U2 to Perform First Concerts at MSG Sphere in Las Vegas

[Headache in a Suitcase]

hello (hello)
it's me
i'm in las vegas now eating all the cheese

so helloooo from the buffet linnnnnne
don't bother me during mealtimmmmmme

 

[BigMacPhisto]

U2 has been too big for amphitheaters for over 30 years. Seeing them from the arena floor (for $120 or less) has basically been a club-like experience for the past 20 years.
]

There’s no “too big” for amphitheaters. Tons of acts like Lorde and Arcade Fire have purposely downgraded from arenas because they feel the experience doesn’t allow for connectivity with their fans. And as someone who goes to basically every venue in the Bay Area, I can definitely say that concerts lose a lot of the magic in arenas and stadiums (and shitty Ticketmaster poor-sightline pavillions). This whole argument always comes at a place of privilege because most of the fans in here expect to have floor tickets and be relatively close to the band which isn’t an experience most fans get. I can say without a doubt that way towards the back of places here like Bill Graham or Berkeley Greek is still a very intimate setting and close to the action. It’s nothing like being in the rafters or on the other side of the basketball court at these larger venues.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

When did this ever happen? They didn’t do this at all. You are making this up.

The longest stretch of SOI songs was iris-CR-SFS. That’s three, and they followed it with SBS.

Going back and checking set lists in 2015 and 2018 were very mixed with old and new. So, you don’t know what you are talking about. At all it seems?

Way to misread my post. I meant opening the tour, as in the earliest dates of SOE. My number of 13 was wrong though as they played “only” 12 songs from those shite albums on opening night (and 11 thereafter). Because it’s a real bright idea to perform that many new songs from records the public was so lukewarm towards. Band regularly played like 6-8 new songs on previous tours each night with JT and AB probably going a little higher for their tours.

https://u2tours.com/tours/concert/bok-center-tulsa-may-02-2018

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

There’s no “too big” for amphitheaters. Tons of acts like Lorde and Arcade Fire have purposely downgraded from arenas because they feel the experience doesn’t allow for connectivity with their fans. And as someone who goes to basically every venue in the Bay Area, I can definitely say that concerts lose a lot of the magic in arenas and stadiums (and shitty Ticketmaster poor-sightline pavillions). This whole argument always comes at a place of privilege because most of the fans in here expect to have floor tickets and be relatively close to the band which isn’t an experience most fans get. I can say without a doubt that way towards the back of places here like Bill Graham or Berkeley Greek is still a very intimate setting and close to the action. It’s nothing like being in the rafters or on the other side of the basketball court at these larger venues.

there is.

of course an act can do as they please. U2 can tour clubs if they so desire. but they'd never in a million years be able to meet demand by playing smaller venues - which would drive ticket prices through the roof (and they're already likely to be very expensive).

so yes - it is entirely possible for a band to "outgrow" certain venues.

also lorde and arcade fire? come on. i love arcade fire but they are not on U2's level when it comes to being a live draw.

 

[DeVaul]

There’s no “too big” for amphitheaters. Tons of acts like Lorde and Arcade Fire have purposely downgraded from arenas because they feel the experience doesn’t allow for connectivity with their fans.

Purposely downgraded?

Lorde’s album whiffed, label realized it had no hits so she was booked for smaller stages. AF’s Everything Now arena tour sold poorly, hence the Live Nation shed tour after firing their manager and the much smaller scale itinerary for the WE tour.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Never let facts get in the way of a bad argument

 

[HeartlandGirl]

This whole argument always comes at a place of privilege because most of the fans in here expect to have floor tickets and be relatively close to the band which isn’t an experience most fans get.

I think you underestimate how many of us around these parts are really short.

 

[DeVaul]

never let facts get in the way of a bad argument

 

[Irvine511]

I think you underestimate how many of us around these parts are really short.

Yes, but he’s been to “basically” every venue in the entire Bay Area. Can you imagine anyone else possessing such experience? Let alone try and fathom the wisdom of a self-anointed authority who has literally tens of opinions and anecdotes to prove his dozens of points?

I’m just a super-spoiled, privileged fan who is drowning in so much excess income that I can literally just throw $40 a year (!!!) out the window like I’m Bill Gates in exchange for the understanding that I’ll always be able to get tickets.

