jick
Refugee
Here are my suggestions for U2's 2005 plans or new year's resolutions or whatever you want to call it:
1. Bono should quit smoking and work on his voice. His voice has greatly thinned and gotten raspy over the years and this can be attributed to too much nicotene (and maybe alcohol too). We don't want Bono sounding like Richard Butler after a few years.
2. U2 should rehearse well for their opening night. In the past tours in the last decade, all opening nights have been beset with problems, missed chords, or botched lyrics.
3. U2 should do more publicity stunts and appearances. While HTDAAB has gotten off to a great start, it doesn't look to match ATYCLB. Not as much Grammy nominations for the first single, no Superbowl invite, and no tragedy to cash-in on (ATYCLB had 9/11). U2 should start making more rounds on TV like Leno, Conan, Letterman - another SNL performance could help, an MTV Icon special would be great, and more secret shows (like Astoria, Manray, and Irving Plaza for the ATYCLB tour) could get them more exposure.
4. U2 should market their tour as a "farewell and greatest hits tour." If they do it this way, the public will think it is their last tour and will be willing to pay any price to see a departing rock legend like U2 play. This will enable U2 to have all their shows sold out, as well as to command really high ticket prices. This strategy will maximize profit for them. And if 4 years down the line, they will decide to tour again - they can always market it as a "reunion tour" which will still command top dollar. U2 are at an age where they can use the words "farewell" then subequently "reunion" to their advantage and to maximize profits. Barbara Streisand did a farewell tour a few years back and rumors abound that she will tour again. Streisand commanded top dollar for concert seats. U2 can start capitalizing on this when they get inducted to the Hall Of Fame.
5. U2 should start using creative means to pad their album sales. U2 could include something like for example a 50% discount coupon for their album in Best Buy for every concert ticket, or a $5 rebate coupon for every album purchased after the concert ticket date. Assuming they play to a tour to 4 million people, they could pad album sales by perhaps 2 million (you don't expect everyone to use their discount coupon/rebate). Also for those markets where U2 will not tour, starting their tour they can bundle their HTDAAB album with a free bonus live cd featuring their performances from the HTDAAB promo tour. This could bring in tour awareness, make U2 look like they love all their fans, and help the U2 image in general.
6. U2 should stick to a few pool of songs for their upcoming tour. During the Elevation Tour, U2 sang too many random songs which were unrehearsed or had little practice. They also had this gimmick of pulling someone from the audience to play the guitar. All these events made U2 look bad an unprofessional. In line with my suggestion to market this tour as a farewell tour, I suggest U2 limit their repertoire this year to all the songs off HTDAAB and the two Best Ofs - nothing more. No more cover songs, or obscure non-single or non-Best-Of songs. They should just stick to their bread and butter and play only songs that either promote their new album, or make their fans happy.
These are all I can think of right now off the top of my head. Anything else you guys might want to add to my list?
Cheers,
J
1. Bono should quit smoking and work on his voice. His voice has greatly thinned and gotten raspy over the years and this can be attributed to too much nicotene (and maybe alcohol too). We don't want Bono sounding like Richard Butler after a few years.
2. U2 should rehearse well for their opening night. In the past tours in the last decade, all opening nights have been beset with problems, missed chords, or botched lyrics.
3. U2 should do more publicity stunts and appearances. While HTDAAB has gotten off to a great start, it doesn't look to match ATYCLB. Not as much Grammy nominations for the first single, no Superbowl invite, and no tragedy to cash-in on (ATYCLB had 9/11). U2 should start making more rounds on TV like Leno, Conan, Letterman - another SNL performance could help, an MTV Icon special would be great, and more secret shows (like Astoria, Manray, and Irving Plaza for the ATYCLB tour) could get them more exposure.
4. U2 should market their tour as a "farewell and greatest hits tour." If they do it this way, the public will think it is their last tour and will be willing to pay any price to see a departing rock legend like U2 play. This will enable U2 to have all their shows sold out, as well as to command really high ticket prices. This strategy will maximize profit for them. And if 4 years down the line, they will decide to tour again - they can always market it as a "reunion tour" which will still command top dollar. U2 are at an age where they can use the words "farewell" then subequently "reunion" to their advantage and to maximize profits. Barbara Streisand did a farewell tour a few years back and rumors abound that she will tour again. Streisand commanded top dollar for concert seats. U2 can start capitalizing on this when they get inducted to the Hall Of Fame.
5. U2 should start using creative means to pad their album sales. U2 could include something like for example a 50% discount coupon for their album in Best Buy for every concert ticket, or a $5 rebate coupon for every album purchased after the concert ticket date. Assuming they play to a tour to 4 million people, they could pad album sales by perhaps 2 million (you don't expect everyone to use their discount coupon/rebate). Also for those markets where U2 will not tour, starting their tour they can bundle their HTDAAB album with a free bonus live cd featuring their performances from the HTDAAB promo tour. This could bring in tour awareness, make U2 look like they love all their fans, and help the U2 image in general.
6. U2 should stick to a few pool of songs for their upcoming tour. During the Elevation Tour, U2 sang too many random songs which were unrehearsed or had little practice. They also had this gimmick of pulling someone from the audience to play the guitar. All these events made U2 look bad an unprofessional. In line with my suggestion to market this tour as a farewell tour, I suggest U2 limit their repertoire this year to all the songs off HTDAAB and the two Best Ofs - nothing more. No more cover songs, or obscure non-single or non-Best-Of songs. They should just stick to their bread and butter and play only songs that either promote their new album, or make their fans happy.
These are all I can think of right now off the top of my head. Anything else you guys might want to add to my list?
Cheers,
J
. I mean, they should give more variety to the setlist.
. Because many fans, including me again, think this album is safe and commercial, the live performance should be the opposite, I mean, risky and different 
