It's GA "line" shenanigan time!

[Bernie02]

If you're not waiting in line all day, you don't get a spot held. Period. No saving spots, no making a list and putting people on it who aren't there for the majority of the day. Show up and wait, or take your chances with everyone else.

This is coming from somebody who has zero interest in waiting all day. I did it once, it was fine - but there's so many ways to get close now that i don't have any strong desire to do it again. I'm cool.

If you have no interest in running to the front, then why wait in line?

Because I am buying a spare ticket off someone who wants to wait in line.

With all due respect, the Ticketmaster rules make it impossible to have fan-enforced rules carry the day. Should the person who waits be penalized because I can't arrive earlier? Should I not get to buy the ticket and go to the show because someone's nose will get out of joint over something ridiculous? People need to take a few deep breaths. Good lord.

 

[Bernie02]

In general U2 GA lines are not cool with that. You can try, but I'd advise to show up when the person who has the tix wants to show up.

Also, it may depend on how the venue handles things. If the venue issues wristbands, it won't be possible to do this.

So the person who wants to sell a spare ticket can't do it? Ridiculous.

 

[Bernie02]

I would totally go out for dinner with my other 5 friends who already have tickets and arrive right before Mumford with them, but the cc entry policy makes that impossible.

 

[david]

Wait people are lining up two days before the show? They're going to be stinky by show time!

 

[trojanchick99]

Because I am buying a spare ticket off someone who wants to wait in line.

With all due respect, the Ticketmaster rules make it impossible to have fan-enforced rules carry the day. Should the person who waits be penalized because I can't arrive earlier? Should I not get to buy the ticket and go to the show because someone's nose will get out of joint over something ridiculous? People need to take a few deep breaths. Good lord.

The Ticketmaster rules are strict, but they are there to try to ward of scalpers and for that I'm grateful. If you want the ticket, you will have to arrive at the same time as the ticket holder. It's up to you.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Because I am buying a spare ticket off someone who wants to wait in line.

With all due respect, the Ticketmaster rules make it impossible to have fan-enforced rules carry the day. Should the person who waits be penalized because I can't arrive earlier? Should I not get to buy the ticket and go to the show because someone's nose will get out of joint over something ridiculous? People need to take a few deep breaths. Good lord.

if a person's guest can't be there in line all day, then the person shouldn't wait in line all day. they should wait for their guest to arrive and then get in line together.

what's fair is fair - and it's not fair for somebody who has been sitting outside in the elements to lose a spot to someone who hasn't been. and sure, you'll say "but it's one person." only it's not. if it's okay for one person to do it, then it'll become okay for many people to do it.


i'm all in favor of U2 coming up with a controlled system that allows fans to NOT have to wait in line all day - but until that point, it should be first come first serve and nothing else.

 

[d.darroch]

I saw the 360 show at BC Place in Vancouver and I remember getting an email from the venue explicitly stating that no queuing is allowed before a certain time. So we showed up around 7 a.m. on the day of the show and imagine my surprise to find that people had in fact been in a "queue" for quite some time.

Actually security did let us camp there for the night. Out of the way, just over the other side of a footbridge. It was extremely well run, even had some port-a-loos set up. Security was great, about the best I've seen.

Funny thing is, I think everyone stayed in line the whole time, nobody sneaking off to sleep in their hotel room. I was about number 30, & believe all 30 people in front of me camped out too (& plenty behind), even though it was around freezing & threatening to rain. So at least in this case I think the line was run very fairly, & those I'm the line deserved their spot up close at the show. Line was run by Canadian Joe, who seems very fair to me. Only time I've camped, but so worth it.

 

[Bernie02]

I guess we'll see. I'm hoping that I can simply explain that I am no threat to anyone's precious rail spot.

