ramblin rose

I was one of those people. I decided to use my GA to get in earlier, then went to the merchandise stand which was still relatively manageable, to get a couple of shirts for some people, then went to my section to enjoy the show.

I agree that venue security was a sham. Basically, there were no seats down in the front of my section either. I was in Section M 6th row and it was just a sea of people once Pearl Jam started. The people who didn't want to stand in the aisles, just jumped over the fence onto GA at will, with police and security standing right there. No one cared. The GA section in front of me was absolutely packed.

They apparently only let 2000 regular GA people into the front enclosure and it was half empty at the beginning, then sometime towards the middle of PJ it looks like the corporate ticket holders with wristbands and Agenda's (gifts) (many went down my "aisle") , started coming down to make there way into the inner enclosure, that must have been who they were saving the other 1000-1500 spots for.

I was surrounded by PJ fans and I must say they were a fun bunch.

Bono's Betty

Why even have a line then? How is that fair to the people who have lined up all day? If you only want to line up a couple hours before then do so. I think they should stop letting people line up at all. A few hours before a show and thats it. I think once your in line you don't go any where except to the bathroom.

I really like the idea you said of the random wrist band. Everyone gets one and they draw a number and the line starts from that number. They did this here when Popmart tickets went on sale. In the old days when you waited in line to buy tickets.

Schmeg

I'm so glad I had seats. The whole GA thing is just too much stress for something that's supposed to be FUN, especially in a place like Hawaii. I had a great time in my section- I hardly sat in my seat at all, the people in my section were seriously the BEST people I have ever shared a section with at any show as they were ALL singing, dancing, and not running back and forth to the beer vendor or the bathroom all night long (thank you for the $9 beers and the 2 or 3 ladies rooms, Aloha Stadium!), and I got to share my first show with someone who has become very special to me since the night I realized how special he was becoming.

When we were told of people trying to line up on Thursday afternoon, I couldn't have been happier that I had an actual, assigned seat where I could enjoy the music, if not the individual beads of sweat running down Bono's face.

I have had GREAT GA experiences. I have camped out for a numbered wristband in Boston. I have run across highways outside Detroit to get the best spot possible. I have been moved into the heart from a marginally crappy seat. I scanned into the elipse when I had my worst number in line, so I have nothing to complain about...but GA is stressful and tiring, and that was not how I wanted my Hawaii experience to be.

I'm not really sure where I'm going with this post. I feel bad that people had bad experiences, but I also feel like it doesn't have to be that way, and the fans kind of bring it on themselves.

mads

True. My mom described it as "combat concert-going."

one4u2

After reading through this thread, now I remembered why I was hesitant to do GA at all this tour. I wasn't in Hawaii, but I have to say It's really sad you guys had to deal with all that drama! I know I would've gone apeshit! I agree 100% with schmeg: The whole GA thing is just too much stress for something that's supposed to be FUN, especially in a place like Hawaii. Nevertheless, I hope everyone had a fabulous time. I know I can't wait for the next tour and the chance to meet many more people. All the fans I've met so far have been great and I look forward to many more adventures!

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Yeah That's A Redo! Bono 10/05/05

bratty_cat

I wasn't in Hawaii so cannot speak to the line drama that happened there but, from personal experience at several shows, I do know of several people who post here that did exactly what the "Flagship" folks are being accused of.

The whole thing is not rocket science. If you write your name down and take a number, the expectation is that you are going to spend most of the time in line. If you need to leave for an hour to grab food or a quick shower before the venue lets you in, no one will complain. If you write your name down, take a number and drop off your sleeping bag, only to come back to retrieve it at 5pm and get back in line, don't be surprised or pissed off when someone calls you out.

If you prefer not to camp out and spend the day sightseeing or sleeping off a hangover in your hotel room, then show up at 5pm and accept the spot you get. Scamming other fans for a spot on the rail is bad karma and not what this band is all about.

atikicat

I was bummed about the merchandise situation too. Of course there wasn't much worth getting except that cool U2/PJ Hawaii poster. I'm more bummed that it's selling on ebay now for $300. I hope u2.com has it for sale in their shop soon to keep fans from getting raped by ebayers yet again.

http://cgi.ebay.com/PEARL-JAM-U2-Pos...QQcmdZViewItem

ruffian

I did GA for Hawaii and there was indeed a list on Thursday night with 17 people on it who were friends...and not in line. We were told to come back in the morning, which we did. Along with most of the other GA fans, we waited out on the sidewalk all day Friday, leaving only to get coffee and food down the street. When they moved us on to the venue property, number 9 in line showed up for the first time since signing the list. I couldn't fucking believe it. All her friends allowed her to join the line, and they all knew she'd been on the beach all day. She got called out in line by a bunch of people but of course wasn't going to leave. I

There were also people who didn't get in line all day Friday who were on the list, and they all went on the dinner cruise and showed up in line AFTER that (even though they'd been on the list since Thursday). Not cool, given that other people sucked it up and waited.

