U2 tour: Bigger; but better?

Billboard has posted this news about "U2360," the band's 2009-10 world tour: It'll be a stadium tour only, including the brief initial sweep through North America (Sept. 12-Oct.28). It will return to North America in summer 2010.  Here's the first leg (and we're not on it):

Bigger venues means fewer shows but reasonable prices: The band will play 40-45 shows this year (about 11 shows per month). Ticket prices will be around $30, $55, $90 and $250.

The band is hyping all the staging features --- it's in the round, apparently, and features a "cylindrical" video screen -- but that's not really how the tour gets its name: This is also the band's first tour since it signed a 360 deal with Live Nation.

It seems to be based on a wild assumption: that fans will pay slightly less (or about the same) for an experience that is much less intimate and less satisfying than an arena tour and that comes with the risk of bad weather built in. It has been 12 years since the previous U2 stadium tour (the "Pop" tour) and what I remember about that is (a) how far I was from the stage; (b) how relatively empty Arrowhead looked with 35,000 people in it and (c) what a hassle it was getting in and out. This doesn't seem nearly as appealing as the prospect of seeing the band at Sprint Center. Who wants to pay arena prices for a more impersonal experience? When you're accustomed to places like Starlight or when places like Sprint Center and Sandstone seem too big, who's going to drop big money to see one big band in what is really a festival atmosphere? This is all a bit disappointing.

Comments

[concert chris]

currently it looks like U2 will open their US tour in chicago on 9-12. then in late sept. or oct. play in norman, oklahoma. the OU football stadium there seats 82,000.

http://www.u2.com/tour/index/

[Dan Regan]

Tim, never fear. I've got this one taken care of.

http://kcirishfest.blogspot.com/2009/03/utour.html

[aquaman]

I'm relieved to see there is an incredibly stupid ticket price tier at $250. This will allow important people to separate themselves from the pedestrians at the show. Because we all know that real rock fans pay the most so they can sit the closest and look like real rock fans.

[Bryan]

I think the closest seats are actually $30...priced so that younger people who don't like to sit down throughout a concert will buy them.

The show will probably sound better at Arrowhead than at the horrid Sprint Center...if they even come here.

[Kurt]

The only stadium concert I've seen was Genesis in June 1992 at Cyclone Stadium in Ames,IA.

I remember being disappointed that they weren't going to be in an arena instead. Phil Collins even said that no one really wants to play stadiums, but don't want to be on tour forever.

I remember Genesis starting at 8:45 and it was dark at 9:15, so some of the early visuals were washed out by being an outside show.

U2's 2005/2006 Vertigo tour did play stadiums outside the US, Canada and Japan and that tour missed Kansas City.

I think that U2 did about 40,000 on the 1992 Zoo TV and 30,000 on the 1997 PopMart tours at Arrowhead. I have only seen U2 on their 2001 Elevation Tour at Kemper Arena and it was a great show.

[School of Hard Knocks]

c'mon waterboy, you know the Economic Stimulator wants you to insert more cash into the economy. so do your part and be a real patriot, spend some money...

i'll pass, last U2 tour cost me $1200 after court and attorney costs, thanks to the thug Jackson County Mounties at Arrowhead. Apparently, they take offense at being told to f-off.

[aquaman]

Thanks Bryan - I might be in if I could stand close for $30. I just assumed they had some roped off lookatme! section near the front with seats and their own bathrooms and concessions just for that area. As far as sound goes, they could play in any high school gym in the area and beat the Sprint Center for sound.

[Michael]

Apparently, GA Floor (field, ha) tix will be 55 Euros ($70). Not too bad, IMHO.

[Michael]

scratch that- they're $55 in the US also- even better.

[Kevrocket]

I’ve only attended one show at the Sprint Center, Elvis Costello & The Police. I was in one of the lower level back “corners”, and I believe tickets were around $85 or so. Honestly, it felt like I was 2 miles away. I attended the last 2 U2 shows at Arrowhead and I had the same impression more or less as far as distance etc. However U2 (or their people) seem to understand the stage and presentation (props, screens, effects, etc) must be on a scale relative to the venue. So, in the end it was an okay experience. To me, it’s pretty much a wash when it comes to any venue seating 50K plus.

Seeing U2 at the Uptown in ’81 and a year or two later at Memorial Hall were the shows I will never forget. Obviously those days are long gone. But I tip my cap to the KC Irish Fest (check out their site)… stranger things have happened (and the publicity for U2 would be enormous if this came together). Publicity = $$$. Loren Michaels almost got The Beatles to reform on SNL for $500.

I did see U2 at the Qwest Center in Omaha in 2005. It was a fantastic show. Again, U2 seems to be quite aware of the size of their venues on any given tour and create whatever it takes to entertain that many people in a large setting, be it indoors or out. Therefore, I think they can pull off a new tour in an outdoor stadium versus an indoor stadium. I imagine I will be equally entertained. However, I’ll take the Uptown any day…

[bob]

Will there be a giant lemon?

I hate stadium shows. U2 is one of very few bands that can pull it off. I'm not much of a fan of their work, but it ought to be a spectacle.

[Bubba]

Last I saw U2 was in 1997 on their 'Popmart' tour - very good show, I thought. Tix were around $55. It wasn't until the following year that ticket prices REALLY got out of hand. Even remember a mention from a rep. at New West noted in the KC Star 'warning' patrons of a sharp rise in the cost concerts.

[Binc]

There are a few who can pull off a stadium show and maintain a high entertainment value. U2 is certainly on that short list. That said, I probably will not be there. Might stay home and watch the Vertigo DVD, crank it up and let the bass re-arrange the wall decorations tho.

Maybe U2 will book a one year stay at the intimate Wayne Newton Theatre at the fabulous Stardust Hotel and Casino and in Las Vegas? Then I would go see them in a

And I am still chuckling regarding our KC Irish Fest activities...I am hoping for the best. (I did put up an additional $10 to the cause. that ought to put us over the top.)

[pete]

was at the pop mart tour and was wildly disappointed by one of my favorite bands.