U2start.com | What will the new stage look like? (spoilers)

I'm lucky enough to be going to both Glasgow nights.
It must be a Scottish thing, as I went to the old SECC, on the Elevation tour, and it was very intimate (the tip of the heart was nearly at the rear of the hall).

Ali709

10 years

Like it except for the red zone thing. We'll see how it turns out in the end. Expected the video screen to be taller somehow though...

Mr_Trek

10 years

Originally posted by iTim:Is this arena a good representation of the average floor available at venues across the tour, or is this arena small in comparison?

Probably pretty standard since I guess they're playing a lot of ice hockey arenas. Although the rinks are bigger in Europe when it comes to ice hockey.

BelgianBono

10 years

Seems basic. Oh well, let's wait a bit to judge.

ddarroch

10 years

Originally posted by Mr_Trek:[..]

Probably pretty standard since I guess they're playing a lot of ice hockey arenas. Although the rinks are bigger in Europe when it comes to ice hockey.

I'm seeing the boys in London's O2, & Paris's Bercy. Hoping the floors a bit longer, so there's a bit of room behind the b-stage. Would like to see a show from here, on the b-stage rail, still with views of the 'I' stage. Guess we'll have to wait & see.

ddarroch

10 years

Originally posted by Ali709:Like it except for the red zone thing. We'll see how it turns out in the end. Expected the video screen to be taller somehow though...

I'm hating RZ, I guess because I don't have RZ tix! If those painted lines on the ground do really indicate the RZ, then it's a departure from the San Jose map. That RZ is very, very big, for only 50 people. Maybe RZ is only on one side of the catwalk, can't see it painted on the other side. So that one area for 100 people in one RZ on Edge's side? But I think I've heard, that just like last tour, people's tickets are marked RZ1 or RZ2? Maybe they modified the layout, now to one RZ along the catwalk, after tickets were sold. Would explain the discrepancy with the San Jose map.

That long catwalk will result in lots of wasted space with barriers & security. RZ's running the length of the catwalk will just exacerbate the problem. Looks like RZ will also get the best spots front-of-stage, near the centre, at the 'I'. Was only going to be around 25 f-o-s rail spots on each side of the catwalk (which I as going to aim for for at least 1 show), but those 25 will be eaten into by RZ. I'm short, so always aim for a rail. The long central catwalk was always going to leave very few rail spots with good sight lines, but these RZ's have made that a whole lot worse. I might have to try for a rail spot on the far side of the b-stage for a show, won't be able to see the screen though.

I can't see that this vast area, with only 100 people close to the band, would produce anywhere near the amounts of excitement & energy for the band as normal GA. I guess maybe they got sick of looking at the same faces though.

U2's always been a band of the masses, where the best spots don't always go to those with the biggest wallets. With the RZ's lining the entire length of the catwalk, & a centre position f-o-s, this certainly looks like a departure from that. I'd say that U2 was selling out to the almighty dollar, if the profits of RZ weren't going to charity (is it all profits, above the regular GA price?).

Have to admit I was already a bit bummed that, as expected, it's likely there won't be 2 distinct set lists over the 2 nights (yes we know, Bono lies). Now I'm bummed that I'm going to struggle to find a spot where I can actually see the band. My first arena tour, & the first departure from an ellipse catwalk in a long time, wish it was an ellipse.

Damn, that one painted red line on the ground will put me in a bad mood for the day! Hope it's at least only one RZ, so my problems are halved. Adam will sure get a lot of love from GA if this is the case.

iTim

10 years

Ok, I have a couple of questions regarding what we're seeing as Red Zone here. First off, how will the stop me muscling in with the RZ fans? As has been pointed out, that's a lot of room for 100 people, too much room if it's 50 people each side.

My second question, could that actually be a channel for transporting late arriving RZ fans to the advertised RZ? It could be fenced off in the build up to the show, then at a certain cut off point, the security slowly pull the barriers towards the stage so that GA fans are closer. It's messy but I just can't work out how I would get to that RZ if I turned up at 19:00. There must be a reserved path to RZ.

I was also a bit miffed to read that they were dropping the night one/night two idea but these pictures actually make me really excited. GA is going to offer a fantastic view wherever you are situated. I will do my very best to get as close as possible for at the very least one of the nights I'm attending, but the remaining nights really won't be so bad if I'm a little further away. The one thing I feared was that I'd get a poor view if I didn't start lining up tomorrow.

ddarroch

10 years

I'm sure there would be at least a single barrier behind the RZ. For 360 there was a single barrier (without much security) behind the RZ's. But yeah, not sure if a one barrier without security would be enough to keep some of GA from muscling over the barrier. A double barrier with security will take up a lot of valuable space though.

By advestised RZ spot, do you mean the way it was shown on the San Jose map? I can't see it being a pathway, for that location. It would be messy. If RZ was positioned as shown on the San Jose map, I would think the RZ entrances would be near the doors at section 103 & 113 (it wouldn't have been too crowded there).

I feel the opposite to you regarding views. That's because I'm short, & don't want to be staring at the back of someones head. With this layout rail spots with good sightlines of the main stage will be very limited (a rail spot on most of the catwalk won't help with views of the main stage). The very limited number of GA spots with good sightlines has just been halved by this RZ layout (or worse, if it was both sides of the catwalk).

iTim

10 years

Yes, it won't be a pathway at all. That occurred to me not long after I posted. Going by the San Jose layout, they would either use the entrances you mentioned, or filter fans around the perimeter of the floor. Layouts for other venues seem to have the RZ by the main stage. Having it around the 'e' as shown at San Jose seems odd to me, as that's where you'd expect to see the least action.

If the RZ is indeed along the catwalk and there is a fixed barrier between those fans and GA, then there certainly is going to be a lot of wasted space. For 100 fans, it surely would only need to be on the one side. I guess we'll only know for sure in two weeks.

ddarroch

10 years

But for 360 RZ was positioned in an area with little action, on the catwalk, to the sides of the stage. So I was expecting RZ to be positioned a little 'out of the way', adjacent to the b-stage. Still a great spot mind you, as the band would perform a number of songs there. Maybe even more songs will be performed there this tour, by the sounds of it. If RZ is on the catwalk, but doesn't have access to the rail at F-O-S (I think it would be terrible if they do, as RZ has nowhere near the energy of GA), then maybe RZ is actually in a worse location, than if it surrounded the b-stage. Yeah, Bono & Co. will use the catwalk a bit, but if the band does an extended set at the b-stage this would be a prime position.

But if the RZ isn't going to run around the rail on the F-O-S, or around the b-stage, then people wouldn't be able to access RZ. I'm assuming if this layout is correct then the RZ will have to run around at least half of the b-stage, to allow access.

Guess we'll know soon enough.

cesar_garza01

10 years