The Pit: Front or Back?

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speaking from experience from Elevation and Vertigo Tours, i'd say the back. you'll still have the band walk by very close on the catwalk, and you're still able to take in the visuals and overall big picture. as for 360, i'd say it would be about the same. i actually have no interest being in the very front.
 
I'm 5'4 and didn't have any problems seeing. I was between 5 and 10 back from the stage in the pit. I loved being close, but you don't see the claw effects and the visuals on the screen are also harder to see. For my 3rd show, I'm going to hang back a bit to see more of the show.
 
KristenCaNaDiAn said:
Just a simple question. For those of you that were in the pit, which is better, the front or the back?
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Was thinking the same thing. I had seats last part of the tour. Now with having ga's this time around I was wondering the same thing. I do want to be able to take the whole show in the stage, lights, band & crowd too.
 
that's a good strategy. that's what i did for Elevation Tour (1 front, 1 back, 1 Edge's side in seats). it was nice to see the show from different perspectives.
 
I was front rail for a few shows last leg and when Edge would go and play the keyboard he would disappear. The same is for when Bono or anyone goes to the back of the stage. I could see Larry though, but I agree with Mikal, you can't really see any of the lighting and effects or the screen. My neck started to hurt after trying to see the screen.

Edit. I'm sorry Trojanchick said that about the effects and lighting.
 
nice! biggest thing is to not let a couple of psycho fans ruin your experience. i really mean that. it can get stressful when people are battling for spots, so just tell yourself beforehand that you'll enjoy the show no matter where you end up. :)
 
Several short fans from this site were with me (also short) at the back of the pit. We jockeyed for position to make sure there were no really really tall people right in front of us and we could all see the stage just fine and were super close when the guys came by on the outer catwalk. At one point this ridiculously tall group came and looked at us and then stood DIRECTLY in front of us, like, on purpose, like they found the shortest ppl in the area and stood in front of us. We asked them really nicely to move and then maybe not quite so nicely. They finally pushed their way several rows up so that it wasn't an issue for us anymore.

My favorite spot is still outer rail. :drool:

Since you have 4 chances you can try all kinds of stuff. If I had 4 I'd go front rail, back or middle of pit, outer rail and for the last one, go for whichever one you liked most. GOOD LUCK!
 
The sound is much better at the back. In fact, ideal sound is outside the pit, a few rows back. My wife and I appreciate concerts on a different level. I'm an audiophile and she wants to be close enough to smell Bono's Bvlgari Black, so we often separate during the show. Sad, but true. :)
 
If not going for the front of the pit then I much prefer the rail outside the pit.

The middle part of the pit seemed way more crowded than the Heart or Ellipse ever did on Elevation and Vertigo so the back of the pit seemed stifling.

The rail outside the pit provided for the perfect view of the stage and when they did go out on the circle I was able to see them from the front rather than their backs.
 
If you are in the pit, you can go to the washroom and get back in...is that right?? You might not get the same spot, but you get back in. If you are on the outer rail, if you need to leave, it might be hard to get back up close. Can anyone who has done this clarify it for me? At this point, I will be happy anywhere inside the pit.

BTW I am tall....:shifty:

Please don't hold that against me...:sexywink:
 
It's just as hard to get back to the outer rail than it is to get the same spot in the pit back. My friends who were with me were able to do it. I usually don't have to leave my spot once I'm in the show.

But it's the same difference in the pit. Once you leave you can get back in the pit, but have the same issues getting back to your spot then if you're in the outer rail. At least in the outer rail you would have someone holding your spot presumably (same as inner rail).
 
ryancoke71 said:
If you are in the pit, you can go to the washroom and get back in...is that right?? You might not get the same spot, but you get back in. If you are on the outer rail, if you need to leave, it might be hard to get back up close. Can anyone who has done this clarify it for me? At this point, I will be happy anywhere inside the pit.

BTW I am tall....:shifty:

Please don't hold that against me...:sexywink:
Click to expand...

That's exactly right. The biggest benefit of the pit is that you can pretty much come and go as you please. You can go to the bathroom, get a beer, or as I like to do, go experience the concert from the back of the floor for a few songs. That freedom is well worth the effort to get there.

But here's a related note that perhaps not all concert-goers are aware. If you don't get into the pit, go hang out just outside the pit on the corners where the gates are. 9 times out of ten, just before the show, they'll let a few dozen more into the pit to fill it out.
 
