Disillusioned with the U2 machine?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Take into fact the Ipod adds and a f#@king mainstream album. And now money hungry tour. Milking it for what its worth. U2 these days is about Maximum profit. Whatever happened to "Fuck the mainstream" and "We are for the music" I remember one time when a car manufacturer wanted to use WTSHNN for a car commercial and offered U2 millions, however U2 being the U2 they used to be declined. Now U2 are in APPLE IPOD commercials and their first new single off their new album used for marketing these commercials. WTF happened? Yes these guys and in their 40's and the band over 25 years old however they dont have to go down this track at this point in their lives. Its not like they dont have any money. The Music has stopped and the spirit has been sold. Its business all the way.
 
I'm going to reply to the original post, but imply by association the other posters (not necessarily you, namkcuR) who are taking this to the nth degree.

namkcuR said:
look at the concert dates that have been released. It's like half as much as there were on the first leg of Elevation(bare in mind I know they could add more, but still).

Still what? You're now officially arguing a circle in a circle. They'll add more dates. They had to focus on the big markets -- selling tickets in high-profile markets at first guarantees the album will keep selling through the year, which will justify coming back later. They have a limited window in which to schedule the shows, so they're doing the best they can with what they have. They did the same thing with ZooTV -- a quick hit-and-run tour in the spring, a longer tour come fall. This is neither a surprise nor unprecedented.

PM still has not given a decipherable/meaningful explanation for the delay in the announcement or the less than full tour schedule. I'm not asking for a detailed essay here, just two lines that spare of us from typical PM BS.

Let me get this straight...
1. McGuiness said the problem was due to routing issues.
2. The media leaked that there was a health problem in Edge's family.
3. The NHL strike is throwing everything into disarray.

None of these are good enough? (And if Edge chooses not to come forward about whatever's going on, what's that to any of us? His privacy is his privacy, for pete's sake.)

Also, Ticketmaster is apparently involved again...now, I didn't use Ticketmaster last time around, but I've heard horror stories about how they fucked it up quite badly. If this is true, why is U2 still using it?

Can you suggest another vendor who has the capacity to handle the incredibly high volume of demand for a U2 tour?

Also, the ticket prices themselves are also arguably higher than they've ever been. Whatever happened to the U2 that actually didn't profit during ZooTV just so that their fans could get in without paying an arm and a leg?

Adjusted for inflation, tickets aren't that bad. As I recall, tix to ZooTV were $30 twelve years ago -- and now they're giving the best seats in the house for $49. What's the problem? In my mind, that's a steal. People b*tched when PopMart came out -- for a whopping $40. Some people will never be happy.

And for the record...*both* ZooTV and PopMart operated at a loss. (ZooTV at least was saved by T-shirt sales.) What do you expect? With the music industry contracting, live is where musicians make their living. Do you expect U2 to organize every tour without making money? Of course the logical retort to this is that they're well taken care of, they're not worrying about where their next meal is coming from and blah blah blah, but seriously -- U2 work hard, they put an awful lot out there -- do you really expect them to do all this work and not make money? Is that what they owe us as fans? To work as hard as they do, and not make any money at it? What if the people you work for held you to the same standard?

People. Really. If you're angry at their prices, don't buy tickets. Don't buy the iPod. Don't buy fifteen different T-shirts. Don't buy the ultra-special-edition-with-bells-and-whistles special edition. Prioritize based on what you can afford. Save up if that's what it takes. Don't complain about high prices -- especially when you consider people are paying three, four, and five times this amount to see Madonna, Billy Joel, Sting, etc.

BTW...I'm an old-school Prop member. Had no problems with my subscription. Had no problems joining the site. And have no problems paying a measly $20 for the chance at early tickets. Wouldn't have had a problem paying $40 either -- but I frankly appreciated the courtesy to the fans. Was it perfect? No, but what is? A few vociferous ones got attention. The majority of fans were/are well-served.