 

[DaveC]

This is coming from somebody who has zero interest in waiting all day. I did it once, it was fine

let's be real, you spent the entire day with me - it was clearly the highlight of your entire life.

i can understand waiting in line for GA during the elevation or vertigo tours. there was very little rail space for those tours (and it was all well back from the main stage) unless you got a lucky ticket and got inside the heart/ellipse. but since 360 and in particular i+e the catwalk/b-stage is so big that there's enough rail space for the casuals if they're willing to be right in the crowd.

on i+e i left work at 4, went to a bar near the arena and got a nice buzz going, then met the lovely VintagePunk+daughter who sold me their extra ticket, and by the time i got onto the floor at about 8:15pm people have the power was already playing. bono was on stage about 30 seconds later and i was two people back from the rail and still had enough freedom to back out of the crowd and go up to the front near edge when the miracle ended. it was open enough that i had the option to be as close as i wanted or as far back as i wanted for more or less the entire show.

i will never understand why anyone would line up for days. even lining up for the entire afternoon seems like a waste of time to me unless you wanted to tailgate.

 

[ChargedVT]

At the O2 shows in London 2015 I lined up with some friends from about 8am. We were about number 30 in line. Apart from food/piss breaks we were there all day on that uncomfortable cement floor! But there were some people that left to try meet Bono at his hotel (a half hour tube ride away) and were gone for a good 4 hours. People were not happy about it and arguing with the line "organisers". But most people in line did stay all day... and boy does the day drag!

 

[trevgreg]

What if you are buying someone's spare GA but can't get into town until 3pm because of work/flights? You have to go in together. It is the rules. But you won't be showing up until right before gates open.

Caveat: Say you really have no interest in running through the gates to grab a close spot. Rather, you intend to hit the beer line and wait an hour for your friends who have their own tickets and will be arriving right before Mumford. You want to watch the show with them. Does rationality prevail?

Overall and ethical considerations aside, I guess it would depend. If it's towards the front and it's a lot of people you'd want to save for, I wouldn't think it'd go over too well either. If it's towards the back of the line and you tell those around you what's going on, they might be okay with it in general, especially if you make it clear you're not gunning for location off the top.

It all just depends. I know one guy at 360 and I&E who was towards the front and his wife joined him later in the afternoon. No one put up an issue since I think no one really noticed or that she was probably literally the only exception there. But like I said, that was just one person, so if it was more that that or if everyone did it, then people might not be so understanding.

 

[Hewson]

i can understand waiting in line for GA during the elevation or vertigo tours. there was very little rail space for those tours (and it was all well back from the main stage) unless you got a lucky ticket and got inside the heart/ellipse.

:

Lottery for inner circle was on Vertigo tour only. Elevation it was first come first serve to get "inside the heart". I believe first 300 folks got in. Lined up for that twice, once in Boston, once in Providence, both times arriving around noon, was like 120 or something in line, not early enough to be leaning on stage front barricade, but easily inside the heart. Met some decent folks and everything was cordial and on the up and up. There wasn't the BS there is now.

 

[Hewson]

let's be real, you spent the entire day with me - it was clearly the highlight of your entire life.

:

Oh, and that day with you was probably merely a close second to the time he went to see Pearl Jam with yours truly.

 

[U2FloridaFan]

I can't do GA for Boston this year for work-related reasons (and if I don't have a good chance for front rail or very close, I don't want GA) but all of this talk brings back such sweet (not) memories of GA lines past. I haven't seen U2 from seats since Elevation...kind of looking forward to "no drama," "walk in just before the Lumineers start." Have fun everyone who's doing GA...it'll all work out in the end (after a little pushing and shoving and anxious moments just before the gates open ).

 

[ramblin rose]

I can't do GA for Boston this year for work-related reasons (and if I don't have a good chance for front rail or very close, I don't want GA) but all of this talk brings back such sweet (not) memories of GA lines past. I haven't seen U2 from seats since Elevation...kind of looking forward to "no drama," "walk in just before the Lumineers start." Have fun everyone who's doing GA...it'll all work out in the end (after a little pushing and shoving and anxious moments just before the gates open ).

Won't you miss driving with me 4 hours to get to a place 10 minutes away after the show. Bring snacks, lol

 

[nbelcik]

I've heard that BC Place isn't allowing chairs this Friday in the line, can anyone confirm this and if true, what the fuck?

 

[kabigon]

They probably don't want the hassle of disposing of hundreds of chairs.

