mike7man

Bigwave, maybe you can follow-up on Caesar's situation? A month is a ridiculously long time for Live Nation to take to resolve this.

Chicago 3 is basically sold out--but some significant tix left for Chicago 4. London, though, is basically sold out, I think (sure, a few left, but not much). So far, only the one extra LA show has been announced; maybe they'll do the same (i.e., announce just one additional show) in Chicago, perhaps the same for London (although my money's on two more there--and two more in NYC). We'll see! Also, who knows--maybe with the new shows we'll see fewer top price tix (e.g., fewer or no top price 200-level tix). That would definitely help sales. Who knows, maybe even fewer VIP tix.

Wow--didn't see this coming. New shows will be announced in LA, Chicago, NYC, London, and Barcelona. One definite new show in LA already announced (interesting that it's just one, too--what with the two-show concept and all). Wow.

Plus, Edge has already said they're doing a stadiums leg in 2016. In general, I see no reason to think this tour will be any different from preceding ones, number of legs/years-wise.

E-tickets are NOT the same as "paperless" (i.e., CCE) tix. E-tix are just like normal tix, except they are emailed to you, you print them out at home, and take them to the show. Like regular hard tickets, they are sellable, transferable, whatever. So this doesn't apply to you.

Nobody knows for sure, of course, but I think they will do at least 3 legs, and will return for another US portion. But, what with this whole "residency" thing, and the "two-show pair" thing, and the high prices, I'd say the odds don't look good for them doing much in the areas you mention--but we'll see, obviously. On the up side, I also don't think Bono's injury will be an issue--it wasn't with his back injury, which was potentially much more serious. LATER EDIT ADDITION--when I wrote the above, I forgot that 2016 will be a stadium leg. With that in mind, there will likely be more "one-off" shows in the mix, which could mean greater geographical coverage than with this year's arena leg. So perhaps you have good reason to hope after all!

My experience (having done GA w/dozens of U2 shows) is that you basically WILL have a very good view, as long as: 1) You're not particularly short; and 2) You don't end up stuck directly behind somebody really tall, and 3) Get in the GA line early. Regarding getting there so that you're close to the stage/catwalk/whatever, with arena shows, getting there pretty early is important. If you really want a prime spot, get there in the morning, say 9:00. Also, my guess is that with this stage setup (main stage one end, RZs/b-stage other end, catwalk connecting them right down the middle), there may be more opportunities to get a good spot (vs. having just one stage). Bungo and I, however, will kill you if you get up on anybody's shoulders.

No. These folks are trying to find others who have extra GA tix; the new folks would have to meet up w/the ticketholder and go in with them.

Max is being very cautious (understandably, given his official role). If history is any guide, though, chances may be good that there will (eventually) be Australia dates (likely on the final leg, whenever that is). In 5 of the last 6 tours (Elevation being the exception), they've done a "rest of the world/Far East/Austalia"-type leg. So sure, nothing's for certain/set now, but odds look good.

I seem to remember Bigwave saying the number of paid members is confidential.

What Kristaps said--so don't throw in the towel! If past tours are any guide, they'll do something like 3 major legs in all (this being only the first). A second leg in 2016 will likely again come to North America and Europe, and a third leg will visit other places like South America, maybe Australia/Japan, etc. Also, they did play Edmonton on the 360 tour, which is a good sign. On the other hand, they are playing fewer cities than they have in prior tours, with dates in "pairs", which might not be a good omen. Good luck!!

Of course you should check w/AXS Sweden, but it sounds like you simply got e-tickets, which are different from CCE/paperless tickets. This would mean that the Swedish shows (like, e.g., Paris) did not have paperless GA or RZ tickets. If so, it would mean that AXS is doing different things in different countries (e.g., different from the UK), perhaps pertaining to laws in those countries (?)

Absolutely. Unfortunately, every once in a while (c. 10-20%, in my experience), some jerk(s) come to a U2 show and act like total asses in ways similar to this. A total bummer when it happens, especially since the overwhelming majority of U2 fans are really nice, considerate, etc.

I hear you. I wouldn't be surprised if the CCE thing in reality actually turns out to be more like what you initially said (i.e., will-call), but even then, it'd still be a huge pain except in some pretty unusual situations. Let's all hope this works out somehow.

I hear what you're saying. Yeah, that kind of thing bugs me too--the incessant "holding up the phones in the air to take a pic" thing. Very annoying; makes it considerably harder to see.

No one's figured this out yet. Bigwave and the other moderators are trying to come up with some way to do it. And, theoretically, it's even worse than you say--supposedly, the way "credit card entry" works is that you (and whoever's with you) have to present your credit card and enter the venue immediately. That is, it's not will-call--there's no picking up of any GA/RZ tix, period. If there was, at least (although it'd still be super-inconvenient) one could show up, pick up tix, give them to whoever, and leave. With CCE, you can't even do that (or so the procedure supposedly is).

Sure, you're welcome. And it's really annoying that there's been a so much uncertainty and confusion about this important matter. But, I wouldn't really say that the stage diagrams have been different, exactly. My sense is it's more that the TM diagram (which appears to show a single, narrow stage going the entire length of the floor w/the RZs more toward one side) is really vague and inexact, and it took a lot of digging (and a bit of luck) to finally come upon the way more detailed San Jose SAP diagram. Also, there's a few others which are consistent with the San Jose SAP map, although not as detailed. See Amsterdam map below, which is a "horseshoe" similar to the O2--and again we see main stage at the open end, and the RZs on the other (closed) end. Basically, my point is that no even semi-detailed diagrams have emerged which contradict the SAP map. Why the TM map isn't more detailed/clearer, beats me. But hey, these are the same guys that had flat-out wrong info (which was different from venue to venue!) about which tickets were CCE for weeks (finally, they corrected their info to show that only GA and RZ were CCE). I do think this--it's been really obnoxious for Live Nation or whoever is responsible for these diagrams to not widely distribute clear info/answers about all this. I've spent hours trying to figure it out myself. With the help of the SAP map, I think I finally did, but hey, it shouldn't have been unclear to begin with.

