How are the tickets selling?

[Mac_Fly]

I don't think an AB/Zoo 30 Tour would have as much drawing power as the Joshua Tree had, but they could still definitely make that the basis for their next massive stadium tour. Places like Detroit, Minneapolis, Houston, etc will be ready for a return in 2021.

Surely that would be the last U2 tour. -- if it happens.

But . . . they kinda had a AB celebration tour already, if you count the transformed 360 tour.

After the tour got back on track after Bono's back surgery, the 360 tour shunned playing NLOTH cuts in favor of AB hits -- mostly to promote the remastered release of AB and its 20th anniversary.

Besides, I just don't know if enough people will care about a AB/Zoo 30 Tour to command the stadiums.

That tour without the stadiums would be greatly diminished.

 

[Mac_Fly]

They need to be willing to do a combination of arenas and stadiums, which they've always been pretty rigid on.

I remember the Edge saying that on the original JT tour that was not cost effective (because that's what they did).

But if you mean arenas in the U.S. and stadiums in Europe, sure.

 

[The_acrobat]

I remember the Edge saying that on the original JT tour that was not cost effective (because that's what they did).

But if you mean arenas in the U.S. and stadiums in Europe, sure.

Yeah, but lots of other bands do this. Look at Coldplay's last tour. They would do stadium shows on the weekends, and then do a couple arena shows during the week (in the US, anyway). If you're charging $300 per ticket, you can make it cost effective haha. Coldplay's arena show was just a miniature version of the stadium show. Usually during a given tour, U2 have 2 stages leapfrogging each other across the continent. One could just be for stadiums, one for arenas.

 

[Axver]

Plus, you know, the touring models that worked or didn't work in 1987 might be a smidge different to those in 2018.

 

[Iggy Fizz]

U2 are not going to do another nostalgia/anniversary tour, period. Their eagerness to get back on the road with this next tour is based on their need to prove the point that they are not still stuck in the past, as they were on JT30.

 

[superchuk5]

I think they had to tour immediately this year to promote the album. One might argue that they should have finished the SOI/SOE album release and tour schedule and then come back with a JT tour.

That was the original plan, but you know how these guys are with recording. In their defense, the delay in late 2016 was justifiable; even setting aside the "brush with mortality," the world changed dramatically in H2 2016.

Who knows, if they stuck to original schedule we may not have gotten a JT 2017 tour.

 

[Iggy Fizz]

In their defense, the delay in late 2016 was justifiable; even setting aside the "brush with mortality," the world changed dramatically in H2 2016.

so you are one of those people who think that becaue their gal Hillary lost the election, they needed to delay the album and tour.

OK. But what a stinking pile of horse shit that excuse was, and continues to be.

 

[The_acrobat]

U2 are not going to do another nostalgia/anniversary tour, period. Their eagerness to get back on the road with this next tour is based on their need to prove the point that they are not still stuck in the past, as they were on JT30.

I never would have imagined U2 doing the JT Tour 2017 until it happened. I'd have said you were fucking nuts if you told me U2 would do that a few years ago. I remember somebody with inside info brought the first rumor about the tour, and everyone went apeshit with disbelief. It was a blatant nostalgia driven money grab, and it worked beautifully.

Never say never. I think it's unlikely that they will do an AB Tour, and I'd prefer they didn't. But you never know. They may choose to follow the money:

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I think those who are convinced that there absolutely will be a Zoo.com tour because of a one off comment Bono made as a joke are insane.

But to say that they'll never do a nostalgia tour again, a year after they just did one that was highly successful? Also crazy.

I don't think they'll do another Zoo, but you can't simply rule out that an aging band will want to tour without an album.

 

[Iggy Fizz]

I think those who are convinced that there absolutely will be a Zoo.com tour because of a one off comment Bono made as a joke are insane.

But to say that they'll never do a nostalgia tour again, a year after they just did one that was highly successful? Also crazy.

I don't think they'll do another Zoo, but you can't simply rule out that an aging band will want to tour without an album.

I am not saying they will never again tour without a new album. I am simply saying they will not revisit the 'old album tour redux' idea again. Once was enough.

 

[MFF0RD9]

are ticket sales going to pick up once the tour setlist comes out (if there are a bunch of rarities)?

i'm hoping so. would be weird to see U2 at a non-sold out venue - may 16 LA specifically

 

[CosmoKramer]

are ticket sales going to pick up once the tour setlist comes out (if there are a bunch of rarities)?

i'm hoping so. would be weird to see U2 at a non-sold out venue - may 16 LA specifically

Likely not. While there may be some (super hardcore) fans that would drop $350 because U2 is finally playing “Drowning Man”, the vast majority of people are either only going to go if there is a price drop or a hit song that draws them into the new music (which will be heavily featured).

