The big uncomfortable question no one wants to ask

[U2Flame]

yeah, how it works is after you've been scanned in with credit card, you'll be assigned a wristband of one of two colours, which will allow you entrance to the North or South side ONLY (we think). If there is space in both North and South when you get there, you'll likely get to choose. If one is full then you won't get to choose.

Thank you for clarifying this. I was searching the forums for this exact issue. I bought 4 GA tickets with my credit card. I was wondering how the whole North/South thing is going to work with credit card tickets. I would think the wristbands will be the same color for the tickets I bought.

I'm curious to hear how this will work out for tonight's show. Like a previous comment, this could definitely turn into a cluster, for sure.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Sort of makes me wonder how many times someone purchased a ticket from a friend or a buddy or the Craiglist not even realizing the credit card entry requirement. Potentially some upset buyers and broken hearts too.

Inevitably. It was a good scalping control mechanism though. Too bad they did literally nothing to keep the seats out of the hands of scalpers. Almost every single cheap nosebleed ticket was available on a re-sale site after the shows went on sale.

 

[popacrobat]

I mean, paperless entry is not going to stop the secondary ticket market. The majority (if not all of?) Garth Brooks' tickets are paperless. Have had no problem re-selling Garth tickets.

 

[RioRhodes]

Thank you for clarifying this. I was searching the forums for this exact issue. I bought 4 GA tickets with my credit card. I was wondering how the whole North/South thing is going to work with credit card tickets. I would think the wristbands will be the same color for the tickets I bought.

I'm curious to hear how this will work out for tonight's show. Like a previous comment, this could definitely turn into a cluster, for sure.

It just sounds like everyone's gonna get held up by all this scanning mess. I genuinely think this paperless system sounds like a disaster. I'm also bummed we don't get a hard ticket because hard tickets are just so amazing to have.

 

[dublin]

It just sounds like everyone's gonna get held up by all this scanning mess. I genuinely think this paperless system sounds like a disaster. I'm also bummed we don't get a hard ticket because hard tickets are just so amazing to have.

Agreed, I will miss having the hard ticket. But I've also been wondering how much time this will add to letting the line in. If the venue has to check a credit card number against a ticket and then look at an ID to make sure you are that person...if that is even how it is going to work. Maybe they will open the doors earlier. We'll see how they do it tonight.

 

[weinerdog]

Every ticketless show I've gone to has the same drill. Hand them your cc, they swipe it and and you get a receipt/ticket of sorts that has your location. I've never been asked for an ID. If the usher knows what they're doing the whole process doesn't take long at all.

 

[BWU2Buffs]

Agreed, I will miss having the hard ticket. But I've also been wondering how much time this will add to letting the line in. If the venue has to check a credit card number against a ticket and then look at an ID to make sure you are that person...if that is even how it is going to work. Maybe they will open the doors earlier. We'll see how they do it tonight.

Adding to the potential cluster -- what if said credit card does not scan. Or it was re-issued with a new Security Code on the back, gets lost rifling for my ID going through TSA at the airport blah blah blah.

For these reasons I went all anal and photocopied said credit card, and printed both my TM receipt and my credit card statement.

I am triple prepared for an electronic nightmare cuz by damned I'm going to the show and will take my sweet ass time in line... I will gladly stand away from the rail for a good view and to be closer to the bathroom; cuz I'm old.


Screw baseball season, it is now U2 Tour Season. Hollah!

 

[weinerdog]

Adding to the potential cluster -- what if said credit card does not scan. Or it was re-issued with a new Security Code on the back, gets lost rifling for my ID going through TSA at the airport blah blah blah.

For these reasons I went all anal and photocopied said credit card, and printed both my TM receipt and my credit card statement.

I am triple prepared for an electronic nightmare cuz by damned I'm going to the show and will take my sweet ass time in line... I will gladly stand away from the rail for a good view and to be closer to the bathroom; cuz I'm old.


Screw baseball season, it is now U2 Tour Season. Hollah!

Pepo's post has all the GA process details here:

http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f314/2015-u2-tour-general-discussion-thread-v-218366-36.html

 

[SpiralStaircase]

Thank you for clarifying this. I was searching the forums for this exact issue. I bought 4 GA tickets with my credit card. I was wondering how the whole North/South thing is going to work with credit card tickets. I would think the wristbands will be the same color for the tickets I bought.

I'm curious to hear how this will work out for tonight's show. Like a previous comment, this could definitely turn into a cluster, for sure.

