July 30, 2011 - Magnetic Hill, Moncton, New Brunswick, CA

[corianderstem]

Well, say what you will about the multi-show front rowers, but at least they seem to muster up a good amount of enthusiasm even for their 20th show. At least they're fans.

I'm sure the band would rather see that than the people I'm envisioning who are throwing money around just to throw money around, who are there just to be at the big event and say they were in the front row.

That's just the image I have in my head if U2 went back to selling the best spots in the house for whopping sums of money. I'm sure it wouldn't be all of them, there would definitely be some fans there, but it's not what U2 would want to look down from the stage and see.

 

[corianderstem]

But whatever. No matter what they do, they're never going to make everyone happy and some group(s) of fans will inevitably end up pissing and moaning about it.

 

[mellow moog]

Well I was lucky enough to be at the front for some of the 92 Outside Broadcast shows and you don't want those corporate fat cats at the front!!! "Hey Bono, play "Running to the streets" !" (or something like that this record exec said at Yankee stadium by me!)

I would say most fans whether hardcore or not know in order to get a good spot you get there as early as you can. Even with the lottery, people will still turn up very early. Whoever arrives after the first group is already queueing, tag along and try and follow what they're doing. Ultimately they're just trying to make sure it's fair for all of us (they really are guys), whether you agree or not.

Any queue jumpers, again work with local security to get em out, Hopefully U2 will have at least 1 security guy working with local security and there will always be a familiar U2 fan who they will get to know who can help them police this issue.

Please don't start with self appointed nazi crap blah blah blah again. Your choice to not follow the rules some fans are setting to help everyone. Just get there early enough that it shouldn't matter to you!!!

Again, before someone starts. Nothing and I mean nothing justifies hitting or manhandling anyone for not following rules.

 

[corianderstem]

Well, I'd say that some of the GA bits are there to only help a few people, not so much everyone: line starting days in advance, a list instead of actually being in line, the whole +1 nonsense that happened with some lines. I mean lists.

Those bits are the things that most people piping up have an issue with. Not that there's a fan-policed line who works with security to make things go smooth - I think very few people have an issue with that.

I chose not to deal with the line (although once it was not by choice, thanks to me getting sick), and I ended up having a freaking blast at all the shows, whether I was close or soundboarding it.

But I know, blah blah blah, yada yada yada. It does end up working out fine for many people, and you either deal with it, or you don't. It's not going to change, and next tour we'll go through the whole thing again. I'm sure I'll start off the next tour all gung-ho for GA again and then be annoyed with everything and everyone by the end of the tour again.

Lather, rinse and repeat. Bring it on.

 

[mellow moog]

Well, I'd say that some of the GA bits are there to only help a few people, not so much everyone: line starting days in advance, a list instead of actually being in line, the whole +1 nonsense that happened with some lines. I mean lists.

Those bits are the things that most people piping up have an issue with. Not that there's a fan-policed line who works with security to make things go smooth - I think very few people have an issue with that.

I chose not to deal with the line (although once it was not by choice, thanks to me getting sick), and I ended up having a freaking blast at all the shows, whether I was close or soundboarding it.

But I know, blah blah blah, yada yada yada. It does end up working out fine for many people, and you either deal with it, or you don't. It's not going to change, and next tour we'll go through the whole thing again. I'm sure I'll start off the next tour all gung-ho for GA again and then be annoyed with everything and everyone by the end of the tour again.

Lather, rinse and repeat. Bring it on.

So if there's a festival type option for a gig next tour, you up for camping again? I was very disappointed at the lack of U2 fans I saw camping. It was nearly all Maritimes from what I saw. They were great people mind you but I was hoping for a lot of hardcore U2 fans, maybe a guitar or two, definitely a beer or ten and a sheetload of bad drunken singing

 

[corianderstem]

Camping?????? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!



So uh, no. Not so much. I didn't deal well with the whole scene. It didn't help that I'd underestimated the travel, so I was kind of already frazzled when I got there. Maybe I'd have handled it better had it not been raining, too.

I wouldn't be able to do something like that again. Unless it was something like Last U2 Gig EVER and that was the only option. Then I'd do it, but plan the travel better.

 

[mellow moog]

Camping?????? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!



So uh, no. Not so much. I didn't deal well with the whole scene. It didn't help that I'd underestimated the travel, so I was kind of already frazzled when I got there. Maybe I'd have handled it better had it not been raining, too.

I wouldn't be able to do something like that again. Unless it was something like Last U2 Gig EVER and that was the only option. Then I'd do it, but plan the travel better.

