eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour 2018 - Rumors & General Discussion

[The_acrobat]

And they're passing that savings on to the ticket buying public.



















Not.

Lol right?! It seriously is a greedy business.

U2 averaged $6,200,000 per sho over 51 shows during the Joshua Tree 2017 tour. So they could pay an opening band and still have a shitload of money left over.

U2 averaged just over $2 million per show over 76 shows on the I&E Tour. So they didn't make nearly as much money on a nightly basis, so a way to increase their profits was to do away with an opening band. I don't like it, but Springsteen does this, among many others. The difference is Springsteen plays a 3+ hour show.

 

[DeVaul]

Ssssh, don't bring Bruce up around here. Some people get ornery.

 

[ATLU2]

https://mobile.twitter.com/U2/status/974729278972719105?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^tweet

Who's gonna ride your wild horses being rehearsed

 

[The_acrobat]

Glad to hear WGRYWH being rehearsed! Rare enough that in 13 shows I've only seen it once, but still a safe play. I'd really be happy if they were rehearsing Mofo, Gone or Please, tho.

 

[rennowba]

I'm more or less certain I saw them play it on the vertigo tour. Looking forward to it

 

[superchuk5]

Possible curtains for a Chicago show..wow,Who could have imagine that.

Pretty safe to say that the DVD for the tour won't be shot in N.A.

This is what happens when you double back to North America right after doing 30 stadium shows in a year. I'm happy to be seeing them again so soon, but they should have started this tour in Europe or Australia.

 

[The_acrobat]

This is what happens when you double back to North America right after doing 30 stadium shows in a year. I'm happy to be seeing them again so soon, but they should have started this tour in Europe or Australia.

Right. I figured it would make the most sense to do Europe, Australia/NZ, and Asia in 2018, and then return to North America in early 2019. Give the US a chance to miss them a bit.

The fact that they can't even sell out a 2nd show in Chicago tells me they have reached a saturation point. That should've sold out in one day!

 

[trevgreg]

I'm more or less certain I saw them play it on the vertigo tour. Looking forward to it

Yep. Caught it at my first show back in 2005 myself.

Ssssh, don't bring Bruce up around here. Some people get ornery.

Ha. Every time a discussion about a set list discussion comes up on a band's message board...

"But... but... SPRINGSTEEN! PEARL JAM! PHISH! ET. AL.!!!"

And then you go to their message boards and see that they talk about things like "mailing it in" at shows as well.

 

[rennowba]

eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour 2018 - Rumors & General Discussion

This is what happens when you double back to North America right after doing 30 stadium shows in a year. I'm happy to be seeing them again so soon, but they should have started this tour in Europe or Australia.

Think that may have something to do with it but in my opinion it's more to do with pricing.

The pricing is ridiculous for this tour. Bad seats should be good prices not sky high. To sit in the upper tiers of an arena is at a price I wouldn't personally pay and I'd call myself a diehard fan. So it would put a lot of people off.

If they reduce the prices these tickets will sell as they have on previous tours

If the price was right then it wouldn't matter if u2 toured America every year they would still sell out.

 

[The_acrobat]

Just did a quick check on some of the shows people are worried about. These are rough figures, based on ticket master's blue maps. Resale tickets not included in count.

Tulsa- 1,600 unsold tickets. No previous U2 history at this venue, but capacity is roughly 18-19,000.
St. Louis- 2,500 unsold tickets. Capacity for U2 in 2005 at same venue was 19,923.
Omaha- 2,400 unsold tickets. Capacity for U2 in 2005 at same venue was 16,134.
Chicago #2- 2,900 unsold tickets. Capacity for U2 in 2005 at same venue was 19,407.
San Jose #2- 2,000 unsold tickets. Capacity for U2 in 2005 at same venue was 18,070. Although I believe the maps may be more unsold for this show than the maps lead on.

Really it's not too bad, and there's still roughly 2 months left to sell. In the last couple weeks, the prices will come down in an attempt to get rid of the last tickets.

 

[superchuk5]

Think that may have something to do with it but in my opinion it's more to do with pricing.

The pricing is ridiculous for this tour. Bad seats should be good prices not sky high. To sit in the upper tiers of an arena is at a price I wouldn't personally pay and I'd call myself a diehard fan. So it would put a lot of people off.

If they reduce the prices these tickets will sell as they have on previous tours

If the price was right then it wouldn't matter if u2 toured America every year they would still sell out.

Fair point. The pricing accelerated the saturation factor.

 

[phommel]

This is probably the way to prevent scalping and make the money go to the artist in stead of scalpers. From one hand that seems understandable.
However, for some people who would love to see the band it's unpayable. They just don't seem to be interested to give everyody a chance to see them..

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

This is probably the way to prevent scalping and make the money go to the artist in stead of scalpers. From one hand that seems understandable.
However, for some people who would love to see the band it's unpayable. They just don't seem to be interested to give everyody a chance to see them..

Did they not just play a stadium tour with cheap tickets?

