U2 don't want the same fans up front

[sneeb]

Why they are enforcing such a tight limit on tickets for different venues? Who knows? But this excerpt from Diana Scrimgeour's "U2 Show" book might shed some light on it:

From an interview with Paul McGuinness: "We had some difficulties with the Elevation tour, though, where the heart was the most kind of desirable place for a member of the audience to stand. We found that some of the audience traveled with the tour and would queue up for tickets at each venue. The same people would end up in the front row every day. That was a problem because they would sometimes sit there and watch the band and when something happened that was unexpected or different they would shake their heads and be almost put out. That's offputting for the band too. It's a constant battle to try to keep the show fresh."

Comments?

 

[speedracer]

I've only been a fan for about 6 years, and I don't tour the country with them -- will they sell me a GA ticket?

 

[u2valleygirl]

I think that is true. I don't think U2 likes groupies. Groupies meaning the folks that go to 17 shows in a row were in the heart for all 17 shows.

 

[partygirl33]

i bet they do a lotto type thing in the GA lines this tour...

 

[speedracer]

i bet they do a lotto type thing in the GA lines this tour...

They should...it's kind of a pain for stadium security to be watching people in line all day. They could just say something like "be in line by 6 pm and we'll give you even chances at getting the best spots" or something like that. People who have jobs would appreciate that, no doubt. People who are flying in from out of town and just want to spend the day talking with other U2 fans could just head out to a bar or something like that.

 

[SFGAL]

I just put this in some other thread but i'll post it here too....

when I told my husband about the whole presale/sale fiasco... you know what his first response was?
He said:
"I think U2 are putting the diehard/sometimes older fans who usually are up front (GA) up in the nosebleeds seats so that they get new faces and get away from the hassle of fans who have seen U2 before" He really thinks U2 might have done this intentionally.
At first I was affronted and said:
"Not our band U2!!!"
But now I think he is right.
U2 just don't seem to care anymore. The whole ticketing thing has really depressed me. U2 DO have control of the ticketing market and if they wanted to change the whole 10% presale they could have. They easily could have given us a bigger amount of tickets but they didn't.
I just hope they REALLY apologize and make it up somehow.

 

[partygirl33]

that way people wouldn't freak out about GA so much...they might opt for seats...

 

[partygirl33]

wait- i am confused though. are we or aren't we allowed to get GA to multiple shows in the US?

 

[Lancemc]

in the US, you are only allowed to purchase TWO GA tickets during the tour. And a total of 6 other seats.

 

[SFGAL]

Huh? I thought that was just presale... I thought you could buy whatever you wanted.

 

[njelevation06]

you can purchase more than 2 GA tickets during the tour, just not more the 2 to the same show.

 

[partygirl33]

per show or per leg or all together? where can I find out about this for sure- I've been getting different answers all day.

I got 2 Denver GA today. If I am lucky enough to get NY/NJ tickets on Monday, I was going to sell these at reg price or exchange for some other shows. I'd rather not have to fly all the way to Denver.

But from what you say...I am not allowed to try for GA again on Monday?

 

[skjuls]

per show or per leg or all together? where can I find out about this for sure- I've been getting different answers all day.

I got 2 Denver GA today. If I am lucky enough to get NY/NJ tickets on Monday, I was going to sell these at reg price or exchange for some other shows. I'd rather not have to fly all the way to Denver.

But from what you say...I am not allowed to try for GA again on Monday?

This is what TM emailed me! Of course it doesn't say whether it's per venue or the entire tour!


Dear Julie,

Thank you for your email. As a Paid-up U2.Com Member you will be able to purchase up to two (2) tickets for any one (1) indoor show (North America) or up to four (4) tickets for any one (1) outdoor show (Europe). However, when the event goes on sale you can again purchase 6 reserved +2 floors or 8 reserved total seats.

If you have any further questions, please reply, and include all previous correspondence.

 

[STING2]

The U2.com access code is good for only two tickets to 1 show! For the Public on sale though, you can buy up to two GA tickets for as many shows as you want to or up to 8 reserved seats for as many shows as you want to.

