U2 pre-sale rip off

[ilikecrumpets]

Well well well. Considering Bono-heads crusading for various causes including anti-globalisation, it tickled me to find out that in order to book tickets for their November 25th gig you have to be a fully paid subscriber to U2.com.

 

Cost? $50 bucks for full membership, and a further contribution to the prefab four's dwindling fortune.

 

Phuk you very much, I'll wait until Friday thanks Bone-O

[Guest Guest]

That's pretty "phuk"ed up!

Just do what I do..........loath U2 and have nothing to do with them.....

[Electra]

Heh... I have a lifetime membership from years back - think it cost me $25Us. Have so far bought about 30 tickets through it for various gigs in various countries. Mostly for mates..

 

Well worth it for me.

[ilikecrumpets]

 

sirAndy;131834 wrote:

That's pretty "phuk"ed up!

 

Just do what I do..........loath U2 and have nothing to do with them.....

 

Well, I bought 'Boy' when it came out in Nineteen-what ever it was, but became immediately bored with them from 'October' until 'Achtung Baby' was released.

Not a huge fan, but it'll be a gig I can cross off my list.

 

ps I didn't see them when they did their first NZ gig (1983?), but missed them at the after gig party (typical, they left 30 minutes before I got there. I remember stepping over an extremely drunk Graham Brazier sprawled on the steps on my way into the house.

 

Memories eh!!

[Guest Guest]

 

Ilikecrumpets;131840 wrote:

(typical, they left 30 minutes before I got there. I remember stepping over an extremely drunk Graham Brazier sprawled on the steps on my way into the house.

 

 

 

Memories eh!!

 

Hilarious! Typical Brazier, eh?

[King Size1553552683]

The practice of offering exclusive content and priority pre-sale opportunities to fanclub members is fairly common in both sport and entertainment; it gives hardcore fans the opportunity to purchase tickets first. What is wrong with that?

 

Flipping things around 180 degrees, imagine if pre-sale access was open to all and you as a paid up member, lost out to someone who wasn't.

 

You don't have to be a member to buy tickets but it seems only fair to first offer tix to those who are. It's certainly a lot fairer than offering pre-sales exclusively to mastercard or visacard holders....

 

Anyway, how does this conflict with an anti-globalisation stance?

 

I'm also curious as to why you would want to buy tickets for a show by a band that, if your vitriol is anything to go by, you appear to hold in low regard?

[ilikecrumpets]

Don't get me wrong King Size, I don't hate U2 - in fact I consider Achtung Baby to be one of the finest products of the late 80's/90's (actually one of my favourite rock albums ever). It re-ignited my interest in the band (thank goodness for the wah wah pedal), and so I also went out and purchased Pop, Zooropa and the latest disc. All pretty good.

I just have an issue with Bono's curious blend of anti-globalisation and capitalism: smacks of hypocrisy to me.

And yes I am a Visa card holder, and I did expect pre-sales would be offered to card holders as has been done in the past.

It's just another bloody bill, and times are tough - so I'll queue up online on Friday and take my chances.

[King Size1553552683]

So is it fairer to offer to random Visa card holders or people who will genuinely appreciate the opportunity and are willing to pay for it?

 

As for Bono's "curious blend of anti-globalisation and capitalism" I still don't see how offering the opportunity to pre-buy tix to paying fan club members conflicts with this in anyway.

[ilikecrumpets]

 

King Size;131857 wrote:

So is it fairer to offer to random Visa card holders or people who will genuinely appreciate the opportunity and are willing to pay for it?

 

Why not? I genuinely appreciate the opportunity and have a Visa card. Why should I throw another $50 at the band just so I can buy the tickets earlier, I'd rather be a random Visa card holder and enjoy the same privilege.

 

 

King Size;131857 wrote:

As for Bono's "curious blend of anti-globalisation and capitalism" I still don't see how offering the opportunity to pre-buy tix to paying fan club members conflicts with this in anyway.

 

The conflict is there, if you care to look. A world-wide U2 club is a prime example of globalisation, that you have to pay for it makes it even more so. Do we have to buy membership of Audioenz (there's an idea...)? There is certainly a wealth of information here, a lot of this advice can be paid for via Audio Consultants.

[King Size1553552683]

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one...

[ilikecrumpets]

Fair enough.

[bazzer]

 

Ilikecrumpets;131859 wrote:

Why not? I genuinely appreciate the opportunity and have a Visa card. Why should I throw another $50 at the band just so I can buy the tickets earlier, I'd rather be a random Visa card holder and enjoy the same privilege.

I guess "big enough" fans of U2 would be a member of the fanclub. I wouldn't (didn't) bother joining just to get tickets, that's not the idea. The presale is a benefit of being in their fanclub. It's a fan friendly policy.

 

What I'd like to know is how much of the extra $250 for "(RED) Zone" tickets goes to the charity?

[Guest Guest]

Sorry, Kingsize (and crumpets) - 'twas I who waded in with the anti-U2. Didn't mean to cause offense. They just aren't my cup of porridge.

[King Size1553552683]

No offence taken sirAndy - i'm certainly not a huge fan, atlhough I grew up with many of their records and like crumpets thing that "Achtung Baby" is pretty damn good.

