Where Did You Stand in Stadium GA?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

trevgreg

Rock n' Roll Doggie
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
3,829
Location
Minnesota, USA
So this type of question might not be more relevant until TJT shows start happening, but I figured I’d ask it now to get a head start and give some people who have similar thoughts a chance to listen too.

I have a GA ticket to each of the Chicago shows in June, and whenever I’ve done GA in the past for U2 shows, I’ve usually been one of those to line up early and get a spot up front. It’s always worked out for me and I’ve liked having a nice place on the rail. And despite the usual ‘list’ drama sometimes and whatever else, the experience itself and meeting people/old acquaintances is always part of the fun too.

This time around, I’m reconsidering things regarding that a little bit. I’ll most likely line up for at least one of the shows, but am considering just going into Soldier Field much later for the other one. It’s mostly because I have friends in the area and know lots of fans by this point, so I might be interested in spending time with them one day that I’m there. The others are various… not really wanting to line up two whole days in a row, the slightly taller stage as compared to an arena one, the potential of driving back home after the Sunday show and wanting to be rested up, etc.

So assuming that’s the case, here’s my question… when any of you went in for GA during the 360 tour (or other ones, even though stadiums might be the most relevant venue here), where did you end up standing during the show? And what time did you go in or get in line in terms of doors opening? I’m not expecting a super-detailed answer or anything, especially since this stage design will obviously differ from 360’s in a few respects. But I want to get a bit of an idea on this before deciding on anything final. I probably wouldn’t be super picky in terms of positioning, although I probably would want to be close enough to get some decent pictures with the point and shoot I usually bring to shows.

For comparison’s sake, I went into a Metallica show last year a few hours after doors opened and just before the second opener went on, and I still had a decent spot 50-75 feet away from the main stage (and plenty good for pics and such). The floor seemed to fill up a bit more just after that, and even though I'd think U2 would be similar, I still want to stack up the experiences here first.

Thanks in advance!
 
I've always like the front rail, but one time (Dublin 2 - 2009) I walked into the floor when the opening act was finishing their set.

I ended up going inside the main pit to The Edge's right. So basically I was seeing Edge's side the whole time, about 20 feet away.

I enjoyed the experience. I enjoyed the show production and music in a more 'Awe Struck' way, while still close enough to the band. That night for example is when 'Moment of Surrender' I felt it in every inch of my soul.
 
I think its more me but I prefer standing in the back away from the crowd to have space. I was on the floor for 360 on Chicago 1 and Anaheim 2.

For Chicago 1 we got there pretty early (1 hr before gates opened, I consider early) and got pretty close. About 15-20 ft from the tip. After standing around for 30 minutes I told my friend lets get out of here. Way to crowded to enjoy myself. We stood about 20' away from where we originally were. Saw everything & even had a Guiness beer stand by us!! I could see the band, the claw, and feel the music & had plenty of space.

For Anaheim we arrived about 30 minutes before the opening act and stood on the side and were really close. Again, plenty of space.


Its not bad at all to arrive about 1 hour before show time. I think you'll enjoy the show just as much standing further back and not waste your day camping out. Plus you'll be able to take in the stadium production. (see everything from afar).
 
If I can't be first or second row on a rail, I stand in the back.

Which means I'm usually in the back, because I don't deal with the whole GA line thing.

I have GA for Seattle and will walk in when the doors open, so we'll see if I can still snag a good spot, like on 360.
 
Depends really- for 360 we made it into the gold circle every night except once with GA- at Brussels 1 in 2010 we were just outside the outer catwalk- plenty of space and a rare view of the Claw.

On the last tour moved around during the show, so was at the front for the b stage moments and near the catwalk for the rest of the show
 
First live experience for me this year. Realistically, queuing for 2 hours before the doors open, how close am I likely to get to the front?

Based on the leaked photos of the set being built, I would like somewhere in line with or near to the B stage
 
I gave up on queuing long ago when I realised how easy it is to get a great spot in a stadium show by arriving at doors. I could either lose a whole day queuing on uncomfortable concrete outside some hulking soulless stadium and hopefully get the front rail, or I can arrive relaxed at 6pm or so and waltz in to third or fourth row on Edge or Adam's side. No contest there. At stadium shows the stage is so high that even for a short-arse like me I don't have any trouble seeing the band (at club gigs you better believe I arrive early enough to be up the front).
 
