Worst GA section of the tour?

[gvox]

Watch this video:

‪U2 360 Tour Set List & Facts - Fan Cam from Spartan Stadium. Part 1.‬‏ - YouTube

It's freakin EMPTY on that field, how could that be?

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

Didn't they have tight restrictions on how many tickets they could sell for the GA?

 

[ryancoke71]

Yes, that is what I heard too.

 

[EdgeFest]

Seeing them at that show was like seeing them at Dooley's in 1981. It felt so intimate, and down the front of the pit we got tons of attention from Bono... it was fantastic. The GA was so low-key and I had the spot of a lifetime (pit in front of Edge). Every show doesn't need to be packed like sardines, and this one was truly amazing because of it.

The band was incredible too... and the smaller crowd that was there was just as into it as any of the other shows I'd seen.

So if you call that the 'worst', then you weren't there..........

 

[hand0lotion]

I would have given anything to be in East Lansing. Dry stadium, intimate GA. Doesn't get any better than that. Ah, one of the regrets of life, I suppose

 

[GopherMacPhisto]

By all accounts, the Minnesota GA was lousy, and that was before it started raining. Several friends were getting crowded and pushed around at the soundboard. Usually the soundboard is where you go for some breathing room. Not that one! Also, the crowd control down there was bad.

 

[corianderstem]

From the seats looking down on GA, it looked ridiculously crowded down there. There was some space waaaay in the back on the sides, but that seemed to be about it.

 

[Miroslava]

It was shocking to see how empty GA was. However, as someone else mentioned, it was by design. MSU set the capacity. I had quite a few amusing moments watching a couple dance like crazy (totally unbridled, hippie commune type dancing) in the wide empty field. I don't think they looked at the stage once. They were having their own little show.

 

[U2BROTHR]

It's freakin EMPTY on that field, how could that be?

Only 3600 GA tickets were sold for the floor. Apparently Spartan Stadium (because of college football) put restrictions on the floor tickets. It was the first time I've ever seen women not allowed in with their purses. You had to put items in a clear zip lock bag.

As with most college stadiums, no booze was sold.

 

[beershack]

Dry stadium, ... Doesn't get any better than that.

believe me, it does

 

[corianderstem]

It was the first time I've ever seen women not allowed in with their purses. You had to put items in a clear zip lock bag.

That was just so bizarre. Who's running that stadium - the TSA?

 

[blackhawksjon]

I would have liked to be at MSU for that GA. Lots of room to stretch out. And if you get close and wanna move back to see the whole show you could. In Minny I couldn't get out of the inner circle to move back. But looks like there wasn't much relief there.

Iowa City in 87 was the 'worst GA'. Because it wasn't GA but ended up that way I saw broken limbs come out of that one. Not much in the way of security and I was rail in front of Edge!

 

[jd45177]

East Lansing GA rocked all night. They packed tons of energy for such a small crowd. The seats on the other hand, were dismal. They sat through a minimum of 4 songs and many didn't know the words to most songs. The oldest crowd I've ever seen at a U2 show.

And no alcohol was nice.

 

[canedge]

I specifically remember telling several people after the Lansing GA that something was really weird. The amount of access on the floor was incredible. They also no Red Zones and no underground area under the bleachers. People were dancing at the back of the Floor and I really got a new appreciation for back there.

 

[Galeongirl]

I wish I had an overview shot of Montreal to post next to this. What a change. Sounds really nice this, little people is much better IMO. Less pushing, less assholes.

 

[Axver]

As with most college stadiums, no booze was sold.

So bizarre. I wasn't aware any aspect of university life can function without alcohol.

But then again, to me as somebody from the Aussie/Kiwi university system, the idea of a uni having a gigantor fuck-off stadium is bizarre in the first place, never mind making it a dry one.

 

[Miroslava]

It is not dry for the actual football games. At least in MSU's case, I believe the ban had to do with the only previous concert held there (Rolling Stones?) I think they had some issues then which they wanted to avoid this time.

