Easy on our pockets Bono

[VertigoGal]

Ok, but what I was asking you is where yhou draw the line. First, you were saying that you think it's not right for the band to be charging so much and not giving to charity (your words, not mine, personally, I believe they donate privately)...but then you said that you would be OK with them not donating if tickets were cheaper. So at what prices do you think the band should be expected to start donating proceeds? And how do you factor in the costs of the tour production, etc? Just curious b/c it seems like every time you post, your opinion changes and I'm having a hard time following the logic....

I feel like they are charging prices that are higher than they need to be, sort of taking advantage of the fans (of course, no one has to go, but you know what I mean). Then they are using a whole part of the show to say we should pressure our leaders to put more money into Africa. Tax money is really our money. It just feels hypocritical. If they only charged what they needed to pay for the tour, it wouldn't feel as hypocritical. As it is, it's sort of like they're getting paid insane amounts to tell us how uncharitable we are (as a nation).

I'm sure the production is expensive, that's why I asked earlier if anyone knew their profit margin. From what I think I've read though, they'll be left with somethink like 100 million dollars. That's a lot of money.

To be honest, I think they (Bono) mean well, and I'd be reluctant to say my favorite band we're just in it for the cash. I don't really know what I think.

 

[walkon11]

Double post

 

[walkon11]

I feel like they are charging prices that are higher than they need to be, sort of taking advantage of the fans (of course, no one has to go, but you know what I mean). Then they are using a whole part of the show to say we should pressure our leaders to put more money into Africa. Tax money is really our money. It just feels hypocritical.

So, then, what do YOU think the prices should be? Although I do agree that $160 a ticket is pricey, the GA's (arguably "best seat in the house" if you can get it) are priced at around $50 bucks...great deal for what many consider the best live band around.

If they only charged what they needed to pay for the tour, it wouldn't feel as hypocritical. As it is, it's sort of like they're getting paid insane amounts to tell us how uncharitable we are (as a nation).

If they only charged what they needed to pay for the tour, THEY wouldn't get paid. As fun and effortless as it seems, being a musician is a hard job, one that deserves SOME pay.

I'm sure the production is expensive, that's why I asked earlier if anyone knew their profit margin. From what I think I've read though, they'll be left with somethink like 100 million dollars. That's a lot of money.

To be honest, I think they (Bono) mean well, and I'd be reluctant to say my favorite band we're just in it for the cash. I don't really know what I think.

Ok, then how much do YOU think they should be paid? I'm sorry, but arguably the BEST BAND IN THE WORLD should get paid as such. If people want to pay to see them, and buy the merchandise, and make the financial sacrifice to watch them live, then they DESERVE the money. I'm not saying it's not a lot (because it sure is), but who are you and I to say how much they "should" get paid? That depends on their popularity, their show, and ultimately their music. To be honest, all three are peaking now, so the money will be rolling in.

 

[antmccarthy]

This thread is turning into Live8 and charity giving.

Its a funny world. All because I thought the tour programme costs too much. Now people are complaining about their governments and tax levels.

Out of control!! truely

Cheers

 

[VertigoGal]

So, then, what do YOU think the prices should be? Although I do agree that $160 a ticket is pricey, the GA's (arguably "best seat in the house" if you can get it) are priced at around $50 bucks...great deal for what many consider the best live band around.

yeah, but who actually got GAs for face value? very few people. the average ticket price is more like 100 dollars.

If they only charged what they needed to pay for the tour, THEY wouldn't get paid. As fun and effortless as it seems, being a musician is a hard job, one that deserves SOME pay.

I know, but they have profit margin of something like 100 million dollars, I think. I think it would be a nice way to pay back their fans, to keep tickets at around 60 bucks avg, and only make 5 or 10 million (only )

Ok, then how much do YOU think they should be paid? I'm sorry, but arguably the BEST BAND IN THE WORLD should get paid as such. If people want to pay to see them, and buy the merchandise, and make the financial sacrifice to watch them live, then they DESERVE the money. I'm not saying it's not a lot (because it sure is), but who are you and I to say how much they "should" get paid? That depends on their popularity, their show, and ultimately their music. To be honest, all three are peaking now, so the money will be rolling in.

I understand the law of supply and demand. I just think it would be classy to keep their prices as low as possible. It would also be classy to say, "we really care about the issues in Africa that we champion, we don't need the money, the tour profits will go to such-and-such charity." I know they like to keep personal donations private, and I highly respect that. But in the past they've always announced when they were donating a direct portion of the proceeds from an album, single, tour, whatever.

I just think the general public would respect and listen to Bono a lot more if he put his money behind it.

 

[VertigoGal]

This thread is turning into Live8 and charity giving.

Its a funny world. All because I thought the tour programme costs too much. Now people are complaining about their governments and tax levels.