 

[maycocksean]

I happened across an article about this U2 residency and had to drop in here to see what the chatter was. I would totally make a trip out to Vegas to see them. Ticket costs are a concern however. I hope they won't be exorbitant. I wonder if they will have pre-sales as they did for their tours?

 

[Hewson]

I wonder if they will have pre-sales as they did for their tours?

My suspicion is that your U2.com membership won't give you any advantage or privilege for the Vegas residency, but who knows.

 

[DeVaul]

My suspicion is that your U2.com membership won't give you any advantage or privilege for the Vegas residency, but who knows.

Unsure. It’s the equivalent of multiple arena dates in the same city for however long. They want to sell out every show and maximize the gate so I see no harm in letting some folks in the door first. The appearance of demand would be free press. My fanboy heart chooses to believe U2 wouldn’t agree to this without basically guaranteeing they’d have some hardcores in the building.

The question I have is: is this going to be The Hits, The Hits Reimagined (Songs of Surrender “tour”) or the de facto ZooTV anniversary celebration shows?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

yea I would not be shocked if there IS a U2.com deal of some sort on these.

most of these Vegas residencies are in 4k to 8k seat buildings. This is a 17k to 20k arena (depending on how they decide to configure it for the show).

U2 can reach the same number of people in two nights that it takes the other residencies two weeks to reach. that's a lot of seats for an already oversaturated entertainment market - so you're going to want to do what you can to make sure those seats are full every night.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Unsure. It’s the equivalent of multiple arena dates in the same city for however long. They want to sell out every show and maximize the gate so I see no harm in letting some folks in the door first. The appearance of demand would be free press. My fanboy heart chooses to believe U2 wouldn’t agree to this without basically guaranteeing they’d have some hardcores in the building.

The question I have is: is this going to be The Hits, The Hits Reimagined (Songs of Surrender “tour”) or the de facto ZooTV anniversary celebration shows?

i think it will be the innocence tour on crack. not that they're going to rehash the set and scenes - but that they're going to want to take full advantage of the technology available to them with a TIGHT NARRATIVE (i.e. very static setlist).

since it seems as if a new album is on the way - i have no doubt that it'll include new songs.

if they break out a mostly acoustic set (i.e. songs of surrender) in this venue they'd be the stupidest motherfuckers on earth.

 

[DeVaul]

if they break out a mostly acoustic set (i.e. songs of surrender) in this venue they'd be the stupidest motherfuckers on earth.

They’re dumb.
(but not that dumb)

 

[maycocksean]

My suspicion is that your U2.com membership won't give you any advantage or privilege for the Vegas residency, but who knows.

You may be right. Nonetheless I'm going to check my subscription to be on the safe side (I think I might have forgot to renew).

 

[maycocksean]

This does not inspire confidence.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/26/...te=1&user_id=ff15c0a07c991f79b86185f670037749

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Purposely downgraded?

Lorde’s album whiffed, label realized it had no hits so she was booked for smaller stages. AF’s Everything Now arena tour sold poorly, hence the Live Nation shed tour after firing their manager and the much smaller scale itinerary for the WE tour.

I mean, way to just make stuff up? Lorde literally said she refused to do arenas again and she sold out half an arena here BEFORE the album came out very quickly.

Arcade Fire easily could fill up an arena. They do multiple nights here at the half-arena including selling out the first night at Bill Graham almost instantly. Also sold out two nights at the Berkeley Greek AFTER they had already exhausted a lot of demand via the arena tour.

But I guess everyone is an unsuccessful nobody because…U2! LOL.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Yes, but he’s been to “basically” every venue in the entire Bay Area. Can you imagine anyone else possessing such experience? Let alone try and fathom the wisdom of a self-anointed authority who has literally tens of opinions and anecdotes to prove his dozens of points?

I’m just a super-spoiled, privileged fan who is drowning in so much excess income that I can literally just throw $40 a year (!!!) out the window like I’m Bill Gates in exchange for the understanding that I’ll always be able to get tickets.

It doesn’t always give you tickets. Remember the Vertigo Tour fiasco much? That was just a waste of cash if there ever was one.

 

[DeVaul]

I mean, way to just make stuff up? Lorde literally said she refused to do arenas again and she sold out half an arena here BEFORE the album came out very quickly.