Let’s face it, they will play ~21 songs:

7 or 8 from SOE
1 or 2 from SOI era (maybe even 3)
Vertigo
Beautiful Day
Elevation
One
Streets
With or without you
Pride

That’s 15 to 17 minimum and there will likely be 2 or 3 (maybe 4) of the following: SBS/new Years Years/Bad/Desire/AOH/Still Haven’t/COBL/EBTTRT/MW

So that’s 17 to 19 songs of a 21 song set. So $350 for 2 or 4 rarities that if we know U2 they might drop them faster than they add them (cough....ASOH).

Me personally, if they dropped the price I would be likely to go to another show. Otherwise.......YouTube!!!

 

[Iggy Fizz]

I may decide to go if I hear Bono's pontifications are especially epic. He inspires me so much.

$350 plus air travel plus hotel plus food plus guilt-inspired RED donation plus guilt-inspired Amnesty donation.... a drop in the bucket. College can wait for my kiddos.

 

[rennowba]

Tulsa and St. Louis seem to be selling quite quickly now, the big gaps are getting less and less

Ones that might be noticeable are the second shows in San Jose , LA and Chicago

 

[CosmoKramer]

Tulsa and St. Louis seem to be selling quite quickly now, the big gaps are getting less and less

Ones that might be noticeable are the second shows in San Jose , LA and Chicago

I think Headache is right in that it isn’t about the fast sellout anymore but rather milking ever dollar to get the biggest final gross...no matter how long it takes to sell out.

In the end, al will be listed as a sellout(we know how that goes) but I also genuinely believe that the slower sellers will all be very close to sold out when All is said and done.

 

[Mac_Fly]

Tulsa and St. Louis seem to be selling quite quickly now, the big gaps are getting less and less

The lower level's in St Louis are still many at this point.

Without another price reduction there might be a few empties left.

But with less than four weeks to go before the first show in Tulsa, gonna be close.

 

[d.darroch]

I think Headache is right in that it isn’t about the fast sellout anymore but rather milking ever dollar to get the biggest final gross...no matter how long it takes to sell out.

They'll make more money this way, as long as they get close to a sell out. They'll lose a few u2.com members, as some people will be pissed about having to pay top dollar for their presale tickets, not being offered all the best tickets in the presale & being limited to 2 tickets (while Citi members could get 4 tickets). In the end LN will make more money this way, so won't care about u2.com members.

 

[CosmoKramer]

They'll make more money this way, as long as they get close to a sell out. They'll lose a few u2.com members, as some people will be pissed about having to pay top dollar for their presale tickets, not being offered all the best tickets in the presale & being limited to 2 tickets (while Citi members could get 4 tickets). In the end LN will make more money this way, so won't care about u2.com members.

That didn’t sit well with me. U2.com members should have more or at the very least as many tickets available for a U2 show as any-other presale outlet. Additionally, the prices(save for GA) are insane.

 

[The_acrobat]

Say you have a garage sale, and it's down to the last hour and you have a few unsold items. At that point, you're willing to lower your prices and bargain with people just so you can get rid of those last few items and at least get SOME money out of it, even if it's less than you hoped. That's what U2/LN are doing here. They'll get butts in those seats, even if they have to lower the rear stage upper to $10.

 

[The_acrobat]

In 2015 I attended the 5th Chicago show. To look at TM's site, even the day before, you would've thought there were going to be plenty of empty seats, curtains hanging in the rear upper section.

Much to my surprise, when I walked into the arena, it was full. Somehow they got people in those seats. They have their ways.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I think Headache is right in that it isn’t about the fast sellout anymore but rather milking ever dollar to get the biggest final gross...no matter how long it takes to sell out.

In the end, al will be listed as a sellout(we know how that goes) but I also genuinely believe that the slower sellers will all be very close to sold out when All is said and done.

Duh


Look - what it comes down to, and the main difference between NA ticketing vs the rest of the world, is that LiveNation controls every aspect of the process.

Who manages the band? LiveNation.
Who underwrites the tour? LiveNation.
Who's the promoter? LiveNation.
How owns fanfire and all merch? LiveNation.
Who owns Ticketmaster? LiveNation.
Who manages 3/4s of the arenas they're playing in NA? LiveNation.

Bonus points
Who owns Sirius XM and two of the major travel booking sites that many will use to travel to the shows (Expedia & Travelocity)? Liberty Media, who also own a third of LiveNation.

Double bonus points
Who owns StubHub? eBay.
Who's on the board of directors of eBay? Fred Anderson.

Who the fuck is Fred Anderson? The managing director of Elevation Partners.

