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  1. Hi,

    I'm hitting my first ever U2 concert in Chicago in September and scored a couple of general admission tickets for a decent price. I live in Indy, and wanted to know what time would be smart to arrive if I want to get reasonably close. Are we talking in line at 5 am for inner ring, or will I be OK to get there around 2? Concert starts at 7 pm.

    Any and all insight, directly related or in general, would really be appreciated.
    Thanks!
  2. asap. Id say 10-12am though would score a great spot
  3. If you want to be in the pit, you wanna be there at least before midday, but if you're cool with being near the walkway early afternoon is generally fine
  4. 10 or before for the pit i would say, we got there at 9 and easily got in the inner circle, quite a que built up after us though
  5. I arrived at 3pm and missed out on the pit queue (wasn't aiming for it) by about 2 hours I reckon.

    I have to say, unless you really want the intimacy, I wouldn't go for the pit. Especially if it's your only gig. Get there 1pm-ish and make a dash for the pitch and get yourself anywhere along the barrier running from L leg of the claw to R leg touching the tip of the catwalk. Unbeatable view of both stage, band members when they come around and video/lights. Plus atmosphere of being in the thick of it. Unless you're 3 foot tall. In which case the pit is not for you either as the stage must be 7" up.
  6. Wow, thanks for the quick responses.

    I think I'll heed the advice about the pit and try to station just outside of the catwalk loop, somewhere between the left and right claws. I had no idea the stage was 7 feet above the pit; I guess I still want a piece of what I saw on the Elevation tour inside the heart.

    Great insight! Thanks very much!

    Any further advice is hugely appreciated.
  7. Figured I'd bump this topic...anyone have any stories or tips to share about lining up for GA, since more and more people (like myself!!!) have ordered GA tickets. Now that we've been through 2 whole legs, hopefully we've learned a few things.

    Please share!
  8. Originally posted by EyesWithPrideB3:Figured I'd bump this topic...anyone have any stories or tips to share about lining up for GA, since more and more people (like myself!!!) have ordered GA tickets. Now that we've been through 2 whole legs, hopefully we've learned a few things.

    Please share!


    just pray that your show is better managed by security than the Pasadena show was. I arrived at 7:45am and was standing behind a girl that showed up at 4:15pm.
  9. Rose Bowl was a debacle............We were so close in going down in history as the first riot of fans at at a U2 concert due to poor event planning by the venue.........

    IMO he best time to line up is still around 5-6am if you want to be center rail front or anywhere on the back rail in the pit. Bring a chair, water food etc, its going to be a long day but one you will not forget.

    As we were in the pit at the Rose Bowl all of us that was there the night before or that morning had wrist bands and numbers on our hands. The funny thing was that 50% of the pit the people in the pit did not have numbers from the night before or that morning and said they got there around 3pm.

    I observed no real method of in and out once you were in. As a group, we all just met, we sent one person out for water. When he came back he said the method was as one leaves another can go in. So go figure.

    This was just LA, may have been different at other venues.
  10. Originally posted by brianjones:Rose Bowl was a debacle............We were so close in going down in history as the first riot of fans at at a U2 concert due to poor event planning by the venue.........

    IMO he best time to line up is still around 5-6am if you want to be center rail front or anywhere on the back rail in the pit. Bring a chair, water food etc, its going to be a long day but one you will not forget.

    As we were in the pit at the Rose Bowl all of us that was there the night before or that morning had wrist bands and numbers on our hands. The funny thing was that 50% of the pit the people in the pit did not have numbers from the night before or that morning and said they got there around 3pm.

    I observed no real method of in and out once you were in. As a group, we all just met, we sent one person out for water. When he came back he said the method was as one leaves another can go in. So go figure.

    This was just LA, may have been different at other venues.


    5-6 am? That's a bit ridiculous...People were saying up top that (if a concert starts at 7PM) lining up before 12 noon would get you in the pit, and lining up anytime from 1 to 3 was pretty sure to get you on the rail, as the stadiums are quite wide. I was planning on getting there around 2 PM...

  11. for the vertigo tour i got to AAMI stadium at 4.30ish and got about 2m away from b-stage. I couldnt beleive it
  12. Tips for getting your GA spot of choice

    Arrive early. If you want front row in the pit at a popular show, you will probably need to camp out. Stay in touch with other fans and keep your eye on twitter and the boards for where people are camping/lining up and whether security is being cooperative or not. If you're not camping out then early in the morning (anywhere from 5am-8am) should get you a decent spot close in. The line leaders will probably have a numbering system in place, so go up and say hi and ask.

    Bring water and snacks. This is closely linked to my other Top Tip: Don't Get Sick or Die. If you don't know for sure that there are shops/fast food places in walking distance of the stadium, assume there aren't and come prepared. No use whining when you get there that there's nowhere to get food. If you spend all day lining up and don't eat or drink, you might end up like the poor bastard behind us in Boston last year who fainted in the queue just as we were about to be let into the stadium. Security pulled him out and he lost his place, of course.

    Get to know the people around you in the line. Fans are generally awesome and it's a long day to just sit there and not talk to anyone but the people you came with. The line can be awesome fun if you relax. And if you're on your own, knowing the people around you means you've got someone to hold your spot while you're on bathroom/coffee breaks.

    Have a plan for getting rid of your stuff before the line closes up. Sometime in the afternoon, security will want everyone to get rid of their chairs, coolers, blankets etc so the line can be tightened up. If you've got a car, you can dump it all back there. If you don't have one, you might want to take only those things you're happy to throw away. Don't assume you'll be allowed to bring large bags or backpacks into the stadium with you (and you really shouldn't anyway). Minimise what you're carrying to the absolute bare essentials and if you can do without any kind of bag you'll get in more quickly and get a better spot, so think about wearing pants with pockets enough to hold everything.

    Plan your entrance. Listen to security when they explain the line-up and entry procedures. Security will want to search every bag that goes in. Sometimes this is done in a separate line, sometimes not. Either way, being searched makes your entrance slower and means that other people (who may have got there later than you) will be running past you and taking the best spots. Don't stand behind anyone who will need searching. If you're trying to bring in things which aren't strictly allowed (like water bottles/signs/flags in some venues) and you get busted, don't stand there and argue; it won't help and while you're arguing, everyone else is getting in before you. Have your ticket ready and keep it in your hand until you're in your spot. Some venues have multiple levels of ticket checking.

    Have an idea of where you want to go. This is probably most important if you're with a group who wants to stay together. If you all know which general area you want, then you won't end up separated and confused about where your friends are and probably lose a good spot. Don't assume that people will let you past them to join your one friend on the rail if you turn up later and there's no room. Rail is not a right and it goes to the fastest and stealthiest.

    And last of all...

    Don't be that guy. You know the one, who drinks so much he's thrown out before the end of the support act, who blows smoke on people and elbows little girls out of his way. No one likes that guy and we'll be bitching about you on the boards before the show's even ended.

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Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.
Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.
Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.