Are Stadiums really that bad?

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it depends what kind of thing you like but yeah i fucking hate em :angry: lmfao!!!

and they sold out all the stadiums in Europe because that's all we got!

if they did arenas in Europe they would have to do zillions of dates because the demand is just astronomical here

my most memorable U2 concerts have all been arenas with a capacity of about 18,000 - 20,000, Achtung Baby and Elevation tours were unforgettable! Vertigo Tour in Nikaia Stadium Nice with 40,000 standing alone was heavy going and i vowed never to do stadiums ever again, but then i ended up seeing The Police in a stadium with over 80,000 which was good but sadly kind of forgettable! seriously, we could only see the screens and tiny dots on stage with pretty good seats too - the distance and hugeness lacked the closeness and the vital buzz and intensity i love about a good gig, and sometimes i forget i was even there... but that could be old age though too hehe ;)
 
i think some of you haven't been to a stadium gig in a while...

the sound was great at giants stadium when i saw springsteen there this summer, at the back of the field. much better sound then when i saw him at nassau coliseum relatively close to the stage, and on par with the sound when i saw him at madison square garden (all on the same tour btw). and with this stage set up, there really isn't a back of hte field... everyone is relatively close to the stage and sound system (even if one half of the field technicaly is closer).

technology has improved, the sound is better... and there really is something spectacular about looking around and seeing soooo many people all singing along to the same song. i'm especially looking forward to experiencing it with the back of the stadium open for seating.
 
Stadiums win for atmosphere, and because (dare I say it) the band seem to try harder to project all the way to the back. I've never sen U2 indoors but I imagine it would be great though, certainly more intimate. Bottom line is - generally any complaints about stadium shows are nothing to do with the band's performance, but more to do with logistical difficulties getting to and from the place, going to the toilet, sound problems etc.

(As I type this, I'm watching a bootleg dvd of Dublin 24th June 05 - an awesome stadium show. It was a wet and miserable day that U2 did everything possible to turn into a wonderfully transcendent experience. They got wet, so did everybody in the crowd, but who went home disappointed. I certainly didn't.)
 
Outdoor stadiums rock!!! Indoor shows are so small and scaled down, and usually are necessary for North America due to the shi*#$y weather in fall/winter. I don't understand why people hate stadiums, REAL concerts are done in stadiums! My opinion anyway.
 
I agree, stadiums rocks, especially for U2.
On their last tour I saw them indoor at MSG New York and outdoor at the stadium Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon. The stadium show was massive and a much better experience, I think. The sound was much better too. But of course, it depends on where you stand/sits.
 
1 reason why US U2 fans specifically dont like stadiums is because the band was lets say, not at their best the last time they did stadiums here. I didnt see Zoo TV outside so all I can go by for U2 in a stadium is pop. I have an ALD recording of my show, and the band is just awful (by their standards). yet when I was there, I thought the bad sound was because of my seats and I wasnt hearing things right.

now Ive seen other bands in stadiums and its been great, even with seats in the far endzone, 4 or 5 rows from the top.

the one thing that has been a factor at 1 stadium show was the wind. saw 2 dave matthews shows one summer in diffeent stadiums. the one I had better seats for you couldnt hear a thing because the wind was killing the sound set up. I have an audience recording from the floor of this show, and the band was playing well, and I was in fact missing most of it in my seat due to the wind.
 
I caught two of the Popmart shows in Chicago, both from relatively so-so seats on the side of the stadium in question (Soldiers Field). The sound was decent and the energy bouncing back and forth between the crowd and the band was incredible. However, what made the show come together was the staging. It was truly meant to be expereinced at a distance. That said, I think that there are a lot of sonic and visual bells and whistles attached to this show that have yet to be revealed which will make this something more than an arena gig writ large. Remember, this was designed to only to play stadia.
 
I much prefer arenas but I'm not going to complain. I'm happy for those that have been wanting a stadium show in the US. I did see them in Hawaii and that was a relatively small stadium and I preferred the arena shows I saw over that show. I'm not into all the conceptual video/design stuff, I just want to see the band playing, preferably in front of my eyes and not on a video screen.
 
If it's pouring down rain on the entire crowd in September in Chicago, come talk to me about how lively the show is.
 
I prefer arenas, but I've seen them in stadiums too (Dublin Vertigo, ZOOTV Boston, POPMart Boston) and they're quite good.

I think much of it has to do with European vs. American sensibilities. Europeans seem to enjoy a greater communal atmosphere at events like soccer (football) games etc., while Americans seem much more individualistic in their enjoyment. Arenas are more well-suited to American sensibilities (or so it seems) while stadiums seem to hit a Euro one. Or at least that's how it seems to strike me...
 
Shawn Bonneau said:
The stadiums here in North America are babies compared to the massive ones around the world. I saw The Police at Giants Stadium, wicked small. You can see well from any seat

SMB
Click to expand...

The Rose Bowl, as well as Michigan Stadium and Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN all say hello.

bizkitgto said:
That's too bad, it's pretty awesome to see the band playing during dusk.
Click to expand...
Yeah it is too bad... if they're smart, they'll leave the roof open at the Glendale, AZ show, because whenever the Cardinals have a home game, it's a massive wall of noise all the time.
 
nathan1977 said:
I prefer arenas, but I've seen them in stadiums too (Dublin Vertigo, ZOOTV Boston, POPMart Boston) and they're quite good.

I think much of it has to do with European vs. American sensibilities. Europeans seem to enjoy a greater communal atmosphere at events like soccer (football) games etc., while Americans seem much more individualistic in their enjoyment. Arenas are more well-suited to American sensibilities (or so it seems) while stadiums seem to hit a Euro one. Or at least that's how it seems to strike me...
Click to expand...

There's some truth to that statement, I think.
 
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