With so few shows, and with so many Joshua Tree fans getting excited about this tour in the UK (also Noel Gallagher fans) I want to get there Elevation-early, like 10/11am.

I saw the I&E tour in Amsterdam and underestimated how much energy was in the queue and didn't have a chance.also how tall the Dutch are :doh:

You never know what you're going to get U2 fans! I love it!
 
So far, it appears the GA will be more of a continuous mass of people this time around with less significant breaks in the crowd to allow for splits and sightlines. Red zone is getting one side of the single b-stage rail, and the first X# in will gather around the rest or head to the main stage. This might be the first GA setup for them where I decide to hang back. :|
 
I'm short, & a rail whore, so will usually arrive very early & aim for a spot right up front, on the rail. Most of the crowd will rush for a spot up close, especially for tours like Vertigo Outdoor, where access to the inner circle wasn't confusing. So when I'm not quite so early, or don't want to deal with the carnage up front, I'll aim for rail space further back, on the catwalk or b-stage. Gives a good overall view, over the crowd, of the main stage, plus quite close on occasions, for more intimate moments.

For Vertigo Outdoor that meant against one of the ellipses.
1910329_10346220726_1783_n.jpg


For 360 it meant the outer rail of the catwalk.
091023_U2360_Vegas_124_c1.jpg


Or RZ in Phoenix, where it was cheap.
091020_U2360_Phoenix_300.jpg


But every tour since Elevation has had a tonne of rail space. This tour looks a bit different, with less rail space. You may not be as short as me, & may be happy to forego the rail, but I'd still aim to be close to the catwalk or tree-stage. As the stage layout is not symmetrical, with the catwalk & tree-stage positioned on Edge's side, left-of-centre, for a fairly late arrival I would have recommended standing to the left of the catwalk, looking over the catwalk, towards the main stage. Similar view to RZ for 360. But this is where RZ will be for this tour. So if you're early enough, I'd aim to be just on the outside of the tree-stage, overlooking it towards the main stage. If you're a bit later, move a little to the left, towards RZ.

I think most of the masses will aim for the main stage. But I really think this is the tour for the b-stage! For i+e, a position near the e-stage lacked those amazing views of the screen, & it was tough to see the (lower) main stage. 360, Elevation & Vertigo Indoor had their ringed catwalks, with good views of the main stage & screens from the outer rail of the catwalk, but no defined area to perform their b-stage songs, limiting close contact with the band. Vertigo Outdoor had it's two ellipse b-stages, halving your chance of close contact. But with this tour we have a single b-stage, with a fairly short catwalk (so it's fairly close to the main stage). There's no visual impediments, & 270 degree seating, with the screen aimed straight towards the b-stage. Not since Popmart & ZooTV has there been a single b-stage facing the main stage & screen. So for this tour, tree-stage all the way!
 
Last edited:
This show appears to have a ton of rail space. The stage is about 50 yards long, and there's the B stage which comes out another 30+ yards. Certainly more rail space than any arena show.

If I had to guess, getting within 5-10 feet or some part of the stage is going to be very easy on this tour, provided you arrive around doors open... much like 360. Even if you arrive around the time of the opening act you should be able to get a pretty good spot, and the B stage stretches out so far that even the late arrivals won't be that far.

This is assuming there isn't some sort of barricade that gets set up to separate the field... I'm still not sold that there won't be. I know some European shows sold their tickets this way, so it could be that the barricade is there and the US gigs are just first come first serve.


First 360 show I arrived at doors and walked right into circle. Second one had red zone so didn't matter, and third show I went to I just chilled in the parking lot until the opener was over and ended up about 20-30 feet from tip of circle. With the stage as massive as it was it didn't really matter.

Will see on this one... We're moving the day after the second MetLife show so I don't I'll have the time to stay all day and line up. Goal is to have everything but bed and necessities packed before show one so that I have plenty of time but ya never know.
 
Think the only show that splits the pitch is croke park. Tickets were specifically sold pitch 1 and pitch 2.

Probably due to the moaning residents about people queuing overnight to get a front spot. This will eliminate a lot of this
 
true... probably won't be any sort of separation, but i wouldn't completely rule it out until we see the stage set up in vancouver. 3000 plus is a LOT of people on the field, so they may want to institute a little crowd control by breaking it up.

springsteen sold his floor seats on The River as GA, but split up the field into two separate sections, even though the seating chart has it listed only as one...