 

[nbelcik]

Do people seriously leave their chairs? They're like $30...I always stash mine in the hotel or car an hour or two before doors open

 

[gareth brown]

I've been looking forward to this thread haha

Hilarious how they're now getting themselves in a sulk because the list was made public. Whenever they were called out on their bullshit their argument was always how it wasn't secret or hard to find out where it was being guarded...

I think the only people really being screwed with that are people from Vancouver.

It's them that's fucking screwing them!! Someone could live round the corner from the stadium and think they can just head down first thing on gig day and find out a bunch of line barnacles have been (not) there for two days already...

You can't pretend you're doing some noble service for fans and helping the locals (but only after you've got you and your 50 mates down on the list first) then get annoyed when someone blabs and lets others know about it.

 

[mosthigh]

In 2015 I&E Tour, you could wander into GA at the last minute, and end up very close to the barricades along the walkway 'stage'.

I've never been to a large GA show in Vancouver, where the floor is crowded. It's usually 2/3 full at best. Strict fire codes I guess. Not so much in the US where they really pack 'em in.

 

[waynetravis]

I liked GA!
I like how everyone said that people are really friendly and will abide by the numbering system throughout the day.
Yeah it was good, and people did. Right up until the gates opened and it turns in to free for all and everyone is pushing.

The best GA experience I had on IE was in Glasgow where I payed for lower tier seats one row from where the GA pit was!

 

[mama cass]

In 2015 I&E Tour, you could wander into GA at the last minute, and end up very close to the barricades along the walkway 'stage'.

I've never been to a large GA show in Vancouver, where the floor is crowded. It's usually 2/3 full at best. Strict fire codes I guess. Not so much in the US where they really pack 'em in.

we got to Bercy at, i don't know, around half 6-7, for I&E, and breezed straight into the floor and were just a few heads back from the b-stage... would have been a great view if i wasn't stuck behind some huge guy who insisted on watching the whole gig through his mobile phone

 

[Babydoll]

In 2015 I&E Tour, you could wander into GA at the last minute, and end up very close to the barricades along the walkway 'stage'.

I've never been to a large GA show in Vancouver, where the floor is crowded. It's usually 2/3 full at best. Strict fire codes I guess. Not so much in the US where they really pack 'em in.

This is true. We arrived at all the Berlin shows around 5 or 6pm and got a rail spot on the catwalk thingy. Same at both Amsterdam shows. This time though, the stage seems smaller so it looks like we'll be needing to line up much earlier because I'm short and my partner is a rail-or-bust kinda guy, lol.

Getting excited!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

let's be real, you spent the entire day with me - it was clearly the highlight of your entire life.

This is true

Oh, and that day with you was probably merely a close second to the time he went to see Pearl Jam with yours truly.

This is also true

 

[cobl04]

Not going to read this whole thread through but if anyone tries some bullshit at either of the shows I'm going to introduce some Aussie hospitality

 

[Hewson]

Not going to read this whole thread through but if anyone tries some bullshit at either of the shows I'm going to introduce some Aussie hospitality

You're going to throw a shrimp on the barbie for them and give them a Foster's?

Spoiler

 

[shika]

You're going to throw a shrimp on the barbie for them and give them a Foster's?

Spoiler

The Fosters would be adequate torture

 

[pdxracer]

What sucks about CC entry is, I have to save 3 spots for my group to go in with me (getting there 4-5 hours after I am, and one of them in a wheelchair)

They would just get in line where/when they arrive, but CC entry is going to force groups to be together.

 

[DeVaul]

Wheelchair entry might save your friend but everyone else is going to get an earful cutting the line 4 hours after you show up.

 

[pdxracer]

Wheelchair entry might save your friend but everyone else is going to get an earful cutting the line 4 hours after you show up.

I feel this is on venue/U2 .. forcing me to have all 8 people be there with me at once is ridiculous.

If I could xfer tickets, no issue.

When I bought tickets I had never heard of CC entry only, and warning about it didnt come up until after I purchased the tickets. (usually at that point, would give you 3 choices).

I called CL and even in wheelchair she has to go in with us in same doors. No exceptions.