2015 U2 Tour - General Discussion Thread IV

[littleheartsuitcase]

Is it the band that's actually charging $300 for nose bleeds? I thought those were exorbitant resale prices - totally off base and unrealistic. I mean, I saw a resale 100 level ticket for $10,123.30 (I have the screenshot to prove it!) but there's no way in heck anyone's actually BUYING those. ... Right?

My question is then what happens to those tickets? Do the scalpers or whoever eventually give up and lower the prices?


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[BigMacPhisto]

1) Yes, those were the set charges for Toronto. And to make matters worse, (correct me if I'm wrong) I think Toronto's lower level tickets were also set at the $300 price point which means those stuck in the balcony got extra ripped off.

2) The scalper's prices will fluctuate on demand. They may get a lot higher than the initial ticket prices and they may go lower. Me and some other users have figured out that most of the scalped tickets are from the upper level because it was much easier to make a buck on those...I really don't think they can flip a lot of these $300 lower level tickets...some venues like San Jose still are eons away from selling those at face value, for example.

But, I mean, the cheapest ticket including fees was $40 for the worst upper level tickets in most venues. There's next to no chance the scalpers get hosed and sell those for any less than face value. It's $40 to see U2 for crying out loud. I bought a pair of those off a fan on BuyItNow on eBay for that same price($80 for the pair) for a Vertigo show (and it was under face value slightly)....so it's kind of a given that the upper level tickets is where they're going to make some sort of profit.

 

[marik]

What exactly are the platnium seats that TM offers that everyone on here is so disgusted by?

 

[YBORCITY]

My biggest problem with all of this was understanding the pricing structure the other day but then to try and figure out today's was just impossible

 

[BigMacPhisto]

What exactly are the premium seats that TM offers that everyone on here is so disgusted by?

VIP seats are a bunch of the lower level seats but centered directly in front of the stage on either side. They charge double for those, $600.

Then there's some seats known as Platinum seats that are mostly near the front of the lower level seating on the sides. They're charging anywhere from $400-700 for that opportunity.

Those are actual costs for those seats and the only way to purchase them. If you want to sit your rear in that chair, that's how much you have to pay TM right now.

And yes, the band went along with that pricing scheme.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Also, what if some rich guy wanted Platinum seats but they were all sold out (as if there's anything special about them other than the expensive price...)...wouldn't it be funny if scalpers bought some of those so richies were forced into paying like $2K for that crap.

"But...it's PLATINUM!"

 

[BigMacPhisto]

I like how Ticketmaster actually gives you a countdown timer for these $300 San Jose tickets...as if you're really going to be sad when they're taken away from you.

"No, nah, that's fine. You can take them, thank you very much. I'll just go to Bermuda this Spring instead."

 

[littleheartsuitcase]

Glancing at Chicago 1, seems those upper seats have evened out somewhere between $100-$190? I'm still amazed Mrs. Clayton got them for $30...o.o way to go!


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[BigMacPhisto]

Yeah, San Jose is only $65 before fees which brings them to $80 total. But those same low quality upper seats were $40 total on Ticketmaster...still, that's not like crazy far off...could see it at least getting pretty close down the road.

Obviously, when you have half the tickets go to the secondary market, there's an insane curve at play. Everything's priced too high at first although some people get freaked out and want tickets so they bite...over time, the price is going to settle on whatever the market dictates.

Unfortunately, that's also going to be determined by the specific area. So San Jose's upper seats might sit a lot closer to face value than those in Madison Square Garden, for example...

 

[pepokiss]

In my experience, high priced Floor tickets kill the shows

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Yep. You shouldn't have people NOT wanting to buy those floor seats...those are the best seated tickets in the house but people are balking. When you're sending all the demand over to the upper levels, then you know you've fucked up.

If you charged GA fans $250 instead + fees that would have probably smoothed things out quite a bit. $200 for seats and they all go in a flash. Then the upper levels could all be lowered accordingly.

Premium and VIP seat nonsense still could have happened, I guess, just at lower price points...milking the GA fans is the only way that you could spread around the costs more fairly. And god knows, those GA tickets still would have sold out in the blink of an eye.

 

[prbiker15]

In my experience, high priced Floor tickets kill the shows

Exactly.

 

[bono_man2002]

So according to U2.com every date that has gone on sale in Europe is sold out, with some still having VIP packages ect available. Barcelona goes on sale today, so perhaps new dates will be announced Wednesday?

 

[BigMacPhisto]

God, there's still San Jose tickets available via Ticketmaster that are in the uppers at $110 a pop. People aren't even that into getting the last of those as it's a high price to pay for the aerial view...

...and it looks like we've got scalpers trying to undercut the $300 price tag for those lower seats. Definitely see some at like $220 before fees. If that's the case, these aren't scalpers taking a loss because of low demand (after the fees, it's not much of a loss). Rather, it's probably sneaky Ticketmaster trying to get rid of some seats for less since people aren't even willingly paying $300 on their site.

 

[deep]

They call that dynamic pricing. *





* greedy rotten bastards

 

[mtnfox]

Um, I bought 3 of the $30 seats. At 11am EST for Chicago (10am venue time). I did it at a TM retail outlet and never tried the app or website. $130.32 total cost for 3 seats in section 324 at United Center. AND the hard tix were in my hands within seconds of my card being swiped.

Old school every time.

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I don't even remember the last time I bought tickets at an outlet. Actually I use to run the TM outlet quite a few (cough! 25! cough!) years ago when I worked for Music Plus (records, videos, etc) here in SoCal...Anyway, you peaked my curiosity. I wondered if there was still a TM outlet near me and after checking TM's website low and behold most Walmarts (at least by me) have an outlet, and those are flippin' everywhere! Nobody near me is a U2 fan - I am 100% certain that I would have been the only person in line for U2 tickets this morning at my local Walmart.

