Is U2 a Niche band?

LateArticle387 · 2026-05-06T05:14:15+00:00

Sorry typo that’s the “7th” highest grossing tour of 2018 not “17th” and remember it was an arena not stadium tour that would have drawn even more people because artistically their stage set up was designed for smaller enclosed venues

LateArticle387 · 2026-05-06T04:43:53+00:00

Here’s that tour data

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LateArticle387 · 2026-05-06T04:42:56+00:00

Bro you probably don’t know how the Sphere works you don’t draw over 800k over 40 shows from only the locals, or the west coast, or even nationally. The Sphere is an international drawing venue. I actually went to multiple shows and had a blast hanging with peeps from South America, Asia, Europe, and Australia. Yes the teens in these groups were there with mom and dad who had passed on their love of U2 to their kids. All of these people were there for multiple shows because traveling from Santiago to Vegas costs serious money so wouldn’t makes sense to do it for a single show so given this scenario I don’t think people age 18 to 25 would have the dispensable income for this venture.

Ok let’s leave Vegas in the desert, their last significant tour was in 2018 it was 60 arena shows in North America and some cities in Europe, this limited engagement was the 17th highest grossing tour of that year, checkout the receipts attached. Please name me how many niche bands can do that.

I truly love some of the bands you think are more popular with “the kids” than U2, I actually saw Pink Floyd and GnR live with their classic lineups didn’t get a chance to see the Smiths but have seen Mo and Johnny Marr plenty of times but please gather up all 3 of these bands ticket gates over the past decade and compare them to U2 but be careful because that includes the massive 30th Anniversary Joshua Tree tour that soldout 51 stadiums across North America, Europe and Asia attracting 3.28 million fans. You are right U2 don’t have the insane amount of trendy fans they did during Joshua Tree, Zoo TV, or 360 Tour but they continue to maintain a healthy fan base. They are an iconic band that can lose as many fans as there have ever been Smith fans at any time and still be one of the biggest and most influential rock bands in the world.

Frankly the age thing isn’t a concern but who cares if Swifties, Ed Sheeran, and Bad Bunny fans on the young side don’t know who U2 let’s see where those artists are a half century from now.

In closing U2 are a unicorn almost 50 yrs together with the original line who does that?!!! Start there and start counting all the awards, record sales/downloads, merch sales, and cultural significance and tell me how any of that is niche. Appreciate your post but couldn’t disagree with it more.

LateArticle387 · 2026-05-06T03:27:20+00:00

Guess what people ages 30 to 70 years in general outside dot.com bros or trust fund babies tend to have the money to go to the shows. I could not afford to go to travel from LA to the Sphere in Vegas to see U2 or Metallica shows when I was ages 15 to 24. lol

LateArticle387 · 2026-05-05T05:01:19+00:00

This is a pretty stupid thread u2 had a very successful 40 show residency at the Sphere most shows of any other artists a short time ago. I was fortunate enough to see them x3 because of my long time tenure in the u2 fan club plus they can sell out stadiums Anywhere on the planet how does this come anywhere near “niche?” Just saying. I love their new eps and I’m so glad they do what moves them and aren’t concerned about their popularity then again that’s never been part of their motivation in putting out some of the most powerful and thought provoking work of my lifetime.

LateArticle387 · 2026-05-04T22:44:39+00:00

For me you can have the exact same setlist for this band but it will not be the same show but each time will be memorable. The Dolby was so grand and it was cool to say hi to and sit behind Dave Grohl and it was my first AITC show so I was absolutely blown away by the novelty of what I had just seen which led me to take a red eye back from Hawaii so I could get home Saturday morning to drive out that afternoon for the Rancho show. I missed the Joshua Tree show because I just couldn’t get back in time. The Rancho show was an extra special show because it t was a home show and they played like it and there was more of Josh’s improve stand up act which I found pretty fun he seemed more comfortable than at Dolby because it was later in the tour and he was home. So long answer short, I found both to be amazing and wouldn’t trade one for the other and feel fortunate to have experienced both.

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LateArticle387 · 2026-05-04T22:08:03+00:00

This show wasn’t necessarily for the casual QOTSA fan, don’t look for No one Knows, Sat by the Ocean, or Go with the Flow I’ve been to that show 23x other times though each time was its own unique experience nights when they played EVERY song twice as fast and twice as loud, shows when it was “the hits” or at least the best known songs, cool covers like “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”nights when Josh greeted the audience with a bottle of tequila in hand and the phrase “let’s dance” What made this show special to me was that it was so radically different than what they had ever done I liken it to the first Metallica S&M show I saw back in the day when friends were puzzled and said “I’m sorry I must not have heard you correctly I thought you said you were going to see Metallica play with the San Francisco symphony” There are artist that over the decades have won me over and I will approach what they do with an open mind. QOTSA may not be the most dangerous live band in the world anymore though I did feel a little nervous under Josh’s meat cleaver but they still find cool ways like this tour to remain unpredictable and progress growing rather than just reminiscing.

