July 23, 2011 TCF Stadium Minneapolis II - A Sort Of U2 Prairie Homecoming Companion

[ryancoke71]

I had an umbrella, remember Mark?

 

[arw]

I think Kristen and Amy were looking at that kind of beach shades for the Montreal line. Looks like they will be useful at TCF.

oh right....I have an umbrella on my list of things to bring with for either shade or the dreaded rain.

 

[kramwest1]

so, i'm very new to this site (fan/concertgoer since early 80s) - hi all - i'm getting great info just scanning your posts, but just saw one that concerned me and skipped ahead - i AM flying on saturday from SF, and won't get in till around 4:30 -weather permitting UGH. (know i won't get a great spot - just want to dance and sing for my last stint on this tour). i do not know my way around Minneapolis. i plan on taking a cab to stadium from hotel downtown - is there a better way? maybe skip hotel altogether and just get to the stadium? think it'll be a zoo? wish i could make it to one of the meet-ups.... thanks.

Take the light rail to downtown (there's only one route/line, you won't get lost), and either bus or cab from there instead, you'll save a lot.

Yeah take the light rail. It's much cheaper. If you take it to the Metrodome you'll easily find a cab or bus to the U of M campus. There's other places you could get off but that's a good stopping point and it's not too far into downtown yet.

I assume you'll have a bag want to check into your hotel first.
The light rail could be busy, too, because a lot of people take it from the Mall Of Am. to downtown for the Twins game.

If you go from a hotel DT to the stadium, I'd grab a cab and have a street map printed out so you can point to the area you want to go. Like everyone has said, there is a ton of construction going on so it could be easy to get stuck in traffic. I believe Washington Ave is closed from DT to the U campus, so 94 and Franklin routes are a pretty good choice.

 

[rosephile]

Ugh, right, no more Washington Ave. I need to do some reconnaissance before the show...but not while it's this beastly out, haha.

 

[kerber]

Any speculation why TCF security is ignoring "concerned" concert goers. Here is the stadium security website, posted so all you can email! Ugh...I tried ...maybe some of you out there have awesome skills of persuasion.


Home

 

[rosephile]

Does security ever care about concerned concert-goers? :/

 

[corianderstem]

As with other concert venues, they'll continue to tout the party line (no line before 6 day of show) until they're faced with the reality, and someone from U2's camp comes out and works with them, and then it all works out.

The times when it flat out doesn't work out, and an early line is completely ignored, are few and far between.

I don't think swarming them with calls and emails is going to help; they're probably pretty overwhelmed already.

 

[kerber]

Does security ever care about concerned concert-goers? :/

Toronto seemed to listen last week....

 

[rosephile]

As with other concert venues, they'll continue to tout the party line (no line before 6 day of show) until they're faced with the reality, and someone from U2's camp comes out and works with them, and then it all works out.

The times when it flat out doesn't work out, and an early line is completely ignored, are few and far between.

I don't think swarming them with calls and emails is going to help; they're probably pretty overwhelmed already.

Yup.

Toronto seemed to listen last week....

Huh! Well, go, Toronto.

 

[GopherMacPhisto]

Any speculation why TCF security is ignoring "concerned" concert goers. Here is the stadium security website, posted so all you can email! Ugh...I tried ...maybe some of you out there have awesome skills of persuasion.

Home

Having dealt with University athletic event staff for a goodly portion of the last 6 years, I wouldn't trust them as far as I can throw them.

UMPD and security staff are probably more concerned with the folks who suddenly think Saturday night will be a great night to chill out on the steps of Williams Arena, than they are with the GA line.

Will take a walk by there later today and see what's happening.

 

[arw]

for the Twins game.

ugh....forgot about them. I know they play at 7 on Friday night but can't remember when they play on Sat. Traffic is going to be such a mess around downtown/the U before our gathering on Friday night. I have a 4:30 airport run....little nervous about 35 going into downtown from the airport.

 

[corianderstem]

The game starts at 3:10 on Saturday. That's a weird time. It's being aired on Fox, so it must have been to fit into the wacky TV schedule.

http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/schedule/index.jsp?c_id=min

 

[GopherMacPhisto]

Did anyone find a cheap source for those pop-up sunshades?

Ask ZZ Top

‪ZZ Top Cheap Sunglasses April 1980‬‏ - YouTube

 

[I Move in Mysterious Ways]

My boss came in today and asked if I saw the paper over the weekend with U2 in it. She went on and on about the size of the stage and asked where my "seats" where located. Silly girl. Red zone baby! She didn't get it at all.

Red Zone paid big dividends in St. Louis, especially in that heat

 

[greydogblues]

thank you everyone for the tips - very helpful!

 

[arw]

The game starts at 3:10 on Saturday. That's a weird time. It's being aired on Fox, so it must have been to fit into the wacky TV schedule.

Twins Schedule | twinsbaseball.com: Schedule

I guess I could have gone to their website to look. We're always on Fox locally so the time isn't for tv. That time is actually a great time for me since I plan on being there before noon. If this was a 1:00 game then I'd have an issue getting there.

 

[arw]

Red Zone paid big dividends in St. Louis, especially in that heat

I know I could show up when the gates open and not stay outside all day long. But it wouldn't be the same if I didn't stand by the loading dock all afternoon hoping for a glimpse of the band coming in. So instead of taking a nice long nap in my air conditioned house after work, I will stand outside in creepy weather for hours in the same spot with my picture, sharpie, and camera just in case they decide to get out of the car....

