Will they sell out stadiums in the USA?

[U2FanPeter]

Haha, yeah, that's why the Stones, Madonna, Green Day and Metallica sold out their stadium shows here in this entitled society, not to mention Rock The Bells, Coachella, Bonaroo, etc. Maybe it was all Canadians and Europeans attending those big shows

U2's sound doesn't stand a chance with these sonically challenged stadiums here in the US, either, unlike those pristine venues in Europe. Ever hear the boots from Amsterdam ArenA or Wembley or Berlin? I feel bad that Joe O'Herlihy has to deal with those giant caves again this summer.

There' hasn't been a stateside coast to coast all stadium single act rock tour in over a decade(Stones/U2, both 1997). (Passing mention to the 12(?) date nsynch tour in 2001 and Metallica/Ozzy festival bills.)

The names you mentioned only played select markets and arenas in others. Madonna wanted to do all US stadiums in 2004(2006?) and was advised against it by promoters. Some us Madonna shows in stadiums weren't sold out until show day. The Stones had discounted tickets at some US stadium shows the last time around. The Police had some softer US markets in 2008.

The 16 city stadium tour is admittedly ambitious in 2009. Especially with the responsibility of selling 20% more seats in same venues played by Madge & Mick.

 

[U2FanPeter]

U2's sound doesn't stand a chance with these sonically challenged stadiums here in the US, either, unlike those pristine venues in Europe. Ever seen a show in Amsterdam ArenA or City of Manchester or Berlin? I feel bad that Joe O'Herlihy has to deal with those giant caves again this summer.

U2 has their Nu-Wembley debut in 2009. They played the old venue in 1997 and Twick in 2005.

If one wants to see an outdoor or sonically good show in Europe the travel distances are far less than the US.

 

[AndrewCowley]

With changing music tastes especially amongst young people (the iPod generation) and the 'mega band' phenomena becoming less and less common, it could be that stadium tours in the US are dead.

I think this upcoming U2 tour will be a real litmus test for the future of US stadium tours.

People used to go to drive in theatres to watch movies. It lasted a few decades and then died in the arse. One day we might look back and marvel how many tens of thousands of people used to pay high prices and gather en-mass to watch a massive concert.

 

[4U2Play]

The 16 city stadium tour is admittedly ambitious in 2009. Especially with the responsibility of selling 20% more seats in some venues played by Madge & Mick.

Ooh watch out, Maoilbheannacht is gonna come after you now

 

[Axver]

I've no interest in getting into the actual debate happening here. I'm not going to pretend I know the future or whether long-term trends will hold in the current climate. However, I would like to provide statistics for context, one that has already been hinted at but with some more detail.

2 shows in Sweden at the 60,000 capacity Ullivi Stadium soldout in less than 2 hours. The first show in Sweden actually soldout in 15 minutes. They only played one show in that stadium on the Vertigo Tour.

This isn't quite as spectacular as it may initially seem. Sure, it's the first time U2 have played two concerts in Gothenburg (in fact, it's the first time they've played two stadium shows in Sweden on the same tour) and sold them out extremely quickly, but this is also the first tour since the 1980s that has only hit one Scandinavian country. Essentially, this show is catering for Denmark, Norway, and Finland too. On Popmart, ALL FOUR countries got stadium concerts. On Vertigo and ZooTV, only Finland missed out on a show; the other three got a stadium gig each, plus three arena shows in Sweden.

Though, to be fair, I imagine more tickets have been sold for these two Gothenburg shows than were sold on Elevation, even though Elevation featured four Scandinavian shows - two in Copenhagen and two in Stockholm, all in arenas.

 

[phommel]

And there is still a 2010 European leg to come. Who knows if other scnadinavian dates are added?
It seems they were not sure of selling out teh same amount of stadiums as before.
Look at Brussels and Gelsenkirchen. Those stadiums are in the same market as the Amsterdam Arena (that got only 2 shows). So in stead of 5 shows in this market in 2005 there are only 2 shows (so far) in 2009. Probably they were not sure about ticket demand...

 

[U2FanPeter]

Wasn't there a limit of 2 tickets per credit card # for the entire Euro 2005 tour?

In 2009 it's 6 tickets per show.

