Will the next tour be in stadiums or arena's in the United States?

[Steve_Bono]

For Chicago on the third leg of Elevation you needed to get there VERY early in the morning to get in the heart. People started camping out overnight in a lot of markets on the third leg. First leg I would get there at 10am and have no problem, but not the third leg. It also was not a set "300" people in line got in the heart. There were VIP's that would get spots also. The heart had a capacity of 300 (supposedly), but sometimes only about 200 to 250 actual camping out fans made it in.

I would suspect that if there is fewer spots on the floor (IE arena tour), people are going to camp out overnight for sure to get the prime spots. U2 GA is just insanity now IMO. I'm glad I got my fill of it when I did. No thanks!

The Third leg on Elevation is actually the only time I made it into the "Heart, Elipse, inner ring" until the 360 tour.

The show was in Philadelphia. They did only one show on the third leg in Philadelphia so demand was extra high. We stayed the night before at the "stadium hotel" in sports complex by the arenas and stadiums. I woke up early at 6 AM to go and check to see where the line was and and how many people were in it. Could not actually find it at first. Then discovered it was technically off the property but close by. There were around 100 in line at that point, so I ran back to the hotel to wake all my friends up. By the time my friends and I were lined up, it was about 8:30 and we were around the 200 mark.

So we waited and had fun the rest of the day playing football by the line and chasing girls, distributing beer, eating food, good times. I checked to see where the 300 mark was and did find someone later from around that point inside the Heart with us.

One friend was a bit drunk and mistakenly believed we were "locked into the heart" and would not be able to get out until after the show. We learned this later after his little incident. His incident involved wipping it out and relieving his bladder onto the floor in the middle of the heart. We were all in shock, but relieved that no one noticed.

Great show, and the best views of the band I had until being in the inner ring on 360. I think the inner ring on 360 was better than the heart because of the bridges where the band members would sometimes be directly over your head.

 

[Blue Room]

I witnessed a couple actually pay two guys to camp out all day for them during Elevation. The couple showed up at about 3pm and the two guys left after getting paid for standing in line for them all day. It did not bother me because it did not change my place in line but I thought that was pretty extreme. It appeared to be a wealthy couple and the wife wanted to be up front or in the heart. I think the husband could have cared less about U2.

First leg Elevation I would show up around 9-10am and I was typically anywhere from 10th to 30th in line (this was Chicago). I did go once at 7am because we wanted to be front row for a show, I was 5th in line then. Third leg Elevation I got there around 5am for both and I was about 100th in line and probably 80-90 people in front of me had camped out most of the night. Got in the heart and stood right in the center of it both of those nights vs my typical Edge side rail spot or front row. Had a lot of space, could see everything great, was close to the band and it was great for recording. Best of all worlds really.

I guess I burned out on GA on Elevation. It got to be such a hassle and the weather in Chicago on the third leg was awful (freezing drizzle both days). I feel like I got to see them up close a lot and I do not have to be that close again. I feel lucky as many will never see them that close. But my priorities have changed since then in so many ways, I will just get a reserved seat and not have to sweat the GA stress again.

 

[ClaytonsKitten]

The only reason I even want to consider the GA madness is because I've never had the opportunity to do it. Being along the rail in front of Adam is a bucket lister of mine.

 

[powerhour24]

360 was so easy because of the scope, for some of the shows I went to I was busy until the time the gates were being opened and yet I got right up close any way. I also did the Red Zone for one show which was relaxing by comparison to any other GA experiences, though obviously not the best angle. Arena shows I'll be all GA, I actually really enjoyed getting to watch 360 from the nosebleeds as well because you couldn't see half of the spectacle from the inner circle/right up close.

 

[gvox]

One friend was a bit drunk and mistakenly believed we were "locked into the heart" and would not be able to get out until after the show. We learned this later after his little incident. His incident involved wipping it out and relieving his bladder onto the floor in the middle of the heart. We were all in shock, but relieved that no one noticed.

What the actual fuck.

 

[mikal]

The Third leg on Elevation is actually the only time I made it into the "Heart, Elipse, inner ring" until the 360 tour.

The show was in Philadelphia. They did only one show on the third leg in Philadelphia so demand was extra high. We stayed the night before at the "stadium hotel" in sports complex by the arenas and stadiums. I woke up early at 6 AM to go and check to see where the line was and and how many people were in it. Could not actually find it at first. Then discovered it was technically off the property but close by. There were around 100 in line at that point, so I ran back to the hotel to wake all my friends up. By the time my friends and I were lined up, it was about 8:30 and we were around the 200 mark.

So we waited and had fun the rest of the day playing football by the line and chasing girls, distributing beer, eating food, good times. I checked to see where the 300 mark was and did find someone later from around that point inside the Heart with us.

One friend was a bit drunk and mistakenly believed we were "locked into the heart" and would not be able to get out until after the show. We learned this later after his little incident. His incident involved wipping it out and relieving his bladder onto the floor in the middle of the heart. We were all in shock, but relieved that no one noticed.

