Would it be a good idea for U2.com to announce plans for the GA line BEFORE San Diego

[popbellydancer]

Just curious, who thinks that it would be a very good idea for U2.com to announce the security plans for the Ga line PRIOR to the first show? I.e., will there or will there not be a raffle to enter the building, which in years past has been on a first come first serve basis. Reasons it would be advantageous to do so....

1. The obvious...enquiring minds want to know!

2. Those of us w/jobs can work right up to the 28th, and not have to take as much time off of work as we had expected.

3. Let's face the truth....those of us who are used to lining-up overnight will do it one way or the other...rumours or not, because they may be just that....rumours! And it will also prevent a lot of people from being pissed off that, after having waited for hours or days in line, they may be put to the back of the line due to a raffle at 3pm the day of, which in my opinion will only add insult to injury after the ticketing fiasco.

All I keep thinking about is Elevation Boston #2....and how if the powers that be thought that those fans were angry, they probably ain't seen nothin until they impose a last minute/slightly rumoured raffle after fans have not just waited overnight but quite probably for days on end.

And the other thing is that we all know there may be a rumour of raffle, but it's not gonna stop anyone from lining up if the info only comes from Ticketbastard Canada....it has to come from U2.com for any of us to consider it a reliable source!

Who's with me on this?
Melissa

 

[danielle]

Just curious how they could do a raffle. That would mean peope would be separated from the rest of their party. That would be lousy.

I feel it should be first come first served. However, I hope that there is a system to monitor the line. I liked how some venues were good about giving people numbers or following the numbers that the line itself set up.

 

[HappyFatBono]

I would have no issue with first come first serve as long as it was being run legitamatly by the event poeple.
When the line is run by fellow fans - it was a little too currupt for me.

 

[ruffian]

i'd love it if we had info in advance. on another thread there was a *heated* debate about the benefits and disadvantages of the lottery system. I don't have a dog in that fight but I'd definitely like to know how it's going to work in advance. who's in charge of releasing that info?

 

[Miroslava]

Well, I replied to this at U2.com but my understanding is that the "lottery" information listed in the Canadian ticket sales refers to just that, the sale of tickets if you go to an outlet in person. It has no bearing on the queing up at the venue on the date of the show.

However, I do agree that IF there was to be a lottery for entrance to the show, that information should definitely be released ahead of time.

 

[ladywithspinninghead]

Well, certainly the San Diego Arena would have info. regarding this in the days before the concert?

 

[lpingb]

GA lotto

I cant see them doing that for logistic reasons. Its a lot easier to start at person 1 in line and count to say 250 then trying to take people from the middle of the group. you also have the added factor of taking people from the middle and or back of the line and bringing them up front. I dont think the venues want to open the doors any more then they have to.

 

[TheFly40]

Based on my experience of lining up with the rest of the GA ticket holders I don't feel like the spot in line is that critical (unless you're desperate to get inside the "heart/oval"--and watch half the show with the band behind you). Otherwise, people line up for hours before the show, sprint inside to "claim" their spot, only to lose it when they go to the bathroom, get some food, etc. Plus once the crowd makes it's initial surge forward when the band comes on it changes everyone's position.

I've showed up to muliple NYC MSG Elevation shows about 30 minutes before the doors open and have had nothing less then stellar positioning. In fact, there's a picture of my waiting for the show to start in the new U2 Show book (great book by the way).

In my opinion it's not worth the HUGE wait.

 

[LuminousTimes]

My idea is that we could possibly as a group say no to lottery system... If there are a few hundred people that have waited hours...let's say from that 8am that morning and suddenly at 3:00pm they announce a "lottery"...we could all say, no we'd rather just have the line the way it is...those who have been waiting the longest get to go in first.

This is of course if it is not announced ahead of time. If everyone is alerted by an official announcement on u2.com that there will be a lottery...then I think that it is only fair to abide by it; but I do not think a "on the spot" lottery at any venue should be tolerated. Random is not fair unless everyone is knows about it ahead of time. Details on what time to show up and how the lottery will be conducted need to be known so everyone is on the same playing field so to speak.

I do not think u2 will want to go the lottery route because of what happened in Boston and all the backlash there. Also, a lottery system would create more unhappy fans than make happy ones. And U2 seems to like to make their fans happy.

 

[cmb737]

Well, certainly the San Diego Arena would have info. regarding this in the days before the concert?

Do not count on it. San Diego Sports Arena is a second rate, poorly run, bad venue. Not sure why the tour is starting there yet.

This whole thread is a bit of a loaded question. Aside from reopening the first come first in vs. lottery debate, I can't imagine any one saying its a bad idea to have the information ahead of time.