 

[djparky]

I think they might have gone a little conservative on GA's until they have the exact stage/runway set up and know exactly how much space is available, could see some released around mid May.

the same thing happened with the Lady Gaga shows in London...you couldn't get a GA when they went on sale but they appeared later...

 

[Martinski]

2 more concerts added in Stockholm. 20th and 21st september as people predicted.

 

[djparky]

extra nights for Paris, Berlin, Amstedam, Stockholm all announced with presales from 10am tomorrow until Friday..all with dates as predicted.

Also extra shows in Boston, Montreal and MSG- probably others but didn't check them all

details at u2.com

 

[Martinski]

Pre-sales available if you havent yet used your code. Cheap seat for the 3rd night and GA for the last night in Stockholm is the plan now.

 

[kps88]

Bollocks. Was hoping for more London shows.

 

[lisag71]

Will TM slowly dribble out the GAs? Or drop them in a huge bunch? May just go the GA route and stay towards the back for Chicago1 if it gets us in the door. (Not doing rail spots even though it's a bucket list item of mine simply bc our 9yr old son is gonna be with us.)

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I was in GA in Chicago before and decided to see Chicago and not wait in line all day. We ended up near the back of the arena and it was horrible! A lot of people standing around drinking...spilling beer on you or just standing there and talking in a group. It seemed to me that the people towards the back were not really there to see the show but just to socialized and annoy everyone around them. It was such a let down. I'll never do that again. Also, your son may have a hard time seeing anything besides all the drunk, annoying people around.

Either way, enjoy what you can get with all the issues going around.

 

[chrissybaby]

Never felt more alienated from the band as I do now. Despise TM.


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[KUEFC09U2]

Bit suprised they didn't add the extra London dates


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[Miringeltje]

Bit suprised they didn't add the extra London dates

Spreading it out perhaps?

First get this batch of pre-sales and general sales over with.
And then announce London next week. Maybe with Barcelona. Depending on how that goes today.

Or maybe those rumors about Dublin shows might have something to do with no added dates for London.

 

[bono_man2002]

No more Turin shows either, so potentially more to come in other cities. Perhaps they are still working out arena bookings?

 

[rennowba]

Bit suprised they didn't add the extra London dates


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Yeah and me considering all 4 sold out yesterday?

Would love them to switch those extra two dates to manchester though

 

[Teta040]

Clayton's Kitten--

Yeah, I like old school too, I've become an expert at it really...I think the ultimate I've scored within the past 5 yrs via old school is landing a pair of tickets to Les Miserables, yes the Broadway musical, camping out all night in the hallway of the theater in hopes that there might be a couple left the morning of the show. Site said there were only about 10 left for a 5-show run, and I got what on the map looked like horrible seats but turned out to be in a little raised section just above the orchestra pit, maybe 20 feet from the stage. Only thing bad about them was in the 2nd half the barricade partly blocked the action, but that was ok...we sniffled all the same.

Well, now that you've confirmed that this method of buying is still possible, I'm on this one starting Sunday afternoon. No doubt of my being the first in line! Given yesterday, I'll HAVE to be, or else! Making up an "official" excuse to be late to work (say, a long line at a doctor's appointment,)... got my little-known TM outlet picked out, going over there on Wednesday to have a chat and find out how they did the sale yest. morning...the TM is brand new--less than a month old- so little known; -and open 24 hrs, so I can camp out for a LONG time indoors..I'll line up someone to bring me a care package...don't laugh please!

One thing though. I want to actually know what you said to the counter folks right before the sale, did you tell them to search by price or by location. And for the folks going to NY--would it be possible to pay cash for this, since non-GA is not cc only there? Or would they make you pay credit even at retail?

Sorry for nerves/hysterics like a teen...

 

[siblis45]

My 2 cents worth

I have a been a fan of the Band since the very beginning in 1978/1979 & I have gone to all the tours from the beginning up to the 360 Tour. This lateset Album to me is a total disappointment from the moment I listened to it. I think that most of the songs on the new Album are worthy of no more than just being B-sides or left overs from years of hanging around, but to wait for 5 years for a new Album & get this, is totally disapointing. With this Band aging like they are & Bono's health status for now & in the future, I really think the Band should end it, all they are doing now is Milking the Fans for what they can & giving you guys no more than a 2 hr show TOPS. The prices are really off the wall, but I knew that would happen when MGT changed hands, I am skipping this Leg altogether & wait until 2016 to MAYBE catch them, but I have a feeling that this Tour could wind up like "Flopmart". For those of you that never saw the Band Live from 1981 thru 1992, you really lost out on a Band that rocked the House each & every night.

 

[Martinski]

I have a been a fan of the Band since the very beginning in 1978/1979 & I have gone to all the tours from the beginning up to the 360 Tour. This lateset Album to me is a total disappointment from the moment I listened to it. I think that most of the songs on the new Album are worthy of no more than just being B-sides or left overs from years of hanging around, but to wait for 5 years for a new Album & get this, is totally disapointing. With this Band aging like they are & Bono's health status for now & in the future, I really think the Band should end it, all they are doing now is Milking the Fans for what they can & giving you guys no more than a 2 hr show TOPS. The prices are really off the wall, but I knew that would happen when MGT changed hands, I am skipping this Leg altogether & wait until 2016 to MAYBE catch them, but I have a feeling that this Tour could wind up like "Flopmart". For those of you that never saw the Band Live from 1981 thru 1992, you really lost out on a Band that rocked the House each & every night.

Cool story and all. But everyone werent born in the 60s or 70s. First U2 concert i went to was Popmart in 1997 with my Dad, i was 11 or 12 then.

I happen to like the new album very much, more solid one than NLOTH imo. But each to there own i guess.