Great show, and the best views of the band I had until being in the inner ring on 360. I think the inner ring on 360 was better than the heart because of the bridges where the band members would sometimes be directly over your head.

That is one of the funniest things I've read in a whole. Lol!

Sent from my Nexus 5 using U2 Interference mobile app

 

[ClaytonsKitten]

360 was so easy because of the scope, for some of the shows I went to I was busy until the time the gates were being opened and yet I got right up close any way. I also did the Red Zone for one show which was relaxing by comparison to any other GA experiences, though obviously not the best angle. Arena shows I'll be all GA, I actually really enjoyed getting to watch 360 from the nosebleeds as well because you couldn't see half of the spectacle from the inner circle/right up close.

The light show was SPECTACULAR from the higher-up seats. It really was breathtaking.

 

[jeevey]

"A bit" drunk? I guess you could call it that.

 

[powerhour24]

The light show was SPECTACULAR from the higher-up seats. It really was breathtaking.

Seeing just how high those pillars of light shot into the sky during City of Blinding Lights was wicked cool.

 

[corianderstem]

Strike 36,286 against the Rose Bowl DVD: not capturing that moment. Best Claw part of the whole show.





(Or IS it on the DVD, and I'm just thinking of the umpteen eleventy video bootlegs, where I keep yelling "PAN OUT! PULL BACK! AHHHHH, WHY DIDN'T YOU SHOW THE CLAW!" at the filmer.)

 

[powerhour24]

Seriously, I wish they'd shot an earlier show, Bono's voice was pretty darn strained by that point (this after releasing a DVD capturing shows where he was sick for the Vertigo tour and relegating the far superior Milan show to a partial release as a bonus on a deluxe compilation), and the Rose Bowl's such a weird venue to picture the full effect of the show because of how spread out the crowd is. I guess they wanted the biggest audience they were likely to get.

And yeah, it needed way more steady wide shots.

 

[phommel]

Thanks! I think you are getting stadiums!!!!! Take that!

Ok, arenas for the US and a club tour in Europe!

 

[phommel]

Some European cities with 11-26k arenas;

Stockholm, Bærum (Oslo), Malmö, Herning, Hamburg, Berlin, Prague, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Gdansk, Krakow (new venue), Hannover, Köln, Munich, Bremen, Dortmund, Mannheim, Vienna, Lyon, Paris, Marseille, Montpellier, Zürich, Berne, Turin, Milan, Rome, Budapest, Zagreb, Belgrade, Kaunas, Barcelona, Madrid, Cascais (Lisbon)....

Pretty much an entire European tour there.

The 'problem' is that U2 is still too big and famous in th emainstream. With an average arena capacity of ~18,000, and assuming similar demand for tickets as during 360, U2 will need to play 170(!) shows only in Europe
So that is not going to happen, I am afraid...

Wouldn't it be great if they were doing a combination of stadiums, arenas and clubs? Smth like the Stones did in 2003? (Here in the Netherlands they played 4x stadium, 1x arena and 1x club

 

[Aardvark747]

One friend was a bit drunk and mistakenly believed we were "locked into the heart" and would not be able to get out until after the show. We learned this later after his little incident. His incident involved wipping it out and relieving his bladder onto the floor in the middle of the heart.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

The 'problem' is that U2 is still too big and famous in th emainstream. With an average arena capacity of ~18,000, and assuming similar demand for tickets as during 360, U2 will need to play 170(!) shows only in Europe
So that is not going to happen, I am afraid...

Wouldn't it be great if they were doing a combination of stadiums, arenas and clubs? Smth like the Stones did in 2003? (Here in the Netherlands they played 4x stadium, 1x arena and 1x club

That would be phenomenal, provided of course they had a different set list to match the venue, as the Stones did.

For the prices that a club gig would go for, they better play some obscure shit.

Sent from my android cause iphones are for old people

 

[YBORCITY]

Seeing just how high those pillars of light shot into the sky during City of Blinding Lights was wicked cool.

Also the effects of the spot lights shooting up toward the mirror ball during WOWY and MOS was truly amazing.

 

[ClaytonsKitten]

I am still disappointed in the lack of a second 360 DVD. The shows/setlist done post-Glastonbury had a completely different feel to them. All the AB songs to open??? ZOOROPA! Why oh why didn't they put that out on dvd!!??

*goes off to live vicariously through bootlegs*

 

[YBORCITY]

I am still disappointed in the lack of a second 360 DVD. The shows/setlist done post-Glastonbury had a completely different feel to them. All the AB songs to open??? ZOOROPA! Why oh why didn't they put that out on dvd!!??

*goes off to live vicariously through bootlegs*

This is a great point, the MetLife Stadium show was unbelievable with them roaring through the AB songs to start..... great great night.