Unfortunately, most people did not even get a single ticket today for the General On Sale.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

U2 just don't seem to care anymore. The whole ticketing thing has really depressed me. U2 DO have control of the ticketing market and if they wanted to change the whole 10% presale they could have. They easily could have given us a bigger amount of tickets but they didn't.
I just hope they REALLY apologize and make it up somehow.

Oh geeeezzz.....let's drop that sort of (completely untrue) thinking people...please.

 

[atikicat]

The diehard fans who follow the tour will still manage to get GAs somehow, and still be at the front of the line and front of the rail in every city. The only way to change that is to do some kind of lotto. I wasn't able to get any GAs, so it's a moot point for me. Maybe I'll wait for the fall.

 

[SFGAL]

Oh geeeezzz.....let's drop that sort of (completely untrue) thinking people...please.

Okaaay...... I don't post much but I guess I touched a sore point. Sooooorrrry.

 

[bonoed]

that's interesting. I thought U2 liked their die hard fans, just like the Grateful Dead did. Apparently they do want more fat cats down front, because that's who will actually be there, then they can rattle their jewelry a la John Lennon for Bono.

They needn't worry, they won't see many of us that have been to every tour, we're too far away, Bono would need binoculars.

 

[BonoBabe40]

Why they are enforcing such a tight limit on tickets for different venues? Who knows? But this excerpt from Diana Scrimgeour's "U2 Show" book might shed some light on it:

From an interview with Paul McGuinness: "We had some difficulties with the Elevation tour, though, where the heart was the most kind of desirable place for a member of the audience to stand. We found that some of the audience traveled with the tour and would queue up for tickets at each venue. The same people would end up in the front row every day. That was a problem because they would sometimes sit there and watch the band and when something happened that was unexpected or different they would shake their heads and be almost put out. That's offputting for the band too. It's a constant battle to try to keep the show fresh."

Comments?

dont these people have jobs??

 

[oceane]

I don`t think U2 has a problem with die-hard fans, or even fans wanting to see a few shows. That`s part of being a cult band. But I can understand not wanting to see the exact same faces in the front row every single night. It`s true during Elevation you had a core group of fans in each region who would line up the night before and almost always end up in the first row. This would have been the first time for U2 since it was the first time they did GA (at least in North America)

But the fact is these were a small minority (about 10 people maybe), most people in the heart were different, although many had seen more than one show.

I wouldn't mind at all if they were doing a lottery for GA this time around, as long as they tell everyone in advance and explain their motivations.

 

[doctorwho]

I just put this in some other thread but i'll post it here too....

when I told my husband about the whole presale/sale fiasco... you know what his first response was?
He said:
"I think U2 are putting the diehard/sometimes older fans who usually are up front (GA) up in the nosebleeds seats so that they get new faces and get away from the hassle of fans who have seen U2 before" He really thinks U2 might have done this intentionally.
At first I was affronted and said:
"Not our band U2!!!"
But now I think he is right.
U2 just don't seem to care anymore. The whole ticketing thing has really depressed me. U2 DO have control of the ticketing market and if they wanted to change the whole 10% presale they could have. They easily could have given us a bigger amount of tickets but they didn't.
I just hope they REALLY apologize and make it up somehow.

I'm not as offended at your husband's comment as I am at yours. You didn't get tickets, and suddenly U2 "don't care any more"? Sheesh - poor you.

I don't have tickets either, but I will never use the words "disaster", "depressed", "not caring", etc. Based on past tours, I knew getting tickets - even with this presale - would be tough. Maybe I'm a cynic, but I expected nothing less than what occurred.

I had chances to get some tickets today, but they were all bad seats. TicketMaster doesn't know that I'm some "long time fan who's seen U2 before". So I'm not buying your husband's theory. But I'm also not feeling any pity for anyone. Getting tickets or not getting GA tickets isn't some "life or death" situation. It's a luxury.

Furthermore, given the enormous success of the album, I think people were living in some fantasy world if they thought they could just log on, easily get their GA tickets, and merrily go on their way. U2 is a monstrous band - you were fighting not only the scaplers but 3 million other fans! 16 arena shows with 1700 GA's each is a mere 27,200 tickets - no wonder there were 3 million unhappy fans.

But I guess you're right - it's far easier to blame U2 than to be logical.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I'm not as offended at your husband's comment as I am at yours. You didn't get tickets, and suddenly U2 "don't care any more"? Sheesh - poor you.

