40 years since Red Rocks

On June 5, 1983, U2 played a concert at Red Rocks(near Denver Colorado) that was filmed for live video and album release. This one concert, its video and audio releases, had more impact on their career than any other concert in their history to date.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhkaKbDyHQc

Live Aid was way more influential and useful for their career. Don't forget, it only reached number 28 in the US on release. Live Aid, on the other hand, caused great swathes of the globe to buy their records.

I've seen a lot of filmed concerts over the years, but this one is just so very special. The unique Red Rocks amphitheatre, the rain, the choice of cameras giving it that TV burn in look from the lights, their ambitious youthful energy. For me 11 O'Clock Tick Tock is a searing highlight (back when The Edge truly was on fire).  While I didn't stumble upon this for a few years, it, along with R&H, catalysed decades of fandom to come.

I've seen a lot of filmed concerts over the years, but this one is just so very special. The unique Red Rocks amphitheatre, the rain, the choice of cameras giving it that TV burn in look from the lights, their ambitious youthful energy. For me 11 O'Clock Tick Tock is a searing highlight (back when The Edge truly was on fire).  While I didn't stumble upon this for a few years, it, along with R&H, catalysed decades of fandom to come.

It's such an amazing show. And to think, no in-ear monitors, digital prompts, or backing tracks. 

Live Aid was way more influential and useful for their career. Don't forget, it only reached number 28 in the US on release. Live Aid, on the other hand, caused great swathes of the globe to buy their records.

Actually the largest percentage surge in U2 concert attendance occurred going from the War Tour to the Unforgettable Fire Tour. Larger than going from the Unforgettable Fire Tour to the Joshua Tree Tour.

Take the city of Philadelphia for example:

War tour: 6,000 tickets sold

Unforgettable Fire Tour: 40,000 tickets sold

Joshua Tree Tour: 104,000 tickets sold.

The increase was more than six fold going from War Tour to the Unforgettable Fire Tour. Going from the Unforgettable Fire Tour to the Joshua Tree Tour was less than a three fold increase.

So what factor so dramatically caused this increase between War and UF tours? Most believe it was the Under A Blood Red Sky Album and Video. This was widely available to the public, played on radio, and played on MTV throughout 1984.

In contrast, Live AID was a one time broadcast, that was not shown in its entirety again until 1995. No album, single or video of the performance that could be purchased at the time either.

The Under A Blood Red Sky album went on to sell over 3 million copies in the United States alone. At the time, these were the most widely heard live performances of U2 for the general public.

…aaaaaand this is still the only proper live album in U2’s discography.

Craziest statistic ever.

Quote from: Larry Lovebucket on June 05, 2023, 08:46:29 AM

Live Aid was way more influential and useful for their career. Don't forget, it only reached number 28 in the US on release. Live Aid, on the other hand, caused great swathes of the globe to buy their records.

Actually the largest percentage surge in U2 concert attendance occurred going from the War Tour to the Unforgettable Fire Tour. Larger than going from the Unforgettable Fire Tour to the Joshua Tree Tour.

Take the city of Philadelphia for example:

War tour: 6,000 tickets sold

Unforgettable Fire Tour: 40,000 tickets sold

Joshua Tree Tour: 104,000 tickets sold.

The increase was more than six fold going from War Tour to the Unforgettable Fire Tour. Going from the Unforgettable Fire Tour to the Joshua Tree Tour was less than a three fold increase.

So what factor so dramatically caused this increase between War and UF tours? Most believe it was the Under A Blood Red Sky Album and Video. This was widely available to the public, played on radio, and played on MTV throughout 1984.

In contrast, Live AID was a one time broadcast, that was not shown in its entirety again until 1995. No album, single or video of the performance that could be purchased at the time either.

The Under A Blood Red Sky album went on to sell over 3 million copies in the United States alone. At the time, these were the most widely heard live performances of U2 for the general public.