I think it is pretty obvious that more information is better, however I don't see that happening. Especially not if it is left up to the venue staff.

There is a hockey game the night before the tour opener, and I am sure that the arena will not allow many U2 fans to line up during an event. That would be pretty disruptive to the local hockey fans.

The arena is also surrounded on all sides by private property and am not sure how easy San Diego police will be on dozens of people (if not more) sleeping on a very busy street.

Hope for the best.

 

[cmb737]

Based on my experience of lining up with the rest of the GA ticket holders I don't feel like the spot in line is that critical (unless you're desperate to get inside the "heart/oval"--and watch half the show with the band behind you). Otherwise, people line up for hours before the show, sprint inside to "claim" their spot, only to lose it when they go to the bathroom, get some food, etc. Plus once the crowd makes it's initial surge forward when the band comes on it changes everyone's position.

I've showed up to muliple NYC MSG Elevation shows about 30 minutes before the doors open and have had nothing less then stellar positioning. In fact, there's a picture of my waiting for the show to start in the new U2 Show book (great book by the way).

In my opinion it's not worth the HUGE wait.

Agreed...the difference between sleeping over night and showing up an hour before is probably no more than 25 feet back. What's it worth to you?

 

[oktobergirl]

It all depends on exactly that. what is it worth to you? Me? I need my beauty sleep. showing up at noon or so is about as much as i can handle. i did 6:30am on elevation and by the time the show started, i was exhausted.

 

[nuke126]

i really hope they do announce what their plans are for GA. I am going to San Diego 3/28 and have GA tickets. i don't know if it will benefit me to spend the night at the arena to have a good place in line, or if thats just a waste of time if they have a raffle. i guess we should just call the arena when it gets closer to see what they are planning.

 

[Halup]

In 2001 for GA at the San Diego Sports Arena, it was a mess. I had GA and arrived there from LA around 5pm. I wasn't going inside until I met up with some friends who also had GA which turned out to be after 6pm, when the doors opened, so I was able to witness what happened.

They had a GA line that went into 1 door, but at 6pm, when all of the doors to the arena were opened, all ticket holders, including GA ticket holders, were allowed in any door. All of the other doors to the venue had little to no lines, so GA ticket holders were able to go in this way, without the long wait, and got into the heart ahead of the majority of the people who had waited all day in the line that was specifically designated for GA.

I won't be surprised if something like this happens again this year. I also suspect U2 could go with the lottery system for GA like Springsteen did in 2003 after getting tired of seeing the same faces at the front of the stage from city to city in 2002. In most cases when they did this lottery, it was where all the people lined up for GA by around 3pm were entered into the lottery and their place in line was determined by this. Everyone showing up after the lottery had been concluded were lineup up in their order of arrival behind the lottery people. I think this scenario is very possible for U2 this year.

 

[tomdalton]

My GA/Albany story 2001

I walked in 30 min before showtime.The person I was with was kind of a jerk-He pushed by people and with me following him and yelling at him we were in front of the heart a few seconds later... The next night in Hartford I went alone with my single GA ticket This time I went to the arena at 6:00.Went in and went straight to the outside of the heart. The point is get there at 6 and go to a good area and STAY there...People go get beer-food-bathroom... Do that before you get in....I'm going to San Diego on the 28th with my GA ticket(CAN'T WAIT!) I'm flying in at 2:30 in the afternoon and I'll check out the beaches and go to the arena at 6.I'll still be close.My point is people don't sleep out- If you are on the floor don't worry.I hope they play ALL of the Bomb.I love this album...Reminds me of Achtung.They played almost all of the album and everybody was into it....19 DAYS.......!

 

[popbellydancer]

i just want to make a few things clear...

first, it's not up to the arenas so much as U2's security team, however some of the elevation problems came when local security would do whatever they wanted regardless of what may have worked in most other cities and what they were told to do by the band's security. at the end of the day we were always at the mercy of the yellow-jackets of course.

second, i was just curious about what people thought as this has been an argument between myself and a friend who mentioned it as an idea to Scott back in November. he of course already knew about the whole Springsteen thing and he didn't know or want to say what they're plans were this time around.

i didn't just start this thread simply because of Canada TM, (for which i'm sorry i hadn't known we had gotten that resolved) but because it did seem to appear as a potential even before Ca TM posted that...and it sent me and all of my fan friends back into heavy debate on the subject.

just making convo...



mel

 

[u2gator]

Having camped out for 5 out of 7 shows on the last tour I am all in favor of U2 following in the footsteps of the Springsteen camp and having a random lottery at approx 4pm. First off most of the arenas have done this as Springsteen has already been to most since U2's last tour so they should be comfortable running it again. Second it just sucks to go to a city to see U2 but to have to spend the whole day in line waiting to get in rather then being out enjoying the city. I enjoyed Boston while I was there for Elevation shows 1 & 2 but I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't been in line each day starting at 6am. Obviously that was my choice to wait in line but having been the first ever to experience the tip of the heart I knew that to even really have that chance again it meant giving up my day. When I go to New York in October, I don't want to spend the whole day in line, I want to get out and experience one of the greatest cities in the world, which is something I won't be able to do if Ga is first come first serve.