Just got info from Pepokiss (who is in Vancouver tonight) that you don't get to choose your side...

 

[bonocomet]

Still doesn't answer the question though about people who have a group entering together... there must be a way for them to stay together. Random assignment of sides with no flexibility would be a problem wouldn't it?

 

[pepokiss]

Still doesn't answer the question though about people who have a group entering together... there must be a way for them to stay together. Random assignment of sides with no flexibility would be a problem wouldn't it?

That's what they told us.
You enter as what your ticket says.
The "party" is 2 tops, as is 2 tickets per card.
If you're with more people, pray they're all in the same side.

 

[romi]

I've had a similar concern. My wife and I have tix bought by Macmango. He wants to be in the front. That's fine with us if we're along, but we're thinking of brining our kids to their first U2 concert. In that case, being in the front is not important, because they are young and we would have to make plenty of bathroom trips throughout the show. But we have to go in with our friend. And I'm guessing that enough people in line would not believe us saying we are not going for the same spots as them to create a problem.

 

[romi]

That's what they told us.
You enter as what your ticket says.
The "party" is 2 tops, as is 2 tickets per card.
If you're with more people, pray they're all in the same side.

That's not true. Our friend for San Jose bought four tix to the San Jose show. So he has a +3 on the same card. The tickets were never cancelled (bought during general sale, so it was kosher).

 

[bonocomet]

That's what they told us.
You enter as what your ticket says.
The "party" is 2 tops, as is 2 tickets per card.
If you're with more people, pray they're all in the same side.

Well hmm... I still think they must have something else planned here. I can't see them splitting a group of say a parent and 2 children. It would just be weird.

Thanks for the info.

 

[RioRhodes]

Just got info from Pepokiss (who is in Vancouver tonight) that you don't get to choose your side...

What the fack.

Details of this tour get stranger with each passing hour.

 

[U2Flame]

That's what they told us.
You enter as what your ticket says.
The "party" is 2 tops, as is 2 tickets per card.
If you're with more people, pray they're all in the same side.

I can see them doing this with hard tickets but not with 4 bought on a credit card. I bought 4 GA for the second LA show. I hope they don't split the four of us up.

 

[prbiker15]

Just got info from Pepokiss (who is in Vancouver tonight) that you don't get to choose your side...

I still think that's only for the Vancouver shows.

 

[RioRhodes]

I still think that's only for the Vancouver shows.

I sure hope so. I'm determined to be on Adam's side for the first time on this tour. Edge is kind of dull to watch.

 

[JUSTinPUSHPLAY]

So I have GA for Phoenix 1, a friend of mine bought her ticket from someone and like all these situations, he has to escort her in. She and I are getting in line at 7am, while the person she got her ticket from will arrive with his brother around noon, is the line gonna wanna murder me if we let them into line with us? i dont want her to have to go to the back with them and risk her ending up on the other side of the floor or something.

 

[U2FanPeter]

Sort of makes me wonder how many times someone purchased a ticket from a friend or a buddy or the Craiglist not even realizing the credit card entry requirement. Potentially some upset buyers and broken hearts too.

Inevitably. It was a good scalping control mechanism though. Too bad they did literally nothing to keep the seats out of the hands of scalpers. Almost every single cheap nosebleed ticket was available on a re-sale site after the shows went on sale.

The real ticket brokers in Vancouver are simply not touching the GA.

 

[weinerdog]

No offense, buy why should two people who got there 5 hours later go in front of those who have been there since 7am?

 

[RioRhodes]

So I have GA for Phoenix 1, a friend of mine bought her ticket from someone and like all these situations, he has to escort her in. She and I are getting in line at 7am, while the person she got her ticket from will arrive with his brother around noon, is the line gonna wanna murder me if we let them into line with us? i dont want her to have to go to the back with them and risk her ending up on the other side of the floor or something.

Welcome to the same boat.

I think venues should scan tickets and get wristbands on BEFORE doors open. They should go through the line and do this to every person, one by one. That way, once doors open, you just have to show your wristband to get in. That way, any problems get dealt with well in advance.

 

[U2FanPeter]

I still think that's only for the Vancouver shows.

I haven't seen a GA ticket/receipt. Just seen others refer to it.

What I hope happens is most fans can choose their side of the cat walk and the late comers have their side appointed for them.

Past tours had things like "GA6" on tickets that turned out to be nothing.

 

[ClaytonsKitten]

Except for one itsy bitsy problem... the same problem that causes the majority of GA line issues in every tour...