 

I'm also not a 'member' of their club but do think that people tend to take cheap shots at U2 more because of who they are than what they do. Like I say this is commmon practice amongst the big acts and sports teams - R.E.M., Springsteen, Metallica, every single team in the English Premier League etc. So its not like U2 are unique in doing this.

[got tinnitus]

NIN don't charge to get access to fan advance tickets (or at least they didn't charge as they no longer tour...).

 

But yeah, I feel a sniff of capitalism here from U2. Which is slightly ironic.

Apart from the chance to get in early for tickets, what does $50 get you?

In the old days, fan clubs might charge $5 but you'd get back a badge or stickers! Or a beer-coaster! In the internet age, is it DRM downloads?

 

BTW, whats the booking fee for U2?

Metallica is $19.00 per transaction. How's that for "scalping"(?).

 

The Fall is $8.

$6 too much in my opinion.

[aarond1553552714]

I can definitely live With or Without U2

[Electra]

 

Ilikecrumpets;131855 wrote:

Don't get me wrong King Size, I don't hate U2 - in fact I consider Achtung Baby to be one of the finest products of the late 80's/90's (actually one of my favourite rock albums ever). It re-ignited my interest in the band (thank goodness for the wah wah pedal), and so I also went out and purchased Pop, Zooropa and the latest disc.

 

Achtung baby is an album that will be remembered in a similar way to Dark side, I would imagine - pioneering, spawned massive hits such as One, and the supporting tour was rather pioneering also. I dont know if any of you went to Western Springs to see that show ( Or Lancaster park, as it was too I believe? ) but I have never been to a show anything like it since.

 

Pop, I consider one of their worst offerings since well before the Joshua Tree. Zooropa = awesomeness

 

And good luck to those wanting tickets on Friday. May you be first in the interweb line

[Electra]

 

bazzer;131864 wrote:

I guess "big enough" fans of U2 would be a member of the fanclub. I wouldn't (didn't) bother joining just to get tickets, that's not the idea. The presale is a benefit of being in their fanclub. It's a fan friendly policy.

 

 

 

What I'd like to know is how much of the extra $250 for "(RED) Zone" tickets goes to the charity?

 

there is a thread on the fanclub forums which had the amounts from prior shows going to charity, and it appears from comments that 100% of the red zone goes to charity. Kudos if this is correct.

 

Booking fee - $18. A major rip off. Ticketek are wankers.

 

I always find it amusing that so many people love to bash U2 for whatever reason they can. Is it almost jealousy that U2 are so immensely popular and successful? They might not be to everyones taste, sure, but why actively hate them? their not as grating as Justin Bieber or whatever the little babys name is, yet not many actively hate him, even if he does cry when someone steals his hat!.

[Guest Guest]

 

too_tall;131934 wrote:

their not as grating as Justin Bieber or whatever the little babys name is, yet not many actively hate him, even if he does cry when someone steals his hat!.

 

Actually that's a matter of opinion. I find U2 to be extremely grating. And I think you'll find there are many who actively hate Bieber.

I don't give a toss how successful they are (good for them!) I just don't like them. But I certainly don't hold that against any of their fans (maybe a I would hold it against a Bieber fan )

Now, I'm off to trim me whiskers...........

[NeilNZ]

I try hard to not be an audio snob, but U2 are just arse... but all that is IMHO, YMMV etc etc ... but really they are arse.

 

Why are you trimming your man whiskers Andy!! Sacrilege!!

[Nak-Mad]

 

sirAndy;131865 wrote:

They just aren't my cup of porridge.

 

A handful of sultana's, a sprinkle of brown sugar, and a dash of cream ... should sort that problem out for you

[T110]

 

neil;131949 wrote:

I try hard to not be an audio snob, but U2 are just arse... but all that is IMHO, YMMV etc etc ... but really they are arse.

 

 

 

Why are you trimming your man whiskers Andy!! Sacrilege!!

 

He really means he's off to get his Brazillian done early this year so he can avoid the unsightly and embarrassing rash he experienced last summer:)

Gods Truth!

 

Oh, and about you two...

[bazzer]

 

too_tall;131934 wrote:

there is a thread on the fanclub forums which had the amounts from prior shows going to charity, and it appears from comments that 100% of the red zone goes to charity. Kudos if this is correct.

I also saw somewhere people complaining about U2 being hypocrites for allocating the "best" seats to the "rich". I don't know about that, I mean there are plenty of good GA spots if you're not that way inclined, and if the proceeds are going to charity, good for them.

 

I think most of the hate towards U2 probably comes from Bono being a bit of a dick.

[Guest Guest]

 

neil;131949 wrote:

Why are you trimming your man whiskers Andy!! Sacrilege!!

I didn't mean my face whiskers....... anyway, apparently when I make monkey lips I look like a maniacal Arab with the beard, so for that reason alone, it's a keeper.

 

 

Nak-Mad;131958 wrote:

A handful of sultana's, a sprinkle of brown sugar, and a dash of cream ... should sort that problem out for you

 

Keep the sultanas the hell away from my porridge and you've got yourself a date.

 

So...... is anyone going to see U2?

[Nak-Mad]

 

sirAndy;131966 wrote:

I

 

 

 

Keep the sultanas the

hell

away from my porridge and you've got yourself a date.

 

 

 

 

Raisins then ?? or are you an epicurian 'toff' that preferes dried apricots