Would I be disappointed if when random numbers are pulled and the number is after mine so I would be at the back of the pack? of course but at least I will know that I was given just as much of a chance to get a good spot as the person who did not have to worry about being at work or being at school and actually having to live a life up until the few hours before the concert begins.

u2gator

 

[U2dork]

Based on my experience of lining up with the rest of the GA ticket holders I don't feel like the spot in line is that critical (unless you're desperate to get inside the "heart/oval"--and watch half the show with the band behind you). Otherwise, people line up for hours before the show, sprint inside to "claim" their spot, only to lose it when they go to the bathroom, get some food, etc. Plus once the crowd makes it's initial surge forward when the band comes on it changes everyone's position.

I've showed up to muliple NYC MSG Elevation shows about 30 minutes before the doors open and have had nothing less then stellar positioning. In fact, there's a picture of my waiting for the show to start in the new U2 Show book (great book by the way).

In my opinion it's not worth the HUGE wait.

I'm so glad there's someone else who is posting this type of experience. You have so many people posting ridiculous comments like you have to be at the arena first thing in the am (or even sleeping there overnight) in order to get a good spot and it's just not true! We showed up to our GA lines 2 hours before doors opened and still got primo spots right at the tip of the heart, and we didn't have to push through a huge crowd or be rude to anyone to do it. Yeah, we weren't in the heart but a HUGE chunk of the show was performed right infront of our noses. Now, I can also see wanting to be there early for the meet-n-greets that take place in the line, but that's another story.

But back to the original comment, communication is always good. Details about the GA line would be very much appreciated.

 

[ruffian]

Just to add this in: one person who lives in SD has checked with the arena and there is no camping permitted...same for the United Center in Chicago...

 

[spinninghead77]

Having camped out for 5 out of 7 shows on the last tour I am all in favor of U2 following in the footsteps of the Springsteen camp and having a random lottery at approx 4pm. First off most of the arenas have done this as Springsteen has already been to most since U2's last tour so they should be comfortable running it again. Second it just sucks to go to a city to see U2 but to have to spend the whole day in line waiting to get in rather then being out enjoying the city. I enjoyed Boston while I was there for Elevation shows 1 & 2 but I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't been in line each day starting at 6am. Obviously that was my choice to wait in line but having been the first ever to experience the tip of the heart I knew that to even really have that chance again it meant giving up my day. When I go to New York in October, I don't want to spend the whole day in line, I want to get out and experience one of the greatest cities in the world, which is something I won't be able to do if Ga is first come first serve.

Would I be disappointed if when random numbers are pulled and the number is after mine so I would be at the back of the pack? of course but at least I will know that I was given just as much of a chance to get a good spot as the person who did not have to worry about being at work or being at school and actually having to live a life up until the few hours before the concert begins.

u2gator

I agree.

Firstly, 1/2 the complainers are worried about being split up from their group. They don't seem to understand that the line starts with the person whose number is drawn but that the rest of the line stays intact.

The venue is not responsible for moving people. They draw a number and then tell you what time to come back and get in line. Everyone is responsible for making sure that they are at the right spot in line.

By doing the draw at 4pm it is still only the bigger fans that are there at this time. Most people going to a concert go to work that day and then go get dinner and then show up. It is only us hardcore fans that take the day off work and fly to foreign cities to attend concerts.

If the venues don't want people sleeping over and U2 doesn't want the same people at the front every night then a lottery is the way to go.

I gave GA tickets for SD and I really, really want to go to the Vertigo Eve party the night before and check out the city on the Monday. I will give those things up if I have to but I would prefer not to.

I figure most of us are going to more than one show so if they do the lottery in each city then we should all make it up close at least once.

 

[tawanda]

Re: My GA/Albany story 2001

I walked in 30 min before showtime.The person I was with was kind of a jerk-He pushed by people and with me following him and yelling at him we were in front of the heart a few seconds later...


I HATE people like this! I was probably the person this asshole pushed!!!