This will have a small effect on ticket sales.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Wasn't there a limit of 2 tickets per credit card # for the entire Euro 2005 tour?

In 2009 it's 6 tickets per show.

This will have a small effect on ticket sales.

No, its was 4 tickets per show, as i had to buy 3 on the vertigo tour, and i could only buy 4 this time out aswell, as i bought 4 and didnt have the option to buy 6.

 

[U2FanPeter]

No, its was 4 tickets per show, as i had to buy 3 on the vertigo tour, and i could only buy 4 this time out aswell, as i bought 4 and didnt have the option to buy 6.

Was it a 2 limit on GA on vertigo?

I thought I read that some price levels for Dublin 2009 could be bought in quantities as high as 6.

 

[Axver]

And there is still a 2010 European leg to come. Who knows if other scnadinavian dates are added?
It seems they were not sure of selling out teh same amount of stadiums as before.
Look at Brussels and Gelsenkirchen. Those stadiums are in the same market as the Amsterdam Arena (that got only 2 shows). So in stead of 5 shows in this market in 2005 there are only 2 shows (so far) in 2009. Probably they were not sure about ticket demand...

Yeah, I'd expect more Scandinavian shows on the 2010 leg - but of course, people are buying as if this is it (and any fan who doesn't frequent the online community may not realise there will be another leg).

And the Gelsenkirchen show has just been confirmed by the promoter, so you can add that to the two Amsterdam gigs in that general area. I'm surprised the rumoured Brussels gig on 29/07 didn't come to fruition though.

 

[U2FanPeter]

Yeah, I'd expect more Scandinavian shows on the 2010 leg.

What non-gothenberg venue is most appropriate. One of the Venues in 2005 was a glorified field.

 

[4U2Play]

And the Gelsenkirchen show has just been confirmed by the promoter, so you can add that to the two Amsterdam gigs in that general area.

Right on, thanks for the up-to-date info, as usual, Axver. Got my Gelsenkirchen hotel all set, just waiting now for word of a possible second show there. Already booked my Dusseldorf-Katowice flight on the 5th, so hopefully they don't play somewhere that night.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Was it a 2 limit on GA on vertigo?

I thought I read that some price levels for Dublin 2009 could be bought in quantities as high as 6.

Stadium shows during vertigo where limited to 4 tickets per person in europe, as for the 6 tickets, at the start of the pre-sale you could pull up 6 apparentley, but they quickly changed it back to 4, so it must of been some sort of mistake.

 

[Axver]

What non-gothenberg venue is most appropriate. One of the Venues in 2005 was a glorified field.

I wouldn't be surprised if they visited Gothenburg again. Then there's Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, which I honestly expected them to hit this time around. Finland has its Olympic Stadium, which the band played on Popmart.

The last three stadium gigs at Norway have been at Valle Hovin, as you allude. Looking at WorldStadiums.com, there is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo, but it might have inadequate capacity.

Right on, thanks for the up-to-date info, as usual, Axver. Got my Gelsenkirchen hotel all set, just waiting now for word of a possible second show there. Already booked my Dusseldorf-Katowice flight on the 5th, so hopefully they don't play somewhere that night.

Not a problem. Looks like there will just be the two German gigs this time around, Berlin and Gelsenkirchen, with no extra shows in either ... though I suppose an extra in Gelsenkirchen could be added on the 4th of August. I don't think you have anything to worry about re: the 5th.

 

[powerhour24]

Its likely they won't sell out every show in the US if they do smaller markets (although its possible, smaller markets means smaller stadiums probably) but there's plenty of places they will sell out here, making the tour perfectly justifiable. The Rolling Stones tour that is the only one that beats Vertigo in terms of gross did so by selling tickets at exorbitant prices and playing large venues, they didn't sell every single ticket the way the Vertigo tour did. The demand is there, and there are plenty of affordable tickets for those that want them. The one thing we'd like to know around here is when the hell the tickets will go on sale.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

Live Nation has been playing "3-card Monty" with the announcement of dates and tour name. They know enough to proceed slowly with the order of onsale dates and 2nd shows. This can be seen as a shrewd business move or a crack in confidence. We'll know for sure in the next couple weeks. Live Nation value on the stock market is on the line as much as u2's perception/reality of concert drawing power.