So no chance you do Glastonbury 2013 or even 2014 if they do appear again? You have no idea how incredible that festival is. U2 were bit a mere fraction of how great the festival was for me this year!!!

 

[corianderstem]

I'm just not a big fan of festivals. I know the line-ups are great, but I'm not up for the other stuff that goes along with it.

I can barely make myself go to the Seattle festival (Bumbershoot) where I can take a city bus there and home! They have a big one in central Washington every year (Sasquatch), and they always have great bands, but it's the camping thing.

It's not even so much the "roughing it" part - it's the lack of actual rest. The older I get, the poorer I function when dealing with lack of sleep.

 

[gvox]

Well, I'd say that some of the GA bits are there to only help a few people, not so much everyone: line starting days in advance, a list instead of actually being in line, the whole +1 nonsense that happened with some lines. I mean lists.

Those bits are the things that most people piping up have an issue with. Not that there's a fan-policed line who works with security to make things go smooth - I think very few people have an issue with that.

Neither I, having participated in proper lines myself. But when the first couple people in line devise a set of rules that is so clearly self serving, dont expect anyone to follow their stupid rules once we hit the field. Those 6 days in line? They entitle you to find another primo spot should you arrive somewhere I am already. Period.


The list, the line, all of it, is merely to ensure that we *enter the venue* in an orderly fashion, not serve as an escort to hold our hands right to some batshit crazy notion of "rightful spot".

 

[mellow moog]

I'm just not a big fan of festivals. I know the line-ups are great, but I'm not up for the other stuff that goes along with it.

I can barely make myself go to the Seattle festival (Bumbershoot) where I can take a city bus there and home! They have a big one in central Washington every year (Sasquatch), and they always have great bands, but it's the camping thing.

It's not even so much the "roughing it" part - it's the lack of actual rest. The older I get, the poorer I function when dealing with lack of sleep.

You can catchup with rest later. Believe me i like my creature comforts. Ask the wife I just learn to live without em for a little while. I;ve slept in worse and with an airbed and decent tent, it's all good!!!

 

[mellow moog]

Well, I'd say that some of the GA bits are there to only help a few people, not so much everyone: line starting days in advance, a list instead of actually being in line, the whole +1 nonsense that happened with some lines. I mean lists.

Those bits are the things that most people piping up have an issue with. Not that there's a fan-policed line who works with security to make things go smooth - I think very few people have an issue with that.

I chose not to deal with the line (although once it was not by choice, thanks to me getting sick), and I ended up having a freaking blast at all the shows, whether I was close or soundboarding it.

But I know, blah blah blah, yada yada yada. It does end up working out fine for many people, and you either deal with it, or you don't. It's not going to change, and next tour we'll go through the whole thing again. I'm sure I'll start off the next tour all gung-ho for GA again and then be annoyed with everything and everyone by the end of the tour again.

Lather, rinse and repeat. Bring it on.

Neither I, having participated in proper lines myself. But when the first couple people in line devise a set of rules that is so clearly self serving, dont expect anyone to follow their stupid rules once we hit the field. Those 6 days in line? They entitle you to find another primo spot should you arrive somewhere I am already. Period.


The list, the line, all of it, is merely to ensure that we *enter the venue* in an orderly fashion, not serve as an escort to hold our hands right to some batshit crazy notion of "rightful spot".

hey Gvox :

 

[corianderstem]

Now that the tour is over, I greatly look forward to the day when I exhaust all my GA bitching.

..... it's coming soon, I swear. It takes a few days to climb down off that dead horse!

 

[gvox]

hey Gvox :

Hey Moog:

If ya don't like a conversation two other people are having, you can always, you know:

 

[mellow moog]

Hey Moog:

If ya don't like a conversation two other people are having, you can always, you know:

My apologies for invading YOUR web page

 

[KristenCaNaDiAn]

Me too. I love that they make GA tickets among the cheapest. In Toronto, the security guard standing by us asked how much we payed to be standing there. When we told him he was shocked. He said he'd done a Bon Jovi show recently and the people standing where we were payed well over a thousand dollars

Wow

It seems that lots of casual fans have no idea how the inner circle works though. I've talked to a bunch who asked me how I got into the pit. They had no clue they were allowed in there and just piled up outside the catwalk. I've also had people ask me how much I paid to go in there.

I guess that works in our favour

 

[kittykat416]

Wow

It seems that lots of casual fans have no idea how the inner circle works though. I've talked to a bunch who asked me how I got into the pit. They had no clue they were allowed in there and just piled up outside the catwalk. I've also had people ask me how much I paid to go in there.

Ditto!

