NA Stadium Tour--Could (should) they do it next time?

[Lemonfix]

To my fellow NorthAmericaners....barring some major catastrophe U2 will one day grace our shores with their presence as a touring act. When this day comes, be it this Summer or Fall 2010 (most likely) should they attempt a Stadium tour? Could they fill the seats?

(And if you're feeling particuarly ambitious you can even map out a good stadium itinerary )

 

[pepokiss]

they should go

Leg 1, US- Arena
Leg 2, Europe-Arena
Leg 3, US-Stadium
Leg 4, ROW-Stadium
Leg 5, Europe-Stadium

 

[thelaj]

Leg 1...US Arena
Leg 2...Europe Stadium
Leg 3...Rest of World Stadium
Leg 4...US Stadium
Leg 5...Europe Arena

Don't oversaturate the market in legs 1 & 2, but let the Americans see what a stadium show is like by releasing a stadium dvd during leg 3. That will keep demand high. Then go back to europe for a few key arena dates for the more hardcore fans

 

[discotech]

they will go US stadiums in 2006.

 

[yimou]

Leg 1 : Europe stadium
Leg 2 : ROTW stadium
Leg 3 : Two weeks of club dates in US

New album,, End of story

 

[wtonis]

Leg 1 : Europe stadium
Leg 2 : ROTW stadium
Leg 3 : Two weeks of club dates in US

New album,, End of story

leg 1: club dates in Europe (former Propmembers only)
leg 2: Europe Arenas (former propmembers + U2.com members)
leg 3: North America - stadiums
leg 4: ROW - Stadiums
leg 5: Europe Stadiums

 

[L03VIk]

I'm fine with them only doing stadiums i Europe...
Judging on the US Crowd this tour (with some exceptions of course), there will not be a stadium tour there in the near future...

Many people are sitting down during the concert. That works OK for 10 000 people, but you cant have a crowd of 50 000 sitting down... No offence...

But maybe... MAYBE the crowd would be louder on an arena tour, who knows...

 

[clifedge]

I think they should play stadiums. I would love to see that show.

 

[u2mad25]

I'd like to see them start a tour this time outside the US. Europe arenas to start or Asia stadiums during our Winter/Spring. That would be a nice twist.

They could have easily filled stadiums here in NY this year (as compared to Popmart which did OK but underwhelmed, esp by the 3rd show which struggled to sell out the top tier).

 

[Clawgrabber]

americans are fatties and love to sit down and eat nachos during rock concerts.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

do what the stones do... do both.

stadiums and arenas. they had two stages... they could have very easily taken both stages on the road and played stadiums in the large markets such as new york, LA, chicago, boston, etc... while playing arenas also.

when the stones came through town in late august, they played both madison square garden and giants stadium. on the same stop.

as much as a lot of fans on this forum like to rip on the stones... u2 could learn a lot from them when it comes to touring.

 

[MTEdge]

do what the stones do... do both.

stadiums and arenas. they had two stages... they could have very easily taken both stages on the road and played stadiums in the large markets such as new york, LA, chicago, boston, etc... while playing arenas also.

when the stones came through town in late august, they played both madison square garden and giants stadium. on the same stop.

as much as a lot of fans on this forum like to rip on the stones... u2 could learn a lot from them when it comes to touring.

The scary thing is that the Stone did the exact thing on their last tour as well (they actually even included some club dates). But we also have to remember that U2's current tour was not a sure thing until about late January. The family circumstances may have also interfered with more bolder touring plans (including stage set-ups).

 

[swanny]

I didn't see a fan sitting down at the U2 shows I saw in the US this year. LO3 needs to get out more often.

 

[aislinn]

I didn't see a fan sitting down at the U2 shows I saw in the US this year. LO3 needs to get out more often.

Depends on where your seats are.

I had GA for two shows and of course no one was sitting down there--and I couldn't see anyone sitting down up above me.

But for two other shows I had tickets in the upper nosebleeds and there were many people around me sitting. Even in Las Vegas of all places there were people sitting down...and they left early!

So it happens.

As far as a stadium tour goes, I don't know. I don't see it happening any time soon here in NA.

 

[The_acrobat]

I think the tour should look like this in 2008 or 2009. hopefully 08.