Sorry for my loss of control...no, maybe I'm not!!!

 

[oceane]

I concur with those who say that sleeping overnight is a waste of time. If you absolutely NEED to be right at the railing in front of the stage, maybe you should get there the night before or very early in the morning. And if there is something like the Heart once agin and you really want to be inside, you might want to show up before noon, although at some shows during Elevation some people showed up at 3pm and still got inside the Heart. It depends on the city, and people will probably line up earlier and earlier as the tour goes.

But the fact is you can still get there much later in the afternoon and have a very decent spot. Many times during Elevation, I was number 200 or 300+ and I ended up three feet away from the stage, with someone standing next to me with number 5 or 6 on their hands... I was like "Ha! Too bad for you you had to sleep outside and we essentially have the same spot!" It's just not worth it to sleep over just to end being maybe one row closer.

 

[Achtung Ya'll]

I like getting a guaranteed spot in the "heart" because it was MUCH more comfortable than being packed in with the rest of the crowd. At least for the Atlanta shows (which were both sold out I think), inside the heart right next to the stage was shoulder to shoulder...but back a few feet you had ample walking room and could easily turn to watch them while they walked around the catwalk...it was fucking awesome.

I think it's worth it to wait in line for that.

It's also fun as hell (at least for me it was). I met a ton of cool people and generally just had a helluva good time. Of course the Phillips arena is badass...we had a full foodcourt/pub/bathroom area just a few feet from where we were so it was the lap of luxury!

 

[oceane]

I agree, waiting in line is part of the fun. Well, at least if the weather is good

I just don't think that sleeping over is worth it for the difference it makes in the end.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

they should announce a uniform policy for every arena, and announce it ahead of time. it would just solve any problem before it happens.

frankly... they should start giving out numbers ahead of time, and then let people go, and then start the line up again at like 5pm, according to your pre-assigned number.

this is how letterman does it, but he's only dealing with like 600 people in the ed sullivan theatre, not the 1800 people lining up for the GA line at a u2 concert.

 

[oceane]

Yeah, there is big disagreement among fans on whether or not a lottery would be a good idea... I personally prefer the first come first serve system, but if they decided to do a lottery it would be ok too.

I would hope however that they would only give a limited amount of numbers let's say starting at 3pm (like maybe 500 or 600), so it would still go to the people willing to spend a bit more time there. Being the 600th person to get in the arena is really not that bad anyways, you would still probably get a good spot.

In any case I agree, they should warn everyone in advance.

 

[ladywithspinninghead]

I don`t think that sleeping over would normally be required for the rest of the shows on this tour if you want to get into the Oval/Heart but I do think that since this is the first show of the leg, and therefore atttracting the hardcore fans from all over the globe, I do think there will be a lot more competition than usual in trying to get into the oval/heart or just outside of it.

I don`t think showing up in the middle of the afternoon will cut it for this particular show.

 

[sweetest_thing8]

GA

I have really mixed feelings about this. Last tour for the first show we went to we started waiting in line at around 4am and I was right under bono next to the stage. ONE OF THE BEST EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE!!!. However, you are at risk of being trampled. Luckily my friend is a big guy and protected me!! For the next show we started waiting at 7am but we decided to stand at the back of the inner heart. Since we already had the experience of being front row, we decided to relax the second time. In the back of the heart there was a TON of room to move around in and it was neat to see the show from that perspective.

I personally don't really like the lottery system. Like people have said, a large part of the fun is waiting in line and talking with other U2 fans. In general people are really nice and if you are with another person you can always take turns to get food/bathroom breaks.

Just my 2 cents!

 

[BWU2Buffs]

Here's the simple answer.

Yes

U2 should communicate with fans and venues in advance of any plans they have -- doesn't matter if it is 'lottery' 'raffle' or 'first come first serve fans are in control of lines'.

It's all about managing expectations -- if they clearly communicate their plans, or lack thereof, then everybody is on the same page at the start; and nobody is angered or frustrated with what ultimately happens.

Doesn't matter to me how it works, as long as I know what the rules of engagment are before I start the process.

 

[cmb737]

Here's the simple answer.

Yes

U2 should communicate with fans and venues in advance of any plans they have -- doesn't matter if it is 'lottery' 'raffle' or 'first come first serve fans are in control of lines'.

It's all about managing expectations -- if they clearly communicate their plans, or lack thereof, then everybody is on the same page at the start; and nobody is angered or frustrated with what ultimately happens.

Doesn't matter to me how it works, as long as I know what the rules of engagment are before I start the process.

Here Here. Fake Edge are you reading this?