You’re going to have to use more than one city as an example, wons.

Live Aid catapulted u2 from the little league into playing with the big boys. Just ask zoo Adam

Quote from: wons on June 05, 2023, 03:06:58 PM

Quote from: Larry Lovebucket on June 05, 2023, 08:46:29 AM

Live Aid was way more influential and useful for their career. Don't forget, it only reached number 28 in the US on release. Live Aid, on the other hand, caused great swathes of the globe to buy their records.

Actually the largest percentage surge in U2 concert attendance occurred going from the War Tour to the Unforgettable Fire Tour. Larger than going from the Unforgettable Fire Tour to the Joshua Tree Tour.

Take the city of Philadelphia for example:

War tour: 6,000 tickets sold

Unforgettable Fire Tour: 40,000 tickets sold

Joshua Tree Tour: 104,000 tickets sold.

The increase was more than six fold going from War Tour to the Unforgettable Fire Tour. Going from the Unforgettable Fire Tour to the Joshua Tree Tour was less than a three fold increase.

So what factor so dramatically caused this increase between War and UF tours? Most believe it was the Under A Blood Red Sky Album and Video. This was widely available to the public, played on radio, and played on MTV throughout 1984.

In contrast, Live AID was a one time broadcast, that was not shown in its entirety again until 1995. No album, single or video of the performance that could be purchased at the time either.

The Under A Blood Red Sky album went on to sell over 3 million copies in the United States alone. At the time, these were the most widely heard live performances of U2 for the general public.

You’re going to have to use more than one city as an example, wons.

Live Aid catapulted u2 from the little league into playing with the big boys. Just ask zoo Adam

I think you'll find similar results for any city analyzed. The rate of increase in tickets being sold, was highest when going from the War Tour to the Unforgettable Fire Tour, NOT from the Unforgettable Fire Tour to the Joshua Tree Tour.

As for Live Aid vs the Under A Blood Red Sky album and Video. Live Aid was a single broadcast on one day. The Under A Blood Red Sky album and video proliferated among fans and the general public every day for years beyond the initial day of its release.

London:

War Tour: 18,000

Unforgettable Fire: 84,000

Joshua Tree Tour: 156,000


So with London, a four fold increase from the War Tour to the Unforgettable Fire Tour. From Unforgettable Fire Tour to Joshua Tree Tour, just below a two fold increase.

Quote from: Larry Lovebucket on June 05, 2023, 04:59:47 PM

Quote from: wons on June 05, 2023, 03:06:58 PM

Quote from: Larry Lovebucket on June 05, 2023, 08:46:29 AM

Live Aid was way more influential and useful for their career. Don't forget, it only reached number 28 in the US on release. Live Aid, on the other hand, caused great swathes of the globe to buy their records.

Actually the largest percentage surge in U2 concert attendance occurred going from the War Tour to the Unforgettable Fire Tour. Larger than going from the Unforgettable Fire Tour to the Joshua Tree Tour.

Take the city of Philadelphia for example:

War tour: 6,000 tickets sold

Unforgettable Fire Tour: 40,000 tickets sold

Joshua Tree Tour: 104,000 tickets sold.

The increase was more than six fold going from War Tour to the Unforgettable Fire Tour. Going from the Unforgettable Fire Tour to the Joshua Tree Tour was less than a three fold increase.

So what factor so dramatically caused this increase between War and UF tours? Most believe it was the Under A Blood Red Sky Album and Video. This was widely available to the public, played on radio, and played on MTV throughout 1984.

In contrast, Live AID was a one time broadcast, that was not shown in its entirety again until 1995. No album, single or video of the performance that could be purchased at the time either.

The Under A Blood Red Sky album went on to sell over 3 million copies in the United States alone. At the time, these were the most widely heard live performances of U2 for the general public.

You’re going to have to use more than one city as an example, wons.