I don't have tickets either, but I will never use the words "disaster", "depressed", "not caring", etc. Based on past tours, I knew getting tickets - even with this presale - would be tough. Maybe I'm a cynic, but I expected nothing less than what occurred.

I had chances to get some tickets today, but they were all bad seats. TicketMaster doesn't know that I'm some "long time fan who's seen U2 before". So I'm not buying your husband's theory. But I'm also not feeling any pity for anyone. Getting tickets or not getting GA tickets isn't some "life or death" situation. It's a luxury.

Furthermore, given the enormous success of the album, I think people were living in some fantasy world if they thought they could just log on, easily get their GA tickets, and merrily go on their way. U2 is a monstrous band - you were fighting not only the scaplers but 3 million other fans! 16 arena shows with 1700 GA's each is a mere 27,200 tickets - no wonder there were 3 million unhappy fans.

But I guess you're right - it's far easier to blame U2 than to be logical.

BEST... RESPONSE... EVER...

 

[Grindstone]

I've thought about this quote from McGuinness this week.. b/c I remembered seeing it in the book.

I think this is why they limited just one show to the fanclub.

but they can't control this.. it's not like when you log into TM is asks you how many times you were in the heart on the last tour. We are talking about a small group of people..

and some of these fans will find a way.. it's us hardcore fans that want to see 2-3 shows (not 17) that get screwed.

I dont expect these tickets to be easy, I just want the fanclub to honor their word like they have for 15 years.

 

[Elvis]

I wouldnt be shocked to see some sort of lotto for GAs.... but at the same time, I would be shocked. It'd be awfully proactive to actually do it.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

I'm not as offended at your husband's comment as I am at yours. You didn't get tickets, and suddenly U2 "don't care any more"? Sheesh - poor you.

That was my point with my "oh geeezzz" post. I'm tired of U2 fans, or whatever, coming in here saying that "U2 doesn't care" or "U2 is only after their (or their parents) hard earned cash". It's grating after awhile, and it's not true.

As for 2 GAs per show or for the whole tour who cares. If you're lucky enough to be up in the oval, egg, bunghole, I'm truly happy for you. I got into the heart at one show (out of 5) and it was a great experience. Don't complain, because if U2 wants some new faces every other show don't they have that right? They're not picking and choosing they're just giving everyone a fair shot.

 

[sallycinnamon78]

I'm not as offended at your husband's comment as I am at yours. You didn't get tickets, and suddenly U2 "don't care any more"? Sheesh - poor you.

I don't have tickets either, but I will never use the words "disaster", "depressed", "not caring", etc. Based on past tours, I knew getting tickets - even with this presale - would be tough. Maybe I'm a cynic, but I expected nothing less than what occurred.

I had chances to get some tickets today, but they were all bad seats. TicketMaster doesn't know that I'm some "long time fan who's seen U2 before". So I'm not buying your husband's theory. But I'm also not feeling any pity for anyone. Getting tickets or not getting GA tickets isn't some "life or death" situation. It's a luxury.

Furthermore, given the enormous success of the album, I think people were living in some fantasy world if they thought they could just log on, easily get their GA tickets, and merrily go on their way. U2 is a monstrous band - you were fighting not only the scaplers but 3 million other fans! 16 arena shows with 1700 GA's each is a mere 27,200 tickets - no wonder there were 3 million unhappy fans.

But I guess you're right - it's far easier to blame U2 than to be logical.

drwho - are you trying to say that U2 isn't in the thicket of this huge conspiracy then? Didn't you know that the band is responsible for all the world's problems? I blame the governments as well (has anyone noticed that conspiracies are the only things a government ever does effectively?)

 

[edgeboy]

If u2 honestly cared they would have said something by now.
They know their shows will be sold out no matter what so why
would they even worry if some fans get screwed.

 

[Grindstone]

they could always do like they did in Boston, and pull out the better looking fans for the cameras.

 

[partygirl33]

i hope they haven't really gone that far to the dark side...

 

[speedracer]

they could always do like they did in Boston, and pull out the better looking fans for the cameras.

Instead of rehashing that whole debate here, I'll post a link:

http://groups-beta.google.com/group...q=protest+group:alt.music.u2#e856953219d98bd8