 

[zoney!]

By all accounts, the Minnesota GA was lousy, and that was before it started raining. Several friends were getting crowded and pushed around at the soundboard. Usually the soundboard is where you go for some breathing room. Not that one! Also, the crowd control down there was bad.

My wife made the trek to the toilets, and when she came back she said that people were coming in and just stopping at the entrance to the stadium floor. As if that's where they were going to stay for the rest of the night (this was before Interpol went on).

I noticed that in my 12 years of living in Minnesota that if there seemed to be a line somewhere, Minnesotans would naturally take their place at the end of the line and not ask any questions on where the line led to or even if it was the line they were supposed to be in. It is some weird need for order. I am wondering if that was the case here too. "Do not want to step where I am not supposed to go" type thing.

I thought things were fine in the pit area where we were (Adam's side).

 

[hand0lotion]

believe me, it does

Adam and I respectfully disagree. He's the water and tea sipping sort.

Beer is nice for baseball games, though.

I don't know what MSU's 'no alcohol' backstory is, but it's incredible that they managed to get Rolling Stones and now U2 to play at Spartan. Isn't Spartan pretty small?

 

[gvox]

No beer? Fuck that.

 

[beershack]

No beer? Fuck that.

maybe thats why GA sucked there?

 

[gvox]

FTR: I'm not saying the GA sucked there, I wasn't there.

I'm saying it's the worst attended GA section. From all reports so far, it's because the venue had some restrictions. So I guess understandable.

 

[Achtung11]

What looks bad is not the low GA attendance but the fact that it was still sunny out when the show started! What's up with that? How early did they come on? Seeing the claw light up when EBTTRT starts rocking is an amazing moment.

 

[Miroslava]

I think they might have started a teeny bit earlier than usual, but not much. Michigan gets sun until well past 9 during the summer since we are on the tail end of Eastern Standard Time. So in the winter, when you are watching the 5:00 pm news and someone is reporting from the pitch dark outdoors in NY or DC, we still have daylight here even though it is the same time.

 

[Achtung11]

I think they might have started a teeny bit earlier than usual, but not much. Michigan gets sun until well past 9 during the summer since we are on the tail end of Eastern Standard Time. So in the winter, when you are watching the 5:00 pm news and someone is reporting from the pitch dark outdoors in NY or DC, we still have daylight here even though it is the same time.

Ah I see, that makes a lot of sense.

 

[jd45177]

FTR: I'm not saying the GA sucked there, I wasn't there.

I'm saying it's the worst attended GA section. From all reports so far, it's because the venue had some restrictions. So I guess understandable.

The small GA crowd wasn't the result of lack of interest on anyone's part. MSU limited the number of people allowed in GA.

What looks bad is not the low GA attendance but the fact that it was still sunny out when the show started! What's up with that? How early did they come on? Seeing the claw light up when EBTTRT starts rocking is an amazing moment.

Like Miro said, it's because MI is on the tail-end of EST. It was still amazing to see but MUCH better when it's dark.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

As with most college stadiums, no booze was sold.

Definitely not true, at least the "as with most college stadiums" line.

Only NCAA run events are mandatory dry events, meaning an event that is actually run and funded not by the individual school or some outside company , but by the governing body of the NCAA themselves.

That's why the preseason NIT blows, where as the big east tournament fucking rules.

 

[Pop Artist]

I wish I had an overview shot of Montreal to post next to this. What a change. Sounds really nice this, little people is much better IMO. Less pushing, less assholes.

Montreal was inner circle or bust in GA because the rest was MASSIVE:

Front half of field:

Back half of field:

 

[hand0lotion]

Crazy. I've never seen the soundboard in the middle of the stadium before

 

[popacrobat]

I waltzed right into the inner pit on the second night in Montreal right before 5. easy peasy.