Pitchfork: U2 Unveil Huge Tour With Terrible Ticket Pre-Sale

U2 Unveil Huge Tour With Terrible Ticket Pre-Sale

How to piss off a die-hard fanbase: offer them a novel, yet ineffective method for purchasing concert tickets. With the announcement of their spring 'Vertigo' tour, U2 also told members of the U2.com fanclub (which costs $40 to join) they would be privy to an exclusive ticket presale. It comes as no surprise that individuals have been forking over membership fees in droves for the expressed purpose of beating everyone to the punch, and when the first presale took place in late January, things got ugly. Several fanclub members hoping to purchase tickets close enough to feel Bono breathe got dissed with nosebleed-seat assignments, while others were shut out completely. Scalpers, who should be receiving "a unique credit-card-shaped U2.com card" within two to four weeks, have been blamed for the complications. The band and their management cited general "unprecedented demand," staving off the urge to label the problem more accurately as, "millions of opportunistic fans who were failed by their own unrealistic expectations." They've since retracted the presale offer to all future fanclub subscribers, so don't even think about trying to beat the system, turkey.

But unlike the horror of nuclear war, where everyone loses, thousands upon thousands will get to feel the joy of U2's 51-date tour in support of their instant hit How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. Starting on March 28 in San Diego, they'll be joined by Kings of Leon, who are planned to continue on the tour despite the injury to Caleb Followill's hand that forced them to cancel some of their live dates in February. It was also confirmed that Snow Patrol are to support U2 at five of the shows in June and July, those in Brussels, Manchester, Dublin, Berlin, and Paris. And for those of you sans tickets, never fear: U2 will be coming back to the U.S. in the Fall for an additional 30 shows. Meantime, put that membership to good use and go watch some of those awesome Anton Corbijn music videos you used to love so much. Everything is gonna be alright.

03-28 San Diego, CA - San Diego Sports Arena
04-01 Anaheim, CA Arrowhead Pond
04-05 Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
04-06 Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
04-09 San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion
04-10 San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion
04-14 Glendale, AZ - Glendale Arena
04-15 Glendale, AZ - Glendale Arena
04-20 Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
04-21 Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
04-24 Seattle, WA - Key Arena
04-25 Seattle, WA - Key Arena
04-28 Vancouver, British Columbia - General Motors Place
04-29 Vancouver, British Columbia - General Motors Place
05-07 Chicago, IL - United Center
05-09 Chicago, IL - United Center
05-10 Chicago, IL - United Center
05-12 Chicago, IL - United Center
05-14 Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center
05-17 East Rutherford, NJ - Continental Arena
05-18 East Rutherford, NJ - Continental Arena
05-21 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
05-22 Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center
05-24 Boston, MA - Fleet Center
05-26 Boston, MA - Fleet Center
05-28 Boston, MA - Fleet Center
06-10 Brussels, Belgium - King Baudouin Stadium
06-12 Gelsenkirchen, Germany - Schalke Stadium
06-14 Manchester, England - City of Manchester Stadium
06-18 London, England - Twickenham Stadium
06-21 Glasgow, Scotland - Hampden Park
06-24 Dublin, Ireland - Croke Park
06-25 Dublin, Ireland - Croke Park
06-29 Cardiff, Wales - Millennium Stadium
07-02 Vienna, Austria - Ernst Happel Stadium
07-05 Chorzow, Poland - Slaski Stadium
07-07 Berlin, Germany - Olympic Stadium
07-09 Paris, France - Stade de France
07-11 Zurich, Switzerland - Letzigrund Stadium
07-13 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Amsterdam Arena
07-19 Milan, Italy - San Siro
07-23 Rome, Italy - Olympic Stadium
07-27 Oslo, Norway - Vallehovin Stadium
07-29 Gothenburg, Sweden - Ullevi Stadium
07-31 Copenhagen, Denmark - Parken Stadium
08-03 Munich, Germany - Olympic Stadium
08-05 Nice, France - Parc des Sports Charles Ehrmann
08-07 Barcelona, Spain - Camp Nou
08-09 San Sebastian, Spain - Anoeta Stadium
08-11 Madrid, Spain - Vicente Calderon Stadium
08-14 Lisbon, Portugal - Jose Alvalade Stadium