July 30, 2011 - Magnetic Hill, Moncton, NB II: Camping Out For U2 ... For Real!

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VIK said:
I would just like to say one thing..female fans can be just as bad as the guys..and I've heard plenty of stories of girls behaving very badly. But that is not a justification for my behaviour..I just want to say bad behaviour takes place bu both male and females.
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I also heard a story of two female fans 'bodychecking' a long time U2 male fan and someone who does a lot of organization for U2 events. This happened in Moncton. Someone who is also hellbent on making sure fans pay at FACE value for tickets and is very good to the U2 fan community.

So yes, Vik, I agree, bad behaviour does take place by both males and females.
 
kramwest1 said:
Again, more later, but the show review is up on the home page. (I hope it makes you cry.)

U2 Interference – U2 Fans, Pop Culture Webzine, & More
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Loved the article except for one thing:

Unrealistic expectations? Seems like a low blow. :D

If you have a venue that you can sell 100,000 tickets, make sure there is more than one way out. I cannot imagine what they would have done if they had to evacuate the site. You cannot funnel a crowd that size through one little exit over a wooden bridge.

Minneapolis had an excellent evacuation plan set up for the potential of severe storms. No doubt it would have been messy, but there were multiple exits and sites to evacuate people to. Indianapolis hosts three races a year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I believe the capacity at the track is close to 500,000. You can go from any of the stands at IMS to an exit and then a bus queue in less than 40 minutes.

It took us 90 minutes to go from the pit to bus area - and that was with a few detours across fields. And then you had the tens of thousands of people headed to the buses, hotels, casino and offsite parking that all had to cross this small covered bridge to get out. It was not a good or safe set up for a crowd of that size.

Cheers to all of the charter buses to other cities in NB, NS and Codiac Transit for the service they provided in Moncton to the two offsite locations. It sounded like Codiac was thinking about NOT providing a service at all. I could not imagine the logistical nightmare the place would have been without them (and what the previous "festival" shows were like in order for them to implement that program).

I do not see that as unrealistic expectations. I see it as logistics and safety for an event that has the ability to draw 100,000.
 
zoney! said:
Cheers to all of the charter buses to other cities in NB, NS and Codiac Transit for the service they provided in Moncton to the two offsite locations. It sounded like Codiac was thinking about NOT providing a service at all.
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I didn't see what was so great about Codiac. Getting from the downtown to the site was a huge challenge. They wouldn't sell me a ticket at 12noon on the day of the show when they had half empty buses going up to the hill right in front of me.

Acadien might have been worse. They had posted there buses were leaving at 1:00 am but didn't leave until 2:00Am for the only reason to fill buses. Then they had printed on some tickets that they were going to Halifax airport so were obligated to drive us there.
 
zoney! said:
Loved the article except for one thing:

Unrealistic expectations? Seems like a low blow. :D

If you have a venue that you can sell 100,000 tickets, make sure there is more than one way out. I cannot imagine what they would have done if they had to evacuate the site. You cannot funnel a crowd that size through one little exit over a wooden bridge.
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I agree - I don't like the way it's setup at that site either - IMO it's way too long of a walk to get into (and out of) a concert site, especially after having to stand for hours and hours in some cases. Well that's just comparing it to other concert sites in the maritimes anyways... But there are actually a couple of other roads out that I've used at other concerts there. As you're walking out there are at least two or three roads that go up to Front Mountain Road (the road at the top of the hill). That way you walk around the park and not through it. Those roads have been open for other shows, I never noticed if they were for this show or not as I was just walking to a bus anyway, but I'm sure they would have used them if necessary in an emergency.
 
canedge said:
I didn't see what was so great about Codiac. Getting from the downtown to the site was a huge challenge. They wouldn't sell me a ticket at 12noon on the day of the show when they had half empty buses going up to the hill right in front of me.
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Seriously? We got there at noon (at the CN lot behind the Nissan dealer in downtown) and bought wristbands and were on our way to the venue moments later. That is weird. I was so afraid we would get there after the drive over from Charlottetown and not be able to buy the wristbands. It was a bit of a stressful drive with that fear in the back of my mind.

and of course, our bus had eight people on it.