 

[kittykat416]

Neither I, having participated in proper lines myself. But when the first couple people in line devise a set of rules that is so clearly self serving, dont expect anyone to follow their stupid rules once we hit the field. Those 6 days in line? They entitle you to find another primo spot should you arrive somewhere I am already. Period.


The list, the line, all of it, is merely to ensure that we *enter the venue* in an orderly fashion, not serve as an escort to hold our hands right to some batshit crazy notion of "rightful spot".

I know this is all "flogging a dead horse", but I was getting so peeved about this during the last month, I'm not *quite* ready to let it go either.

Yeah, Moncton REALLY bugged me. "Link arms, link arms!! Walk in numbered order!!!" No way was that in the interest of everyone's safety about running down a slippery, wet, muddy hill. It was to ensure no one ran past the people who were at the front of the queue.

Even after we went through the security gates and had our tickets scanned, and had to wait in line again on the other side, I got yelled at for standing next to someone who was #30-something in line, when I was #50-something. "How did you get up here???" Um, I didn't bring a giant bag with me that would get me slowed down at security. And I was actually made to move back 20 people.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

"Link arms, link arms!! Walk in numbered order!!!"

That's properly embarrassing for all involved.

And there'd be no real difference/advantage between #50 and #30. The 360 stage wasn't all that small. The only thing that I assume really matters is the competition between the social outcasts who must be absolutely dead in line with each of their Glorious Bono/Edge/Adam, and for whom ending up just a foot to the left or foot to the right of that position, I assume, would make the whole experience a pointless disaster. Not worth having gone to all the effort in time, cash, travel, organisation if I'm not dead in line. Definitely worth punching the bitch. Bono won't love me as much if I'm one foot to the left.*







*Hot tip: In all likelihood, Bono would probably hate the sight of you.

 

[gvox]

I know this is all "flogging a dead horse", but I was getting so peeved about this during the last month, I'm not *quite* ready to let it go either.

Yeah, Moncton REALLY bugged me. "Link arms, link arms!! Walk in numbered order!!!" No way was that in the interest of everyone's safety about running down a slippery, wet, muddy hill. It was to ensure no one ran past the people who were at the front of the queue.

Even after we went through the security gates and had our tickets scanned, and had to wait in line again on the other side, I got yelled at for standing next to someone who was #30-something in line, when I was #50-something. "How did you get up here???" Um, I didn't bring a giant bag with me that would get me slowed down at security. And I was actually made to move back 20 people.

Relaying this experience is hardly flogging a dead horse. It's only flogging a dead horse to those who want to continue this self-serving behaviour in the future and those who don't want the full reality of this type of crap to be exposed for all to see.

 

[secretly alone]

I know what you mean, but I can't help thinking of a fan who only gets to go to one show, and they want to do what they can to get right up front, so they show up at the venue when the stadium says they should ..... and find out that there are already 200 people in front of them.

Not to say that they're going to get a shitty spot now (at least not on this tour), but it sucks, considering probably 150 of those 200 people have gone to 18 shows and have been front row for all of them.

I mean, of course people are going to take whatever advantage they can, and yeah, that's the way it goes, but it's just another checkmark for the "U2 GA can get pretty ridiculous" column.

I agree, it does kinda suck for someone who has no idea what's going on and wants a good spot. We've all been there. I have. Obviously it'll never happen, but I suppose the venue could always say something like, "This is the time you're allowed on our property, but keep in mind a fan line may have started elsewhere previously and we have no control over that, etc." That way people are aware.

Well, say what you will about the multi-show front rowers, but at least they seem to muster up a good amount of enthusiasm even for their 20th show. At least they're fans.

I'm sure the band would rather see that than the people I'm envisioning who are throwing money around just to throw money around, who are there just to be at the big event and say they were in the front row.

That's just the image I have in my head if U2 went back to selling the best spots in the house for whopping sums of money. I'm sure it wouldn't be all of them, there would definitely be some fans there, but it's not what U2 would want to look down from the stage and see.

Agree completely. Speaking personally, I would be extremely disappointed in the band if they sold the front row at a high price. I wouldn't care if they made the excuse that it gets rid of all this bullshit that people are complaining about- it would look horrible for them. Granted, I don't see them doing that.

Yeah, Moncton REALLY bugged me. "Link arms, link arms!! Walk in numbered order!!!" No way was that in the interest of everyone's safety about running down a slippery, wet, muddy hill. It was to ensure no one ran past the people who were at the front of the queue.