 

[DeVaul]

Did they not just play a stadium tour with cheap tickets?

So much this. Anyone complaining in those markets is either clueless or just looking to bitch.

 

[trevgreg]

They could be the Stones and start charging $425 for a floor seat too, so...

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Yea I mean, the ticket prices appear obscene on the outset - but when you look at the prices as being set based on secondary market prices, it makes more sense.

I don't think this is necessarily the best way to fight ticket scalpers, but everybody bitched about to having your ticket locked to your credit card too, whixh was a way to keep prices down and keep out the touts.

There's no great answer here, unfortunately. If they priced them low and all of the tickets were gone on day one and on StubHub for 5 times the price, y'all would be bitching about that as well.

All things considered, they just toured stadiums with lower priced tickets, and still keep the floor tickets at an amazing value.

 

[trevgreg]

Yea I mean, the ticket prices appear obscene on the outset - but when you look at the prices as being set based on secondary market prices, it makes more sense.

I don't think this is necessarily the best way to fight ticket scalpers, but everybody bitched about to having your ticket locked to your credit card too, whixh was a way to keep prices down and keep out the touts.

There's no great answer here, unfortunately. If they priced them low and all of the tickets were gone on day one and on StubHub for 5 times the price, y'all would be bitching about that as well.

All things considered, they just toured stadiums with lower priced tickets, and still keep the floor tickets at an amazing value.

It'll always be something.

 

[The_acrobat]

eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour 2018 - Rumors & General Discussion

I feel like if I were a band like U2, I'd rather keep my prices a little lower and have instant sellouts. Things like instant sellouts and lower prices are very good for a band's image. Whereas right now the story is "look at those greedy, washed up old bastards... can't even sell out arenas anymore!" Having all your shows sell out quickly creates a sense of urgency among ticket buyers, and makes people think "WOW, this band is still hot! I'd better get that new album, or buy tickets for their next tour, etc."

I understand that U2 are corporate whores for Livenation under contract, and the object is to make maximum dollars. But I don't know... there's long term benefits to their image and legacy by not always galging their fans. Yes, floor seats are cheap, and that's great, but charging $325 for upper level seats is criminal.

I feel like Paul McGuinness would've agreed with my point of view.

 

[Bubble]

Well looks like Uncasville is the last show in N.A. for the E&I tour.Terry Lawless fly home the day after for other commitments later ,until the Euro leg.

Final count: 17 cities,27 dates. for N.A.

........and no Toronto for this tour.Which is only the second N.A. tour in band history to skip the 4th largest market in U.S./CAN combine.

 

[Hewson]

I feel like Paul McGuinness would've agreed with my point of view.

 

[Pop Artist]

Well looks like Uncasville is the last show in N.A. for the E&I tour.Terry Lawless fly home the day after for other commitments later ,until the Euro leg.

Final count: 17 cities,27 dates. for N.A.

........and no Toronto for this tour.Which is only the second N.A. tour in band history to skip the 4th largest market in U.S./CAN combine.

Where is this info this at?

Nevermind, I see this on his calendar on his website. That is making me breathe easier now, lol.

 

[Pop Artist]

Was just looking at Mohegan Sun, looks like they finally did some price adjusting, but some of it in a shady way. A handful of singles in 111/112 are now $106, but then it looks like they either took off sale or turned a whole bunch of seats in those sections and 113 in Verified "Resale" (yeah, right ), mostly in the mid $200s. These sections just yesterday or the day before were all $325 and had 100+ seats available in each. Across the the way, Sec 121 has been reduced to $171, and the same kind of shadiness is in 101/102/122 as it is in 111-113.

 

[mofo82]

Well it looks like U2 isn’t on the Final Four concert schedule this weekend. https://www.ncaa.com/marchmadness/musicfest/schedule
Wasn’t really expecting it but they’ve been using American Soul so much you thought maybe a slight chance. Not sure if past performers had their songs used in the March Madness promotions.

List of past performers: https://www.ncaa.com/final-four/ncaa-march-madness-music-festival
Lots of good names there. Could’ve been a good way to reach out to the current college crowd. Another missed opportunity. You’d think that could help sell remaining tickets to exisiting shows not yet sold out, maybe create more demand for adding a few extra shows?? Just sayin

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Very surprised that they didn't at least do one of those lame Bono and Edge acoustic things.

 

[Iggy Fizz]

maybe that's why they didn't do it, they know it is lame.

 

[DeVaul]

I believe that's referred to as "getting Stuck with Bono & Edge."

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

maybe that's why they didn't do it, they know it is lame.

...and that's stopped them when?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I believe that's referred to as "getting Stuck with Bono & Edge."

 

[Iggy Fizz]

...and that's stopped them when?

hmm. good point.

maybe someone in their camp has been able to convince them that no, they do not need to insert themselves into every single American cultural moment or event. But that is probably just wishful thinking.

 

[corianderstem]

I look forward to Bono's announcement that he is NOT the one who bit Beyonce.