(03-09-2005) U2 Cancels Sydney Gigs -- The Daily Telegraph*

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

dsmith2904

ONE love, blood, life
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
12,290
Location
Just keep me where the light is
U2 Cancels Sydney Gigs

U2 has shelved plans to tour Australia in 2005 to satisfy demand for more concerts in the US. The band, led by Bono yesterday gave details of another North American leg, ending on December 19.
Fan sites and sources close to the band had speculated the Vertigo tour would head here in December.

Representatives of U2 were believed to have put four December concert dates on hold for the Sydney Superdome, but now the Australian leg of the tour remains on hold until 2006.

--The Daily Telegraph
 
Well duh! If the N.A. Tour ends December 19th, they're not just gonna hop on a plane to do an Aussie tour.

They'll probalby take a few weeks or a month off before heading down under in early 2006 (like the break between the 2nd and 3rd legs of the tour)
 
:eyebrow:

They cant cancel something that wasn't ever announced

:slant:

They'll get there...
 
That is far from cancelling the gigs...jeez these reporters have shit for brains.
 
:confused:

A third leg that had always been planned ahead of Australia... everything just got pushed back...
 
I can understand U2 playing dates in America/Canada that were missed out on the first leg but see no reason why they should return to the same cities to play multiple shows there again, when they always stated that they would play Australia.

Its sad for the Aus/New Zealand fans.

Its only an opinion but I wouldnt expect any (sorry most) of the American fans to agree with it.
 
Last edited:
A classic example of the media institution creating news instead of reporting it. What can hardly be called rescheduling has been altered and turned into canceling in a reckless dramatization for the purpose of attracting readership. 'Even better than the real thing....'

Jon
 
Last edited:
Bono's Tart said:
I can understand U2 playing dates in America/Canada that were missed out on the first leg but see no reason why they should return to the same cities to play multiple shows there again, when they always stated that they would play Australia.

Its sad for the Aus/New Zealand fans.

Its only an opinion but I wouldnt expect any (sorry most) of the American fans to agree with it.

Why is it sad?:huh:

They'll still get their tour down under, but it's just being pushed back a few weeks. U2 always planned a 3rd leg in the U.S...the only difference is that the illness in edge's family pushed the tour back a month.
 
ImOuttaControl said:


Why is it sad?:huh:

They'll still get their tour down under, but it's just being pushed back a few weeks. U2 always planned a 3rd leg in the U.S...the only difference is that the illness in edge's family pushed the tour back a month.

Exactly, U2 arent playing that many more shows than they originally planned. But because of the first month of the first leg being moved to the third leg it extended it.

The only way it would be sad for the Australian fans IMO is if they decided not to go there. Which they obviously still plan to go there. If the 4th leg goes like the Popmart 4th leg the Aussies are looking at getting the best leg of the tour. Besides, Australia got Lovetown, the U.S. Did not. I would have been happy to trade!!! :lol: ;)
 
"Besides, Australia got Lovetown, the U.S. Did not. I would have been happy to trade!!"

-Are you serious? The only reason we got the Lovetown Tour was becuase U2 did not get to Australia for the JT Tour because they toured the USA and Europe to extensively!!!

Australia has had no U2 concerts since Popmart 1998 and New Zealand none since the Zoo Tv Tour in 1993. We did not get the Elevation tour... So don't be offended if I point out that everybody in Australia is getting very impatient and sick and tired of Americans complaining about presales and the like... We would all love the oportunity to try and get U2 concert tickets!

If U2 were fair dinkum about all there fans around the world, not just Americans and Europeans, they would have come to Australia in December as initially indicated and toured the USA in 2006.

After the Elevation tour and Vertigo 1st leg I'm sure the USA could wait.
 
Bono's Tart said:
I can understand U2 playing dates in America/Canada that were missed out on the first leg but see no reason why they should return to the same cities to play multiple shows there again, when they always stated that they would play Australia.

Its sad for the Aus/New Zealand fans.

Its only an opinion but I wouldnt expect any (sorry most) of the American fans to agree with it.

I think you are over-simplifying the process.

The first leg of the tour had a set amount of cities and dates. Granted, these were never "official" - but they were definitely leaked and had U2 not postponed the start of the tour, this schedule would have been followed. When the schedule was rearranged (due to whatever reasons) that forced the readjustment of all shows in the U.S. and Canada.