Out of control!! truely

Cheers

lol, its all in good fun

 

[cdparky]

After Popmart they said they would not tour again if they weren't going to make any money off it (they lost on both Zoo TV and Popmart). I can't see any problem in that. Nobody is forced to buy tickets and / or merchandise. It's all about supply & demand, the basis of every economy and the societies in which many of us live. Every artist tours to make money so why should U2 be any different? After all the complaining about this tour being "Elevation 2", what would people make of a return to the totally stripped down nature of the early 80s? Don't the general public expect something more?

To answer the many comments about charitable donations, they have said many times that whatever they give they don't publicise (in almost all cases). If they do accusations of being publicity seeking come in, if they don't people ask why not. No-win situation really.

 

[Chizip]

well just to counter your first point, Popmart didn't lose money

U2 was guaranteed 100 million before the tour even started by the promoter. The tour ended up grossing 171 million, so U2 got the 100 million and the promotoer got 71 million.

 

[beegee]

yeah, but who actually got GAs for face value?

me

and not just once, but three times this tour

 

[VertigoGal]

me

and not just once, but three times this tour

I have just two words for you!!

seriously though, that's great, i'm incredibly jealous. do you mean you actually got GAs off ticketmaster, or you just got them face value from a scalper?

 

[corianderstem]

I got GA tickets for face value for three shows: one from Craigslist, one from Ebay, and the third from a fellow fan.

 

[beegee]

I have just two words for you!!

seriously though, that's great, i'm incredibly jealous. do you mean you actually got GAs off ticketmaster, or you just got them face value from a scalper?

twice from ticketmaster, once from an interferencer

and sony music sent me to phoenix for free

 

[nickypiemcg]

me

and not just once, but three times this tour

I got them after queuing for 6 hours but if you wnet at about 1hr before showtime theywere going for face value from touts.

Next time i'm just going to go down on the day. I heard about 2 guys who went to zootv just before u2 came on at parkhead and got 2 tickets free!! (a guy at work knew them), no joke!!

 

[nickypiemcg]

Just like how using tax dollars is asking for our money, right?...it's completely unrelated!!!

But the point of my argument was that bono was asking for our money as it is our tax money. whether that tax money is used for war is not really relevant to whether bono was asking for OUR money or not.

 

[nickypiemcg]

ps i think the war was an absolute disgrace but you guys (are you american, apologies if you're not!) voted Bush back in and we voted Blair in so what does that say about us!!!

 

[LJT]

I thinks Bono's idea on aid from the governments even though it may result in raised taxes, is that it is actually beneficial to us and not just the moral thing to do...his idea is that Africa could just turn into a much greater warzone in the future than what it has already been, poverty breeds fear and hate of those that 'have', perfect breeding ground for any number of extremists and it will cost a lot more in the future than what he is requesting now to correct the problems then...

...i think thats the basic idea behind it.

 

[BVS]

But the point of my argument was that bono was asking for our money as it is our tax money. whether that tax money is used for war is not really relevant to whether bono was asking for OUR money or not.

Well If you want to be technical about it OK. But my point is that we pay taxes no matter what, that money is already gone. No one asked me if I wanted my money to go to War, or to pay for my President taking more vacation time than any other president. The control of that money is usually out of our hands, so I don't see it as anyone asking for my money, but I see what you are saying as well.

 

[nickypiemcg]

Well If you want to be technical about it OK. But my point is that we pay taxes no matter what, that money is already gone. No one asked me if I wanted my money to go to War, or to pay for my President taking more vacation time than any other president. The control of that money is usually out of our hands, so I don't see it as anyone asking for my money, but I see what you are saying as well.

It's funny we seem to agree with each other on the big picture but have spent the last few days arguing over stupid points!! Or is it a healthy debate!!

 

[BVS]

It's funny we seem to agree with each other on the big picture but have spent the last few days arguing over stupid points!! Or is it a healthy debate!!

Healthy debate, I can't help it...I like a good debate.

Cheers mate.

 

[Liesje]

I just think the general public would respect and listen to Bono a lot more if he put his money behind it.

OK, honestly now your post are really starting to frustrate me. I'd like to know where you're getting this info that Bono is making hundreds of millions and not giving anything and asking fans to give money, but not himself. 1) I've NEVER EVER, at a U2 concert or otherwist, heard Bono ask people to donate money, 2) I don't think anyone here has enough inside knowledge regarding the band's finances or the costs of tour production to even make a good guess as to how much they're making, and 3) why do you keep saying over that Bono's not giving or not putting "his money behind it"? Unless you personally do his taxes, you can't possibly know how much he donates and to whom.

 

[corianderstem]

I'd like to state for the record that only about half of us Americans voted for Bush, which means half of us did NOT.

I now return you to your tax debate.

 

[Yahweh]

I think about 30 percent voted for Bush 30 percent voted for Kerry and 40 percent didnt show up to vote at all....that tells me something about the state of mind when it comes to politics for people in the US.