Even after we went through the security gates and had our tickets scanned, and had to wait in line again on the other side, I got yelled at for standing next to someone who was #30-something in line, when I was #50-something. "How did you get up here???" Um, I didn't bring a giant bag with me that would get me slowed down at security. And I was actually made to move back 20 people.

Regardless of the actual intention of the linking arms and walking, it saved all of us from potential disaster. I was towards the front of that line and I was scared shitless when we all spread out at the gates, because I knew some people would start running and it would be terrible to have all that waiting end in people slipping and falling and getting hurt. I was very grateful that Dave came and had us get back into order and that we walked all the way to the pit.

Also, it had been agreed upon that we reassemble into number order after the ticket scan/bag check, which was probably why whoever it was asked you to move back to your spot. We were five across in order.

That's properly embarrassing for all involved.

And there'd be no real difference/advantage between #50 and #30. The 360 stage wasn't all that small. The only thing that I assume really matters is the competition between the social outcasts who must be absolutely dead in line with each of their Glorious Bono/Edge/Adam, and for whom ending up just a foot to the left or foot to the right of that position, I assume, would make the whole experience a pointless disaster. Not worth having gone to all the effort in time, cash, travel, organisation if I'm not dead in line. Definitely worth punching the bitch. Bono won't love me as much if I'm one foot to the left.*

*Hot tip: In all likelihood, Bono would probably hate the sight of you.

This is very rude. You're right, in the end there probably isn't a big difference between number 30 and number 50. But calling people social outcasts and making them out to be crazy isn't really necessary. Unless you know everyone in that line personally, I hardly think it's fair to make such assumptions. Things can get a little nuts. But just because someone wants to wait in line and get a certain spot doesn't make them a "social outcast". If you don't care where you stand, then fine, don't care. Don't shit on people who do care and exaggerate the situation.

 

[corianderstem]

It seems that lots of casual fans have no idea how the inner circle works though. I've talked to a bunch who asked me how I got into the pit. They had no clue they were allowed in there and just piled up outside the catwalk. I've also had people ask me how much I paid to go in there.

I guess that works in our favour

I think half the time, security doesn't even know how the pit works. They don't know the difference between GA in general, the pit and Red Zone. I've seen the confusion/heard comments at various venues.

We know U2 gets involved at least marginally with the GA line, but holy crap, how hard is it to make sure venue security knows what is what? Surely they must get some kind of direction so they can plan - how hard is it to give them a freaking diagram and the "rules" for each?

Also, in Moncton, it seemed that some people with seated tickets were able to roam freely around GA. Someone from the area had told me online a few weeks ago that this would likely be the case, as it had been that way for previous shows.

The people next to us on the back rail of the pit had grandstand tickets, and were amazed to find themselves in the pit. I don't know about the rest of GA, but it seemed that a while after that, the security people at the pit caught on and started checking people's tickets, probably just to control the # of people in the pit.

Which worked out pretty great.

 

[westendgirl]

I know this is all "flogging a dead horse", but I was getting so peeved about this during the last month, I'm not *quite* ready to let it go either.

Yeah, Moncton REALLY bugged me. "Link arms, link arms!! Walk in numbered order!!!" No way was that in the interest of everyone's safety about running down a slippery, wet, muddy hill. It was to ensure no one ran past the people who were at the front of the queue.

Even after we went through the security gates and had our tickets scanned, and had to wait in line again on the other side, I got yelled at for standing next to someone who was #30-something in line, when I was #50-something. "How did you get up here???" Um, I didn't bring a giant bag with me that would get me slowed down at security. And I was actually made to move back 20 people.

Yes, I too was "spoken harshly" to by people with numbers lower than mine after arriving more quickly at the second "waiting point" after having our tickets scanned once officially inside the venue. I arrived at that point 40-60 people ahead of where my number was b/c I didn't have bags to be searched, I wore sensible, weather appropriate shoes (not flipping around in barely-there flip flops and other sandals that should have been tossed hours earlier) and I didn't have to wait on large group of friends or young kids walking slowly with me.

But I wasn't going back in the line. Because now another 100 people had done the same thing.

Once we were in the venue we thought we were going to the stage, not wait another 45 minutes for the opening opening act to soundcheck!

 

[bonocomet]

Wow

It seems that lots of casual fans have no idea how the inner circle works though. I've talked to a bunch who asked me how I got into the pit. They had no clue they were allowed in there and just piled up outside the catwalk. I've also had people ask me how much I paid to go in there.

I guess that works in our favour

Same here! After the show we just hung out in there for a bit at the rail and a guy came up and was looking at the stage, he asked what we paid to be here and at first I didn't get what he meant and when I told him the GA price he looked really confused.