LPU2 said:
That's exactly right. The biggest benefit of the pit is that you can pretty much come and go as you please. You can go to the bathroom, get a beer, or as I like to do, go experience the concert from the back of the floor for a few songs. That freedom is well worth the effort to get there.

But here's a related note that perhaps not all concert-goers are aware. If you don't get into the pit, go hang out just outside the pit on the corners where the gates are. 9 times out of ten, just before the show, they'll let a few dozen more into the pit to fill it out.
Click to expand...

To be honest, when I wanted to come and go as I please then I stood in the back of the floor and didn't worry about the crowds inside the pit.

Again, this holds true for this tour as the front part of pit (not the sides) has been a lot more crowded then I ever saw for Vertigo or Elevation. I did the middle of the pit for a show, but it was so crowded that you could barely move around at all.
 
I was in the pit in Vegas and LA. Vegas was a breeze, there was plenty of room and no crowding or pushing. LA was jam packed, my guess is for the shoot. I was luckily in a pocket of not too crowded, but others were pretty smushed.

Getting in and out is tricky, but if you let people around you know you are coming back and go in and out the same way, you should be able to go to your spot when you return.
 
Thanks for the insight! I am worried about a washroom break right after I get in....once I am back I won't move...

So what do you think Kristen.....Front or back of the pit??:hmm:
 
mikal said:
nice! biggest thing is to not let a couple of psycho fans ruin your experience. i really mean that. it can get stressful when people are battling for spots, so just tell yourself beforehand that you'll enjoy the show no matter where you end up. :)
Click to expand...


Because of this, after about waiting for 45 minutes in the outer pit at Chicago I turned to my friend and asked "Do you want to just go back 20 yds, have space, and see the band & stage?".

Had a Guiness stand next stand right next to us and had our own private view of the entire stage & band. 3rd greatest night of my life!!

Plan on doing the same thing in Miami
 
For me, it always depends on where I am in the GA queue. If my number is under 30, I go for the front rail and have gotten it everytime. If not there then I go for the back rail in the pit. For at least 1 show this summer I'm going to do outer rail.
 
zuropa_fit said:
Several short fans from this site were with me (also short) at the back of the pit. We jockeyed for position to make sure there were no really really tall people right in front of us and we could all see the stage just fine and were super close when the guys came by on the outer catwalk. At one point this ridiculously tall group came and looked at us and then stood DIRECTLY in front of us, like, on purpose, like they found the shortest ppl in the area and stood in front of us. We asked them really nicely to move and then maybe not quite so nicely. They finally pushed their way several rows up so that it wasn't an issue for us anymore.
Click to expand...

Hey are you calling me short, I prefer 'vertically challenged' please! Just joking Zooey. Think this was my most stressful spot. OK, it was the Rose Bowl show, so the pit was probably more crowded than usual, but those 9ft tall cast members from Avatar (minus the blue tan) certainly stressed me out. For me, this spot (at the back of the pit), was the worst spot of any show I went to (nothing to do with the company Z :wink:). If I was taller it might have been better. But outside rail is way better. Just about same distance from the main stage, same distance to the band members on the catwalk, but nobody right in front of you (unless a pesky security person stands right in front of you).

RedRocksU2 said:
Neither.

Outside rail. Edge's side.
Click to expand...

Carlos, I think you're addicted to that spot! Maybe we should cordon it off, just for you. Just kidding, maybe I'll join you, it's definitely a great spot.

My best experience was Vancouver. FOS, rail, dead centre. So I'd say front of pit, just to experience the band. Yeah you miss the visuals, but the energy there was amazing! At rail though, if you're short like me, you won't see much of Larry (I could only see his head), & need to be centre if you want to see both Adam & Edge.

So......

1. Front of pit (if you can get rail).
2. Outside rail.
3. Back of pit.

As Zooey said, mix it up, get a different perspective for each show. But I'd definitely recommend FOS & outside rail.
 
^Totally agree. FOS is where the energy is. I had a great time every show I was there. I only got blocked off of Larry when I was front rail for Boston 2. I was dead center, about a foot or so to Bono's left and one of his amps sticks up higher and the others and I couldn't see Larry's face. I always get smiles from Adam and Bono waved to me at a show too.
 
ryancoke71 said:
Thanks for the insight! I am worried about a washroom break right after I get in....once I am back I won't move...

So what do you think Kristen.....Front or back of the pit??:hmm:
Click to expand...

I'm thinking near the front for Minneapolis :wink: I know we both wanna be as close to the band as possible for our first GA :hug:
I can't wait! Hope your hubby won't mind the drooling :drool: :lol:
 
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