U2's Next Tour: Stay Small or Go Big

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U2's Next Tour: Stay Small or Go Big

  • Arenas are a.o.k. with me

    Votes: 22 27.5%

  • Ditch the heart, bring back the lemons and the giants TVs!

    Votes: 20 25.0%

  • Like a Rolling Stone... Stadiums, Arenas and Clubs on the same tour

    Votes: 38 47.5%
  • Total voters
    80
Headache in a Suitcase

Headache in a Suitcase

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So how about it folks? After the success of All That You Can't Leave Behind, The Elevation Tour, Slane, The Super Bowl... should U2 stay with their small intimate (if 20,000 screaming people is really intimate) arena tours, or head back out to the football stadiums? As much as I loved Elevation, part of me yearned for the good ol' days of endzone sized television sets, flying trabants, and motorized lemon-mobiles. So how about it? Stay in arenas? Go back to stadiums? Or pull a rolling stone and do both!

Lemme know what'cha think...
 
The demand to see U2 in Europe is enormous, and sufficient to see them play in big stadiums. In markets like Holland, Scandinavia, UK, Ireland, France or Italy, they can fill a 50,000 seat stadium in a few hours.

The problem is US/Canada market. Sold out 2 o 3 stadiums in cities like Chicago, Philadelphia Boston, LA or NY isn't a problem for U2. But sold out big stadiums in other markets/cities like Kansas, Portland, Seattle is a more difficult task for U2 ( and even RS, Pink Floyd and Bruce ). So, in my opinion, the best option is a mix arenas/stadiums in US and Europe respectively.


Vox
 
I say keep U2 in the arenas, not the stadiums. I'm shelling out my hard earned cash to see U2 and I'd like to actually SEE U2!. Stadiums were cool years ago when ticket prices didn't fuck us in the ass. Now we get fucked. I wanna be able to see Bono a little better. A regular schmo like me doesn't have the stroke to get awesome U2 seats. I gotta settle for mediocre seats. In an arena, that's fine. In a stadium, though, that sucks ass.
 
Arena's all the way!! While ZooTV and Popmart look so awesome ( I did not get the pleasure of attending them, but I did see them on the Joshua Tree tour in a stadium) I love the closeness in the arena. I cant describe how it felt to be at the tip of the heart once and in the heart another time. It was just so amazing to be so close to them, instead of looking at ants on a stage.
 
There are probably ten cities in the US where U2 could fill stadiums. The Stones aren't even selling out stadiums on this current tour. (hmmmm....perhaps the $300 tickets have something to do with it). I'm sure that if U2 did a Joshua Tree style tour in the US with stadiums in the big cities and arenas in the smaller ones, it'd do well, as long as the prices weren't terribly high. Which let's admit.......they're not gonna get lowered. U2 sold out every single concert, even with those outrageous prices. Why wouldn't they do it again?

I love the closeness of an arena. Stadium shows in America just don't seem the same as they are in Europe and elsewhere. In Europe, U2 should do stadiums....they'll sell out, easily. In the US, I think they should stick with arenas. My advice to them is to not bite off more than they can chew, aka Popmart. It'd be better press if they could say they sold out 2 arenas in Denver than to say they didn't sell out 1 stadium in the same city. (Contrasting Elevation to Popmart).
 
I'd prefer an arena since it would allow me to get a better view esp when it would be the first time I saw them live after almost 20 years waiting.

Yeah 20 years - screams at the thought :scream::scream::scream:

However in view of this anything would do!
 
I really liked the intimacy on the Elevation tour. So small places are fine by me.


On the other hand I agree with Boomchaa - I just want to see them again (and be right in the front row :))
 
I think the Stones had a really good concept with the multiple-type shows for different cities. Economically, it totally makes sense.

Now, if I can just be lucky enough to score those "intimate club" tickets......
 
I would like to see some stadium shows on the next tour because believe it or not, there will be more lower priced tickets in a stadium compared to an arena because the available supply of seats is greater. Actual demand for each seat will be less than in a much smaller arena driving the price down. For example you will see triple or more 45$ seats in a stadium compared to the arena. The higher priced tickets will make up a smaller percentage of the total.