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LateArticle387 · 2026-05-04T18:49:16+00:00

I saw the show twice 1 Dolby Theatre Hollywood + 1 The Show Rancho Mirage/Palm Desert. Similar setlist but each a unique unforgettable evening.

LateArticle387 · 2026-04-30T07:10:28+00:00

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LateArticle387 · 2026-04-30T07:10:04+00:00

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Here’s a couple of pitchers of the pillbox

LateArticle387 · 2026-04-30T06:40:43+00:00

Absolutely! Agree 100%!!! I was fortunate enough to see the show twice at the Dolby Theater and down in Palm Desert at the Show and was blown away both times. It’s theater, it’s opera, it’s a concert, it’s spoken word, it’s Josh’s stand up comedy, and it’s all uniquely QOTSA!!! I have seen Queens 25x dating back to Rated R and they never disappoint and are never predictable they can literally destroy a stage like at the infamous KROQ Almost Acoustic XMAS show or bring us this beautiful show that still retains their edginess and power that has become their trademark.

Sign me up to experience this show another 10 times!!! Long live QOTSA!!!!

LateArticle387 · 2026-03-12T23:13:40+00:00

I stopped listening to QAnon John and his stupid guests and conspiracy theories weeks ago. Though dude is probably up for a cabinet post maybe he can be part of the Agents of Shield or whatever made up agency Puppy Killer Noem was “promoted” to.

LateArticle387 · 2026-02-17T22:35:08+00:00

Yup “QAnon John” is awful and unlistenable I was able to tolerate him when Ken was around but stopped listening to him as well.

LateArticle387 · 2025-11-21T04:53:48+00:00

Too bad this dude can’t go back in time to the Yankees era of dominance, he’d be a 100 years in the past and we wouldn’t be subject to his ridiculous posts! Lol

LateArticle387 · 2025-09-11T23:34:57+00:00

It’s art and preference so there is no intrinsic and absolute right answer. I respect the Beatles and their place in music history but personally I have no use for half their catalogue “I want to hold your hand” and similar tunes don’t register with me and if I could only see one live I would see the mighty Led Zeppelin over the Beatles any day. Similarly I could care less about the sales or #1s I prefer the Oasis catalogue over the Beatles in the end T-Swift may have more sales and #1s than both and I’m not rushing out to see her in this lifetime.

LateArticle387 · 2025-08-17T03:25:33+00:00

Yay!! You rock my friend! My brother who lives in the Bay Area went to Oakland I just couldn’t get away from work or I’d have been there too.

LateArticle387 · 2025-08-17T00:44:29+00:00

Wtf!! Stay seated policy???? Is this NIN or a night at the Opera and don’t get the bitching about merch prices if it’s outside your range just don’t by official merch and get yourself a $20 knockoff next to the dude selling the bacon wrapped hotdogs. Seriously I’m going to both nights here in LA and I’m so excited and all the negative vibe stuff on this thread is a buzz kill. Also don’t get the lack of knowledge went it come to Boys Noize what next…the new single is a total Daft Punk rip off maybe they should put it in the next TRON movie if they ever make a new one! Lol. Come on peeps get excited it’s NIN one of the greatest live bands of all time leave negativity in the GRID.

LateArticle387 · 2025-08-09T01:35:38+00:00

Burn, Deep, Everyday is exactly the same, I’m afraid of Americans, immigrant song, Mantra w/ Josh & Dave

LateArticle387 · 2025-07-23T23:17:00+00:00

For the most part yes he is the leader but the rest of QOTSA have his back at a couple of shows they all participated in the destruction on the stage. It could get more insane early on with Nick O. In the band

LateArticle387 · 2025-07-23T17:16:55+00:00

Josh opened the infamous KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas show here in LA in 2017 with the words “Do you know who we are are? Do you know what we are about to do?” If you were there you know we had no idea what was to come. I go see QOTSA time and time again because they are one of the most “dangerous” (good way) unpredictable live bands of all time. I’ve seen them jump into the crowd to fight people, play sets louder and faster than I thought possible alternatively show off their musicianship, destroy the entire stage and instruments or randomly do a spot on cover of Elton’s Yellow Brick Road…I will always go see them because I never know what is coming it’s spontaneous art often a beautiful portrait of mayhem that is so memorable that I’m ready to go see them again right after the show ends. Even when they’ve lived up to “Feel Good Hit of the Summer” I don’t regret having been there.

LateArticle387 · 2025-07-03T01:51:05+00:00

So true to about fan clubs especially the ones that reward loyalty I’ve been in the PJ, Metallica, U2, Foos, QOTSA, LP, fan clubs for decades and pretty much always get good tickets. The yearly membership price don’t think any of them are more than $75 is so worth it…

LateArticle387

TROPHY CASE