Spring Arenas:
Tampa- St. Pete Times Forum
Charlotte- Bobcats Arena
Hartford- Civic Center
Buffalo- HSBC Arena
Albany- Pepsi Arena
NYC- 3- Madison Square Garden
Boston- 2- Fleet Center
Philadelphia- Wachovia Center
Washington D.C.- MCI Center
Montreal- Bell Center
Toronto- Air Canada Center
Chicago- 2- United Center
Milwaukee- Bradley Center
Minneapolis- Target Center
Omaha- Qwest Center
St. Louis- Savvis Center
Cleveland- Gund Arena
Indianapolis- Conseco Fieldhouse
Columbus- Nationwide Arena (PLEASE! I LIVE HERE!!)
Nashville- Gaylord Center
OK City- Ford Center
Houston- Toyota Center
San Antonio- SBC Center
Las Vegas- 2- MGM Garden
Los Angeles- 2- Staples Center
San Francisco- HP Pavilion
Sacramento- Arco Arena
Portland- Rose Garden
Salt Lake City- Delta Center
Vancouver- 2- General Motors Place

Off to Europe for the summer

Late Summer/Fall Stadiums
NYC- 2 or 3- Giants Stadium
Boston- 2- Gillette Stadium
Philadelphia- Lincoln Financial Field
Washington D.C.- FedEx Field
Atlanta- Georgia Dome
Miami- Pro Player Stadium
Pittsburgh- PNC Park
Detroit- Comerica Park or Ford Field
Toronto- 2- Skydome
Montreal- Parc Jean Drapeau
Chicago- 2- Soldier Field
Winnipeg- Winnipeg Stadium
Edmonton- 2- Commonwealth Stadium
Seattle- Safeco Field
San Francisco- 2- SBC Park
Los Angeles- 2- Angel Stadium
San Diego- PETCO Park
Phoenix- Sun Devil Stadium
Denver- Invesco Field
Dallas- Texas Stadium

That's 64 Shows. Much less than 80 like they've done on the past tours, PLUS they're playing to many more people. They definitely could have done exactly this on the current tour. Tease the bigger cities in the spring with 1 or 2 shows, and then hit them with 2 stadium shows in the fall.

 

[ouizy]

I am very much realizing that the U2 business model is much different than the Stones.

What I am hoping is that the band has the tour bug, and does not feel like ending it in April.

I would love to see them do:

Vertigo Leg 5 Europe arenas April - June
Vertigo Leg 6 US Stadium tour July - September

Then finally call the end to the tour.

For the US not to see that damn stadium stage would be a shame.

Plus seeing U2 outside in September:

 

[norsehorse23]

I don't know... a stadium tour would be awesome. But be honest, they aren't exactly spring chickens any more. Mick Jagger is known for his rigorous training routine, whereas Bono has a well chronicled back problem right now. He needs physical and vocal rest. Hey, if at the end of the tour in April he gets a second wind after a few months off, then go for it! But I would rather see them work on a new album (imagine how good he would sound after some rest!) and then come back out. No matter what, I will be at the nearest stadium show

 

[onebloodonelife]

Out of pure selfishness, I would like them to do a NA stadium tour. Am I praying it will happen? YES! Do I think it will? NO. The fact is that they will have been touring for over a year if the tour ends in April, they won't have new material to bring back to NA, let's face it, we Americans especially aren't known for our attention spans, so if they came back to do bigger shows with the same material, the diehard fans would come (of course) but the rest of the people who come to shows wouldn't. And I do realize that a lot of the people who come to see U2 and aren't diehard fans wouldn't come back to see a second show anyway and people who didn't have a chance to see them the first time around would come, but I still don't see them coming back without new material. What they should do is rework some of the songs left unfinished from the HTDAAB sessions, throw in some new material, and release a "Zooropa" like speed album so they can get out and tour again quickly before the hype from this tour really dies down. Then, they could do a stadium and arena tour in NA.

 

[Harry Vest]

Thanks for including Winnipeg - remember it was Winnipeg who had the sold out stadium show in the summer of 1997 !!! Which is more than you can say about alot of other places.

