Wheelchair and GA?

[popbellydancer]

One of my best friends wants to go to her first U2 show in Charlottesville, and she wants to do GA. She usually does GA with no problem at smaller venues but isn't sure about this one and is scared she needs to buy handicap accessible seat, even tho she doesn't want to. She has been in contact with the stadium, but they aren't able to tell her if she will be allowed in GA. My mom bought her a GA today, so she's covered there. But we still can't get an answer on if we should get her handicap tickets.

My question is, have any of you ever experienced this situation and had a handicap person NOT be allowed in GA, particularly at a stadium? Did anyone have any similar experience in Hawaii??

I know on Vertigo there were several girls in wheelchairs out here on the west coast who did GA regularly. But those were arena shows, so I'm concerned there might be a difference when it comes to stadium.

I thought it would be a per venue decision, but it looks like it may also have to do with the band, like the camera policy.

Any help on this would be much appreciated!!

PS One of the reasons she wants GA is to be with our group, and none of us can afford the $250 handicap section! Neither can she really...

 

[dazzledbylight]

soory, no info about this but....
***Good luck*** to your friend & you... i hope it all works out !

 

[lauramullen]

I would try to keep checking back with the venue once the tour starts and see if they have any new info.

 

[BVS]

They cannot deny her GA. But they will more than likely put her in a certain designated area.

 

[lovezeuser]

What about bidding on a red zone ticket? So far the Charlottesville tiks are pretty low.

My Mom is hearing impaired and we have used that to get some great seats at the Verizon Center in DC. Each time we traded our lower priced tickets for the more expensive tickets in the sign language section the day of the show at the Customer Service window. We were never charged anything extra for the better tickets.

Good luck!

 

[popbellydancer]

What about bidding on a red zone ticket? So far the Charlottesville tiks are pretty low.

My Mom is hearing impaired and we have used that to get some great seats at the Verizon Center in DC. Each time we traded our lower priced tickets for the more expensive tickets in the sign language section the day of the show at the Customer Service window. We were never charged anything extra for the better tickets.

Good luck!

so maybe if we get screwed on GA that might be an option the day of? hmmm....

 

[popbellydancer]

 

[dougal55]

What about bidding on a red zone ticket? So far the Charlottesville tiks are pretty low.

My Mom is hearing impaired and we have used that to get some great seats at the Verizon Center in DC. Each time we traded our lower priced tickets for the more expensive tickets in the sign language section the day of the show at the Customer Service window. We were never charged anything extra for the better tickets.

Good luck!

im hearing impaired myself and Im intrigued by your words, "sign language section" - can you elaborate on that? I dont think we have that kind of thing here in UK for rock/pop concerts which is a pity really..I know we have some theatre musicals/plays where a section (usually right in front of the stage - oh I wish that applies on this tour! ) of the seating is given over to deaf people so they are able to follow an interpreter on stage and follow the action too. But it doesnt come across very well to rock/pop concerts here as far as I could tell.. unless someone here at interference has experienced anything here in UK...

popbellydancer, I wish you the best of luck and hope it all works out! keep trying and dont give up... Im pretty sure there is usually a part of GA given over to people like your wheelchair friend but from my limited perspective of how the US system works for disabled people there, I have no idea...I suppose it is law enforceable under Disabled Discrimination Act over there.. I dont know whether it applies to rock/pop concerts...

 

[Chrisedge]

I'm sure they would let her down on the field but may tell her to stay at back. A wheelchair on the rail would be dangerous...

 

[tryan101]

at red hot chili peppers we were seated next to the woman who was signing the concert.

first time I'd ever seen that.

 

[Hewson]

at red hot chili peppers we were seated next to the woman who was signing the concert.

first time I'd ever seen that.

On Pearl Jam's Touring Band 2000 DVD, they bring a woman up to the stage who was signing for a friend and she does "Given to Fly" from stage.

Here's the video:
YouTube - Pearl Jam - Touring Band (7/26)

 

[Hewson]

As I recall from VH1's Sledgehammer show, Bono's Grandfather got a nice spot inside the heart on the Elevation tour in NJ in a wheel chair.
"Where's my sonny Bono?"

 

[tryan101]

^^^ another reason why PJ

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

"Where's my sonny Bono?"

I just got that, well done

 

[Hewson]

I just got that, well done

That was from the show. I looked for it on Youtube to no avail.

Sledgehammer was a VH1 show round 2001 that was a precursor to punk'd, a Candid Camera type show. It was quite funny, an old man in a wheelchair with 2 nurses who look like they just stepped off stage as Motley Crue's back-up singers shows up at a NJ Elevation show claiming to be Bono's Grandfather. They get in backstage, he keeps asking for Bono, and says "Where's my sonny Bono". The last shot is of him in the middle of the heart in his wheelchair rockin' out.

 

[popbellydancer]

I'm sure they would let her down on the field but may tell her to stay at back. A wheelchair on the rail would be dangerous...

dangerous? well, tell that to the girls who did rail all the time on the west coast during the vertigo tour. there were 2 different girls who were paralyzed and i saw them on the rail at....san diego, la, anaheim, oakland and portland. i stood next to one of them in portland and the only danger was the drunk guy next to her might dump his beer on her head...(which i kept from happening.) but, getting beer dumped on you could happen to anyone anywhere at a concert!

clearly not that dangerous. it's a u2 show afterall....not metallica or nine inch nails!

 

[Yahweh]

I dont see it being a problem...U2 fans are loud but they arent rowdy for the most part.