All Purpose Pre-Show Lineup Thread

[LadySpinHead]

We got to both of our Chicago shows around 6:45 and were 2-3 back from the catwalk rail, just for reference.

Eta: 6:45 arrive outside arena. On the floor by 7-7:15 or so

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I mean by the looks of a pic I saw of Boston today, you could walk onto the floor as Patti Smith starts and be within 10-15 feet of somewhere.

 

[arw]

I mean by the looks of a pic I saw of Boston today, you could walk onto the floor as Patti Smith starts and be within 10-15 feet of somewhere.

there was a guy behind me in Chicago that didn't line up and got to the venue right at 6 as the GA line was being let in…and he was behind me while I was 1 back from the rail. I don't know exactly what time it was that we started talking and discovered this info from him but probably sometime after 6:30. So it all depends on how close you want to be to the rail. I'm super short and hated being 1 back from the rail which I why I got a number early in the morning to get on the actual rail. If you're tall then you shouldn't have a problem being a few people back.

 

[corianderstem]

damn lucky tall people.

 

[FazeCraze]

As a former journalist, I felt that it was my professional duty to inquire about the smiley wristbands. The security card says they normally use them for kids' shows but it was raining this morning and they wanted to cheer people up. Boston, you're my home!

 

[arw]

damn lucky tall people.

yes! I could have gone sightseeing and spent the day with friends if I weren't so short!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I heard it was because they heard the line runners act like a bunch of children

 

[prbiker15]

I heard it was because they heard the line runners act like a bunch of children

 

[trojanchick99]

I still can't get over the Line nazis calling an earlier line up time than the venue. Seriously.

As for spots, the only one you really need to be early for is mainstage Edge. We were like in the 150s I think for a show and ended up 3 back from the rail. Arrived at the Forum at 9am for that, but then tailgated the rest of the day.

Was in the 350s and ended up 1 back from the B stage one night as well.

 

[ultravioletluvv]

For LA, we walked in at 7:30-7:45pm and were 3 back from the bstage rail. I ended up moving around the floor all night and that spot by the bstage was still there. Seems like the majority of people go for main stage. But as the tour goes on, the bstage definitely seems more crowded.


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[VintagePunk]

I was considering getting there somewhat early to one of the shows I'm attending with the intention of getting a railspot, or within a person or two of the rail... somewhere? But the more I think of it I think I'd rather spend that time in the bar.

So like how late do you think I could conceivably arrive and get that one or two person spot?

From what I saw? 7 or 7:30. Possibly even later, because people who are 3. 4, 5 back of the rail tend to wander with the band. They move closer to whichever stage the band is on, so you can easily grab a closer spot at any point. It looked like the only spots that are super protected for the whole show are the actual rail sports.

Toronto really seems to have been the exception - GA looked weirdly empty for quite some time before the show started (and still had room for some folks to run around easily during the show). From what I saw/heard online anyway.

Once you got 5 people back from the rail, Toronto was very roomy. People were wandering a lot. It was great.

I can't speak for Toronto 2 because I was in GA on the rail so I don't know exactly what was behind me. But for night one, yes definitely empty but only on the south side. Everyone wanted north side. There was a crazy mix up where some of the wrist band people told everyone that Edge's side was north and Adam's was south. So some people that wanted Edge's side ended up on Adam's side. The mix up happened after the bulk of the of people with numbers were already in.

But in terms on getting my rail spot for Chicago and Toronto, it went the same way. Everyone ran to either stage first while the catwalk was the last to fill up.

That's a good point that I wanted to ask people on here about - I swear that during most setlist threads, people were saying that Edge was north and Adam was south. Am I on crack? Or does it depend on the venue?

 

[Miroslava]

Edge is South, Adam is North. As far as I know, that has been consistent through all shows.


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[VintagePunk]

Huh. Thanks.

 

[FazeCraze]

You guys. Epic show tonight. Honestly incredible. But FYI: the line "leaders" are CRAZY. Happened to walk by the line for tomorrow after tonight's show and it was bonkers. People were already yelling and the concert was barely over. I honestly think being in the front of the line is more important to them than the actual concert. I'll write more tomorrow. GA is tiring!

 

[daygloeyes2]

I had rail on the e-stage tonight and I loved it. When the band was out there, I honestly felt I was closer to them than I had been on Vertigo when I was in the ellipse. It made up for the lack of sight I had when they were on the main stage. During the encores, I wandered closer to the front.

And speaking of line leaders, I saw some of them leaving before One started. They missed 40. Ruh roh.

 

[Dakotalola]

I was at bos1! I got in line at 5:45, doors were at 6.
Got a great spot one off the catwalk rail down by b stage.
Saw some of the line nazis-STILL trying to run the line after 5pm after everyone's banded and in line outside the venue. What a bunch of control freaks.
At 5:20 they come down the line of banded people saying if anyone shows up now, with a lower wristband number than you, don't let them in line because the time to be back was 5pm and it's past 5, so those people should go to the end of the line.
Loads of People in the queue at this point weren't even on the secret list so they looked at Line Nazi like he was out of his gourd.
Pretty sure they also pissed off security because one of the guards was complaining to some of us in line about how these fans were trying to run his line telling fans things that aren't venue policy.
Heard North side line got screwed because ticket scanners wouldn't work and red zone could go anyplace so they grabbed front rail main stage.
So these people spent 3 days in line for ?
Floor wasn't packed in. Loads of space 3-4 people out from the catwalk. People dancing and jumping with loads of room. I saw a Great great show and had no line drama affect me.
Some of these line people must thrive on self inflicted stress

 

[daygloeyes2]

The line nazis originally tried to make us come back at 4 for some reason.