I actually think U2 could go back to the Stadiums completely in the USA, at least at the time being. But the prices have to be done correctly to sell out. A base price or single price of 60$ would be enough I feel to sellout or at least fill up most markets that did not do that well on POPMART with the renewed popularity of the band with ATYCLB. I'm of course talking about the United States. Every ticket at the 45$ level sold out quickly on the Elevation tour. So did the 130$ tickets of which there was a smaller percentage. The slower ones to sell were the 85$ seats especially the ones behind the stage. Remember in the Stadiums, there is no behind the stage seating or obstructed view seating like in the Arena's.

Also remember some places in Europe were weak on the POPMART tour. All the 5 German POPMART Stadium dates had less than 40,000 people and 3 had less than 30,000. One show had only 18,500. So Germany is one place where U2 would have to be careful in Europe if attempting to play stadiums.
 
The Stones' idea is probably the best 'cause let's face it... they could put out an album of Barry Manilow covers, and they'd still be able to sell out stadiums in New York, Boston, LA & Chicago for at least two shows. If Pop had the kind of success that ATYCLB did, I think PopMart would have sold out across the board. Pop was getting mixed reviews, keeping the sales by the fairweather U2 fans down, add that with the lack of rehearsal time leading to sloppy first outings on PopMart... it was just a recipie for disaster. I guess after the fact that they managed to get a song like Lemon or Numb on the radio, they figured they could just throw an album out and show up for the gig, and the people will come. And in reality, they did... the show was the second highest attended and grossing tour of the year, just behind the Stones, and comming in second to the Stones is nothing to be ashamed of.

So if the next record's happening the way ATYCLB was, they could probably do a full out stadium tour. Even if the album's a little below what ATYCLB did, they could still do the Stones' Stadium-Arena-Club deal with no problem, just so long that they don't release the first single with a video of them dressed as the Village People... ugh.

Boom-cha.
 
Vox02 said:
The demand to see U2 in Europe is enormous, and sufficient to see them play in big stadiums. In markets like Holland, Scandinavia, UK, Ireland, France or Italy, they can fill a 50,000 seat stadium in a few hours.

The problem is US/Canada market. Sold out 2 o 3 stadiums in cities like Chicago, Philadelphia Boston, LA or NY isn't a problem for U2. But sold out big stadiums in other markets/cities like Kansas, Portland, Seattle is a more difficult task for U2 ( and even RS, Pink Floyd and Bruce )
Vox
Click to expand...

Yup I agree. The two 80,000 Slane Shows broke the record for fastest ever show to be sold out over here. The first one was gone in 45 minutes.

By the way, I voted for a return of the giant T.V.'s and lemons! I wasn't there for Popmart and Zoo TV so I want to get a taste of some of the explosive U2 action.
 
#3...because then everybody would be happy, right? :wink:

If my opinion was the only one to take into account ( :lmao: Riiiight, Jen!), I would say play large arenas with chairs on the floor...but I don't think they'd necessarily have to go over-the-top with special effects like Zootv and Popmart. :shrug: But I would LOVE to see them in a small club or something. That would be nifty!
 
I think doing what the Stones are doing is a great idea. In cities like Chicago, Boston and NY they could do a stadium show, a few nights at an arena and maybe a club show. It gives everyone the oppurtunity to see them and you can choose what kind of show you want to see. This was the idea behind the Joshua Tree tour 2nd and 3rd legs where they would generally play both an arena show and a stadium show in the major markets. (IE Boston in 1987, two nights at the Boston Garden, one night at Foxboro Stadium). I remember an interview with Adam in 1987 and that is what he said their intention was. For those of us going to multliple shows, this is even better because you can see two maybe three (if clubs/theaters were played and you actually could get tickets) different types of a concert on the same tour. As StingII pointed out though, the pricing has to be right for stadiums for that to be successful in N. America.