As for the charter buses, I think the 1am times was set up to try and make people rush back to them. I am not sure if there was a way for them to get out at 1am.
 
zoney! said:
Seriously? We got there at noon (at the CN lot behind the Nissan dealer in downtown) and bought wristbands and were on our way to the venue moments later. That is weird. I was so afraid we would get there after the drive over from Charlottetown and not be able to buy the wristbands. It was a bit of a stressful drive with that fear in the back of my mind.

and of course, our bus had eight people on it.

As for the charter buses, I think the 1am times was set up to try and make people rush back to them. I am not sure if there was a way for them to get out at 1am.
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We were also at the CN lot, we had bought the wrist bands the day before. The trip to the concert site was very quick, we got on a bus right away. The after the show was hard on the feet, waiting.. it was like a mass zombie walk. But we walked and laughed and eventually got on a bus.. We only live an hour and a half from Moncton and we didn't arrive home until 5:30am. Hopefully as the years progress they will simplify the system further. I could get annoyed, but I'm not. I just saw the mud, the walk, the waiting.. it was all part of the experience.
 
RavenBlue said:
We were also at the CN lot, we had bought the wrist bands the day before. The trip to the concert site was very quick, we got on a bus right away. The after the show was hard on the feet, waiting.. it was like a mass zombie walk. But we walked and laughed and eventually got on a bus.. We only live an hour and a half from Moncton and we didn't arrive home until 5:30am. Hopefully as the years progress they will simplify the system further. I could get annoyed, but I'm not. I just saw the mud, the walk, the waiting.. it was all part of the experience.
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You guys must have been behind us! Crazy. From the pit to the car took three hours. In fact, the drive to Charlottetown took less time. :D

Loved your pictures. I think that of all the seats, the stands behind the stage were the best. You guys did well!
 
Hi, all. I'm so sorry I missed the gathering and meeting so many of you.

I completely misjudged the drive and how tough it would be. Friggin' Maine. Y U SO BIG AND HARD TO LEAVE? (Thanks, GraceRyan, for the apt description.)

I knew that if I'd kept going to Moncton that night, I would still have to endure tent setting up and lots of chatting - which is good, but in order to keep my fun new anxiety issues in check, I need to make sure to get enough rest.

So I stopped in Fredericton, and thankfully, the first hotel I stopped at had one available room. Best 100 Canadian dollars I ever spent. My alarm did not go off the next morning, and I got 11 hours of sleep. :crack:

Anyway, when I got there and got to the campsite, and after several false attempts was finally parked, I knew there was no way I could handle the tent and everything in the rain and the mud. I made the call right then to sleep in my car in that field.

Things perked up considerably when zoney and Megan got there, and I relaxed a bit knowing I was hanging out with friends. (I'd met GraceRyan, BoMac and Jive Turkey while waiting near the line, and that was great - glad I was able to meet some of the folks I wanted to meet! But I wasn't having a good day.)

Anyway, thank god I had waterproof hiking shoes - my shoes stayed dry! And that $10 poncho from Target proved wonderfully effective. Was so happy when the rain stopped.

Loved the show. Loved it. Had such a blast, first show in the pit (we were on the back rail, very far Adam's side). Great view, not too crowded. Lost my shit when they played Out of Control. Arcade Fire were amazing, as always.

Saturday night, attempting to sleep in the car, was an exercise in utter misery. I think I got maybe 2 hours of sleep. I was so worried about the mud situation and trying to leave the next morning.

But I woke up at 6, and hit the road. I figured leaving that early, and gaining an hour back at the border, I'd be able to stop and rest often, or even nap if necessary.

Then I got sick about an hour out of town. I think my anxiety, the sleeplessness and a suspect smoothie from McDonald's all played into it. Visions of me being stuck in Canada or Maine because I was too sick to drive 9 hours were running through my head.

Thankfully, a half hour nap outside Fredericton took care of it, and I was back on my way.

I love to drive, and I have to say, as long as the trip was, that stretch between Moncton and Bangor .... it's just wide open. Lovely scenery, hardly any traffic ... that was pretty great.