Better to come in and light a candle than stand outside and curse the darkness...
 
Last edited:
Enkryption said:
Take into fact the Ipod adds and a f#@king mainstream album. And now money hungry tour. Milking it for what its worth. U2 these days is about Maximum profit. Whatever happened to "Fuck the mainstream" and "We are for the music" I remember one time when a car manufacturer wanted to use WTSHNN for a car commercial and offered U2 millions, however U2 being the U2 they used to be declined. Now U2 are in APPLE IPOD commercials and their first new single off their new album used for marketing these commercials. WTF happened? Yes these guys and in their 40's and the band over 25 years old however they dont have to go down this track at this point in their lives. Its not like they dont have any money. The Music has stopped and the spirit has been sold. Its business all the way.

That commercial was more or less a commercial for the song Vertigo and the U2 apple ipod.

Your argument is weak and old and beaten into the ground.

And when U2 were fucking up the mainstream and when they were all for the music they were still selling millions of records and making money selling those millions of records, kind of like now.
 
MrBrau1 said:


Oh, you're just loving this aren't you? All thes mind-controlled U2 fans wondering if they'll get tickets. You slow down and look at car accidents don't you? Actually, you stop at car accidents, get out of the car, and try and poke the people w/ a stick.

lol Very funny! See, we u2 fans do have a sense of humor. Smile, people, u2 are hitting the road!

See ya there!
 
I say there is a simple solution to the complainers problem if you dont like what U2 are doing now dont go to the tour nobody is forcing you to go and I am actually sure some people would thank you for not taking up tickets that others actually want.
 
david said:


And when U2 were fucking up the mainstream and when they were all for the music they were still selling millions of records and making money selling those millions of records, kind of like now.

Correct! And that was U2! the true U2 and the U2 people fell in love with. Those were the good old days. Today they sell millions, however they are not so much like themselves anymore.
 
Alright people lets calm all the fuck down! Some people like they way U2 are going and some dont. So be it. Close the thread then or discuss something that everybody agrees with and so making everybody body happy and lovey dubby. :laugh:
 
Look, I'm not saying I don't appreciate U2 and I'm not trying to sound like a dick, but you would have to be blind not to see that U2 have made some concious business decisions in the last few years.

A Bono quote from the mid-late 90s(Pop-era)

"When this bogus term alternative rock was being thrown at every seventies retro rehash folk group, we were challenging people to new sonic ideas. If some little snotty anarchist with an Apple Mac and an attitude thinks he invented dance music and the big rock group is coming into his territory, [that's] ridiculous."

In this one quote, there is a rawness, a candidness, a not caring what people think, an edginess, that I am not really feeling anymore.

I'm just trying to get my feelings across and make a point.
 
namkcuR said:
Look, I'm not saying I don't appreciate U2 and I'm not trying to sound like a dick, but you would have to be blind not to see that U2 have made some concious business decisions in the last few years.

A Bono quote from the mid-late 90s(Pop-era)

"When this bogus term alternative rock was being thrown at every seventies retro rehash folk group, we were challenging people to new sonic ideas. If some little snotty anarchist with an Apple Mac and an attitude thinks he invented dance music and the big rock group is coming into his territory, [that's] ridiculous."

In this one quote, there is a rawness, a candidness, a not caring what people think, an edginess, that I am not really feeling anymore.

I'm just trying to get my feelings across and make a point.

You make a good point and a point that I agree with and so will many others.
 
beli said:


I don't understand this expression and what you are saying.

"chalked fuck on a tour", please explain?

Thanks.

Hehe, er, that's when they all stand on the stage, and write the word "fuck" on a big chalkboard, over and over and over

;)

Adam: "this is interminably boring, can't I just draw on this."

Larry: "wha? oh like that game, you draw something and someone has to guess what it is?"

Edge: "shut it you two, and keep writing!"

Bono: *when no one's looking* drops chalk and kicks it "em, I lost me chalk."

Edge: "why am I not surprised you lost it?"

