but still..

And they should limit the number of tickets to literally ONE pair per person for the entire run. But you'd obviously have a few entitled cry babies saying they've been screwed over by being prevented from getting rail four nights in a row. But at least it gives everyone a fair shake!

Then, more importantly for most of us, there's the setlist.
I think most of us, not unfairly, read "Mostly Rarities" when we see the words Fan Club Gig. But there's no perfect balance with a band that's nearly 40 years old and, again, you can't please everyone.

And even if they did decide to go down that road, that's a couple of dozen songs to re-learn, work out a live arrangement for in some cases, make a setlist that works well with them etc, chucking in Streets and (of course) One.

Considering they can snap their fingers and watch an arena sell out instantly (until recently, at least) to see them play the hits, that's probably a shitload of work they may not feel they need to bother doing or, if they did, wouldn't exactly take on a LONG tour, which brings you back to the ticket scrum!!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I think $4.16 a month isn't that big a deal,. That's what $50 actually comes out to.

Sure, Pearl Jam spoils me for only $40 a year... and of course I'd like to have more from U2's fan club if they'd like to give it to me... but keeping my membership active, at less than a dollar a week, in order to get first dibs at tickets is hardly an inconvenience.

The only thing I wish they'd do is give an even bigger advantage to those who never let their membership lapse.

 

[Bad Exit]

What would be the use of receiving ONE ticket? Nobody goes to concerts alone.

Plus, upping the price even more would cause people like me to drop out. I think 50$ is pretty damn steep for getting one fanclub gift a year and nothing extra. Yes, the presale is great, but not worth even more contribution costs. An album would be around 20$ tops?

About ONE ticket.
Yes, you are one fan with one suscription you get one ticket. If you know another U2 fan who would love to attend the concert with you then that person should get a suscription too.

About going to concerts alone.
I don't mind. I'm going to watch a show not to talk with someone. Unless I don't care too much for the show. But then, that's just probably a bit of asperger talking.
Also, speaking as someone who only has had the chance to watch them ONCE live, I really don't care about getting more than one ticket.

About suscription prices.
I actually think the suscription is way too expensive right now... 50 for a gift and the eventual chance for a pre-sale and the bragging rights of calling myself a U2 fan, sorry, I really think it's way too much.
If I remove the pre-sale, how much should it cost? 10? let's make it 10 and send a cheaper gift, I don't care.
Then include different packages with different ticket prices.
Charge some extra 10 for the digital download of an eventual album.
Make it 70 or something like that with one cheap ticket and the album download.
Not available once the album is announced/released.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Some of you are being ridiculous with what you want the fan club to be/charge.

 

[gvox]

Anything is better than seeing U2 alone



/feargalsharkeyvoice


Sent from my ass crack

 

[Popmartijn]

I think $4.16 a month isn't that big a deal,. That's what $50 actually comes out to.

Sure, Pearl Jam spoils me for only $40 a year...

It's actually the other way for me. The U2 fanclub costs $40/year (as I'm an existing subscriber) and Pearl Jam is $50 (because I don't live in the US).
Pearl Jam's ticket privileges are a bit better (as you get a chance to get 2 tickets for every show you apply for. That said, the new lottery system also causes fans to lose out to shows they apply for). U2's yearly subscription gift is a bit better (usually a (CD) album with some exclusives, some rarities and sometimes some more common songs compared to a 7" single with 2 songs).

In the end, both fanclubs don't differ that much.

 

[digitize]

I maintained a U2.com subscription from 2007 to 2009 and got mediocre Chicago douchebag tickets from its presale in 2009. Then I got it again in 2012 and have maintained it to now, but I didn't use the presale benefit at all this year. It's starting to feel like a waste of money.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[corianderstem]

What would be the use of receiving ONE ticket? Nobody goes to concerts alone.

 

[Hewson]

It's actually the other way for me. The U2 fanclub costs $40/year (as I'm an existing subscriber) and Pearl Jam is $50 (because I don't live in the US).
Pearl Jam's ticket privileges are a bit better (as you get a chance to get 2 tickets for every show you apply for. That said, the new lottery system also causes fans to lose out to shows they apply for). U2's yearly subscription gift is a bit better (usually a (CD) album with some exclusives, some rarities and sometimes some more common songs compared to a 7" single with 2 songs).

In the end, both fanclubs don't differ that much.

Nowadays yes because Ten Club has grown too much once folks understood the ticket priveleges. (and the price recently doubling for "Analog" membership) A decade ago, Ten Club was by far the best deal going.

 

[Galeongirl]

Might be just me then going to concerts with my friends.... I really don't see the fun in going alone.


I don't mind paying the 40$ a year for the fanclub, it gets me my tickets(shame only 2 this time rather than 4 for the previous tour), and the gift isn't that bad. Except for Duals and a couple of other misses, but lately they have been okay.

 

[trevgreg]

Might be just me then going to concerts with my friends.... I really don't see the fun in going alone.

In my experience, it depends. If it's an act you only know a few songs for, then it might not be as fun as being with someone. But if it's one like this where you can talk to other people easily and where people know most of the catalog, then it's fairly easy to make friends in the process.

I don't mind paying the 40$ a year for the fanclub, it gets me my tickets(shame only 2 this time rather than 4 for the previous tour), and the gift isn't that bad. Except for Duals and a couple of other misses, but lately they have been okay.