Hi-- Good question--which I don't know the answer to. But, even if blocks 114 & 117 were for sale, I don't think it would show what you're saying (at least not for sure). The 02 website will only say what is generally or usually the case. So, for example, usually when there is an end stage at "horseshoe" arenas like the 02, there's a backdrop behind the stage, so it would make sense to not sell anything behind the stage. But, when U2 has played arenas in the US before (e.g., on the Vertigo and Elevation tours), they've always had an 'open' end stage (i.e., no backdrop)--where you could see the stage, even from the back (with tickets at a lower cost in these areas). So there's no reason (or at least no clear reason) to assume that U2 would be playing in the middle, even if 114 & 117 were for sale. More importantly, there's other pretty much conclusive evidence that U2 will have an end stage, on the other end from the RZs and a b-stage, with a long catwalk down the middle connecting them. See the San Jose SAP arena's map below (not from TM, from the actual arena--on this map, the main stage on the right, b-stage/RZs on the left.) Notice that this map is rotated 180 degrees from the (much cruder) TM map (compare the seating section numbers). Also notice the detail in the SAP arena map--not the kind of thing that the arena would make up. I called the SAP arena, and they confirmed they had gotten this map directly from U2 production. Also notice that, even with this end stage setup, there are no seating areas behind the main stage that are "blocked off" (consistent with prior arena tours). Also notice that there are more lower-level lower-price tix behind the main stage than on the other end (behind the b-stage). There's no reason for this asymmetrical pricing if the stage were to be in the middle, but makes perfect sense with an end main stage. And finally, U2 uses the same basic stage setup for their entire tour--it won't be significantly different in the UK.

Ah, I see what you mean. Yeah, the stage in 360 was unusually high (relative to prior US arena tours). So sure, especially if one wasn't tall, being up close to the front rail could cause some visibility issues, as it sounds like you experienced. Myself, I'm 6 feet, and never had any problems seeing the stage. I also tended to be toward the back of the inner circle, center, and from there could see everything just fine. Besides all that, though, even if one was outside the inner circle but reasonably close to the outer catwalk, one would still be closer than basically any seat in a stadium. In any case, this being an arena tour, it's doubtful that the stage will be as high as with 360.

I certainly wouldn't agree with the "at least as good a view", but it is way cheaper. My first choice is always GA. Why do you say that? If you're willing to line up early, you can always get a better view w/GA (i.e., get close to the stage) than with seats. Sure, if you arrive later, you can end up a ways back in GA, but it's up to you.

Chances are good, if you're patient (not easy, I know) and keep an eye out (on this site and with the vendors selling tix for places close enough to you), that you'll be able to get tickets at face. Various folks on this site will sell tix for face (people will post from time to time; this is already happening); actually, if I were you I'd post on this site saying what you're looking for. Also, somewhere around from c. 2 weeks before the show, more tickets will be released (without notice) and will just appear on various vendor's websites. So check often, and there's a good chance you'll score something.

Possible, but unlikely. Attached below is the San Jose SAP map. Notice that the RZs are by what appears to be a smaller b-stage, while the main stage is on the other end, with a full-length catwalk connecting them. And note the detail--the SAP folks told me this was sent to them by U2 Production. Also notice the price structure (seats colored the same cost the same), which further fits w/the main stage being on the other side from the RZs/b-stage. Price structures in other venues are similar.

Yes. Various evidence strongly suggests that the main stage is on the other end from the RZs, with a b-stage by the RZs. For example, see the San Jose SAP arena's U2 map (from the venue, NOT the TM map). See "Stage Design" thread for details.

My bet is they'll do a lot of the classics/more recent popular tunes on both nights. There's just too many people who will only be seeing one show (not to mention the relatively small number of dates, period) for them not to (the casual fans would be really upset). That said, we'll certainly be hearing a lot of SOI (like we always do on the 1st leg w/a new album out), again on both nights (at least for now--if/when Songs of Experience comes out, it's a natural to mainly feature SOI on one night and SOE on the other). Actually, w/SOE not out yet, it's really unclear how the nights will differ (i.e., what the "theme", if any, of such a difference would be). In any case, they've always changed 3-4 songs on the 2nd night of two back-to-back gigs anyway; maybe that will increase to changing 6-8, something like that. I'd be shocked if nights 1 & 2 were any more different than that (at least until/when SOE comes out--but even then, I bet we hear a few from each on both nights). As some folks have pointed out on the "Pearl Jam" thread, U2 has never been big on major setlist changes--there's basically always major (like 80-85% of the songs) overlap from show to show. On the other hand, they have gone out of their way to suggest that these "pairs" of shows will differ substantially somehow. Still, though, given the large number of folks who will only be attending one show, I'd be super-surprised if the two nights were REALLY different.

Not liking the tune that much (yet) myself, but maybe that'll change. On the other hand, I'm loving "Lucifer's Hands"--more so than most of the tunes on the "main" SOI album, actually. LH has a great groove; a killer chorus, and very interesting break. CB seems pretty uneventful to me.