43106s.gif


anonymous-20160830175340.jpg





so yea, i wouldn't rule it out just yet
 
They will have a gold circle type thing, it's pretty standard at stadium shows- even if it's not shown on the Ticketmaster map
 
Yeah, agree, very common in stadium gigs nowadays. Plus both Elevation Outdoor & Vertigo Outdoor had an outer barrier, further out than their catwalks. 99% sure they weren't on the seating plan.

You US folk are lucky, getting arena shows so often. A long time between 'stadium' drinks, with a long period without a stadium leg before 360. All the way back to Popmart. I know Pop had additional barriers on the field in Oz, even though it was seated, as I snuck into the front section by the catwalk. Sydney also always has 2 separate GA gates. Though these have nothing to do with front & back sections of GA. One's on Adam's side, one's on Edge's, though you're free to change sides once on the field.
 
Last edited:
So how does the golden circle/split stadium floor entry work? Do you randomly get put in one or the other? First in are in front half, later in the back? Or "chose a door" without knowing which is which? I'm going to Vancouver and we'll know after that night but if you have experienced it how was it handled?
 
I'd be very, very surprised if it was anything other than a first-come first-served basis. So those early enough (which won't be particularly early) will be in the front half, if they want.
palco.jpg


Note, if you're aiming to get very close you'll have to know how to get past the barrier, & in to the front section. Most likely the gates to get past the barrier will be up the sidelines of the field. Similar to this Vertigo pic (though this layout is sideways compared to most shows),
33442-1261681827-size3.jpg
 
Last edited:
Isn't Edge main stage area all the RZ area?

Regular GA fans can only get close to the b-stage and Adam's side.

Yes & no. The area to the left of the catwalk is RZ, but Edge won't be set up here. Like all U2 stadium tours, the stage is massive. I'm sure the band members will be positioned closer to each other than that. I'd expect Edge to be positioned to the right of the catwalk (when looking at the stage). Sure, he'll venture to the left of the catwalk, over to RZ, but I think he'll be positioned in front of GA, along with all band members.

Have a look at that front-on picture you've posted in the other thread. Of the main stage length, just over 25% (straight portion with 12 overhead lights) is to the left of the catwalk & is the RZ, 25% (12 overhead lights) is the straight portion to the right, while the curved central section is around 50% (20 overhead lights). I'm sure all band members will be setup in the central curved section, just like in the Vertigo pictures above.
 
Last edited:
Yes & no. The area to the left of the catwalk is RZ, but Edge won't be set up here. Like all U2 stadium tours, the stage is massive. I'm sure the band members will be positioned closer to each other than that. I'd expect Edge to be positioned to the right of the catwalk (when looking at the stage). Sure, he'll venture to the left of the catwalk, over to RZ, but I think he'll be positioned in front of GA, along with all band members.

Have a look at that front-on picture you've posted in the other thread. Of the main stage length, just over 25% (straight portion with 12 overhead lights) is to the left of the catwalk & is the RZ, 25% (12 overhead lights) is the straight portion to the right, while the curved central section is around 50% (20 overhead lights). I'm sure all band members will be setup in the central curved section, just like in the Vertigo pictures above.

The thing that is a bit annoying about th current stage is that Edge-freaks without RZ have their options limited on where to scope out a spot.
 
I mean... Are we really going to do this again? A freak out over red zone placement without even knowing where it is for sure?

And fine, let's say it's where the main stage and the outer ramp or the b stage meet. Ok. Great. That's like 30 yards from the main stage, where the Edge will spend most of his non moving time.
 
I mean... Are we really going to do this again? A freak out over red zone placement without even knowing where it is for sure?

And fine, let's say it's where the main stage and the outer ramp or the b stage meet. Ok. Great. That's like 30 yards from the main stage, where the Edge will spend most of his non moving time.
I think it's a great spot for RZ. Quite close to the band members on the main stage, particularly Edge, & close to the tree-stage. But not quite as close as GA, who have to earn their time to get right up front. Just the way U2 like it. Last tour, I think it was fair enough RZ'ers freaked out a bit. They forked out a lot of money, only to be moved somewhere else. Although the final spot wasn't too bad.

As for U2FanPeter's worries about his options. Get there early, rush to the left side of the main stage, you'll be camped out right in front of Edge. Just like any other tour.
 
Back
Top Bottom