I think Europe on the next tour is going to be stadiums/fields/parks for the most part. Those were the type of places they were tentatively booking for the cancelled 2002 Euro summer tour. Demand for U2 in most markets in Europe is huge, so it wouldnt be a problem. The thing with Germany could be solved by only playing 1 or 2 shows there in only a major city. They just played to many shows in Germany for Popmart. Weak album (sales wise and in the eyes of the gen. public) and they oversaturated the market.

I have said this before. Everyone says what a bust Popmart was because it didnt sellout. Neither did the outdoor Zoo tour. I saw Zoo Outside Broadcast in Detroit and almost the entire upper deck was empty. While alot of shows did sellout on Zoo (there were alot on Popmart also in the big markets), there were alot of shows that had 3/4 to 1/2 capacity. So stadiums are kind of hit and miss depending on where they are playing.
 
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Some shows didn't sold out during the Outside Broadcast leg of ZooTV, but SOME, and the major part was in cities like Birmingham, El Paso or Columbia. The rest was Sold Out or close. With 42 shows in the outdoor phase of ZooTV, and additional 32 shows in the indoor phase, ZooTV sold more than 2,4 million tickets in US in only one year!!

In contrast, PopMart sold 1,7 million tickets in US! Additional shows was originally planned in Los Angeles ( second show at Memorial Coliseum ), Philadelphia ( Franklin Field ) and third in Boston ( Foxboro Stadium ) and no-one was possible. The problem with PopMart is that U2/Principle Management expected the same demand that was in 1992.

Vox!!
 
You are wrong about the 3rd Foxboro show. It didnt take place because it would have been the 4th of July (national holiday here) and they couldnt get the police/security to do the event because they would be at holiday events. Otherwise that show would have happened and probebly would have soldout or been a near sellout.

Popmart did sellout in the major markets. They soldout two nights at Giants stadium and the 3rd was 1/2 to 2/3rds full. They only played 2 shows in the same venue on Zoo. U2 oversaturated the market on Popmart, that was the problem. Also, I consider Detroit a major market, and as I said, the entire upper deck was pretty much empty for Zoo Outside(actually in the Dome). Also, in Chicago for Zoo they soldout every show but they played a much smaller venue. They sold around 88000 tickets for Zoo Outside in Chicago. For Popmart they sold out two nights at a venue twice the size of the Zoo venue and played to a 2/3 full stadium the 3rd night. Selling approximagely 120000 tickets for Popmart in Chicago. Also, in your figures they are exagerrated because you include the indoor leg of Zoo TV. U2 only played approximately 40 shows in the U.S. on Popmart. They played way more on Zoo, so obviously they are going to sell more tickets an gross more if you base it on those figures. If you go on JUST the stadium shows for both. Zoo and Popmart are much closer in sales and gross. U2 could have easily soldout arenas on Popmart if they had played any arena shows.

So say what you will, Zoo was more successful as far as tickets sold, but not alot more successful IMO. I actually enjoyed Popmart more myself anyway. I hate it when people buy into the media hype and think Popmart was this huge failure. At the time it was the 3rd highest grossing tour ever ahead of the Zoo tour.
 
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Ticket prices and the fact that the play in SouthAmerica ( 450,000 tickets sold!!! ) made possible the $171million gross figure for PopMart. It's clear that the ticket demand was superior in 1992-93 than 1997-98.

I don't know the problem with the third Foxboro show, thanks!! :) In 1992 U2 sold out 3 nights in Boston, with 148,736 tickets sold. I agree, probably they can fill a thrid night in 1997! LA and Philadelphia was another story...

But I don't agree with your comments about NY-area shows in 1992!! U2 sold out 2 nights at Giant's Stadium ( the first night in 23 minutes! ) and another 2 at Yankee Stadium in NY!!

The market that was a CLEAR succes in 1997 was CANADA. Probably, the third major market for U2, behind Ireland and Italy! ( and Holland in 4th position ).

Vox!
 
