*Rumor* - Larry to retire after E+I tour
- Thread starter georgemccauley
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
trevgreg
Rock n' Roll Doggie
I'm not sure a majority of people buying tickets for stadium shows were primarily thinking "I get to hear 6 songs off the new album" as much as "I'm going to a U2 show." But two years between shows is still a lengthy period of time to change plans or expectations for both sides, imo.
Nick66
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
You've made some good points in this thread, and you back up what you say with facts, which I appreciate, even if I disagree with how you're interpreting your data...i.e. I think you're way overstating the notion that people come to U2 shows to to hear new songs, or because they like the current record or an expectation to hear a certain setlist. I don't believe that's been the case for U2 since Vertigo.
And most people aren't even aware of the setlist before seeing a show. I've been a fan for a long time, but I+E was the first tour I even bothered to look at what they were playing before I went. I think most people have an expectation to hear them play certain songs, and we all know what those songs are. Beyond that, I don't think the setlist matters that much, unless the setlist is part of the tour's identity and promotion (i.e. when bands play these whole album shows like JT30).
Again, I know you have some figures that you feel back up your suggestion, but correlation doesn't always equal causation.
Last edited:
superchuk5
Refugee
So has this rumor gotten any additional support or is still mostly speculation?
basstrap2418
The Fly
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2017
- Messages
- 75
The post demonstrates the advantages of reaching a set number of tickets sold (ex. 200,000) by playing lots of nights in a smaller venue as opposed to playing one or two shows in a very large venue.
Several of the Joshua Tree shows failed to sellout in the 270 configuration set up. The additional volume of seats provided by a 360 configuration would not of added anything for most shows because demand was not that high to support it. If you can't sell all the seats in a 270 configuration, going 360 is just going to reveal lots of empty sections.
The first 44 shows of the 360 tour beat out the entire 51 date Joshua Tree tour 2017.
Although embarrassing, on the surface it does look like a new tour for a new album, NLOTH beat out a retro nostalgia tour for U2's most popular album. But momentum from the previous Vertigo Tour and HTDAAB album probably impacted 360s results as well.
Both the EI and IE tours have tickets that are priced at $41, $76, and $106. These tickets are still available for most of the shows scheduled. That is what is most concerning and telling about U2 ticket demand. That tickets at these prices did not sellout in hours, and are still available weeks later. Same thing happened on the Innocence and Experience tour.
On the Vertigo Tour, every arena show in the United States soldout within an hour or two at every price level, with the exception of St. Louis. St. Louis was the only Vertigo show out of the 80 they played they did not sellout within hours. Everything but the rear stage area was soldout the first day.
Another huge difference between 360 and the Songs Of Innocence Tour was Denver.
The 360 show in Denver soldout at 78,000 tickets. The two arena shows on the SOI tour in Denver did not sellout. They sold a combined 28,114 tickets. The areas of the arena that had to be curtained off were in the upper level where the cheaper tickets were located.
When you can't sell tickets that are priced at the $41, $76, and $106 price levels on both the SOI and SOE tours, you can't argue that its expensive ticket prices that are turning people away.
basstrap2418
The Fly
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2017
- Messages
- 75
The tickets were non-refundable and purchased in late 2009. For this discussion, the only thing that matters is why they purchased them in late 2009. It was a tour for NLOTH, and people assumed they be getting a similar show to what they saw in 2009 of if they did not see what was presented at the Rose Bowl which was broadcast on youtube. A lot of NLOTH songs were played at that Rose Bowl show.
Bizzare
With posts that are subpar
His 98th alter
Maybe you could educate my mind
These stats that he extols
Can't Sting but I've got soul
The gross
Is adjusted for inflation
A troll!
Off ban but on parole
U2 demand is in the hole
Going down, excavation
Ticket sales in the dumps
Cause CD sales are in a slump
So low,
Adjust for infla-tion
Woooooooooooooooooooooooooo hooo
Last edited:
U2FloridaFan
New Yorker
Right...when Larry is 60, U2 will morph into a jazz band, something Larry wanted from the very beginning
In addition, Bono credits him with saying "the only way out of the band is in a pine box."
And when one of them does decide to retire, U2 will cease to exist. Edge will start producing music, Larry will become a member of the Garda, Adam will become a museum curator, and Bono will invest in more shopping centers in Lithuania.