This is typical of what U2 has done, and most artist do when they announce a tour of this size. Guess how many shows U2 put on sale for the ZOO TV outside Broadcast tour in the USA the first weekend? 2

Shows for Giants Stadium outside of New York City and RFK stadium in Washington DC were the only shows that went on sale the first weekend.

Your making a lot of hay out of nothing.

You mention the Swedish date selling more than twice as many tickets as 2005. Did you mention that it may possibly be the only Scandenavian visit on the entire 360 tour?

Well, when the Denmark show goes on sale in a few weeks, you'll be eating your words on that. Plus, they will be playing Helsinki Finland in the summer of 2010 and may in fact return to Sweden where I'm sure a third show would again sellout in record time.

While I do think the numbers in 2009-10 will be comparative to 2005 on both sides of the Atlantic but there is two lingering questions

They won't be comparative, their going to blow them out of the water. Take a look at the Milan show. Average ticket price on the last tour was $55 dollars, this tour its $110. With the seating capacity expanded at San Siro Stadium, they soldout the place in hours and now a second show has been added. Together, both shows will gross a combined $18 million dollars, far in excess of the two shows on the Vertigo Tour which did $7.5 million.

For the shows in Dublin, the average ticket price is $127, on the last tour it was $85. The band could potentially gross $12 million per show in Dublin. With three shows, thats a $36 million dollar gross. On the Vertigo tour, the three shows did $21 million dollars combined in gross.

-Will Americans eagerly travel to a 2009 gig if it's in a neighbouring major city?

For an eagerly anticipated tour like this, Americans always travel. In fact, there are some Americans that have to travel for all shows, because they live in more rural area's. There are some that won't of course, but the band won't need those people to sellout stadiums in Washington DC or Los Angeles.

-Have casual fans forgotten the sound issues of bad stadiums shows in the 80's & early 90's?

Most fans remember how great U2 stadium shows were from the 80s and 90s. I've seen U2 in football stadiums 8 times, and there was NEVER "bad sound" at any of the shows. I have had friends complain about the sound in the arena shows though.

Europeans seem to be tolerant of both, but Americans have arguably more sonically challenged venues and a more entitled society.

Well, its the Europeans that have public transportation to take them everywhere, and have typically had a lower average ticket price than US fans until this tour. Most Americans pay more and have to actually drive themselves to the show. Entitled society, I don't think so.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

I've no interest in getting into the actual debate happening here. I'm not going to pretend I know the future or whether long-term trends will hold in the current climate. However, I would like to provide statistics for context, one that has already been hinted at but with some more detail.



This isn't quite as spectacular as it may initially seem. Sure, it's the first time U2 have played two concerts in Gothenburg (in fact, it's the first time they've played two stadium shows in Sweden on the same tour) and sold them out extremely quickly, but this is also the first tour since the 1980s that has only hit one Scandinavian country. Essentially, this show is catering for Denmark, Norway, and Finland too. On Popmart, ALL FOUR countries got stadium concerts. On Vertigo and ZooTV, only Finland missed out on a show; the other three got a stadium gig each, plus three arena shows in Sweden.

Though, to be fair, I imagine more tickets have been sold for these two Gothenburg shows than were sold on Elevation, even though Elevation featured four Scandinavian shows - two in Copenhagen and two in Stockholm, all in arenas.

U2 are not finished announcing shows. There will be shows in Denmark and Finland on this tour before it is over. The only reason Norway will not get a show is because they do not have a large tiered stadium that is required for this type of a show. The band is not going to play flat fields, base ball stadiums, or anything that does not feature multi-tiered seating in the round.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

Wasn't there a limit of 2 tickets per credit card # for the entire Euro 2005 tour?

In 2009 it's 6 tickets per show.

This will have a small effect on ticket sales.

NO. For the Dublin shows you could buy 4 tickets per show.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

And there is still a 2010 European leg to come. Who knows if other scnadinavian dates are added?
It seems they were not sure of selling out teh same amount of stadiums as before.
Look at Brussels and Gelsenkirchen. Those stadiums are in the same market as the Amsterdam Arena (that got only 2 shows). So in stead of 5 shows in this market in 2005 there are only 2 shows (so far) in 2009. Probably they were not sure about ticket demand...