 

[kittykat416]

Also, it had been agreed upon that we reassemble into number order after the ticket scan/bag check, which was probably why whoever it was asked you to move back to your spot. We were five across in order.

Agreed up by whom? U2 security? Venue security? If so, they did a poor job of telling the line, because I never heard it until I was yelled at by a fan afterwards. And oddly enough, that person never mentioned in their argument that this was a security-sanctioned decision.

I would guess that it was "agreed upon" by the people in the front of the line. Who never informed me until afterwards, nor did they ever consult me as a member of the line.

Whatever. I was perfectly happy with my spot in the pit in the end! I just wish there hadn't been so much sniping among fans in the line throughout the day until I got to that spot.

 

[KristenCaNaDiAn]

There's always gonna be line drama. Best way to avoid trouble is to follow the rules and just stay in whatever number position you have. That way, it's fair for everyone.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

This is very rude. You're right, in the end there probably isn't a big difference between number 30 and number 50. But calling people social outcasts and making them out to be crazy isn't really necessary. Unless you know everyone in that line personally, I hardly think it's fair to make such assumptions. Things can get a little nuts. But just because someone wants to wait in line and get a certain spot doesn't make them a "social outcast". If you don't care where you stand, then fine, don't care. Don't shit on people who do care and exaggerate the situation.

Sorry, I wasn't referring to anyone/everyone who is after a good spot or front spot or rail spot or whatever - or those who do what they feel they have to do to get it, in terms of lines and camping and whatnot (and I've said a few times I think it's the fault of tour/band management that such an effort is necessary) - only the very tiny number who feel they absolutely need to be in a very specific one foot square patch of turf and seem to have lost all sense of reality and proportion when it comes to that spot. I don't really want to bring his name up again, but this story about Vik and this French chick - I assume that in losing 'his' spot, Option B for him was not thirty meters back, but was actually just a couple of feet to one side or the other of where he specifically wanted to be and seemingly felt he had a right to be. So, I can't really apologise for calling that kind of thing (and anyone involved in it) crazy, because it absolutely is and they absolutely are.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

In amongst this whole saga of a thread, my favourite moments were reading RavenBlue's accounts. Cos this was her gig in her neck of the woods. After a while, I don't want to read about some fan's 50th gig of the tour, or how far they flew, or how much they spent on hotels/tents/folding chairs. I am chuffed that a local fan got to see U2 play in their town where they've never been. Not interested in the fans from Dublin/London/France/NY/Timbuktu. Just the delight that a local gets from seeing U2 for the first and maybe only time on the tour, maybe the first time in who knows how many years, and that every song is special.

Maybe we nutters tend to forget that...

 

[corianderstem]

 

[Flaming_C]

In amongst this whole saga of a thread, my favourite moments were reading RavenBlue's accounts. Cos this was her gig in her neck of the woods. After a while, I don't want to read about some fan's 50th gig of the tour, or how far they flew, or how much they spent on hotels/tents/folding chairs. I am chuffed that a local fan got to see U2 play in their town where they've never been. Not interested in the fans from Dublin/London/France/NY/Timbuktu. Just the delight that a local gets from seeing U2 for the first and maybe only time on the tour, maybe the first time in who knows how many years, and that every song is special.

Maybe we nutters tend to forget that...

My wife and I attended the show with our friend from Newfoundland and our best friends, who now live in Halifax. This show was our best friends' first U2 show, and they had a blast. Spending the entire day with them (and our Newfie friend) in the queue and then at the show made this a very, very special day. They definitely made this show memorable for us.

 

[GraceRyan]

That's properly embarrassing for all involved.

And there'd be no real difference/advantage between #50 and #30. The 360 stage wasn't all that small. The only thing that I assume really matters is the competition between the social outcasts who must be absolutely dead in line with each of their Glorious Bono/Edge/Adam, and for whom ending up just a foot to the left or foot to the right of that position, I assume, would make the whole experience a pointless disaster. Not worth having gone to all the effort in time, cash, travel, organisation if I'm not dead in line. Definitely worth punching the bitch. Bono won't love me as much if I'm one foot to the left.*







*Hot tip: In all likelihood, Bono would probably hate the sight of you.

Yeah, I know I got the hairy eyeball for being number 100+ and being second row. People, do the math. It's a big fuck-all stage. Plus, you have the outer rail. At least 100 or so people fit on those rails. If you are happy to be in the second row, you get people with higher number and *gasp* no numbers. All I ask is that of you are taller than me (which unfortunately is a large group of people) don't stand in front of me. Otherwise, we get along famously.