It really just comes down to what people want out of it in the end. For me, the ticket presales will probably always lean me in that direction, but the annual CDs/gifts are already a lot more than I receive in another fan club (and they made me pay at least $20+ more this past year for membership, fyi). Duals and Artificial Horizon may not have had live tracks or been killer throughout, but I did appreciate being able to rip some of those into 320 MP3/WAV onto my computer and hearing some of those songs for the first time.

 

[SpiralStaircase]

What would be the use of receiving ONE ticket? Nobody goes to concerts alone.

I'm doing London 3 alone, London 4 with a mate

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Many of us know enough people who are going that buying single tickets isn't really an issue

 

[corianderstem]

It's fun doing stuff with friends, and it's fun doing stuff alone ... for some people, including me.

Life would be awfully boring if I avoided going to concerts or going on trips because I couldn't find someone to go with.

 

[The_acrobat]

It's fun doing stuff with friends, and it's fun doing stuff alone ... for some people, including me.



Life would be awfully boring if I avoided going to concerts or going on trips because I couldn't find someone to go with.

Thanks for this! I needed to hear it!

I'm going to Chicago 6/25 with 3 of my buddies. Were all from ohio, btw. We're coming to town on the 24th, going to the concert the 25th, and leaving the 26th for home. While they're all fans, none of them as much as I am. They all want to go out and party the first night we get there, instead of going to both shows.

We're all married guys in our 30s, and it's not very often all 4 of us can get together without curfew/wives and kids demanding we not stay out late, work in the morning, etc. While I don't plan on doing anything to jeopardize my marriage, I do in a sense have a FREE PASS for the night to do whatever the hell I want.

However, it seems stupid to drive all the way to Chicago and not see 2 shows, since they'll be there the same night. I think I might just go to the concert on the 24th alone, and meet up with the guys later. I've never been to a concert alone, but I think I'm gonna see what I can get in the way I a single ticket.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[weinerdog]

Thanks for this! I needed to hear it!

I'm going to Chicago 6/25 with 3 of my buddies. Were all from ohio, btw. We're coming to town on the 24th, going to the concert the 25th, and leaving the 26th for home. While they're all fans, none of them as much as I am. They all want to go out and party the first night we get there, instead of going to both shows.

We're all married guys in our 30s, and it's not very often all 4 of us can get together without curfew/wives and kids demanding we not stay out late, work in the morning, etc. While I don't plan on doing anything to jeopardize my marriage, I do in a sense have a FREE PASS for the night to do whatever the hell I want.

However, it seems stupid to drive all the way to Chicago and not see 2 shows, since they'll be there the same night. I think I might just go to the concert on the 24th alone, and meet up with the guys later. I've never been to a concert alone, but I think I'm gonna see what I can get in the way I a single ticket.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

Been there many times. I was in Chicago a few years ago with a 7 other people for Arcade Fire. Nobody cared about seeing the first of two shows so I went solo. Still had a great time and would do it again.

I'd hold off on getting a ticket unless you get a great deal. For a single you might very well find a GA in a drop a week or two before the show.

 

[Galeongirl]

In my experience, it depends. If it's an act you only know a few songs for, then it might not be as fun as being with someone. But if it's one like this where you can talk to other people easily and where people know most of the catalog, then it's fairly easy to make friends in the process.



It really just comes down to what people want out of it in the end. For me, the ticket presales will probably always lean me in that direction, but the annual CDs/gifts are already a lot more than I receive in another fan club (and they made me pay at least $20+ more this past year for membership, fyi). Duals and Artificial Horizon may not have had live tracks or been killer throughout, but I did appreciate being able to rip some of those into 320 MP3/WAV onto my computer and hearing some of those songs for the first time.

That's why I've made friends the previous tours that I now go to see u2 with. Some have even become really good friends for life. But it sucks that some of them couldn't get tickets due to the huge demand here..Not all of them have the funds to get a membership, some do, but others don't. It'd suck if they were left out.

 

[clerks]

What they should do is what Louis CK just did which was send an email on a random day and time to fans who follow him (make this U2.com peeps) and allow us to find out first... sure information gets out there...

But why don't they just add a 7th MSG show tomorrow at 4:13PM and the first to find out are fans... sure 2 minutes later non fans are trying to get tickets as well, but as least that might give some of us an "edge."

Going on sale at a certain time and day is helpful of course, but when they think demand will be out of control for ADDED SHOWS lets have some fun.

I just bought Louis CK tix and feel special.

 

[Hallucination]

Good idea but NOT in an arena. Have it in an auditorium or something. couple thousand people max would be awesome.

But yeah someone else mentioned there should be a limit to how long you've been a member. No offence to anyone but I don't think it would be right for someone who's registered within the last year or so to have the same opportunity as those of us who have had our memberships without them ever expiring for over 10 years. I'm not saying longevity makes you a bigger or better fan but there's gotta be some "reward" you'd think for that. I'd be kinda pissed if I had my membership paid for without it expiring for 13 years and then some person who bought a membership 6 months ago wins a luck of the draw type concert and I don't. Haha

 

[gareth brown]

At least in an arena you'd have more chance of getting a ticket.