POPMART was a massive success and today is still the 3rd highest GROSSING tour Worldwide in World History. But in the USA, I would say demand to see U2 live in 1997 was in general about half of US ZOO TV tour of 1992. Looking at many of the B-market area's makes the point. Denver is probably the ultimate example. It had no Arena show on ZOO TV or POPMART just one single Stadium date on each tour. On ZOO TV U2 sold 54,000 tickets for the Denver concert, on POPMART they only sold 28,000. For Detroit I feel that U2s Arena show in that area probably weakened attendance for the ZOO stadium show later that fall unless you assume everyone who went to the Arena show went to the Stadium show as well.

In New York City, I bought my ticket in a lower level area 3 hours before U2 took the stage. The two first Giants Stadium shows had slightly reduced capacities set at about 46,000 per night. The first show was actually sold out for months but then more tickets were put on sell a few weeks before the show and they did not sell all of them. The second show was never actually sold out at any time. Still U2 played to two very big crowds and and got a third night filled up 2/3s or half way. If they had set capacity like they did on ZOO TV at 54,500 and just put two shows on sell instead of 3, I think they would of sold those out but that would have been it. Having reduced capacity on the first couple of nights appears to of allowed there to be enough demand for a third show. But when you look at total attendence on ZOO TV in the New York area, its about twice of the total for POPMART. Realize that U2 did not use up demand in the New York area as nearly every show quickly sold out. On Popmart, they clearly ran into a wall with the third show despite reduced capacity on the first two nights. Still a hell of a lot more though than anyone could do except the Rolling Stones at that time in 1997.

Oh yes, the second show at Franklin Field Philadelphia. I got up early to get tickets for that show and they canceled it 10 days later. I think they could have done about 20,000 the second night compared to the 50,000 they did the first night if they had let tickets sell for the full 30 days up to the day of the show. Rumor was that at the 10 day mark they were only at 4,000 tickets sold. I'd say it was probably more like 10,000 and they probably felt they could not hit the 20,000 mark. Oakland got a second show because they hit the 20,000 mark and came in at 24,000 on the second show.

I never did hear about Los Angeles second show but was surprised when they announced the the show that was going to happen would be the only area performance. Still it had the highest attendance level for a single show in North America on both the ZOO TV and POPMART tours with 65,000 in attendance.
 
I personally prefer arena shows. I like to see them get close to the crowd, the people. Stadium shows don't give me quite the same adrenaline rush. But I agree with Boomcha, I just want to see them again in a venue, period.
 
Sting2,

I read this comment about the 2nd LA show in Willie Williams Diary ( incredibly document!! Along with the Pimm's book!! ). In 1987 U2 sold more than 200,000 tickets in Los Angeles and in 1992 they sold out almost 190,000 tickets in LA area. I remember my surprise in 1997 when I read that U2 only play one night in Los Angeles!!

At least, listening the boot, it was a very great show! :)

To sumarize... PopMart was a tremendous succes around the world in terms of attendance ( only behind the 80's and 90s world tour by RS and Pink Floyd ) and gross ( RS again... ) with the exception of US. In addition, the result in major markets was relevant :

London : In 1993 U2 sold 258,000 tickets in 4 dates at Wembley Stadium, in contrast of 144,000 tickets sold in 1997

UK : 250,000 tickets sold in 1997; 458,000 tickets sold in 1993. Its clear, no?

NY/LA : already comment on this thread

Germany and Japan, both sold out around 90% of tickets put on sale in this countries, in contrast of poor ticket sales in 1997. In Japan, though, I don't know if the Tokyo and Osaka dates were sold out!

Vox
 
Tokyo had 34,000 in attendance while the Osaka show had 19,000 in attendance in 1997. Both shows were in Stadiums and were obviously not sellouts. Weak markets on the POPMART tour were in general, Southern and Mid-Western USA, Germany, Japan, and Australia.
 
Vox, I dont know how you can disagree with me on the NY shows when I was pointing out facts??? U2 sold about the same amount of tickets for NY Popmart as they did for NY Zoo. Thats all I was pointing out.