In other words, it was possible that cities in Canada were scheduled for the first leg. It was possible that instead of U2 revisiting some of the same cities again, they were to hit other nearby cities. For example, U2 is planning another 2 shows in Chicago on the third leg after already having 4 shows there on the first leg. On the surface, this seems ridiculous. But logistics was probably the deciding factor here. U2 may have wanted to hit South Bend or Indianapolis or other nearby cities, but were unable to due so because of the rescheduling (i.e., the venue was not available in those cities at that time). Hence, the easiest thing to do was have another 2 shows in a major city in that area. The same is true for Boston and NYC.

Also, shows that were to be in the first leg were pushed to the third leg. As such, the third leg is now extended. Consequently, this pushed back the Australian/Japan shows.

I admit, if I were in Australia, I'd be disappointed knowing I have to wait another year to see U2. This is especially frustrating since U2 didn't stop in Australia for their last tour.

However, U2 promised they'd hit Australia this time and I hope they keep that promise (barring some unforeseen event). I also think U2 should tour the continents of South America and Africa as well as other countries, like Mexico and New Zealand. This could be their last big tour and given the success of this album, why not extend the tour in 2006 and hit these countries one last time? U2 might not ever go there again!

Of course, that's me - I'm not the one out their touring.

I hope that U2 will tour these other countries soon. And I hope people there have as much ease getting tickets as Propaganda/U2.com members did on this recent Third Leg presale. :yes:
 
Wesb said:
"Besides, Australia got Lovetown, the U.S. Did not. I would have been happy to trade!!"

-Are you serious? The only reason we got the Lovetown Tour was becuase U2 did not get to Australia for the JT Tour because they toured the USA and Europe to extensively!!!

Australia has had no U2 concerts since Popmart 1998 and New Zealand none since the Zoo Tv Tour in 1993. We did not get the Elevation tour... So don't be offended if I point out that everybody in Australia is getting very impatient and sick and tired of Americans complaining about presales and the like... We would all love the oportunity to try and get U2 concert tickets!

If U2 were fair dinkum about all there fans around the world, not just Americans and Europeans, they would have come to Australia in December as initially indicated and toured the USA in 2006. Now South America, they have really received the shaft over the years. Some die hards down there. They are the ones that should be upset.

After the Elevation tour and Vertigo 1st leg I'm sure the USA could wait.

:lol: Man, lighten up!! Did you see the wink on my post?? Given the trade off between Joshua Tree and Lovetown I would pick Lovetown in a heartbeat. So YES, I'am serious about that part of it.

Look, U2 were planning to play "supposedly" in December 2005 in Australia. Now, they may be playing in Jan. or Feb 2006. I dont see what the huge deal is really? 2 to 3 more months over what it was "rumored" to be before is not a huge deal. Honestly, it just seem a bit whiney. But U2 fans would never be whiney, would they??!! ;)

Tours are about marketing and money, may not be what you want to hear but its the bottom line. Australia is not a lucrative market. Be happy they are coming period. Now the South American fans, they are the ones that I can see being upset. They have been grossly neglected MANY times and there are no rumors Vertigo is going there this time. I hope it happens for them though, they deserve it more than any other region really.
 
Last edited:
I missed the wink.... We are all a little bit on edge down here at the moment.

I guess my point is that I know that the US is a more lucrative market... but jees, do they really need the money all that much? I'm sure the US market will still be lucrative in 2006! There are plenty of Aussie's with ALTYCLB and HTDAAB that would like to hear some songs live!

Also, a lot of Aussies are very nervous because the Elevation Tour was suppose to come here and never did. So in that regard we have been down this road before and are getting a little bit impatient.

If U2 pay us a little courtesy and confirm that there will be a 4th leg we will breath a little easier and not worry about a 2 month wait- lets hope the 2 month wait does not turn into a few more years.
 
Yes I am not angry over the concerts being pushed back a few weeks back, just anxious that they will do a repeat like last tour. I hope that U2 will confirm something so all us aussies dont have to sit through the year worrying about it.
 
U2 are taking a big gamble. They haven't even played a single show yet. Live is very different from the album and U2 have a great track record live. But if in the unlikely event the first leg won't be what people expected and will get a ton of backlash, then there will be no interest anymore for the third leg in America. It could be a repeat of third leg Popmart where they will be playing to half-empty venues.

They safer route for U2 would have been to make the third leg in markets they haven't played in a while: Oz/NZ, Japan, South America, South Africa, etc. so they can guarantee sold out shows for the rest of the year and bag the year's most attended and highest grossing tour.

One all the hype gets to America, U2 will be all set to restart a 4th leg with a new Zooropa-type album to renew waning fan interest in HTDAAB by the time U2 would hit that. And they would be able to tour Europe through the summer of 2006 with a new album and a world tour with as many shows as Zoo TV.