Who's a co-founder of Elevation Partners? Bono!

 

[Bubble]

But if they would have put the N.A. leg of the tour in early 2019 instead of the Aus/N.Z. leg in that spot,they wouldn't have that much reductions in the ticket prices,there fore,more money in L.N./U2 bank account than what they'll end up having this year.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

But if they would have put the N.A. leg of the tour in early 2019 instead of the Aus/N.Z. leg in that spot,they wouldn't have that much reductions in the ticket prices,there fore,more money in L.N./U2 bank account than what they'll end up having this year.

Maybe - but I'm willing to think that a conglomerate as large as LiveNation can tell whether or not they've sapped demand for a band like U2 or not.

They're kinda good at this.

 

[DeVaul]

duh


look - what it comes down to, and the main difference between na ticketing vs the rest of the world, is that livenation controls every aspect of the process.

Who manages the band? Livenation.
Who underwrites the tour? Livenation.
Who's the promoter? Livenation.
How owns fanfire and all merch? Livenation.
Who owns ticketmaster? Livenation.
Who manages 3/4s of the arenas they're playing in na? Livenation.

Bonus points
who owns sirius xm and two of the major travel booking sites that many will use to travel to the shows (expedia & travelocity)? Liberty media, who also own a third of livenation.

Double bonus points
who owns stubhub? Ebay.
Who's on the board of directors of ebay? Fred anderson.

Who the fuck is fred anderson? The managing director of elevation partners.

Who's a co-founder of elevation partners? Bono!

 

[The_acrobat]

I mean really, most of these shows are not as bad off as you think. The worst 2 seem to be Chicago 2 and San Jose 2. Omaha and St. Louis don't look great, but I think they'll make it happen. Those prices are way out of line with what people in those areas are willing to pay.

I don't think people understand that U2 aren't just 4 earnest band members. They're a large corporation, managed and under contract by an even larger corporation. The goal is to make money. The way they make money is by touring. The JT Tour was probably the brainchild of some LN lackey who put together a presentation with powerpoint and charts and graphs, showing that U2 + nostalgia Tour = lots of money. The idea was pitched to U2, including a dollar amount, and they agreed to do it. Thus, SOE and EI Tour were pushed back.

Then this Tour is kind of a cleanup Tour to make a final $100m plus, before U2 lay low for awhile. They're not stupid, they know they're charging too much to sell out places like Omaha and Tulsa. But the business model is to milk it as long as they can, and then slash prices to get people in the seats.

Other than SAN Jose 2 and Chicago 2, all shows will be full. Those 2 might also be, but it'll take some doing.

 

[superchuk5]

In case you missed it, article in New York Times last weekend about the DOJ probing LiveNation: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/01/arts/music/live-nation-ticketmaster.html

Also provides a good summary of their web of involvement in live music

 

[BWU2Buffs]

Look - what it comes down to, and the main difference between NA ticketing vs the rest of the world, is that LiveNation controls every aspect of the process.

Who manages the band? LiveNation.
Who underwrites the tour? LiveNation.
Who's the promoter? LiveNation.
How owns fanfire and all merch? LiveNation.
Who owns Ticketmaster? LiveNation.
Who manages 3/4s of the arenas they're playing in NA? LiveNation.

Bonus points
Who owns Sirius XM and two of the major travel booking sites that many will use to travel to the shows (Expedia & Travelocity)? Liberty Media, who also own a third of LiveNation.

Double bonus points
Who owns StubHub? eBay.
Who's on the board of directors of eBay? Fred Anderson.

Who the fuck is Fred Anderson? The managing director of Elevation Partners.

Who's a co-founder of Elevation Partners? Bono!

Thanks for posting this -- I did not know all of these details though it prompted me to Google "definition of business monopoly"

Definition of 'Monopoly' Definition: A market structure characterized by a single seller, selling a unique product in the market. In a monopoly market, the seller faces no competition, as he is the sole seller of goods with no close substitute. ... He enjoys the power of setting the price for his goods.

Alas, $325 lower bowl, $106 for upper bowl, and $40 for concert shirts that withstand two washing machine cycles.

For me it kinda seems like we are a long long way from "rock and roll, stop the traffic" circa 1987 / 88 (though that train may have left the station a long time ago) and I suppose we can all take our entertainment dollars elsewhere.

 

[Mac_Fly]

I suppose we can all take our entertainment dollars elsewhere.

Or double down and spend them on our favorite band now.

 

[CosmoKramer]

My hope is that they announce an Australian tour and call it “Australian Soul”....

Discuss

 

[Axver]

I'd prefer no tour than a tour called Australian Soul.

I am entirely on board with the more locally appropriate Australian Shitcunt, though.