New Album Discussion 1 - Songs of..... - Unreasonable guitar album

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Yeah, as much as I'd like to see U2 again, I'm not paying more than $100 per ticket, and that's even on the high end. There are so many good bands that tour that you can see for $30-$40 per ticket that put on as good of a show.
 
In the US, the classic (some one say superior) Bruce GA lottery ended with the introduction of the front pit only situation.
 
Yeah, as much as I'd like to see U2 again, I'm not paying more than $100 per ticket, and that's even on the high end. There are so many good bands that tour that you can see for $30-$40 per ticket that put on as good of a show.
For a legacy act with still-significant drawing power, there’s always the chance you may sniff that in secondary for a stadium nosebleed day-of… but the parking alone will cost you just as much.
 
Did anyone watch the video of fan reactions to the Sphere movie advance screening?

More specifically, did anyone see the part where someone said they had seen the show 15 times?

:sigh:
 
Did anyone watch the video of fan reactions to the Sphere movie advance screening?

More specifically, did anyone see the part where someone said they had seen the show 15 times?

:sigh:
OHHHHHH MYYYYYYY GAAAAAWWDDD!!


If they would have actually rotated the middle four songs between 9 or 10 albums including Zooropa and Pop, I probably could have justified seeing it that many times. As it was, I would have liked to have seen it one more time and experience it from GA
 
There seem to be some trust fund babies amongst U2 fans, or however else they acquire their funds.

Even if I was one of Elon Musk 's 20 or whatever kids (God forbid) I wouldn't see U2 play the same show at Sphere 15 times.
 
15 is excessive, but I think there are levels here. I went to two shows, one weekend. I definitely would have gone again if my schedule allowed it, but between work and kids it just wasn't in the cards. If they had extended further into spring I probably would have gone for another weekend.

U2 fans are obviously on the older side. And if you have expendable income, no kids and flexible work arrangements? Or maybe even retired, and your favorite hobby is U2 shows? Hey, go ham. I can't fault anyone in that situation for going to as many shows as they can. If that's 15 shows? Hey, more than I'd go to even if I didn't have kids to worry about, but do you.

I know of a couple of the fans that everyone knows who are in that boat. No kids, good jobs, love concerts, especially U2 ones. Go nuts.

The problem is I know of a couple of fans that everyone knows who are in the other boat - who are going into debt every time the band tours because they just have to. I wish they'd realize that they didn't, in fact, have to.
 
Basically in the same boat as all of you here. Like Headcahe, I had two shows for one weekend and was plenty happy with how everything went. I had tickets for two more shows in the Cart earlier this year, but didn't end up pulling the trigger on them. If the residency had gone on a bit longer, I could've probably talked myself into at least one more at some point!

Of course, I would've loved seeing the show again. But ultimately I weighed the pros and cons and figured spending a grand was better spent elsewhere. Plus, I'd be essentially watching the same show again, and there was a few other bands I wanted to check out in 2024 who I hadn't bought tickets yet for. So in the end, it worked out okay.

Overall, I tend to find three or so shows is my limit for most of my favorite bands for any tour. Anything after that is really diminishing returns. But granted, if I had the time and funds, I'd probably be doing more like those people. Half the fun in these things is the traveling and socializing for me anyway!

The problem is I know of a couple of fans that everyone knows who are in the other boat - who are going into debt every time the band tours because they just have to. I wish they'd realize that they didn't, in fact, have to.

Exactly. I don't doubt that there's some well off people able to do this. But I know for a fact a lot of people just charge these trips and shows on the credit card(s) and hope they can figure it all out later. I have a good friend who follows another band and will constantly attend their shows when they can, but have those shows spread around 3 or so credit cards alone, and figures they'll just finally fall out of debt "when (they) die." The tickets for that band are NOT cheap either, if you want to be close and at the front... which is another reason they fell into that situation in the first place. At least with U2 and other big bands, the GA option can still be relatively cheap over a few shows when compared to certain seats and such.
 
I just said that I wouldn't do it, don't care what others do with their money and it's not my business.

For ME it would qualify as an addiction to a temporary high to go 15 times, and seeing the same show 15 times would be for me an unhealthy addiction. Even if I had the money to do it, no. I could find other things to do with that money.

Especially considering the price of concert tickets these days. Let alone traveling to LV if you had to.
 
I just said that I wouldn't do it, don't care what others do with their money and it's not my business.