Cheers,

J
 
I think U2 fans in the Southern Hemisphere should be very concerned.

I remember The Edge getting on Australian TV explaining that the Elevation tour wasn't coming to Australia purely on the basis of economics.

The fact is, the economic outlook for Australia is looking to get worse in the next year or so than it was around 2001.

Out of the last three tours down here, U2 came twice on the back of follow-up albums (Lovetown-Rattle and Hum;Zoomerang-Zooropa) ...and we know they won't make the same mistakes they did with Popmart which led to recriminations like the sacking of their long-time accountant Ossie Kilkenny.

They're not coming here without a making profit.

The only way I see U2 touring is on the back of a Zooropa-style follow-up because the steam has certainly run out of the HTDAAB campaign down here.
 
Last edited:
Wesb said:
"Besides, Australia got Lovetown, the U.S. Did not. I would have been happy to trade!!"

-Are you serious? The only reason we got the Lovetown Tour was becuase U2 did not get to Australia for the JT Tour because they toured the USA and Europe to extensively!!!

Australia has had no U2 concerts since Popmart 1998 and New Zealand none since the Zoo Tv Tour in 1993. We did not get the Elevation tour... So don't be offended if I point out that everybody in Australia is getting very impatient and sick and tired of Americans complaining about presales and the like... We would all love the oportunity to try and get U2 concert tickets!

If U2 were fair dinkum about all there fans around the world, not just Americans and Europeans, they would have come to Australia in December as initially indicated and toured the USA in 2006.

After the Elevation tour and Vertigo 1st leg I'm sure the USA could wait.

The fact of the matter is theres ONLY ONE BAND. And as unfortunate as it is, Austrailia is a smaller market and as humble as we like to think the band is, America is where the money is. No matter how much we want to think this band is so "pure", money still makes its way in the picture. Its not about how the Americans can wait. Fact is, this is where the money is and they're going to saturate it as much as they can. Thats the business. Hopefully they make it down there...they owe it to you.
 
Bad Templar said:

The only way I see U2 touring is on the back of a Zooropa-style follow-up because the steam has certainly run out of the HTDAAB campaign down here.

But couldn't a tour possibly turn out more buzz for HTDAAB? Please don't tell me they've become like some acts that only get people's interest for their live shows but don't create much interest in their new music. That would be very disheartening. Anyhow, don't most bands use tours to promote their music rather than the other way around? Maybe a bit of cross-promotion; whatever works.

I do hope they tour the Southern Hemisphere - 2001 was a let down and even though one has to be realistic about the economics of bringing the tours the extra distance, I don't think the outlook is that bleak. They have a large following that's eager to see them especially after the last tour. I don't know how expensive it will be to set up this tour; I admit I'm rather ignorant to the logistics of the situation but get rid of a few light bulbs if you have to - just show up. ;)
 
violetfly said:
But couldn't a tour possibly turn out more buzz for HTDAAB? Please don't tell me they've become like some acts that only get people's interest for their live shows but don't create much interest in their new music. That would be very disheartening. Anyhow, don't most bands use tours to promote their music rather than the other way around? Maybe a bit of cross-promotion; whatever works.

I wouldn't want to be a band touring on 18-month to 2-year-old material. I haven't heard of many bands that would do that.
 
that's fine with me.. to move the aussie tour for 2006 and to max their trip to the east, they can always add manila! whooppeeee!!!
 
PhoenixGNX said:

No matter how much we want to think this band is so "pure", money still makes its way in the picture.

I don't think anyone is still under the illusion that the U2 of 1987 and the U2 of 2005 are the same band.
 
Last edited:
umm...they were always gonna have the US-Europe-US-Australia thing. it just got pushed back a measly little month due to someone being ill. U2 were supposed to play Atlanta about a week ago (my first time seeing them at all, btw), and it got postponed about 6 months due to the massive rescheduling thing. I'm not upset about it. So why are you upset that you'll be seeing them in January 06 as opposed to December 05?:huh:

edited to say that I'm not talking to the people who are *rightly* concerned about the band going down there at all. They need to stop caring so much about how much of a profit they're making, they have more money than God anyway.:|
 
Last edited:
The fear is that U2 won't tour Australia at all this tour.

Last tour U2 were due to tour Australia but cancelled completely hence the jumpiness of Australians wondering if U2 have merely postponed Oz or completely cancelled.

Edited: VertigoGal you edited your post as I typed.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom