Last Hurrah?

[BonosSaint]

Anybody else get the feeling that this may be the last tour for the band? Bono seems distracted. Random comments from the band seem to indicate that maybe they want to move on. Maybe McGuinness et all want to make a ton of money before the cash cow dries up.

Maybe that's why the disinterest in the fans' reaction--knowing
the venues will be sold out anyway. Maybe that's why they
were going after a new demographic:

1. To show to the world they are not a dinosaur band.
2. New consumers for the catalog.
3. To go out still the hugest band in the world.

Don't know. Just wondering.

 

[jick]

There is no question in my mind that HTDAAB is U2's last album. It is their swansong. What better way to end their careers than with an album this massive. No matter what, given U2's age and their popularity with this album - there is virtually zero chance any subsequent U2 album can match the commercial success this album has had so far. Given all that, U2 want to end on top.

So now that your career is about to wind up, what do you do? Try to make the most money you can. Tickets sell out in a matter of minutes, and albums are sold by the millions. So U2 are guaranteed two things - good album sales, and all shows being sold out. Sold out shows are even more guaranteed considering that there are very few shows to choose from (16 American shows only!). So if there will be whining among U2.com members, it will constitute only a small voice.

What matters is that the money has been made. What can complaints do anyway? If anything, it will give publicity to U2 if this fiasco is leaked out to the media. Any publicity is good publicity. And the U2.com members constitute such a small minority anyway.

So U2 can tarnish their image all they want. They will milk all the money they can now. It all doesn't matter anyway if they really planned HTDAAB to be their last album. That is the only logical reason. So I believe this is their last hurrah, otherwise they would have been more careful about pissing off fans. Now they don't really care anymore.

Cheers,

J

 

[U2girl]

I don't think so. We have yet to hear the third Best of and fullfilment of the 6 album contract they signed about the time of Zooropa release.

 

[Aardvark747]

There is no question in my mind that HTDAAB is U2's last album. It is their swansong. What better way to end their careers than with an album this massive. No matter what, given U2's age and their popularity with this album - there is virtually zero chance any subsequent U2 album can match the commercial success this album has had so far. Given all that, U2 want to end on top.

So now that your career is about to wind up, what do you do? Try to make the most money you can. Tickets sell out in a matter of minutes, and albums are sold by the millions. So U2 are guaranteed two things - good album sales, and all shows being sold out. Sold out shows are even more guaranteed considering that there are very few shows to choose from (16 American shows only!). So if there will be whining among U2.com members, it will constitute only a small voice.

What matters is that the money has been made. What can complaints do anyway? If anything, it will give publicity to U2 if this fiasco is leaked out to the media. Any publicity is good publicity. And the U2.com members constitute such a small minority anyway.

So U2 can tarnish their image all they want. They will milk all the money they can now. It all doesn't matter anyway if they really planned HTDAAB to be their last album. That is the only logical reason. So I believe this is their last hurrah, otherwise they would have been more careful about pissing off fans. Now they don't really care anymore.

Cheers,

J

Jeezz Jicko....

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

Jick=greatest interference member ever!

 

[Dalton]

Maybe that's why the disinterest in the fans' reaction

I'm not sure its fair to say that the band is showing "disinterest in the fan' reaction" just yet. It happened yesterday.

Give it a few days and see if they work anything out. They need to....

 

[jick]

Re: Re: Last Hurrah?

I'm not sure its fair to say that the band is showing "disinterest in the fan' reaction" just yet. It happened yesterday.

Give it a few days and see if they work anything out. They need to....

I am pretty sure U2 will issue a statement as promptly and as speedily as Bush spoke publicly about the tsunami disaster.

Cheers,

J

 

[BonosSaint]

I don't mean disinterest in fans' reactions just from yesterday. I'm willing to think that yesterday was just a horrible snafu until
I learn otherwise.

I mean basically the last few months with the fansite, with the statements by McGuinness regarding the tour changes, the
refusal of management to take any responsibility for the official website. Just a general disregard.

Yesterday was just another brick in that wall.

 

[jick]

Yesterday was just another brick in that wall.

I think the more appropriate Pink Floyd song in this situation is not another brick in the wall, but that great classic from Dark Side of the Moon --- the brilliant song called "Money." I am sure U2 can now hear the cash registers ringing. Perhaps they are too busy counting their money, that is why they haven't issued an official statement about this tickey crisis just yet.

Cheers,

J

 

[arnolds]

My feeling is this is the start of the decline of U2. Yes, they will still be producing albums and great hopefully into their 60's but I do feel this is their final stab at relevance in the music industry.
They will be around to entertain us hard core fans but the opportunity to pick up new fans and being hip is closing.

I liken it to the Rolling Stones last hurrah in the late 80's.

 

[OnFire]

Every time I see U2 I'm prepared to accept that it may be the last time. Right now, they may even be thinking it's the last tour with all the furor over pre-sale tickets.

But this will pass, the tour will start and the band will again connect with audiences as only they can. And oh yes, there will be added dates or an additional fall leg added after the summer european leg. There is just too much unmet demand with the current dates.

 

[ElectricalVoice]

I hope not, but I fear that the album title is a hint.

 

[U2@NYC]

Do not give up the fight. Continue faxing today (I will re-fax the ones I sent yesterday to both offices).

Principle Management NY : +1 (212) 765-2372
Principle Management Dublin: + (353) 1 6777 276

 

[Bonochick]

There was so much hype that the Elevation Tour would be their last...and here we are again.

If it is, it is. Just enjoy the moments while you can and make some good memories, either way.

 

[ElectricalVoice]

There was so much hype that the Elevation Tour would be their last...and here we are again.

If it is, it is. Just enjoy the moments while you can and make some good memories, either way.

Oh yes ... I intend to enjoy the moment.

 

[quesboc]

I don't think its the last tour or album. Bono is too egotistical not to make a big deal out of the last album or final tour. When U2 goes out they will go out with a bang, it will be massive and a highly publicized end. They are the biggest band in the world as Bono keeps saying and the biggest band deserves the biggest farewell, this tour is not it. I think more dates will be added and remember they are coming back to the States in the fall.

 

[jedi Larry]

But better to leave with fans wanting more then leaving them having had enough.

I think we may see more albums, but much shorter tours in the future.

 

[matt76]

There is no question in my mind that HTDAAB is U2's last album. It is their swansong. What better way to end their careers than with an album this massive. No matter what, given U2's age and their popularity with this album - there is virtually zero chance any subsequent U2 album can match the commercial success this album has had so far. Given all that, U2 want to end on top.

So now that your career is about to wind up, what do you do? Try to make the most money you can. Tickets sell out in a matter of minutes, and albums are sold by the millions. So U2 are guaranteed two things - good album sales, and all shows being sold out. Sold out shows are even more guaranteed considering that there are very few shows to choose from (16 American shows only!). So if there will be whining among U2.com members, it will constitute only a small voice.

What matters is that the money has been made. What can complaints do anyway? If anything, it will give publicity to U2 if this fiasco is leaked out to the media. Any publicity is good publicity. And the U2.com members constitute such a small minority anyway.

So U2 can tarnish their image all they want. They will milk all the money they can now. It all doesn't matter anyway if they really planned HTDAAB to be their last album. That is the only logical reason. So I believe this is their last hurrah, otherwise they would have been more careful about pissing off fans. Now they don't really care anymore.

Cheers,

J

You've just got to love Jick's posts. You just know that Jick he's secretly crying inside that this may be their last album and tour!! Come on Jick hold it together mate, it'll all be ok

Plus they've got the greatest hits to come etc

 

[nathan1977]

People talked about how POP was their last album too.

Blah blah blah...

 

[H]

I liken it to the Rolling Stones last hurrah in the late 80's.

The Stones had their last hurrah in 1972.

 

[arizzzona]

It's Corporate has gone Atlanta.

Remember the transportation fiasco with the Atlanta Olympics? It was because no one organizing that event (especially in this culture) wanted to mess with stinky smelly buses. All the smart ones knew advancing their career was with and was in "the deals." So we had a super commercial, slick Olympics with a most basic service botched. Same thing here.

U2 - the band - did not price all the GAs at $50 to make the promoters/scalpers rich.

Very few of those tickets ended up in fans' hands yesterday - I would assume more did through Ebay GA sales than in the official Fan Club pre-sale. I counted 146 completed GA sales yesterday evening - ALL from ticket brokers.

McGuinness botched this. He's too far out of touch with Concert 101 and too far into The Deal$. So someone pretty far down the U2 ladder was glad handed by the promoters or whoever who in turn witheld the GAs. U2 - the band - would never price the floors at $50 knowing almost all of the GAs would go to ticket agencies.

McGuiness just a few days ago was boasting how the best seats are $50 - Is he so far out of touch not to know exact numbers that were to be released in each market for the 90,00 subscribed "fan club?"

I think he was. he never would have made the statement, "This tour will be not unlike the last production in that the lowest priced tickets will be on the floor. The best seats are the cheapest, and we want people to get excited" the day before the pre-sale if he knew only a handful of GAs would be available.

This means he's out of touch with the concert side of the business. Deals, Deals, Deals. U2 - the band - needs someone street smart in there to handle all the concert - fan side of the business. Maybe it's gotten too big for Paul - and the corporate fodder beneath him don't have what it takes to handle the realities of the US venue world where promoters funnel their (often) indirectly owned ticket agencies the best seats.

Ebay has 366 auctions going with floor seats - some with as many as 20 tickets. I can buy floors today for Phoenix! Over 217 auctions with GA seats have been already been bought. That's where the tickets are.

U2 - the band - who choose the $50 price - can not like the way this has turned out. U2 - the Corporation - doesn't either - but mostly because the band is still their boss. But U2 better be aware. The machine is getting big.

David


(Some have said 10% of 1,500 is 150 and alike. I doubt 150 GAs were bought by fans in most markets and I doubt the "other" 90% are coming this weekend. They are all on Ebay. U2 can either jump the price to $200-250 for the floors, or wrestle the remaining (to be added) show's GAs free from the promoters, which is exactly what I think they are currently doing. With what success I don't know. All of this should have been spelled out in contracts, which gets me back to McGuinness!)

 

[Laura M]

U2 will probably continue to fleece their fans for a while longer yet, imagine another new album (4 versions), and a tour, and a subscription fee for a keyring/ pre-sale tickets and maybe 3 -4 single releases from the album (2cd, vinyl, dvd version of each one), tour with tickets sold at exorbitant prices, t-shirts, mouse mats, tour programmes, then 2 DVD's of the next tour. $$$$

Bono probably looks distracted because he's wondering what to spend all his money on next.

I really don't care if this is their last tour. U2 have gotten the last of my money.

 

[U2_Guy]

The Stones had their last hurrah in 1972.

81... 94...

 

[doctorwho]

U2 will probably continue to fleece their fans for a while longer yet, imagine another new album (4 versions), and a tour, and a subscription fee for a keyring/ pre-sale tickets and maybe 3 -4 single releases from the album (2cd, vinyl, dvd version of each one), tour with tickets sold at exorbitant prices, t-shirts, mouse mats, tour programmes, then 2 DVD's of the next tour. $$$$

Bono probably looks distracted because he's wondering what to spend all his money on next.

I really don't care if this is their last tour. U2 have gotten the last of my money.

Such a healthy attitude. Clearly it's all U2's fault. Yep. U2 forced you into buying things. How dare U2 make DVD's and t-shirts available for their fans? How dare they give their fans the *option* of buying special edition CD's or DVD's? What jerks! How dare they charge a mere $49.50 for stage tickets when they could have easily charged $300+ for floor tickets - like most artists do! Bad U2, bad!

Well, bye, take care, adios - nice that you aren't a fan any more.

 

[ElectricalVoice]

U2 will probably continue to fleece their fans for a while longer yet, imagine another new album (4 versions), and a tour, and a subscription fee for a keyring/ pre-sale tickets and maybe 3 -4 single releases from the album (2cd, vinyl, dvd version of each one), tour with tickets sold at exorbitant prices, t-shirts, mouse mats, tour programmes, then 2 DVD's of the next tour. $$$$

Bono probably looks distracted because he's wondering what to spend all his money on next.

I really don't care if this is their last tour. U2 have gotten the last of my money.

Not going to a show this year, then?

 

[RademR]

I don't see them quitting. I think it's the opposite, their tour is selling out as quick as ever, they have sold millions with the new album, the new album is great, why would they quit? I don't see it. I don't see u2 as a bunch of money grubbers, but I don't think their allergic to cash either So why stop making records or touring? Their still relevant and hugely popular, which is very important to the band, especially Bono.

Didn't like a month ago Bono say there will try and put out a new album by the end of 2006? Doesn't sound like quites to me...

 

[Yahweh]

Dont think its the last album but I am not taking the chance that it wont be. I think they will always be making music because they will always have that desire for attention...although Bono is getting it elsware these days with his Africa crusade but it certainly isnt the same thing as walking out on stage with U2. Hinting at retirement and actually doing it are 2 different animals.

 

[cmb737]

Or maybe U2 will follow Cher's lead and have a Farewell tour that lasts 5 years!

 

[cmb737]

U2 will probably continue to fleece their fans for a while longer yet, imagine another new album (4 versions), and a tour, and a subscription fee for a keyring/ pre-sale tickets and maybe 3 -4 single releases from the album (2cd, vinyl, dvd version of each one), tour with tickets sold at exorbitant prices, t-shirts, mouse mats, tour programmes, then 2 DVD's of the next tour. $$$$

Bono probably looks distracted because he's wondering what to spend all his money on next.

I really don't care if this is their last tour. U2 have gotten the last of my money.

Lara Mullen has posted 14,500+ times in two and a half years on this message board. Hard to believe that you are going to give up on U2 because of a stupid bum presale. That in the end probably might not even be their fault? Hard to believe.

I'll see you in San Diego. I'm calling your bluff.

 

[ramblin rose]

Lara Mullen has posted 14,500+ times in two and a half years on this message board. Hard to believe that you are going to give up on U2 because of a stupid bum presale. That in the end probably might not even be their fault? Hard to believe.

I'll see you in San Diego. I'm calling your bluff.

Unless she's flying in from Northern Ireland, don't hold your breath waiting to see her in San Diego.