For ME it would qualify as an addiction to a temporary high to go 15 times, and seeing the same show 15 times would be for me an unhealthy addiction. Even if I had the money to do it, no. I could find other things to do with that money.

Especially considering the price of concert tickets these days. Let alone traveling to LV if you had to.
I'm with you. I skipped the Sphere shows and went to Amsterdam instead last fall with my wife and we had the best vacation of our lives. I've seen U2 several times and I'd rather spend my scarce travel budget on new experiences at this point in my life.
 
What makes seeing 15 shows pathetic (and I'm not using that word casually) isn't that it's a waste of money. It's that with all that money (and time) you could be seeing shows by other artists and get a wider variety of experiences, not to mention the type of traveling DaveC mentioned. The fact that U2 barely adjusted their setlists just makes it worse.

Let's not make excuses for people with such a narrow outlook on live music, or life in general. We know there are a lot of people here who barely listen to anything else besides U2. As Mrs.Springsteen says, that's addict behavior, and it leads to the same kind of deranged mentality displayed by Line Nazis, the "hole in the heart" losers at Boston Elevation, etc. This kind of fandom/stan culture makes me sick and always has.

If you want to tell me that someone is a multimillionaire who lives in Vegas so they didn't have to travel, and saw 100 other bands over the last year in addition to those 15 U2 shows, be my guest, but I think we all know that's not likely the case here.
 
i like to see more than one show because i find the first show i'm way too in my head, thinking too much about the production, song choice, is this working? etc. once i've seen the show, i can relax and take it for what it is and enjoy it much more. a few drinks helps me turn off my brain, too.

3-4 shows max per tour is about right, ideally different legs. i wanted to go back to Vegas and do GA, but there were no tickets available for closing night, which was the night that worked out best for my schedule (and i only wanted to do GA, since I'd done seats before). i was literally #5 in the TM queue and got nada. the only other time that's happened to me was trying to get Elevation tickets for the post-9/11 shows in NYC (and Propaganda said they had tickets, but i guess not enough ... i was devastated since i knew they'd be special shows).
 
For me, and this might piss some people off, but the last U2 show I saw (JT Tour) was so underwhelming that I decided that the only way I’ll see them again is under the right circumstances and price.

I’m also much more interested in seeing newer bands. For example, I’m seeing The Highly Suspect on Thursday. $30. Marcus King in a couple weeks, $40. And quite frankly, they have a much better output recently and are much more exciting to me personally.

I will say that the sphere was tempting because it sounds like the show was good. But not at that price point.
 
What makes seeing 15 shows pathetic (and I'm not using that word casually) isn't that it's a waste of money. It's that with all that money (and time) you could be seeing shows by other artists and get a wider variety of experiences, not to mention the type of traveling DaveC mentioned. The fact that U2 barely adjusted their setlists just makes it worse.

Let's not make excuses for people with such a narrow outlook on live music, or life in general. We know there are a lot of people here who barely listen to anything else besides U2. As Mrs.Springsteen says, that's addict behavior, and it leads to the same kind of deranged mentality displayed by Line Nazis, the "hole in the heart" losers at Boston Elevation, etc. This kind of fandom/stan culture makes me sick and always has.

If you want to tell me that someone is a multimillionaire who lives in Vegas so they didn't have to travel, and saw 100 other bands over the last year in addition to those 15 U2 shows, be my guest, but I think we all know that's not likely the case here.

I mean... you make a lot of good points, but there are also plenty of people who genuinely love U2, see and listen mostly to U2, but who don't engage in douchey and/or stalkerish behavior.

I've found my musical interests have narrowed as I've gotten older because, frankly, I feel like I don't have as much time to dive into newer things anymore. I'm not all U2 all the time but I do tend to listen to the same dozen or so artists that I've liked forever.

I'm going to a lot of concerts lately but they're all active seen before multiple times. My ability to just go see a random band play like I may have done in my 20s is severely reduced by a lack of time - so I fall back on what's comfortable. Maybe when the kids get older that'll change. It'll have to at some point soon because I have to imagine at least one of my fall backs, if not more, won't still be around in ten years.

Now my take doesn't necessarily fit for the person who is going to 15 shows in a single tour I suppose. Can't really use a lack of time as an excuse there.
 
My experience is just mine of course-I got a GA ticket for the last Sphere show. I had already been in November, GA, and I faced the reality that I couldn't go into that kind of debt again. I live on the East Coast and it's very expensive. So I sold it on the face value ticket exchange. I saw it for what it was for ME-a temporary high and escape.