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
The_acrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
My prediction is that after this tour they'll just kinda go into a semi retirement mode like the Stones have been since 2012. Put out a few albums, do like 20 shows per year. Seems like a good strategy. I don't believe any of them will retire, one day it'll just stop.
Is there any evidence that Larry still has back problems? As far as I know, he was having those problems during ZOO tv and then got surgery during the making of POP that seemed to make it all better.
Is there any evidence that Larry still has back problems? As far as I know, he was having those problems during ZOO tv and then got surgery during the making of POP that seemed to make it all better.
trevgreg
Rock n' Roll Doggie
Well, there were ways of getting rid of tickets back then, non-refundable or not. It's not like StubHub didn't exist back in 2010 or 2011. Heck, even I bought two GAs from a sibling when they couldn’t attend one of the rescheduled dates.
But yeah, I doubt many fans were going into 2011 expecting the exact same show or the one that maybe 10% of them watched on YouTube or DVD. Whether or not most of them did hold onto those tickets for a year and a half or not, chances are many weren't hoping to hear songs from a 2+ year old album that didn’t capture the pop culture zeitgeist like previous ones. Most of us in that respect probably already saw the tour on that first leg anyway.
Overall, I doubt many of the tens of thousands at any given stadium show were going to riot over not seeing Unknown Caller or Breathe because they weren't getting the 2009 set. Or cared that much or even remotely cared, other than just wanting to see the band in some capacity. And even if they delivered the 2009 set all over again, we'd be talking about why they didn't "change it up" after a year or two, how they're terrible people and didn't fan the flames of hipster street cred like Pearl Jam does, etc. etc.
Last edited:
I honestly don't think a large majority of people going to a 360 show were going because they wanted to hear nloth material. It would be a small minority in my opinion. Most people going we're going to hear the same tracks played on the Joshua tree tour ( obviously bar the 2nd half of the record)
The vertigo tour would be the last tour we're you would have a lot of people buying a ticket because of new material
The 360 tour sold tickets because it was u2, casuals wanted to hear the classics, the stage ( everyone I knew was blown away by the stage set up) cheaper tickets. The last reason anyone brought a ticket was because of no line on the horizon.
You can paint the sales up all you want it's a forgotten album in U2's library and you may never hear a track live from the record again. In my opinion it's easily in their bottom 2 albums
The_acrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
Sting's been hammering this point for years. He fully believes this.
I remember thinking most of the NLOTH songs fell pretty flat with the crowd. Opening with 4 songs from that album was a ballsy move, but people weren't into it. When I saw the tour 2 years later they opened with 4 AB songs, and people went apeshit... including me!
You could argue that NLOTH was more successful than JT or AB, because their subsequent tours didn't draw as many people or dollars. And that would be false.
I remember thinking most of the NLOTH songs fell pretty flat with the crowd. Opening with 4 songs from that album was a ballsy move, but people weren't into it. When I saw the tour 2 years later they opened with 4 AB songs, and people went apeshit... including me!
You could argue that NLOTH was more successful than JT or AB, because their subsequent tours didn't draw as many people or dollars. And that would be false.
Iggy Fizz
War Child
I have no idea who this Sting is but I have no idea what point he/she/it is trying to make.
But saying that it's embarrassing that the JT Tour was outsold by 360 Tour is ridiculous. The JT Tour started out as a small-ish tour that was more successful than planned. Personally, I saw it once and it was a mediocre show. But its absurd to compare it to 360 in any respect other than that they both played to stadiums.
But saying that it's embarrassing that the JT Tour was outsold by 360 Tour is ridiculous. The JT Tour started out as a small-ish tour that was more successful than planned. Personally, I saw it once and it was a mediocre show. But its absurd to compare it to 360 in any respect other than that they both played to stadiums.
This is the content I come here for.
An uncredited Facebook rumour shared by a guy with a track record of posting nonsense "rumours"?
It never had support to begin with.
Axver is not on board with Larry's retirement
Rachel D.
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
I don't know, everyone is arguing about ticket sales now for some reason.
Some random dude posted on Facebook that Larry wanted to retire... So the answer to the question is no, there's no validity to the specific rumor, nor was there ever any validity to it.