Live Aid catapulted u2 from the little league into playing with the big boys. Just ask zoo Adam

I think you'll find similar results for any city analyzed. The rate of increase in tickets being sold, was highest when going from the War Tour to the Unforgettable Fire Tour, NOT from the Unforgettable Fire Tour to the Joshua Tree Tour.

As for Live Aid vs the Under A Blood Red Sky album and Video. Live Aid was a single broadcast on one day. The Under A Blood Red Sky album and video proliferated among fans and the general public every day for years beyond the initial day of its release.

London:

War Tour: 18,000

Unforgettable Fire: 84,000

Joshua Tree Tour: 156,000


So with London, a four fold increase from the War Tour to the Unforgettable Fire Tour. From Unforgettable Fire Tour to Joshua Tree Tour, just below a two fold increase.

Where’s your empirical evidence the shift was due to Red Rocks and UABRS, wons?

Surely if you are going to look at this sort of data you have to factor in the naturally occuring limiting facrors that will exist like venue sizes.

If for example a band played every night of the year (deliberately picked that so it uses every available night) in a 1,000 capacity venue and sold it out every night then they sell 365,000 tickets....

Let's say that tour ends at end of that year and they release a new record and then go on a new tour for that record - lets say they now play 10,000 capacity venues and again play for 1 year, 365 nights...

They shifted 3,650,000 tickets and grown by 10 times.

We now move onto year 3....same deal, new album, new tour lasting 1 year playing 365 nights.

The biggest stadium in the land only holds say 80,000.....They literally can only grow by 8 times now.

That example is of course extremely linear but it is deliberately so to illustrate a point that just the numbers alone don't really tell the full story and even on reality as much as the example above wouldn't actually happen, there will be many factors in play that actually mean the spirit of the example is actually sound.

I can only comment on the issue based on my own experience, having witnessed the impact of both events.

I can assure you that UABRS had a bigger impact on casual music fans than the Live Aid appearance. UABRS was released just as MTV was starting to really drive music sales in the USA. Sunday Bloody Sunday was on heavy rotation for months, it was a big factor in making people discover U2. I saw it all around me. Live Aid, OTH, was a one-day event, and no footage would be easily available for years. Yes, the performance was an eye opener for many music fans around the world, but I believe UABRS had a longer lasting effect on making the band more popular.

Just my 2 cents. And sorry, I have no empirical evidence to back up my assertions. Just my memories. 

UABRS was the right move for U2.

After a brilliant opening 3 albums, challenging & beating Michael Jackson & some hit singles, it was right to keep the momentum going.

U2 were well known within music as an incredible live band. Putting this into the mainstream was a good idea. It also showcased some of their earlier songs.

I can only comment on the issue based on my own experience, having witnessed the impact of both events.

I can assure you that UABRS had a bigger impact on casual music fans than the Live Aid appearance. UABRS was released just as MTV was starting to really drive music sales in the USA. Sunday Bloody Sunday was on heavy rotation for months, it was a big factor in making people discover U2. I saw it all around me. Live Aid, OTH, was a one-day event, and no footage would be easily available for years. Yes, the performance was an eye opener for many music fans around the world, but I believe UABRS had a longer lasting effect on making the band more popular.

Just my 2 cents. And sorry, I have no empirical evidence to back up my assertions. Just my memories. 

It is correct that footage of U2 at Live Aid would not be available for years. I didn't see it until the 90's.

However it was memorable for anyone watching it at the time.  U2's back catologue had large sales.

Lots of artists had a career boost from Live Aid. Queen had been going 15 years and played Wembley Stadium the following year for the first time due to LA.

…aaaaaand this is still the only proper live album in U2’s discography.

Craziest statistic ever.

Exactly! Especially for a band, that for decades, have been telling us that "live is where we live"

UABRS also gave U2 more time to record TUF.

Long term & new fans had a new album to digest while they waited.

U2 were aware if TUF was a classic they would be hailed as the band of the decade.

It was and they were.