None the less if the US put 1/100th into Africa that they do into the wars they will be fighting for the rest of everybodies lifetime at least on this board...the problem would be in a much more stable state then it is right now.

I hope the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, and Italy step up to the plate because this is now a global society we live in and this issue is the biggest issue of our time. 0.7 percent of GDP is not that much...especially when at this current time the fight against terror is taking up at least 50 times that.

 

[cmb737]

I hope the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, and Italy step up to the plate because this is now a global society we live in and this issue is the biggest issue of our time. 0.7 percent of GDP is not that much...especially when at this current time the fight against terror is taking up at least 50 times that.

True. But every single one of those countries is making or intending to make billions off a rebuilding Iraq and a westernized and democratic Middle East. I don't fool myself for a minute to think that the 300+ billion or whatever it is that the US has poured into the Iraq war isn't buying something.

I am not sure there is as clearly a defined pay off for stepping up in Africa.

Sad.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

I'm not even going to think about adding anything to the tax/war/Bush/Blair debate!

Going back to the original post, about U2's seemingly high prices and how people are comparing them to the Stones, Madonna etc etc, I think what hasn't been highlighted is that these artists haven't made a career of being humanitarians, changing the face of how music and business is done and so forth the way U2 have built a career on. We therefore expect so much more from U2. We personally feel let down when U2 don't live up to our ideals of how U2 should be.

Now I'm saving for when (if ) U2 make it to Australia. I know I'm going to have to travel at least 700 km to see them and I'm going to try to get as many tickets as I can. But I want to see U2. I don't want to see a huge light screen or lightbulb curtains. I don't know if I really need to see a catwalk either. I don't need a t-shirt or a programme. I don't want to see 40 semi-trailers outside the stadium. I don't need all the bollocks, I just want to see THEM.

Why does the band that blew me away with their music when I saw them in 1984 (and it only cost $19.95 ) feel they need all the tricks and gimmicks to impress us?

(I blame this video generation myself - no attention span )

 

[VertigoGal]

OK, honestly now your post are really starting to frustrate me. I'd like to know where you're getting this info that Bono is making hundreds of millions and not giving anything and asking fans to give money, but not himself. 1) I've NEVER EVER, at a U2 concert or otherwist, heard Bono ask people to donate money, 2) I don't think anyone here has enough inside knowledge regarding the band's finances or the costs of tour production to even make a good guess as to how much they're making, and 3) why do you keep saying over that Bono's not giving or not putting "his money behind it"? Unless you personally do his taxes, you can't possibly know how much he donates and to whom.

I'm just saying if the general public felt like he was putting his money behind this, they would be more inclined to listen to him and not roll their eyes everytime his shade-sporting self shows up on TV.

 

[Liesje]

I'm just saying if the general public felt like he was putting his money behind this, they would be more inclined to listen to him and not roll their eyes everytime his shade-sporting self shows up on TV.

How does the general public feel like he's not putting his money behind it? The general public doesn't really know much about Bono or Africa and doesn't really seem to care either way. I've never heard anyone say they would be more inclined to support this cause if they knew exactly how much money Bono has "put behind it". I've seen people roll their eyes at Bono on TV, but not because they felt he doesn't donate enough privately. Besides, if the general public needs to know exactly how much money each celebrity donates to each cause before they are willing to consider supporting said causes, then our culture is in much worse shape than I thought.

 

[ramblin rose]

I'm just saying if the general public felt like he was putting his money behind this, they would be more inclined to listen to him and not roll their eyes everytime his shade-sporting self shows up on TV.

What general public are you talking about. OMG, this whole thing is ridiculous. What in the world are you talking about? Where are you getting this from?

This is obviously something that is bothering you tremendously and that's fine but please don't make general statements about the general public.

 

[speedracer]

I think about 30 percent voted for Bush 30 percent voted for Kerry and 40 percent didnt show up to vote at all....that tells me something about the state of mind when it comes to politics for people in the US.

Either that, or it tells us something about the candidates for election. Or both.

 

[VertigoGal]

it really doesn't "bother me tremendously" or anything. I'm a huge fan of U2 and for the most part I think Bono's a good guy, intelligent, and means well. on the other hand I do think they are charging too much for a lot of things, so I don't really know what to think. I've defended them plenty of times, I was just taking the opposite position this time because I do understand why people are annoyed with them. I didn't mean to upset anyone...

 

[Joshua_Tree_Hugger]

I've read most of the points of view in this thread.

I attended two of the Dublin shows this year. Both were EXCELLENT, some of the best experiences of my life. In my opinion they were well worth the money (I was lucky to get both at face value).

The fact is that it's a U2 show, the greatest show on earth. I'd rather spend some money, go to it and have a GREAT time then die a miser who never enjoyed myself. This is life, people. None of us will be around forever and, in my opinion, we are privleged to be in such a position as to be able to see U2 live on tour.