Some people in my group of friends did leave to take a shower at 6:30 in the morning on Saturday--we took turns going to the hotel to change and come back. So yeah, I was clean for the show. There's enough B.O. among GAers--so let's not hold cleanliness against anyone

The show was fabulous, and it was awesome to get to meet some people from here in person, at last. But the politics of the GA don't ever seem to improve.

zoney!

I find it funny that Boston keeps getting mentioned here as a site that the "Flagship" could take advantage of...The Garden's GA line plan is the most fail-proof plan of the them all....I wish all venues did this program. You may camp out, but at 8:00 am - you had your arena-security provided number, and another nine hours of freedom until the next line-up.

I only went to the first Boston show in December. When we left the arena (after the third encore), a few of my friends from Interference ran for their spots in line for the second show - they acquired numbers AHEAD of the folks from the "Flagship" for that show. No goofy business from the flagship people then.

Boston GA is the ONLY way to go!

I had seats as good as Schmeg's - and I am very happy for it!

blueeyedgirl

GA is a great experience, but doing all the camping out/lining up crap is after all an individual choice. Noone is holding a gun to anyone's head to do so. I had GA here in Australia and I turned up to the gigs in the late afternoon. So I didn't get close enough to see up Bono's nostrils! I still had a great time!

(Actually with these monster screens U2 have, I'm surprised more people don't have epileptic fits )

4U2Play

Huh?

Sorry, you must have me confused with someone else. Maybe I have a double who is trying to sully my already tarnished name.

I wish I was #9 in line, but I was actually somewhere in the 1200s, near the front of Pen 3. I showed up on Saturday morning at 7am and ended up standing between the two B-stages during the show, which turned out to be a bad decision.

ruffian

oh, i must have you confused--i thought we met and you were near me in line when all the stuff went down with #9 waltzing in so late. wrong guy but i wasn't saying YOU were #9...sorry for the mix up.

acrobat_baby

"plotted their way onto stage"???
nobody plots their way on to stage, thats ridiculous and you're stupid for thinking it's possible. "

This isn't a thread about Boston, so I won't even go there. Someone asked about the flagship, and who they are, so I gave my opinion. Of course no one can truly 'plot' their way on stage, but don't tell me you just hung your flags on the front rail out of the goodness of your heart, of course the plan was to get up there. My opinion is also based on the behavior of some of the 'flagshippers' at the hotel before the second boston show.



"your "sense of entitlement" comment is bollocks, i and all the other flagshippers who queued in Boston worked damn hard and got damn cold for our spots in line. entitlement my arse"

i think you are referring to another poster, I did not use the word 'entitlement'. While we are on that subject though, it's clear there are many fans out there who do have a sense of entitlement, and feel the need to be at the front of every single GA line. The band really needs to intervene and set up a true lottery for the next tour; that's the only fair way. This camping out for days crap has to stop.

Iskra

1. The line system is flawed and letting people take charge on their own is a HORRIBLE idea. its like Lord of the Flies at some shows.

2. The band or venue should have one employee handing out NUMBERED bracelets.
This keeps people from spending days on end sleeping on asphalt.
You come back at assigned time before the show - line up and enter. If you are number 16 and you aren't there at assigned time - 17 goes in and you are screwed.
Make it like airline boarding and call 1-10 10 -20 20 to 30 etc.

3. The crowds have been dead lately bc we are exhausted and physically spent from waiting and dealing with eachother.

4. Despit all of the stories on here I have something amazing to share.
A woman in line recieved a phone call Sat morn. her mother passed away back in the mainland.
She needed money to change her flight.
One of the fans took up a collection ad raised a SIGNIFICANT amount of cash in a matter of moments.
It was a really nice moment. I hope that woman is ok. I can't imagine dealing with horrible news on a day I was so looking forward to.

5. As hectic and crazy as it all was, U2 washjes all the misery away.

Lila64

I didn't know about that #4 ^ item above.
Amazing what the fans did

I'm speechless...

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