The lines are run by fans.

Not the venue, not the band; fans.

The only thing the venue is concerned about is that the two people on the same card go in together. Some security guards will go by what the fans have said, some will allow all hell to break loose.

For the life of me, with all the money being spent putting these tours together, I just don't get why U2 won't hire staff to maintain the GA lines.

God knows they have plenty of staff working the VIP /sponsor pre-parties.

Because honestly this fandom should be able to behave better than a bunch of Directioners or Belibers or whatever the fuck the teenybopper fandoms call themselves. But no, this fandom has the same insane rail huggers who eff it up for a lot of fans who just want in on the floor and a decent spot. Seeing the GA clusterfuck stories is the main reason I have chosen seats over GA. I'm only 5'2 and my hubby and I have kids and jobs so 24+ hrs in line for a rail spot is just not feasible. I'll do a 4+ hr wait to see band arrivals, go get food, and then go find my seat, thanks. Guess what? I may not have rail, but I had Bono's hand on my unborn daughter when I was barely showing last tour. That memory is right up there with my wedding and the birth of both my kids.

Inevitably. It was a good scalping control mechanism though. Too bad they did literally nothing to keep the seats out of the hands of scalpers. Almost every single cheap nosebleed ticket was available on a re-sale site after the shows went on sale.

Most of that was TM shuttling entire SECTIONS to their own site as well.

I sure hope so. I'm determined to be on Adam's side for the first time on this tour. Edge is kind of dull to watch.

If I ever did GA, I'd totally choose Adam's side.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using U2 Interference mobile app

 

[RioRhodes]

If I ever did GA, I'd totally choose Adam's side.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using U2 Interference mobile app

I've only ever done Edge's side. Then last show I went to, I looked over at the cheer on Adam's side, and realized that was where the party's at.

 

[JUSTinPUSHPLAY]

Welcome to the same boat.

I think venues should scan tickets and get wristbands on BEFORE doors open. They should go through the line and do this to every person, one by one. That way, once doors open, you just have to show your wristband to get in. That way, any problems get dealt with well in advance.

Well I'm hoping when I arrive in line those around me, or giving out numbers, will be understanding when I tell them they'll be two more joining us a few hours later. Maybe they can just account for them before they arrive and skip a few numbers ahead before the next person arrives.

 

[JUSTinPUSHPLAY]

No offense, buy why should two people who got there 5 hours later go in front of those who have been there since 7am?

I don't think it's right either, but my friend who bought a ticket from them is gonna be there in line with me at 7am, and she shouldn't be punished because they can't be there early either.

 

[RioRhodes]

Well I'm hoping when I arrive in line those around me, or giving out numbers, will be understanding when I tell them they'll be two more joining us a few hours later. Maybe they can just account for them before they arrive and skip a few numbers ahead before the next person arrives.

If the venue checked tickets and scanned before doors, then the people with our tickets could come with us in line, get scanned with us, and then go back to their proper place in line.

 

[VintagePunk]

I don't think it's right either, but my friend who bought a ticket from them is gonna be there in line with me at 7am, and she shouldn't be punished because they can't be there early either.

See, that's the problem though. Your friend must have been aware of this when she bought the ticket, but she made the choice to buy it that way. So you can look at it as her being "punished," but you can also look at it as why should the latecomer be rewarded with a spot they didn't earn? The argument always is, it's only one person...but what happens if the hundred or two hundred people in front you of feel the same way? EVERYONE behind you when the latecomer arrives, after legitimately putting in the time in line, is being pushed back however many spots that them and the other latecomers take up. And that's not fair.

This is an issue every tour, with people wanting to hold spots for their late-arriving friends. The difference is, this time the people who bought tickets together are being forced to enter together, but still, it's the same principle. I don't know why this is so hard for people to understand.

ETA - the other argument I don't understand is...well, I asked the people around me, and they're fine with my friend arriving late. The thing is, something like this doesn't just affect the two or four or six people directly behind you. It affects people that are 100 behind you just as much as it affects those who are within a few. Unless you've polled the entire line, the opinions of those right around you are meaningless.

 

[Hewson]

I still think that's only for the Vancouver shows.

I wouldn't be sure. Vancouver seems to have the location predetermined when you purchase unlike other cities, but my interpretation from what has been posted is that in other cities, you'll go to the banding table and everyone in your group will get the same band, but randomly doled out by the staff, you may not necessarily be able to request a particular side of the floor. We'll know soon.