Legitimate question (as in, I'm not being sarcastic or facetious):
Who buys $600 VIP tickets? Who buys $300 seats? It is presumptuous, but probably accurate, to say that most of us on a fan forum are looking for GA, maybe decent seats for $100-$150....but I haven't seen too many people on here saying "Found the seats I wanted for only $450! Can't wait!"
And most of my fan-friends not on forums were even a bit shocked at the sticker price for GA this tour...
Obviously people are going to spend this money or else they wouldn't do it? I've noticed that a lot of shows of other bands I would previously say are "never miss" have come through my city and upon looking up tickets have been shocked at what is needed to get in the door (and people obviously go to these shows)...so maybe it's the concert market in general that has shifted??
I love U2, I love millennial U2, I really like the new songs and haven't missed a tour since 1997. I was in the "experience" group and pulled up the tickets for MSG. I don't care for GA or RedZone, so I was looking for some good seats or a VIP package to spoil myself a little(and my wife because we both go)
The VIP packages were $495! That means with fees and taxes, it would be what $550, so $1100 for two tickets? FO
Then I went to the tier 1 seats that were not tagged as "VIP" and they were $330 each! That means with fees and taxes it would be about $375 a ticket, so $750 for two ticket? FO
Then I went to tier 2, thinking "further the seat, lower the price", well Cosmo is apparently an asshole for thinking that because....$330 a ticket!
Then I went to RedZone thinking, well I don't like GA but at least that's a controlled capacity area and guess what...$395, so two tickets would be about $875? FO
Then I said, screw it, I might as well pay $80 for GA and spend about $200 and use just half the money I would have saved on merchandise , food and drinks but the GAs were gone within an hour (they were there initially, so that's my fault)
I ended up getting seats in section 311 front row for $112 each or about $150 each with taxes and fees. I'm okay with that price but I fear that there is some obstructed view for them to be "so much less" than every other ticket.
I would pay for the U2.com membership anyway because like I said, I love U2 and I like their gifts and having early access to tickets(that's a plus) but anyone who got a membership and payed $40 just for access to $330 seats (if they didn't want or couldn't get GA) I feel really crappy for. These prices are OUTRAGES and I'm someone who is okay with paying for a membership, bought the digital deluxe album and will buy the vinyl.
Keep in mind, outside of the $750 you would pay for two tickets(assuming you go with someone), if you want a beer at MSG it's $15, so you can easily drop $100 on food and drinks and getting a shirt made out of cheap material is $40 and a couple of train tickets.....you're dropping near $1,000 EASY for the night.
But hey, at least there will be a shit ton of corporate douchebags taking selfies and texting during half the concert.
Sorry.....I got a little fired up.