Arcade Fire easily could fill up an arena. They do multiple nights here at the half-arena including selling out the first night at Bill Graham almost instantly. Also sold out two nights at the Berkeley Greek AFTER they had already exhausted a lot of demand via the arena tour.

But I guess everyone is an unsuccessful nobody because…U2! LOL.

Lorde: doesn’t play arenas because she can’t sell them, no matter what the PR line she gives is.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanr...cket-sales-sluggish-career-still-flourishing/

AF: look at the venue choices this coming tour. Very few arenas. And it ain’t because of the fan experience.
https://diffuser.fm/arcade-fire-tour-sales/

Plenty of successful groups but if these two were “purposely downgraded” out of arenas it was by their booking agents.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

It doesn’t always give you tickets. Remember the Vertigo Tour fiasco much? That was just a waste of cash if there ever was one.

Bro the Vertigo first leg fuck up was 18 years ago.

 

[prbiker15]

https://www.u2songs.com/news/u2_tour_rumours_2023

Update: July 28

Over the last week we’ve been given information about a number of different stadium bookings. A previously reliable source on tour information has shared that Soldier Field has been booked for two shows by U2 for late Summer / early Fall. We’ve been told that the band has also booked a stadium for next summer in Dublin over the last few days. And KROQ radio hinted that an Irish band booked several dates for Sofi stadium for shows in 2023 this week before playing “Where the Streets Have No Name” (Thanks to Monopoly for that information!) Sofi stadium is a new venue, opened in late 2022 in Inglewood, California.

Although most of the news coverage has been about dates for Vegas at this new Sphere venue (see below), it looks as if U2 are booking up dates in stadiums in both Europe and North America for 2023. There appears to be some tour planning and routing going on behind the scenes. It appears that the band is looking at European shows in June through early August, and North American shows in late August through November. The Las Vegas Sphere complex is expected to open in late November.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Arcade Fire is playing 3 shoes at The Anthem in DC. There are still tickets available for one of them, but they'll likely all sell out . The Anthem has a 6,000 person capacity.

Capital One Arena holds 20k. Could they have technically played one show there and had a near sell out? Certainly possible.

Would everyone who bought tickets at the 6,000 capacity Anthem had bought tickets if they were nosebleeds at an arena vs GA floor seats at a large theater? Probably not.

AF purposefully chose smaller venues in certain markets not out of some artistic choice or want to make things better for the fans (after all, they chose arenas in some markets, too). They did it because of the uncertainty that they'd be able to fill arenas after the relatively poor performance of Everything Now.

If they thought they'd sell out arenas in every market, they would have played arenas in every market.

I can guarantee you that this was why they passed on playing only arenas.

 

[DeVaul]

Arcade Fire is playing 3 shoes at The Anthem in DC. There are still tickets available for one of them, but they'll likely all sell out . The Anthem has a 6,000 person capacity.

Capital One Arena holds 20k. Could they have technically played one show there and had a near sell out? Certainly possible.

Would everyone who bought tickets at the 6,000 capacity Anthem had bought tickets if they were nosebleeds at an arena vs GA floor seats at a large theater? Probably not.

And I’m sure some of the 6k people who fit in the venue bought tix for more than one night, so it’s not necessarily a straight 18k individuals to fill an arena either.

 

[DeVaul]

https://www.u2songs.com/news/u2_tour_rumours_2023

feckin’ stadiums for a new record?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

And I’m sure some of the 6k people who fit in the venue bought tix for more than one night, so it’s not necessarily a straight 18k individuals to fill an arena either.

Correct

 

[Irvine511]

feckin’ stadiums for a new record?

Rather confident of them after alienating literally everyone with “shite” records like SOI/E that they then went on to actually play songs from, confusing and boring the audience.

(I’d much prefer arenas too.)

 

[Hewson]

https://www.u2songs.com/news/u2_tour_rumours_2023

Sofi stadium is a new venue, opened in late 2022 in Inglewood, California.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

It's been 5 years. I have little doubt they'll do well in stadiums.

Stadiums also limits the "ehrmagad broocr charged 5 million dollarydoos for a tecket" side of things

 

[Hewson]

feckin’ stadiums for a new record?

Popmart 2.0?