They always stagger the on sales and announcements for shows on every tour.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

Yeah, I'd expect more Scandinavian shows on the 2010 leg - but of course, people are buying as if this is it (and any fan who doesn't frequent the online community may not realise there will be another leg).

And the Gelsenkirchen show has just been confirmed by the promoter, so you can add that to the two Amsterdam gigs in that general area. I'm surprised the rumoured Brussels gig on 29/07 didn't come to fruition though.

Some people might be buying if this is it, but I think the vast majority of people who will be at the shows in Sweden, will in fact be Swedish. A lot of Danes and Fins, might have tried to get tickets, but they probably got shut out.

 

[dopper]

Your zealotry is almost making me want this tour to flop.

 

[4U2Play]

 

[believer75]

If they are on fire by the time they get to the US of A, and have a great opening first few shows, the press will eat it up and everyone will be on board causing a chain reaction and then, yes, the dates will sell out. It was a smart move for them to start in Europe. They will be ready to eat America once the time comes. I think they have a few tricks up their sleeves....the tour is going to be blast-off for them.

 

[Zoomerang96]

If they are on fire by the time they get to the US of A, and have a great opening first few shows, the press will eat it up and everyone will be on board causing a chain reaction and then, yes, the dates will sell out. It was a smart move for them to start in Europe. They will be ready to eat America once the time comes. I think they have a few tricks up their sleeves....the tour is going to be blast-off for them.

did you have a bowl of metaphors for breakfast?

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

Your zealotry is almost making me want this tour to flop.

You'll be wondering why you even thought for a second the tour would not do well when the results for the first two legs are all in by mid-November this year.

 

[believer75]

did you have a bowl of metaphors for breakfast?

YES!!! tasted kind of like Honey Nut Cheerios, though.

 

[U2FanPeter]

The only reason Norway will not get a show is because they do not have a large tiered stadium that is required for this type of a show. The band is not going to play flat fields, base ball stadiums, or anything that does not feature multi-tiered seating in the round.

I think the rules on stadiums may be a relaxed a bit in 2010.

There are already several stadiums announced that don't comply to all "rules". One or two multi use North American stadiums that host baseball like Toronto are on the tour. Some stadiums don't have rear stage seating like Dublin and Vegas(?). Vegas and the LA venues are not tiered.

 

[pudgie_child]

I have a strong suspicion that the Rose Bowl show won't come that close to selling out. The place seats over 90,000 and, in spite of its beauty, is a giant pain in the ass to get to. Add to that the unreasonably high ticket prices for good seats and the lack of buzz about U2 in Southern California right now, and we may be in for a Popmart-sized crowd.

Vegas, on the other hand, should sell out rather quickly, and will draw largely from Southern California. I'm sure that there are a lot of people like myself who will try to get Vegas tickets but are reluctant to get tickets to the Rose Bowl show.

 

[believer75]

I have a strong suspicion that the Rose Bowl show won't come that close to selling out. The place seats over 90,000 and, in spite of its beauty, is a giant pain in the ass to get to. Add to that the unreasonably high ticket prices for good seats and the lack of buzz about U2 in Southern California right now, and we may be in for a Popmart-sized crowd.

Vegas, on the other hand, should sell out rather quickly, and will draw largely from Southern California. I'm sure that there are a lot of people like myself who will try to get Vegas tickets but are reluctant to get tickets to the Rose Bowl show.

I still think it depends on the type of buzz that they generate after playing in Europe and the first few shows here in the states....if it generates positive buzz, then there may not be enough tickets to go around. People will go if they know about the show, and if they hear it is good. If it is seen as an event, they will not want to miss it. Plus, if they release a new album this year, that will be right around November or so, and that in itself will generate buzz for the tour.

 

[U2FanPeter]

I have a strong suspicion that the Rose Bowl show won't come that close to selling out. The place seats over 90,000 and, in spite of its beauty, is a giant pain in the ass to get to. Add to that the unreasonably high ticket prices for good seats and the lack of buzz about U2 in Southern California right now, and we may be in for a Popmart-sized crowd.

They could have sold out the Rose Bowl in 1997 if there were no show in San Diego or shows in Oakland.