I am single with no kids, but I'm also considered 'old' and believe me I feel so much older because of the hell of the last 10 plus years of my life. And I am in lots of debt due to private circumstances. I work two jobs and still don't make lots of money.

So you have to make practical decisions in life in my circumstances. I don't envy anyone who doesn't have to live that way, I just wish that I didn't have to. Not trying to be any sort of victim, I am far from that. I live with severe depression, and it sure sucks.

Truth be told I enjoyed myself just as much going to the Eras tour movie and buying my Taylor big bucket of popcorn and a soda. Make fun of my musical taste that's fine. But there's just something about her and her music that's fun and escapist for me. Makes me feel young again too. And I admire her hard work and success as a woman, and applaud her for it.

I obviously love Bruce too and I've seen him lots of times, just once on his current tour. I can't afford to go to concerts these days, I experience music mostly via Amazon Music and one of my jobs is at a music school. Depression makes you not even enjoy the things you used to enjoy too.

Sorry for all that about me, just going through some really tough times.
 
So Steve Lillywhite has just confirmed on TalkTV (UK right wing trash news) that U2 are not touring next year because Oasis are. Last time Oasis were around they were touring in a summer that included both U2 and Coldplay. So is that genuine, or is it an excuse to let Larry have more recovery time, or do they genuinely worry in a market with Oasis and Coldplay (who are seemingly selling out stadiums every single year now with no let up) having unrelenting demand, they worry they'll be an afterthought following these bands? If the latter, it's their own fault.

They're not nearly accessible enough, touring your best album in one pricey sphere isn't a good look, going to watch a video of that concert in the same venue hardly screams trendy, limiting exclusives only for fan club members does nothing for legacy, they are very selective with who they talk to in the media, they never do festivals, and their latter albums always sell out to tacky big budget industry songwriters and prove a damp squib to everyone. They are, in short, elitist.

Everything comes with a ridiculous cost. As businessmen, they are fantastic. At securing their legacy, and as 'artists' at the moment, they are woeful.
Lillywhite quote
 
Dang, far less than he charges in NY these days. Only time I saw him I think I paid $30. The band is great.
Yes! I'm seeing him again in Madison in a couple of weeks. Can't wait. Actually met him because my wife and I did VIP. Super chill nice guy.
 
Truth be told I enjoyed myself just as much going to the Eras tour movie and buying my Taylor big bucket of popcorn and a soda. Make fun of my musical taste that's fine. But there's just something about her and her music that's fun and escapist for me. Makes me feel young again too. And I admire her hard work and success as a woman, and applaud her for it.



Sorry for all that about me, just going through some really tough times.
Sorry you're going through tough times!

If it makes you feel any better, Taylor Swift puts out some absolute bangers and the Era tour movie was fun as hell. I really enjoyed going!
 
I still think they could announce an album at any time, with an immediate digital drop and a pre-order for physical. Figure 6 months out for any large tour announcement and onsale. IMO, if we hear nothing by November, 2026 it is. I feel like most big tour onsales avoid December to not compete with holiday spending.

It’s possible they change the rumored plan and begin with a US fall run which could push an announcement into early ‘26, but then it’s a sizeable gap until summer - when they’d play the European stadium tour - that they’d probably seek to avoid. Sure, they could use that time to record more but since when do they do things that make sense?
 
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While it would make sense to capitalize on the success of Sphere to release an album in 2024, as this is U2, the fact that they did the Sphere shows until beginning of March and uncertainties around Larry's recovery, makes it more likely they will release an album in 2025 and then tour second half 2025 / 2026
Unless they know Larry won't ever tour again, then anything can happen.
 
From the start of the rumours of an album coming in 2024 with tour I was very sceptical about it. We'll get a new album in fall 2025 at earliest. Touring in 2026. So I'm not really excited about new album/tour rumors.

The one I'm actually excited about is the HTDAAB-box.
According to u2songs.com an announcement for the deluxe box should be made the coming days (early september).
 
And always holding that jacket closed.
I mean, when the buttons pop off because you can’t fit into it anymore it’s the only way to keep it that way.

Also, CNN.com article about the Apple New Product event yesterday leads with this line:

Apple is wedging AI into its phones like a new U2 album no one asked for.

But I was told that only a small number of people on Twitter still cared or thought about this! :unsure:
 
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