GA Tix & Entering the Ellipse

[U2Fanatic4ever]

Originally posted by Chizip


do i know you?

hahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


in case you forgot...I'm the short gal (whom you let get in front of you during the show cuz of some amazon bitchy blonde chick) in the cowboy hat here:

[Carek1230]

Hi Amy!

cool breezes from Ocean Beach!

[Chizip]

Originally posted by U2Fanatic4ever



in case you forgot...I'm the short gal (whom you let get in front of you during the show cuz of some amazon bitchy blonde chick)

yeah that was quite nice of me, wasnt it?

[U2Fanatic4ever]

Originally posted by Chizip


yeah that was quite nice of me, wasnt it?

yes it was chip!!!!!!!!!!! you were my hero that nite. Certainly kept me from having a shitty experience that opening nite!

Tanks again!!

[billybob]

so, at some venues they do a lottery for getting into the ellipse, and at others, they give out wristbands for the ellipse on a first come, first serve basis?

[drumkeeran]

Originally posted by U2Fanatic4ever

dreaming of Bono signing my Edun shirt in TO

[U2Fanatic4ever]

Originally posted by billybob
so, at some venues they do a lottery for getting into the ellipse, and at others, they give out wristbands for the ellipse on a first come, first serve basis?

at all venues on the first leg there was the lottery for getting into the ellipse meaning that once you got in the door they scan your ticket and if you got the vertigo logo on the computer you got into the ellipse. That should be the way it's going to go for the 3rd leg until the u2 camp says something otherwise. The wristbands at some venues were just for the GA people to line up at a later time that day.

[drumkeeran]

From larrysgirl (employed at ACC) on U2.com (copied from Zootopia):

Ok everyone, I sent an email to my supervisor at work asking as to what time people can line up for GAs and where and such...all he said was this:

I have no information as to a time restriction for lining up for GAs. You should check with TicketMaster.

lmao! My work - oi! They never know what is going on.

Basically my advice is this: don't bother calling ACC and asking because they do not know the answer, trust me, I work there!

All I know for 100% certain is that GA lineups are outside gate 2 on Bay Street. To be honest, we have not had a GA show at ACC that has had such demand since the Elevation tour! Normally, no one lines up until the day of. The concert starts at 7:30, so that means doors of 6:30 pm.

I wouldn't recommend lining up overnight because Bay and Lakeshore is a very dodgy part of town with lots of shady characters hanging about, plus there are no washroom facilities as Union Station nearby closes at some point in the early AM. There is no where to get food or drink or use facilities anywhere near ACC that would be open.

I just got off the phone with TicketMaster and asked them what was happening regarding the GA lineups, and this is what they told me:

GA lineup will be on a first-come, first-served basis. There will be NO WRISTBANDS issued for the GA line. There is also no limitation as to what time people can start lining up, but note doors will not be opened until 6:30 pm on the day of the concert.

I will let you know if I hear anything else from my supervisors. I will be working this week for Elton John so I might hear something more.

Cheers! **********************

Sounds like it will be up to the "U2 fan" GA numbering system, informal and somewhat practical.

Concensus of time so far from Zoo is 8 am.

[Headache in a Suitcase]

baisicly this entire thing is u2's management's fault.

if there isn't a group of fans who want to get there at the ass crack of dawn and organize things, then things get fucked up. it's not the arena security's job to set up GA lines... especially at a place like Madison Square Garden, which is dead smack in the middle of Manhattan, meaning the GA line will actually be on a city sidewalk... which of course would put the jurisdiction into the hands of the NYPD, who certainly have way too much stuff to do besides set up a GA line for a U2 concert.

if u2's management would just post a universal policy for every arena on their oh so crappy web page, and have their own staff out there setting the line up in the morning, then we wouldn't have these problems.

i've brought up david letterman in the past. if you go to see letterman in NYC, the CBS interns are outside the Ed Sullivan Theater starting at 9am. You give them your ticket, and they give you a number. Then you leave... that's it. End of story. Show back up at around 4pm and the staff lines you up according to number.

If three friggin CBS interns can hand out numbers for 500 people at the Ed Sullivan Theatre, I certainly think that Principle Management can get a dozen or so people to handle a number system for the thousand or so people who actually show up early for the GA line. Not that hard to do.

[U2Fanatic4ever]

Originally posted by Headache in a Suitcase
baisicly this entire thing is u2's management's fault.

if there isn't a group of fans who want to get there at the ass crack of dawn and organize things, then things get fucked up. it's not the arena security's job to set up GA lines... especially at a place like Madison Square Garden, which is dead smack in the middle of Manhattan, meaning the GA line will actually be on a city sidewalk... which of course would put the jurisdiction into the hands of the NYPD, who certainly have way too much stuff to do besides set up a GA line for a U2 concert.

if u2's management would just post a universal policy for every arena on their oh so crappy web page, and have their own staff out there setting the line up in the morning, then we wouldn't have these problems.

i've brought up david letterman in the past. if you go to see letterman in NYC, the CBS interns are outside the Ed Sullivan Theater starting at 9am. You give them your ticket, and they give you a number. Then you leave... that's it. End of story. Show back up at around 4pm and the staff lines you up according to number.

