Hello from Australia U2

[The_acrobat]

Given that Europe goes to November 10th, we can safely assume they’ll take the rest of 2018 off for holidays.

So that puts January as the earliest that they would come to Australia. So that would put an announcement around July or August, I’m guessing. I really hope they make it, but there hasn’t been much chatter in the rumor mill about it lately.

 

[ChargedVT]

Given that Europe goes to November 10th, we can safely assume they’ll take the rest of 2018 off for holidays.

So that puts January as the earliest that they would come to Australia. So that would put an announcement around July or August, I’m guessing. I really hope they make it, but there hasn’t been much chatter in the rumor mill about it lately.

I'd say the most likely window for a tour would from mid-February through to April.
I don't think plans would be in any sort of advanced stage: Willie Williams said he didn't know if the tour would go into next year.

 

[Kieran McConville]

Effectively - even if this band were not far past their prime - it's hard to get excited about an outfit that is increasingly, and possibly permanently, constrained to an arc of US/western Europe. They're like the Byzantine Empire about five minutes before the Arabs came charging out of Arabia.

 

[kabigon]

In Ireland they renamed the movie Lardence of Arabia

 

[The_acrobat]

I'd say the most likely window for a tour would from mid-February through to April.
I don't think plans would be in any sort of advanced stage: Willie Williams said he didn't know if the tour would go into next year.

Even if Willie knew it was 100% certain they were going to Australia and beyond next year, he knows it’s not his place to say anything about it. He’s played the game for over 35 years, he knows how it works.

I wonder how well an Australian arena would sell? I’m certain the tickets will be even more expensive than they are in the US. The fact that they’ve been away for 8 years works in their favor. It’d be a drag to book a tour down under and have the tickets not sell. That’s what happened to Madonna... and who is Madonna’s manager?

 

[ChargedVT]

Even if Willie knew it was 100% certain they were going to Australia and beyond next year, he knows it’s not his place to say anything about it. He’s played the game for over 35 years, he knows how it works.

I wonder how well an Australian arena would sell? I’m certain the tickets will be even more expensive than they are in the US. The fact that they’ve been away for 8 years works in their favor. It’d be a drag to book a tour down under and have the tickets not sell. That’s what happened to Madonna... and who is Madonna’s manager?

The length of time since they've been here can work against them, too, especially if you haven't had hits or kept up some sort of presence in peoples' awareness.
Promotion has been terrible, to the point that I'm sure most Aussies aren't aware SOI or SOE exist, outside of "Didn't they put an album on everyone's iTunes once?"
Ticket prices would be sky high too.
Either way, though, a tour here REALLY needs to happen.

 

[Axver]

Yeah, people at least know of SOI because of its distribution, though whether they can name it or would recognise any songs is questionable. SOE has been practically invisible.

I'd still bank on U2 doing stadiums if they come. They have that legacy pull. I don't think they could do two in Brisbane or Perth like in 2010, but now that both Perth and Adelaide have modern new stadiums I won't be surprised if both cities get visited on the same tour for the first time since 1989.

The other thing that militates against arenas is that I'm not sure many of them are a suitable size. Yes they squeezed into the O2 in Dublin in 2015, but they went to a great effort for their home town. Does anyone seriously think they'd make that effort for a city down here?

I'm picking stadiums, with:

Melbourne x2
Sydney x2
Brisbane
Adelaide
Perth
New Zealand, maybe x2 - probably Auckland, possibly Dunedin as well, or Wellington if they can squeeze into one of the Cake Tin's few slots

I'd expect tickets to the second dates in Melbourne and Sydney won't fly out the door but it'd look respectable on the night.

I'd assume this would be followed by a few Asian dates - a couple in Japan, and hopefully their first ever shows in, say, South Korea and Singapore.

And then a stadium run through Europe to wrap up the tour (and make going to stadiums worthwhile).

 

[ChargedVT]

Only thing is, if they do a stadium leg can they even call it the eXPERIENCE & INNOCENCE tour? The set-up currently is designed specifically for arenas. In stadiums the screen would be gone, completely different stage, different setlist (the current hit-lite setlist won't go down well after a 9 year absence). Might as well name it a different tour and I don't see them doing that.
It's an awkward situation they are in and it's their own doing.

 

[shika]

When does their contract expire with LN? I don’t see them touring Australia while under their current “management”. It’s all about the $$$. And it’s more than likely to be stadiums. (Quick tour, get it over with).

And, yes, it’d need to be an entirely seperate tour. i+e / JT / e+i ??

Maybe they’re just secretly hoping Australia falls off the map or at least shuts up about wanting a tour. I, for one, feel almost worn down.

Cynic, much?

 

[Axver]

Only thing is, if they do a stadium leg can they even call it the eXPERIENCE & INNOCENCE tour? The set-up currently is designed specifically for arenas. In stadiums the screen would be gone, completely different stage, different setlist (the current hit-lite setlist won't go down well after a 9 year absence). Might as well name it a different tour and I don't see them doing that.
It's an awkward situation they are in and it's their own doing.

Why not? Vertigo in stadiums was very different in vibe to the arena version and they didn't have a problem changing the name, or giving us a U2:18 setlist that bore almost no resemblance to the start of the tour.

They'll go stadiums, they'll do some JT stuff to make up for skipping us on JT30, it won't look a whole lot like EI does right now beyond having about 5-6 SOE songs and a couple from SOI, and they'll still call it Experience + Innocence because U2.

 

[kabigon]

They missed their window by not adding JT shows here before/after South America. Arena shows don't feel possible because of the time elapsed since they last played some here. Please prove me wrong U2.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

when does their contract expire with ln? I don’t see them touring australia while under their current “management”. It’s all about the $$$. And it’s more than likely to be stadiums. (quick tour, get it over with).

And, yes, it’d need to be an entirely seperate tour. I+e / jt / e+i ??

Maybe they’re just secretly hoping australia falls off the map or at least shuts up about wanting a tour. I, for one, feel almost worn down.

Cynic, much?

2020