 

[Dakotalola]

The line nazis originally tried to make us come back at 4 for some reason.

Heard that. So they could all line up in their original off site area and walk over together.
Why do that and stand longer when you can finish dinner and get another drink?
Someone here said it- they enjoy running the line more than the show itself.

 

[Galeongirl]

Heard that. So they could all line up in their original off site area and walk over together.
Why do that and stand longer when you can finish dinner and get another drink?
Someone here said it- they enjoy running the line more than the show itself.

A power trip can give a big adrenaline shot to people sensitive to it.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

These people are the fucking worst

If any of them are on interference, and I know they are, let me just tell ya... You're the fucking worst. You are as awful as they come. And if you really left the show before the end to start a new line for the next show, you should have your tickets given to someone who would actually care more about, ya know, seeing U2 than they do running a stupid fucking line that is entirely unnecessary on this tour.

I hope you end up pissing off security to such a point that you get pepper sprayed.

 

[daygloeyes2]

Some(if not all) of them wound up missing 40 though.

 

[Galeongirl]

How fucking retarded ar eyou that you are missing a part of a U2 show in order to be the first in line at the next U2 show, possibly missing that shows' ending as well in order to be first at the next... It's a vicious cycle of stupidity even surpassing the cycle of Screw!

 

[Hewson]

The line nazis originally tried to make us come back at 4 for some reason.

Yeah, I find the whole thing ridiculous. The Garden staff handled it fine (aside from the North Side scanner being much slower than South side which everyone thought wouldn't matter till the North sdie of the e stage rail was littered with yellow wristbands), I heard whoever had #7 on his hands telling folks to come back at 4 and I literally rolled my eyes. Got back to line about 5:10, found my spot and that was that.

The wristband system works very well, allows people to enjoy their day (or work in my case) and keeps it fair and organized.
The 2 security guys handing out the bands in the morning and cutting them off later were quite amiable and fun to chat with, Garden staff gets an A on the system.

 

[Hewson]

At 5:20 they come down the line of banded people saying if anyone shows up now, with a lower wristband number than you, don't let them in line because the time to be back was 5pm and it's past 5, so those people should go to the end of the line.

Yeah we got to the line past 5 cause my friends were finishing some food across the street. Went looking for our spot, somebody said "they said something about going to the end if you are back after 5 but I don't think they are enforcing it", At first I thought he meant the venue and was surprised...at any rate the folks in line were smart enough to pay it no mind and we got into our approriate spot with no issue, all the folks in that area of line were not part of the Line Reich and everyone just followed the actual rules.

 

[bfloxng]

Why would someone leave during the encore to get in line for the next show? Anyone with half a brain knows that the best way to ensure a good line spot for the next show is to leave after the third song of the set, Vertigo. That's the best song ever written anyway. After that it's basically all just filler.


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[bfloxng]

Toronto really seems to have been the exception - GA looked weirdly empty for quite some time before the show started (and still had room for some folks to run around easily during the show). From what I saw/heard online anyway.

That's because criminals from the U.S. aren't allowed in Canada.


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[daygloeyes2]

Why would someone leave during the encore to get in line for the next show? Anyone with half a brain knows that the best way to ensure a good line spot for the next show is to leave after the third song of the set, Vertigo. That's the best song ever written anyway. After that it's basically all just filler.


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I was going to leave after Electric Co. to ensure my spot. Then I remembered I didn't have a GA for tonight.

Yeah we got to the line past 5 cause my friends were finishing some food across the street. Went looking for our spot, somebody said "they said something about going to the end if you are back after 5 but I don't think they are enforcing it", At first I thought he meant the venue and was surprised...at any rate the folks in line were smart enough to pay it no mind and we got into our approriate spot with no issue, all the folks in that area of line were not part of the Line Reich and everyone just followed the actual rules.

They missed out on 40. Suckas!

 

[bfloxng]

So if I'm closing my tab at a bar, oh, 2 blocks away from MSG at 7:30, how close can I get?

This is all vital information, btw

Which bar I choose is highly important to my well being

Unless you want rail or want to be in the front five rows of main stage, there is no reason to wait in line.

Ask for your tab at 7:24 sharp and you'll be able to stroll in and get 2nd or 3rd row most places except main stage. And quite frankly, the main stage songs/set are not nearly as entertaining as the catwalk and e-stage songs.

Other than main stage (which stays at least ten deep), no one really holds spots other than rail and maybe 1-2 behind that. I had e-stage rail in Phoenix for the first 2/3 of the show (I almost always give up my rail spot to someone behind me at some point) and most of the people behind me changed throughout the show. Obviously some cities will be different but that seems to be the general vibe.

For the second show it simply wasn't worth "holding down" a spot one or two back because I could walk virtually anywhere but main stage anytime and get within five rows with nary a struggle.

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[corianderstem]

That's because criminals from the U.S. aren't allowed in Canada.

I had e-stage rail in Phoenix for the first 2/3 of the show (I almost always give up my rail spot to someone behind me at some point)

You do god's work, sir.

 

[clerks]

Do we know for fact people left early to get back in line or just heresay. Either way I've been fascinated with people waiting in line since Star Wars episode I and people lining up for a month beforehand. I walk in day of and got tickets. But waiting in line was the fun part for them. So let them have it. I prefer to be stress few and casually wander onto GA floor. Move around. Not care. We shouldn't care either about these line whores.



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