Larry: "I should have thought of that"

Adam: "Bet Brian knows where this word comes from too"

;) ;)
 
Last edited:
Yahweh said:
I say there is a simple solution to the complainers problem if you dont like what U2 are doing now dont go to the tour nobody is forcing you to go and I am actually sure some people would thank you for not taking up tickets that others actually want.

Well at this point, with the dates the way they are and U2 leaving out most of the southern portion of the US as well as having few dates set aside... I probably won't be able to go to a tour without paying a few hundred dollars more in costs....

LOL... U2, you've got me there....LOL
 
Last edited:
MrBrau1 said:


If only we had your wisdom. Poor us.

Yes I know you wish you had my wisdom MR Brau as your always one of the first to answer my posts. Anyway I doubt I'll be able to get tickets for the TWO shows in England cos most of the 12-13 yr old Busted fans will have snapped them up. Can just seen it now it'll be like being at the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party. Right On! hehehe:wink:
 
Re: Re: Disillusioned with the U2 machine?

nathan1977 said:



Adjusted for inflation, tickets aren't that bad. As I recall, tix to ZooTV were $30 twelve years ago -- and now they're giving the best seats in the house for $49. What's the problem? In my mind, that's a steal. People b*tched when PopMart came out -- for a whopping $40. Some people will never be happy.



Better to come in and light a candle than stand outside and curse the darkness...

No offense but your obviously american, the mark up on your tickets has not been that bad. In the UK we've not been that lucky, taking the exchange rate into account we're paying almost $100 (£55) for a standing ticket. In comparison, REM's cost for an outdoor gig is $65 (£35).

There's no excuse for the cost of these tickets, also we weren't informed of the cost until we actually got on to the ticketmaster site this morning. So my four standing tickets came to the almighty total of $418.49 (£226) which is obscene for a stadium concert and far more than bands such as Oasis, Stereophonics et al have been charging for outdoor concerts. That's in Scotland where the average wage is £21,000 pa, the cost per ticket is even higher down south. The only other comparable rates have been the Rolling Stones and the Eagles, two bands notoriously not in it for the music.

It seems like U2 are out to gouge as much money as possible out of the European market. Which is disgraceful.
 
Val said:
What is the problem? You paid a membership so you could get advanced tixs. Right! Well, you can. You may have to wait until the tour gets to an area near you, but I am sure the $40 fee wasn't for the band to add on your city/area to the tour. Right!
You do get a bit more than other u2.com visitors. Right! No one twisted your arm. Right!
And the prices aren't outrageous thanks to U2. Right!
So, come on, get into the spirtit of a u2 tour. Back the band in their endeavor as they surely will put on a show for us.

Uh, no, our arms weren't twisted. However, we were lied to. We were told we could get advance tickets to as many shows as we wanted. We were told that our keychains would be arriving within 6 weeks of signing up. We were told that the new website would have bonuses and tons of exclusive content for paying subscribers, not the same damned stuff we got with the previous, FREE u2.com. We were told we'd get regular news updates through email. We haven't and the emails we've recieved have hardly been news. A primary component of news is that it is NEW. We were told that Propaganda subscribers would have access to the tickets even before the rest of the U2.com paid members, which is obviously untrue now as well. We were told we would have complete lyrics, audio, and video files, which is a lie as well. Plus, a number of the audio and video files don't even work properly. We were told there would be exclusive downloads but those have yet to materialize as well. Plenty of Propaganda members were told that they would recieve letters and codes that would allow them to subscribe at a discount that they never got. Plus, U2.com has charged my credit card in the past without permission, which is theft. We were told that all the North American tour stops already declared would be on sale this morning but they aren't. The staff at U2.com are LIARS. If this were any other organization besides U2, I would have reported them to the California Attourney General by now. Since I still love U2's music, I've given them a hell of a lot more room than I would any other organization. This whole set up is pathetic. Just crap.
 
Back
Top Bottom