Generally speaking, however, u2 are old, and thus should be looked at a such.
Generally speaking, however, u2 are old, and thus should be looked at a such.
Partyslammer
War Child
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2005
- Messages
- 661
Adjusted for inflation, Larry is grumpier then a sober Keith Richards.
AndrewCowley
Refugee
Shit happens. If it happens and the other 3 continue then so be it. Who knows, this is the type of event that may revitalize them. Look at what The Church said Ian Haug brought when he joined them.
To be honest, SOE really does sound like a final album to me, so I also would be happy for them to call it quits. SOE is pretty solid.
To be honest, SOE really does sound like a final album to me, so I also would be happy for them to call it quits. SOE is pretty solid.
Last edited:
trevgreg
Rock n' Roll Doggie
Right! Heck, I didn't mind hearing the new songs at the time and even enjoyed most of them. But the comparison to the 1-2-3-4 punch of the 2011 shows would be really hard for any other type of show to match. Also didn't hurt that those were the first shows I heard MW and UTEOTW at either.
trevgreg
Rock n' Roll Doggie
But as required in these parts, each rumor needs at least a 70-page minimum of speculation.
Adjusted for inflation, axver has 10 million posts
The tickets were purchased at the end of 2009 for the second leg that eventually did not take place until 2011. Sure, people can resell their tickets, but that is irrelevant to U2 and Live Nation. The ticket was purchased in 2009 and they have your money and there is no refund. The only thing that matters is why the ticket was originally purchased in the first place. Whether the ticket was resold or what the original ticket purchaser was expecting by 2011 is irrelevant.
I saw ZOO TV four times! Few people if anyone cared that Acrobat and So Cruel from Achtung Baby were not played. Most of the album tracks from Achtung Baby got a more mellow response than the older songs. So the fact that NLOTH had lukewarm or no reaction from the crowd is not a sign that no one cared or had not been drawn in because of the new album. That's just the nature of new songs vs the old.
I understand why many think that the Vertigo Tour was the last tour people came to hear the new songs. But I think there were still a substantial number of people motivated by the new songs for 360 as opposed to just the old material due to how well NLOTH did and the enormous boxoffice results for the tour.
If U2 had suddenly transitioned into just being a "classic rock touring band" where no one came for the new songs and just the old, then U2 would have been able to repeat the results of the 360 tour indefinitely.
But the fact is, you see a 50% drop in demand in most markets on the SOI tour in 2015 from the results of the 360 tour. If the new album and new songs started NOT to matter with 360, then why the massive Popmart like drop?
Its not the size venues either, because you can see when demand was exhausted in LA when tickets are selling slowly and they have to stop with only 5 shows in the LA market, the 2nd largest market in the United States. Or take Denver where on the previous tour they sold 79,000 tickets for one show and then on the SOI tour its only 28,000 tickets for two arena shows, neither of which soldout. The Denver SOI shows had areas of the arena that were curtained off to hide the empty seats, all of which were in sections where cheaper tickets were sold.
You could say a lot of the Achtung Baby songs fell flat with the crowd during ZOO TV, which I saw four times. Its normal for new songs not to get the same response or any real response compared to the old songs. It does not mean that the new songs did not have an impact on people buying tickets for the show.
No one argued that NLOTH was more successful than JT or AB. The only argument is that the new album NLOTH still to some degree impacted some peoples desire to see the group in concert. U2 gets the largest response in ticket sales when all segments of the fan population, hardcore, moderate, casual and even non-fans turn out. NLOTH had a positive impact in that regard where Songs Of Innocence did not. Songs Of Innocence is in a way U2s second Pop album from a purely commercial standpoint.
The huge drop off in ticket demand from the 360 tour, on the SOI tour in 2015 proves it.
Last edited:
Hewson
Blue Crack Supplier
Adjusted for inflation is becoming a new meme round these parts.
Adjusted for inflation, Leo's father weighs 400 lbs.
Hewson
Blue Crack Supplier
Why are you and Sting claiming that tickets for the rescheduled dates were non-refundable?
Of course once the dates were postponed the tickets were refundable at point of purchase:
U2 > News > North American Tour: 2011 Rescheduled Dates
Similar threads
