This is a funny little echo chamber of fans that don’t queue early and complain about those that do. Then, they post things like “queueing early is not needed anyway because you can walk in at show start and get a great spot.” People complaining with no reason to complain - except to complain. LOL
U2 fans have been queuing up early for 18 years. It’s not going to change. If the band changes their GA setup, so be it. Until then, queue early or don’t. If any of you bothered to queue up and give this evil & diabolical fan-run system a try - you’d probably find (like Jamie did) that it works really well for all parties involved (including the venue staff, tour management and GA fans who aren’t total a-holes).
It’s 1:35am and I’m sitting on a sidewalk outside the venue in Omaha, checking fans in as they come to the line. Chatting about where they’re from, what other shows they might be doing, where to grab a pint...you know - being cool to each other. I’m not sure why this seems “entitled” or “douchey” to some of you, but I suspect it’s just the average run of the mill trolling from people who don’t know what the fck they’re talking about.
The haters are online, not in line.
That's not a rule.
That's an arbitrary pile of horse shit that by it's nature excludes anyone who doesn't know to look on web forums, closed Facebook pages or the Ford Focus parked behind the local Arby's.
And I don't blame you for taking advantage of it. I blame the band's management for being wilfully ignorant to it.
If it were publicly stated band policy... ya know, a rule... more people would "check in"
The check in folks are always crying for Guy Oseary and LiveNation to help when the venue "ignores the list" and just goes by the venue's stated GA policy... you know, the actual rules... So why won't they just speak up and ask for the band to set an official policy governing check ins, line ups, lists, etc?
Ohhhhhhhhh that's right... because then it would be truly open to everyone.
Let's just make it fair for everyone. Make it an official policy. Have the line staffed by band management starting at a set time. Heck, even make it 48 hours out. Post it on the band's website and social and send instructions to anyone who purchases a GA ticket on what to do.
Allow every single person the ability to "check in."
Reality is the majority of the people who already so will still be in the front, but they just might not always be first every time.
Oh stop.
I have zero issues with anyone who lines up, parks themselves in line and actually stays there. That's not you, and that's not this list horse shit.
It's not open to everyone, no matter how many times you try to convince yourself that it is. It's open to those who know about the process, or anyone who happens to just stumble upon it.
The only publicly stated policy is the one that you stuck your nose up at in Omaha. Nothing else has been stated by the venue or the band. And oh by the way, U2 does not have the right to dictate policy. They have the right to follow the contract that was drawn up. If they're going to venue security and saying "hey guys, let's acknowledge the list to avoid incident" (which is what they're really doing, because you all make such a stink about it) then yea, 9 times out of 10 the venue, who also want to avoid a) incident, and b) pissing off an important band, will just go along with it. But they don't have to, and if they really wanted to put their foot down, venue policy would win out. Alas... it's a silly thing to cause an issue over, so in most cases they end up making a compromise to just get rid of the headache.
But to that point... instead of waiting for a venue to not acknowledge a list before crying to Guy and the band's management, why not just ask them to actually make the entire process a publicity stated "thing". Post it on their own social, and email it to ALL GA ticket buyers?
Wouldn't that be the fair thing to do? If it's all about the fan community and all, why not do what you can to make sure the entire community knows about it and not just friends, people who join closed Facebook groups, and somebody who thinks to search Twitter?
The majority of the "haters" would certainly back that plan, as you should as well. Because the only reason not to support it would be because you want it to remain exclusive, which, ya know, would mean that all the "haters" and "trolls" and "people who don't know what the fuck they're talking about" (psst, you can curse here) would actually be, ya know, right.
So how about it? Use your soap box or Prius or whatever you're standing on to do this check in thing (which isn't a queue, by definition, btw... it's only a queue if everyone sits their asses down and waits) and get the band to get more involved and to share this information publicly, put it in the contract, etc. For the community and all.
Btw the DC1 list started a month ago. Check ins are at 6 am, 3 pm, and 2:09 am behind the Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street (but we move it daily, so i can't really say where it'll be tomorrow). Feel free to stop by and check in. We're using a purple sharpie!