Also CK - SRQ misses you

 

[Steve_Bono]

I am still disappointed in the lack of a second 360 DVD. The shows/setlist done post-Glastonbury had a completely different feel to them. All the AB songs to open??? ZOOROPA! Why oh why didn't they put that out on dvd!!??

*goes off to live vicariously through bootlegs*

Because the 360 tour is about the NLOTH album, not Achtung Baby. Had Bono not hurt his back and the 2nd leg North American tour rescheduled to a year later, you would not have seen all those AB songs.

The 360 DVD at the Rose Bowl is great, and features 7 songs from the NLOTH album!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

This is a great point, the MetLife Stadium show was unbelievable with them roaring through the AB songs to start..... great great night.

Also CK - SRQ misses you

I would absolutely buy a bluray of that MetLife show.

Far and away better than the first leg at giants stadium

Sent from my android cause iphones are for old people

 

[BoMac]

Hopefully U2's new management will see the value in doing something like this.

Or is the U2 fanbase too old and out of touch to know, or care, how to download music?

Backstreets.com: Springsteen News

 

[jeevey]

That would be so brilliant. On the other hand, potential tour budget just increased geometrically, and free trading of Springsteen bootlegs just ceased to exist because virtually everything new will be an offical release. Do we really want that?

 

[sharebear]

If you're complaining about the potential release of soundboards from every show, then you need to give yourself a nice kick in the butt. Somehow, not sure how to arrange a self-administered booty-kicking. It would be amazing to have all the U2 shows in excellent soundboard audio. Springsteen's crew finally saw the light of day on it, but have fumbled a bit in the execution (USB wristbands and overpricing), but the idea is amazing.

Gladly give up trading of bootlegs in favor of superior audio.

 

[popacrobat]

I think there's plenty of excellent audio out there as it is. Some bootlegs certainly sound better than the DVDs. Given that U2 are such extreme perfectionists, I wouldn't bet on it happening.

 

[trevgreg]

I think there's plenty of excellent audio out there as it is. Some bootlegs certainly sound better than the DVDs. Given that U2 are such extreme perfectionists, I wouldn't bet on it happening.

Soundboard quality is always a plus for official releases, especially if it was a show that you were at. But there are some bootlegs out there that don't sound bad at all.. and are maybe better than soundboard ones in some respects.

 

[Steve_Bono]

If they do Arenas for this tour, this is how I think the ticket prices will be.
3 levels of ticket prices:

$290 - lower level sides
$120 - lower level rear end and rear stage, ENTIRE upper level except rear stage
$60 - General Admission and upper level rear stage

Definitely some increases with the top tier and 2nd tier prices over 360, but that's natural given the move to arenas. I'm thinking the GA and bottom level price will be about the same as they were on 360.

 

[Steve_Bono]

One possible hypothetical global arena tour could be like the following:
120 dates total:
01. London 10 dates
02. Dublin 10 dates
03. Paris 10 dates
04. Munich 10 dates
05. Milan 10 dates
06. Montreal 5 dates
07. Toronto 5 dates
08. Boston 4 dates
09. New York 10 dates
10. Philadelphia 4 dates
11. Washington DC 2 dates
12. Miami 2 dates
13. Denver 2 dates
14. Chicago 6 dates
15. San Francisco 4 dates
16. Los Angeles 6 dates
17. Mexico City 5 dates
18. Sao Paulo 5 dates
19. Sydney 5 dates
20. Tokyo 5 dates

120 shows in 20 cities covering the major regions of the world where U2 has played in the past. With just 20 stops, it makes the traveling arrangements easier on the band. With the same ticket price arrangement as above, the band could gross $3 million dollars just from ticket sales at each show and wind up with a gross of $360 million dollars, , half of what they did on 360, but with a tour lasting only 9 months at most. It would still be one of the top 10 grossing tours of all time, and the highest grossing arena only tour of all time. Cost would be low, profits high. The tour could start in July 2014 and be finished by March 2015.

 

[Galeongirl]

Ehhh what about Amsterdam?

 

[phommel]

Hopefully U2's new management will see the value in doing something like this.

Or is the U2 fanbase too old and out of touch to know, or care, how to download music?

Backstreets.com: Springsteen News

The idea is great, but not new! PearlJam is doing smth similar already for almost 15 (FIFTEEN!) years!! First on CD, now CD and digital!
But the Springsteen team cearly demonstrated that they had/have no clue abou
: a USB-stick that you have to send and will receive back with concert on it, ...for $30 ??
Because of a lot of online commotion, now they also added teh possibility of digital downloads.

Anyway, what PJ or Springsteen is doing totally fits with how their live performances sound like! Every night an almost completely different set!
For example, last year there were two subsequent Amsterdam shows of PJ with in total 1 song overlap!!

It would be a bit ridiculous to have 50 show-downloads from U2 containing an almost similar set...

 

[Steve_Bono]

Ehhh what about Amsterdam?

The Dutch can easily get to London or Paris.