I was extremely happy to make it to my hotel in Boston before 6 that night.

So. If U2 ever announces another show that would involve me driving more than 6 hours and/or camping, and I start talking about going, please shoot me.

/really long, whiny post. (but I swear I really did love the show!)
 
VIK said:
Hi everyone this is vik,
Yes i did move the young lady out of the way and it's not something i'm proud of
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Preview
 
OH another Moncton thread! :D I will catch up when I get home hopefully so I guess I'll put this pic for you all here too for now. I'll post a link to them all once I finally get them uploaded. The show was amazing!! Nice to finally meet a few of you :wave:

click on thumbnail for bigger Bono :wink:
 
GraceRyan said:
So perhaps for the next round, we are a little more charitable. If you have had the opportunity for front rail 6 times, maybe be charitable to the person who has never had it. It's their one shot of glory. This seems to be U2's message.

I'd love to see this happen - either on stage or in line to get an autograph pre-show. Unfortunately Bono just feeds this frenzy of entitlement by inviting the same fans on stage at more than one show.
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zoney! said:
Loved the article except for one thing:

Unrealistic expectations? Seems like a low blow. :D

If you have a venue that you can sell 100,000 tickets, make sure there is more than one way out. I cannot imagine what they would have done if they had to evacuate the site. You cannot funnel a crowd that size through one little exit over a wooden bridge.

Minneapolis had an excellent evacuation plan set up for the potential of severe storms. No doubt it would have been messy, but there were multiple exits and sites to evacuate people to. Indianapolis hosts three races a year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I believe the capacity at the track is close to 500,000. You can go from any of the stands at IMS to an exit and then a bus queue in less than 40 minutes.

It took us 90 minutes to go from the pit to bus area - and that was with a few detours across fields. And then you had the tens of thousands of people headed to the buses, hotels, casino and offsite parking that all had to cross this small covered bridge to get out. It was not a good or safe set up for a crowd of that size.

I do not see that as unrealistic expectations. I see it as logistics and safety for an event that has the ability to draw 100,000.
Click to expand...

Granted, the covered bridge was a little baffling.
But, I don't think anyone sold this event as easily accessible, which in-reverse is not easily escapable either.
I don't know what could have possibly necessitated a mass-evacuation of the site, even a bad thunderstorm with lightning. I don't think the area is particularly prone to tornadoes. Any natural type of event seems like it would be best endured on the site rather than running away in any direction.
But whatever, it all went pretty well. The only thing I saw once we were in the stands were two people that passed out: one was a young boy and the other a young woman. It could have been exhaustion, dehydration/alcohol or some medical condition, but it was a only a few moments before medical people were there.

Also, I was impressed they had the medical personnel cruising in four-wheelers.
 
I have yet to try GA yet as I have anxiety issues, I hope I will be able to next tour. But all this talk of pushing folks out of the way.. that would devastate me if someone did it to me.
 
kramwest1 said:
Granted, the covered bridge was a little baffling.
But, I don't think anyone sold this event as easily accessible, which in-reverse is not easily escapable either.
I don't know what could have possibly necessitated a mass-evacuation of the site, even a bad thunderstorm with lightning. I don't think the area is particularly prone to tornadoes. Any natural type of event seems like it would be best endured on the site rather than running away in any direction.
But whatever, it all went pretty well. The only thing I saw once we were in the stands were two people that passed out: one was a young boy and the other a young woman. It could have been exhaustion, dehydration/alcohol or some medical condition, but it was a only a few moments before medical people were there.

Also, I was impressed they had the medical personnel cruising in four-wheelers.
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Both Montreal and Moncton would have been completely whipped out if there were a zombie invasion. I'm thinking Moncton there could have been a greater chance for escape depending on how fast the zombies were and if they were adapted to moving through mud.
 
By 'bat shit crazy' I wasn't referring to the odd person he pulls up who goes a bit loopy up there (or just as much of a fail - are a dud), but to the people who actually give a shit about it all.
 
There's a group of French people who go to tons of shows (always rail, always drape a flag) who've *hit* a (girl) friend of mine for being in their spot. Their group is both male/female.
 
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