Another Sunday and I find myself finally awake after sleeping in until 1030 today. I usually sleep in late on the weekends. I always have, really as I do awaken at 6 am every day and arrive at work at about 640 am. I then work til 300, often in very hot/cold, noisy, and otherwise very uncomfortable and stressful conditions.
Usually on the weekends I have my children, but this month I have not seen them as they have either been working, had holiday activities with friends, or have been off to summer camps. I miss them alot when they are not here (which is most of the time) but I recognize that I must not make it a bad thing for them when they don't want to come over as it IS important that they establish friendships and lives of their own without the feeling they are "letting dad down". I am proud of the three of them as they are very selfless and empathetic and very smart human beings....I like to think I have something to do with that, but I give them all of the credit.
I have to admit I am disappointed at my lifelong (adult life anyway) heroes, U2, for not finding a way to (1) come to Salt Lake City on their tour, and (2) make their ticket prices more affordable. Yeah, I know, I know....the GA seats closest to the stage are 30 dollars, but why do I have to pay over 50 dollars a year to be a premium u2.com member to "get the chance" to buy the cheaper tix? I have spent a lot of money as a fan of the band, so I DO have the paid right to bitch here for a moment.
I remember seeing the "Pop Mart" Tour where all seats were 65 dollars. Now, for a stadium show where 70,000 to 80,000 people are going to attend, I felt that was a fair price, especially since U2 would not take a sponsor endorsement and the shows ARE good, and the stage WAS huge. The the Elevation Tour came to town as an arena show, I did not pay for my tix, as I was there as a gift, but I am sure the seats were over 100 dollars...fine, you get less people at an arena show, no sponsors, OK.
Then I saw the "Elevation" Tour, 160 dollars, Ummmmm now I am feeling like this is getting steep especially since I just paid for the U2 show book and the U2 by U2 book....30-40 dollars each there. I woulda missed the show had I not done some side work installing a furnace/AC ...so close to xmas, too. Many went without gifts so I could see the show.
This brings me to the latest 360 Tour. Ok, it's great that the GA fans get to stand for 4 hours plus (including opening act) and pay 30 dollars IF they have paid 50 dollars a year as a U2.com member and could get a pre-sale ticket. It's a stadium only tour, which means the fans also have to fight traffic and stand in a long line to get into the show, and then the hassle of getting the car outta parking and back home...battling 80-90 thousand people. IF you did not join the u2.com site as a premium member, you get to have a seat in the stadium..somewhere...for about 250 dollars. OH! AND the show is SPONSORED by Blackberry. Now I am feeling a little much is expected from me to be a fan.
Stadium shows are usually a controlled monotany of events anyway, and to pay 250 dollars for 1 ticket and parking and programs and t shirts adding much more money, and then feel sore and stiff for a couple days from standing so long, is it worth it to me? Sometimes in a stadium show you are so damn far from the stage, you may as well be in the parking lot just trying to listen.
U2 are a great band, really the best in the world. I love the band, but I don't like the way they have made the tix so expensive now. I think 80-90 dollars a ticket would be more respectable especially in this economy, leaving some room for a fan to park and buy trinkets. I am disappointed at the band for the steep costs inflicted on the fans for this tour. I would have been more impressed if they would have stuck to arenas and kept things affordable that way.
How much is enough? I always wonder.
Anyway, that's my bitching for today. It's hard to remember sometimes that fans are not always going to be happy with a band (see "Pop") but we do keep coming back for more...happily.
Have a great week!
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