 

[Anu]

I think my family will disown me if they do a US stadium tour.
I'm already fantasizing about traveling to South America, which would surely get me divorced.
I hope they go back into the studio and give us an album.
Then, I can start a savings account for the 2008 tour.
Anu

 

[Lemonfix]

Hey, The_Acrobat, I have a t-shirt that says:
London
Paris
Rome
Urbana


Anyway, I really doubt U2 could or would do a stadium tour next year without a new album. But I think if various factors came together in a few years they could manage it....They would need a new album that's popular with a good buzz surrounding it. I also think that they would have to time it just right. If they don't wait long enough to tour they risk over-saturation. If they wait too long they risk losing people's immediate interest. Which makes me think a ZooTV style tour of arenas--Europe--stadiums would be best.

 

[The_acrobat]

Hey, The_Acrobat, I have a t-shirt that says:
London
Paris
Rome
Urbana

HAHAHA!!!! I have the same shirt! It's a classic around these parts for sure. Have you been to Urbana?

 

[U2girl]

More Europe, hands down.

 

[Muad'zin]

Americans can have all the stadiumshows they want, they're welcome to it. For me, I'd die a happy U2 fan if they only did arena's in Europe and never ever play a stadium here again. Stadium shows suck. It's OK when you are up front, but way in the back or in the nosebleeds, its just not that exciting if all you see is a big stage, a big screen with windows media player style visualizations and 4 very tiny people. Plus with arenas you stand a better chance of U2 playing something really different instead of THE SETLIST night after night.

 

[nhbobcat40]

I would love for them to do a summer stadium tour in the US, maybe limit it to only say 10 cities in the US - I saw them in Boston, twice, on the Vertigo tour, in Oct. and Dec., and I saw NO ONE sitting down, maybe for a breather, I know I was exausted...lol, in Oct. I had nose bleed, and no one around me sat, in fact they seemed to try harder at jumping around, maybe because they were so far away, in Dec. I was 8 rows from the stage, and an older lady next to me sat there for about half the show and then left early - Why even go?!? - give your ticket to a true fan, there are plenty of us out there, I think selling out a stadium is very possible , I know here in Boston you coudnt get tickets 10 mins after they went on sale, I know the seating differnce is 30/40,000 more seats, but up here at Gillette, I know it would sell out, even 2 or 3 would sell out, Heard a rumor back when the boys were here in Boston in May and they were talking about playing Fenway Park, like the Stones and Buffett, I know they would sell those show/s out in seconds, but then again, its like an arena, only 30/35,000 seats - I say go for it Boys, Summer Stadium Tour '06!!!! - but like someone else mentioned, I may get divorced and disowned - but ohhhhh would it be worth it

 

[zabie]

I saw them only once in a stadium a long time ago (Joshua Tree - Montreal). The sound was awfull and Bono looked like a mosquito. I hated it.

Of course they wouldn't have any problems selling tickets but I want them to come back in arenas

 

[zabie]

I think my family will disown me if they do a US stadium tour.
I'm already fantasizing about traveling to South America, which would surely get me divorced.
Anu

I know how you feel...
My boyfriend doesn't even want to hear about U2-Bono I was dying to go to Portland... but I knew that we would have had a big fight over it So thank God it's over... until next time

 

[Lemonfix]

HAHAHA!!!! I have the same shirt! It's a classic around these parts for sure. Have you been to Urbana?

Alas, no. I found that shirt at a thrift store in Columbus.

 

[STING2]

To my fellow NorthAmericaners....barring some major catastrophe U2 will one day grace our shores with their presence as a touring act. When this day comes, be it this Summer or Fall 2010 (most likely) should they attempt a Stadium tour? Could they fill the seats?

(And if you're feeling particuarly ambitious you can even map out a good stadium itinerary )

U2 could and should have done a Stadium tour in the United States for Vertigo. It would have allowed them to cut down on the total number of USA dates which would of allowed them to add dates to the European tour. The ideal would have been a 130 or 140 date Stadium tour worldwide, but because they wanted to play it safe in North America, the total for the tour will be 78 arena shows and 52 stadiums shows.

Whether U2 will be able to do a stadium tour next time around will of course depend on how well the next album does initially. If sales are strong like they were for the past two albums, the band would have no problem playing all stadium dates. They will at a minimum have to wait until 2008 to start such a tour because it usually takes about 3 years for demand to fully recover from the previous tour. I think the band will be back for a tour by 2008 or 2009. They will definitly want to have another big album and tour before the end of the decade.

 

[thelaj]

140 dates??! How many people would see them?
Could you tell me how those dates would be divided by region? I'm interested to hear your thoughts?