GA indoors

[tpsglick2424]

For the people who were in the GA for the INDOOR arena (USA) shows, what time were you there to be in line for? Or what time do you think is greatest to get front row center in line for the indoor arena show?

Im thinking about doing it next time they come around

 

[rosephile]

Phoenix, got there around 5, we didn't have "lucky" tickets and were about 6 people back from the ellipse stage against the right side railing.

LA, got there a couple hours early but had a seat, and didn't get a GA until maybe 30 min before the show, but the ticket was lucky! I was 4 people back from the stage on Adam's side.

So...I guess I can't give very good advice, but I'd say if you don't mind not having the absolute best spot, you don't have to go more than a couple hours before the doors open, and you can still get a great spot after that too.

 

[tpsglick2424]

also in arena shows, do they have a time that you can't be before by like the outdoor shows?

 

[kafrun]

Hmm. Depends. In Montreal we didn't get there until just before 7pm. We ended up back by the soundboard, but still had a great time. Less of a crush. A lot of people were there for Arcade Fire too, so that was a factor.

In Buffalo we got in the line by 6ish(pm) and ended up 3 or 4 rows from the stage by the side rail The weather was a big factor - it was freezing cold, so not as many people were willing to camp out I guess. I imagine in the warm weather you'll have to get in line way earlier.

 

[Liesje]

I usually got there the day before, between 3pm-10pm.

The venues set their own line-up times and procedures. For example, the Palace of Auburn Hills is terrible, they let no one on the property until 2pm the day of and I'm never going there again even if it's the closest, while the United Center is awesome because they allow camping and even open the gates for porta-poty use and the director brought us water and snacks.

The lottery changes things though because on Oct. 24 I showed up at 5:30pm the day of, waited for the GA line to clear, walked right in, found a spot at the back, then asked a lady for wristbands, went into the ellipse five minutes before U2 came on, and ended up with a great view on the side rail towards the back. Other times I've waited over 24 hours and been stuck on the outside rail way over to one side. Twice I got lucky and made it into the ellipse having a great spot in line so got to be on the front rail in the middle.

 

[tpsglick2424]

Yeah I live in chicago so id be going to the UC! Can you tell me everything about it because I really want to do GA's next time they're in chicago Last time I had really really good seats. I was there 9-20 I was literally 5 feet from Bono on the side...It was great but didnt look as good as it did in the GA's..

 

[Pop Artist]

So many variables...the ellipse lottery, whether they split the line into fan club and non-fan club etc. Generally if you're in the first 100 you can get a rail spot somewhere, whether inner or outer ellipse. Usually have to be in the first 30-35 IN the ellipse to get the front of stage rail.

As to what time to get there, it varies by city. NYC was really mellow - probably if you got there by about 8:30 or 9AM you could get the front rail (I got there at around 10am for my three GA shows - the one I buzzed in the ellipse for I was around 78 in line and I *just* missed getting a rail spot) - there was only one line. In Boston I got on line at 4:55AM in the freezing cold and was number 96 overall but effectively moved up to around 66 overall because they split the line into fan club and non-fan club and there were fewer people on the fan club line. Chicago would be about the same based on my experience for Elevation. In Philly you'd have to get there in the middle of the night - they are crazy in Philly.

 

[Liesje]

Yeah I live in chicago so id be going to the UC! Can you tell me everything about it because I really want to do GA's next time they're in chicago Last time I had really really good seats. I was there 9-20 I was literally 5 feet from Bono on the side...It was great but didnt look as good as it did in the GA's..

Well, sure! I preferred Chicago because there's actually grass to camp on and you're not on a downtown street corner (like I was in Pittsburgh and St. Louis). The director of the UC is great to U2 fans. He unlocked the gate at night so we could use the toilet in the parking lot. When we got into the concert, he gave people water and snacks. One night, he came out and explained to the police that it was OK we were there. The UC also has a wireless network you can piggyback. Oh, and you can park, for free, along the street you line up on, you just have to move during the actual show. Our car was about 10 feet from our camping spot the whole time. The security staff technically cannot enforce the line rules the fans use, but they don't toss them aside like some venues. At one point, the guy in front said that he expected everyone to honor our numbering system. Two drunk guys were yelling racial slurs at someone and security threw them out. Yeah, the security people there were always great, never yelled at me for my camera or even video recording (in Detroit a guy covered my lens and yelled at me even though I never use a flash). They don't care when you line up. Sometimes Chip went there the morning of the day before! However, it's tricky if there's a game or other concert, you have to respect that the U2 show is not going to be top priority for them while something else is going on. It's also a good place for meeting the band because you can line up at the loading dock and the security are pretty experience at keeping this under control. I went one day, but I went right before they came and was going to stay back and take pics (I don't cut), so I stood back behind the fence. Bono and Edge ended up going all the way around and stopped at the fence so I got to shake his hand.

I would recommend the UC, it was my favorite of the 5 venues (9 shows) I attended.

 

[tpsglick2424]

awesome

 

[Canadiens1131]

For the Montreal shows, we got to the arena at 11pm the night before the night of the show and there were about 200+ people ahead of us already.

Assuming that is the exception, you're probably going to get on the rail or a row back if you can brave the GA line from 6 or 7am till showtime on day of show.

 

[tpsglick2424]

jeesh

 

[Carek1230]

Vegas1 we showed up at the GA line and I was #138. We scanned into the elipse and were front row center along the stage.

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

Well, if there's another lottery, you can get there 2 days ahead of the show and not get front row.

I echo what livluv said about the United Center. They were very good to us.

 

[pgv]

In Buffalo we got in the line by 6ish(pm) and ended up 3 or 4 rows from the stage by the side rail The weather was a big factor - it was freezing cold, so not as many people were willing to camp out I guess. I imagine in the warm weather you'll have to get in line way earlier.

At buffalo we waited from about 7am and I was on the rail. But if the weather had been better I doubt I would have been.
If you want to get to the front maybe you should just go mid morning of the day of the show?

 

[isabella_bp]

I got in line about noon for St. Louis and got into the elipse. I wound up on Adam's side 2-3 people back. For Mexico City, I got there around the same time and got into the second barrier, which was pretty good.

 

[tpsglick2424]

Thanks for the info guys!

 

[clifedge]

In Atlanta we got their at midnight the night before the show. And we were right next to the stage at the tip of the ellipse.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

if you want front row outside the ellipse we're talking pre 9am.

up to 3pm you can still get 5-10 rows back easily enough.

then again i have some friends who got online at MSG at 7pm and were 8-9 rows back on adam's side.

so it's really random depending on venue/day/etc.

so in general, earlier the closer.

this is all assuming that they have the same system next time around, which is a big assumption.