 

[rosephile]

Creepy weather!!!!! (not sure if that was a typo or not, but I love it either way. Halloween concert feel, perhaps?)

 

[I Move in Mysterious Ways]

I know I could show up when the gates open and not stay outside all day long. But it wouldn't be the same if I didn't stand by the loading dock all afternoon hoping for a glimpse of the band coming in. So instead of taking a nice long nap in my air conditioned house after work, I will stand outside in creepy weather for hours in the same spot with my picture, sharpie, and camera just in case they decide to get out of the car....

LOL - that's exactly what we did No luck this time though . . .

 

[GopherMacPhisto]

Rosephile, did you mean crappy weather? The dew points for Saturday are only going to be 70.

Leaning Tower 6pm onward Friday July 22 get-together list:
(copy and add yourself)

kramwest1 (Mark and Heather)
ryancoke71(Amy and Sean)
Zoney! (zonelistener) and Schmeg (Jeff and Megan)
corianderstem (Alicia) (maybe with 2 or 3 more, but maybe not)
KristenCaNaDiAn (Kristen)
kellyahern (Kelly)
ARW (Amanda)
Bono_212 (Ashley) and LemonMelon (Travis) tentatively
secretly alone (Val) + 1
bonocomet (Cathleen)
Bono Mot (Susi) and jayesbaby (Debbie)
vjacqb (Alma) and cjreeds (Connie)
GopherMacPhisto (Paul)
rosephile (Sara) probably +1-2
Edgefest + entourage of 6
I Move in Mysterious Ways (Rich) + 1
heartisabloom (Sarah) + 1

Hi, all! I'm new to the forums, but met a few of you guys at the Celtic Crossing in Chicago. My sister and I will be at the Minneapolis and Pittsburgh shows. Can't wait to meet some more awesome U2 fans!

Sarah

Welcome aboard!

 

[arw]

Creepy weather!!!!! (not sure if that was a typo or not, but I love it either way. Halloween concert feel, perhaps?)

the word creepy is at the top of my list of words to explain just about anything and everything whether it's truly creepy or not. Small vocabulary or just lazy...or both

 

[arw]

LOL - that's exactly what we did No luck this time though . . .

it's tradition. The only time I didn't do it was on Vertigo in Dublin because my group didn't want to waste precious travel time. But it wouldn't be a U2 concert if I didn't stalk the band first!

 

[corianderstem]

So with construction and baseball games etc, do you think it's a grave error to try and go to MoA on Saturday, with plans to come back to the hotel late afternoon, like 3 or 4?

I figure concert traffic should be okay that time of day, but no idea if Twins traffic will really mess up up. Does it typically die down well enough after the game starts (i.e., if we leave the mall at 3, it's better)?

 

[kramwest1]

So with construction and baseball games etc, do you think it's a grave error to try and go to MoA on Saturday, with plans to come back to the hotel late afternoon, like 3 or 4?

I figure concert traffic should be okay that time of day, but no idea if Twins traffic will really mess up up. Does it typically die down well enough after the game starts (i.e., if we leave the mall at 3, it's better)?

I think the trains for the Twins stay full for at least a half hour into gametime.

They start getting full roughly 1.5 hours before the game.

(And I mean FULL)

 

[I Move in Mysterious Ways]

it's tradition. The only time I didn't do it was on Vertigo in Dublin because my group didn't want to waste precious travel time. But it wouldn't be a U2 concert if I didn't stalk the band first!

I'm probably going to do it again on Saturday. I've only ever had luck once, but I never really consistently try.

 

[arw]

So with construction and baseball games etc, do you think it's a grave error to try and go to MoA on Saturday, with plans to come back to the hotel late afternoon, like 3 or 4?

I figure concert traffic should be okay that time of day, but no idea if Twins traffic will really mess up up. Does it typically die down well enough after the game starts (i.e., if we leave the mall at 3, it's better)?

Oh no, you'll be totally fine. The construction isn't bad as in detours or anything like that. It's just down to one lane on each side of the road which is going to cause a lot of slowdown. But it's not like you're going to have to zigzag all over campus. Also, Target Field is in downtown while you would be going down a few more exits on 35W to University so once everyone gets off at whatever exit to get to the Field you would continue on a bit. So it will be fine. It's a Sat afternoon so it won't be that bad. Friday night during rush hour is going to suck Are you driving or taking the train? The trains might be full until 3:00 but otherwise if you're driving then you'll have no problem.

 

[kramwest1]

I'm probably going to do it again on Saturday. I've only ever had luck once, but I never really consistently try.

Elevation Chicago they came out and greeted the people waiting a little--got pictures but no autographs.
I wouldn't put it past TCF security to be dicks about this though. I don't know if there are plans to stalk them anywhere else.

 

[KristenCaNaDiAn]

Are we getting name tags for the gathering?? I found them helpful in Winnipeg

 

[corianderstem]

Oh yeah, we'd be driving.

Thanks. We'll just play it by ear.

 

[arw]

Elevation Chicago they came out and greeted the people waiting a little--got pictures but no autographs.
I wouldn't put it past TCF security to be dicks about this though. I don't know if there are plans to stalk them anywhere else.

they probably aren't staying here....they didn't during the Vertigo tour.