I knew Sting2 would chime in LOL :) with the exact facts. I thought Vox was kind of ripping on Popmart like it was a failure (maybe I was wrong) and that is what I was reacting to. As Sting2 said Popmart was a very successful tour. It just bothers me when the media and some fans rip on it. I loved the Zoo tour also but I thought Popmart was just as good (ducks! ;) )

Anyway, Sting2 the other thing that could have played into the Detroit Zoo Outside Broadcast show not selling so well is that it was on a Wednesday night. Also the Silverdome is probebly the worst venue on the planet for a concert (may it RIP). Although they did sell alot of tickets for Popmart. You have shown me the attendance figures before showing more attended the Zoo show. But it didnt look that way being at both of them. It really appeared there were more people there at the Popmart show. The back section of the upper deck for Popmart was about half full and the entire lower bowl and floor were packed. For Zoo just the lower bowl and floor were filled. I wonder how reliable the Zoo figures are or maybe the Popmart figures were undercalculated.

Anyway, back to the original topic, sorry.
 
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I don't think that PopMart was a failure, in fact, PM was a great succes in most of Europe ( in Italy, Portugal, Austria, Scandinavia, Prague, Poland and Sarajevo ), SouthAmerica and Canada. Only US, Germany and Japan/Australia didn't good results.

I agree.. Some press often remember the PM tour as FlopMart although it gross $171 million and sold 3,9 million tickets!! In my city, Barcelona, PopMart established a new attendance record for a single concert at Olimpic Stadium with 63,900 tickets sold, ahead of Bruce ( 56,000 ), Madonna ( 55,000 ), Pink Floyd ( 53,000 ), or RS ( 52,000 ) in previous years!!

Ok!! Back to original thread hehe

Vox!!
 
I say do what the Stones did.

Call it "U2 not-for-profit tour 2004"

I think they should blow everyone out of the water with a huge production tour.

They will fill stadiums around the world, yet they will not make money. They will blow it all on the tour, the way they should.

They should do a tour that makes Popmart look like a mini-tv.

They should fill stadiums with lights, explosions, sound, video, all kinds of crazy shit no one else could pull off.

Now if only I was Paul McGuinness....
 
U2 just wasn't as popular as they are now back in those days.

New York: Madison Square Garden holds 20,000. Continental Airlines Arena holds 20,000. Eight shows between the two venues. 160,000. Whereas they probably played to maybe 100,000-110,000 on Popmart in the same city. 50-60 thousand more tickets. That's like filling another stadium!

Los Angeles: 6 shows on Elevation, probably about 110,000. And that's with all the shows selling out! Who knows how many more they could've added. Compare that to 65,000 on Popmart.

The only place where the Elevation tour "slumped" was in the midwest, where they oversaturated big time. I mean, they went Cleveland, Lexington, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Indianapolis. Those 5 cities are all pretty much in the same area. They all drew from each other. All shows sold out, although I heard Lexington didn't sell out until showtime. Columbus and Indianapolis didn't sell behind the stage. I know cause I was there. They should've maybe put some of these cities on the second leg. St.Louis and Kansas City were the only 2 shows that didn't sell out. Both in Missouri, the day after the other. If they would've put St.Louis on the first leg, both shows would've sold out. It's all about marketing. Don't play 2 shows in a midwestern state the same week, or even month.

Columbus: Elevation show sold around 18,000 tickets. But the back of the arena wasn't sold, and there was a huge curtain hung there instead. On the contrary, Popmart in Columbus sold 45,000 tickets out of a possible 60,000. This would've filled Nationwide Arena twice! The reason? Columbus was the only Ohio show in the tour, and they didn't even play in Kentucky or Indiana (cancelled because of astroturf!!!) If they would've put Columbus on sale for the first leg of Elevation without Indy or Cleveland, they would've sold it out in a day or two, and maybe added a 2nd show. Then, they could play Cleveland and Indy int he fall leg.

U2 just doesn't have that big of an audience here in the midwest as it does elsewhere.
 
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