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Comment by jzb | Hacker News Reader

I have a friend who went to see the U2 show there and they had lots of praise for it as a venue. U2 isn't quite interesting enough to me for me to pay for the tickets and travel, but if a band I'm really into were playing there... I'd probably find the money.

(If any booking agents or whatever are reading this... get The Cure to do a residency and I'm there. If you can get the Talking Heads to do a reunion show there, you'll be printing money...)

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Some bands you see live because you like their music, and some bands you see live because it's a party. U2 has been working on the multimedia side of their live performance for a few decades and they've come up with quite a show.

Depends on the concert goer, really. At this particular time in my life, I'm not really interested in the spectacle so much as the love of the music, so the "it's a party" doesn't have the same appeal for me.

I'd rather see someone like Colin Hay play an acoustic set in a small venue where I can sit and have a whiskey than a big stadium thingy from a band that I like but don't love. The Cure have the full package, for me: The spectacle, the amazing sound live, and their music really resonates with me in a way that U2 doesn't.

I did see U2 on the Joshua Tree anniversary tour - and it was a great spectacle. My wife, who loves them, was over the moon. I was moderately entertained. Would've been a huge waste of money if I'd gone solo, but it was worth it because she loved it.

And one more add: Barenaked Ladies are the best value for my dollar when I do want the "it's a party" vibe. Not so much spectacle, but damn are their live shows fun. Some of their music really resonates with me but their live show prowess kicks it up several notches.

I saw the U2 show from the front rail at the Sphere. It was the single best concert I've ever been to of the uncountable shows I have seen. I don't love U2, either. The sphere is nearly magical to experience.

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