If three friggin CBS interns can hand out numbers for 500 people at the Ed Sullivan Theatre, I certainly think that Principle Management can get a dozen or so people to handle a number system for the thousand or so people who actually show up early for the GA line. Not that hard to do.

I totally agree with ya! This scenario would be ideal and makes logical sense but we are talking about U2 management aka Principle... So it aint gonna happen.

As with Ticketmaster saying first come first serve...That isn't gonna happen. As it stands now until we hear otherwise (if it happens it will be the last minute or day of show) the lottery still stands. Aka..being scanned into the ellipse or not.

And if they hand out wristbands to the GA people and ask everyone to come back doesn't mean that the venue staff/security are going to abide by this (often policy changes throughout the day cuz these people haven't a clue). As it has been as far back as I can remember each venue does it differently basically. And what U2 management says to do doesn't mean the venue staff are going to follow that policy. It is a free for all folks so just be prepared is all I can say.

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Originally posted by U2Fanatic4ever
And if they hand out wristbands to the GA people and ask everyone to come back doesn't mean that the venue staff/security are going to abide by this (often policy changes throughout the day cuz these people haven't a clue). As it has been as far back as I can remember each venue does it differently basically. And what U2 management says to do doesn't mean the venue staff are going to follow that policy. It is a free for all folks so just be prepared is all I can say.

if the band's management sets forth a set policy... i.e. handing out numbered wrist bands and allowing people to leave the line and return at a later time... the staff/security of the venue would have to honor such a system.

[Carmelu2fan]

Originally posted by Headache in a Suitcase


if the band's management sets forth a set policy... i.e. handing out numbered wrist bands and allowing people to leave the line and return at a later time... the staff/security of the venue would have to honor such a system.

Well I should hope so!!! Otherwise it would be total chaos!

[U2Fanatic4ever]

Originally posted by Headache in a Suitcase


if the band's management sets forth a set policy... i.e. handing out numbered wrist bands and allowing people to leave the line and return at a later time... the staff/security of the venue would have to honor such a system.

Yeah I know that is how it should go but is not always the case. If wristbands are handed out it's the venue staff/security that decides that because if this was u2 management policy it would be done all venues and it clearly has not been done that way. It is very inconsistent. I have been to a few shows on the first leg and not once did I get a numbered wristband and was told to come back later. There were at least a few shows during the first leg maybe more that handed out numbered wristbands.

I was at the opening nite show in san diego and that clearly was a disaster! The venue staff had no idea what to do and kept coming back to the line or various people you asked said one thing and someone else said another. They couldn't decide whether to honor the fans' numbering system or whether they needed to split the lines into 2. This went on all morning. It got tense and heated with a few people in line.

I would love to see a consistent policy from venue to venue but I don't believe it will happen that way. So I am just saying don't expect it to go a certain way (what u2 management states) when you get to the venue (because a few fans at san diego went by this and were told differently and they were the ones who were getting into heated arguments with the venue staff). The only thing that has been consistent and abided by was the lottery system for getting into the ellipse for the dates in the US.

[Chizip]

It's just a shame that such a great band has such crappy management.

[U2Fanatic4ever]

Originally posted by Chizip
It's just a shame that such a great band has such crappy management.

No kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They certainly should of by now... One would think..

[Super_Fan]

Looking at these posts in this thread about the GA Line, its up to the first 10 people who show up and how they run the line. My lines have been relax, but there is always some spoiled asshole that tries to cut the line or says that the line doesn't matter or tries to cause problems. At some shows the venue has no idea what the hell their doing. The venues that hire crackheads as security guards and do not understand U2's GA policy/structure as follows: Continental Airlines Arena, and Pepsi Center. In order for someone within the first 10 people in the line they must educate security and the head security guards on each shift. I doubt no one has screwed up the GA line on the first leg of this tour in the front of the line. There have been problems in the Drop Line. MSG and United Center due to security guards working with the scalpers in line to cut in front of other people buying tickets. Head in a Suitcase I agree with you but U2 hired this lady doing the Ellipse system last year and she can't be reasoned with. She does her job and ignores anyone that asks her a question. She should be replaced, with someone that deals with u2.com and their fan club. As fans we can't be always satisfied with whats going on.

[ree5669]

For my Atlanta/ Southern USA friends, I emailed Phillips Arena a while ago about procedures and this is what I received:


From: PhilipsArena-Questions <PhilipsArena-Questions@atlantaspirit.com> [Add to Address Book] [View Source]
To: "'ree5669@comcast.net'" <ree5669@comcast.net>
Subject: RE: Gen Admission Policies
Date: Mon, 6 Jun 2005 17:52:09 +0000

You can line up at the Hangtime Porch entrance which is located off Andrew Young International Blvd. Your tickets will be scanned when you enter the building. Your ticket will be scanned a second time, in the wrist banding area. If the Vertigo Tour logo is displayed on the laptop provided by the show, you will receive a 2nd wristband which will allow you access into the inner ellipse area.

Enjoy the show and your time at Philips Arena.
Thank you,
Philips Arena
One Philips Drive
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Check out our Website: www.philipsarena.com

No real news, just an FYI.

Nonetheless, I still plan on being there EARLY, with my Ipod, munchies, and hoping to meet some other u2 folks and make a party of it.