I should go away on vacation more often!

Looks like the folks at U2.com are gearing up for the Fall, starting with a slight refresh of U2.com. The new log-in screen is a great promo for U2 by U2, as well as gives you a quick update as to if something new has been posted to the site. (This is helpful if you’re just checking in briefly and you’re paying 50-cents/minute or more for internet connection - ah, internet on cruise ships!) The images also rotate between band members, but I wish mine always popped up with Larry - thank goodness for the refresh button.

When I tried logging in from this screen, it still took me to another log-in screen, so I guess they’re still working out the glitches - but it’s nice to see a bit of a refresh to the site.

I am happy to report that I received my copy of U2.COMMUNICATION in the mail today. You will need your U2.com log-in information and password in order to unlock the CDRom. You only need to unlock it once. The package did not come shrink-wrapped, and it came in a plain tan-colored package from U2.com in California.

The CDRom includes various wallpapers: one which looks like the design on Adam’s pants he has been wearing on this leg of the tour. Another wallpaper looks suspiciously like the security box outside of Hanover Quay studios. There is also a video clip of Vertigo from Milan, which looks absolutely beautiful, but it’s a little too quick cut for me. (Then again, that was what folks didn’t care about in the Chicago video).

I did find it a little difficult to use the audio tracks on the CDRom as I am working on a computer with 2 screens. As soon as my mouse is directed away from the screen accessing the CDRom, I lose the audio. Instead, it scrolls all the way to the Extras on the CDRom. This is a bit frustrating.

The screen savers are cool - especially the DNA “Miracle Drug” one. The Yahweh heart screensaver is also really neat as we normally only see the pixeled one during U2’s live performance. The same holds true with Catherine Owens’ work with the Yahweh dove screensaver. It’s amazing the detail that you do see on the beaded curtains during the show, but to see it in this fashion makes you appreciate the level of detail to the artwork. The Declaration of Human Rights is also there with the audio reading. Unfortunately, it picks up at Article 3 and ends at Article 6. It would have been nice to have had the full declaration on there.

As for the audio CD, it’s a great little gem to have the professional recordings include the audience to a certain level. (I forgot how funky Edge’s guitar sounded on The Fly in Milan).

It’s important to point out that there are rules associated with the disc:

Overall, much better than a metal card that sets off security checkpoints in airports. It’ll join my copies of Melon and Mexico City from the ol’ days of Propaganda.

For full packaging photos, visit here.

Greetings from Tampa! We’ve made it in town to cover the show tomorrow night. While we were on the road, a few newsworthy items have come across my email that I wanted to share with you all.

First: additional photos from the “Day in the life of Edge” fan greeting at the American Airlines Arena have been added to Flickr. You can see the set here. Special thanks to Dan for adding these to the @U2 photo pool!

Second: U2.com fanclub renewals. This is going to be *THE* hot-button topic of conversation on all of the online chat lists and mail groups this week. Here’s the cliffnotes version of what is being emailed to current members: you’ll get 20% off the membership fee for renewing and you’ll get a fan-only “8-track CD featuring songs recorded live during the Vertigo Tour; and a CD-ROM containing an interactive audio player, an exclusive live video clip from U2’s Vertigo 2005 show at Milan’s San Siro stadium, as well as wallpapers and U2 screen savers using the show’s amazing imagery.”

What isn’t included in the fanclub renewal according to the email: “There will not be any ticket guarantees as part of the re-subscription package.”

The email continues: “As we have stated before, the U2.com ticket pre sale for Vertigo 2005 was not what we wanted it to be, and once again we can only apologise for the inconvenience and distress that we know this caused. We continue to look for fair ways in which we can distribute tickets to our fans on future tours but any solution will not be tied to this re-subscription.”

There are some alternatives to the ticketing issue, as seen with Springsteen’s spring tour: tickets are waiting for you at will-call, and when you arrive you receive a wristband and you get your ticket later in the day - then you’re escorted into the arena upon receiving the ticket. There are ways around this to make it work. Another alternative would be to revert back to a mail-order system as what has been done in the past. I’m sure something can be worked out…we all need to be patient.

My heart goes out to those people in Australia, Japan and South America who were given presale codes that could not be used because the tour wasn’t hitting your area…only to be told the tour’s coming, but guess what - you’re not able to use your code for tickets. I feel your frustration.

In the meantime, it is nice that they’re offering a 20% discount on the fee - but even with that discount, it’s still among the most expensive fanclubs out there. With the purchase of a Rolling Stones ticket, your fanclub membership was a “gift” for coming to a Stones show. Robbie Williams has moved his Inner Sanctum fanclub to a fee-based one for an annual fee of 25 british pounds (renewal: 15 month membership, free tshirt, and 2 tickets to 1 location on his upcoming world tour.)Heck - Pearl Jam’s fanclub allows you to download their shows!

Understandably, we all have to give up the ghost that the fanclub will not revert back to how it was during the Propaganda days. There’s still a part of me that wishes the customer service from the Propaganda days was how Signatures Network handles its paid subscribers - but that’s what happens when things are outsourced to a corporate identity. Times change, and this is the only fanclub U2 offers - and yes, I will renew (in case you were wondering). After being a fanclub member since 1988, why stop now?

For all of you who paid the $90 for a “retro” t-shirt during U2’s first two legs of the Vertigo Tour - you might not want to read this…but U2.com’s shop section is selling the retro shirts for only $50 now.

There are other Vertigo tour items for sale - mostly at what you’d pay for it at the concerts with the exception of the tour book (selling now for $15) and the “retro” shirts. Not all merchandise is available online (like the sweatshirts, jewelry, or pins), but a good amount of the tshirts are available.

It makes me wonder why the “retro” shirts are marked down so dramatically - could it be because no one in their right mind would pay $90 for a t-shirt with a design you really couldn’t see? Or, is it because U2’s fanbase knows better than to pay $90 for a t-shirt? It’ll be very interesting to see what is available for purchase on the third leg - and if the pricing will be reasonable. We’ll only have to wait another 3 weeks or so to find out!

A reminder popped up on my calendar to investigate renewing my U2.com membership for the next year. I usually have these in my scheduler a full 3 months in advance because it’ll remind me to do it.

I was then checking out Ticketmaster to see if there were any Rolling Stones tickets available for their opening night at Fenway Park in Boston (if *only* U2 would play there!), and I see:
“***FREE ROLLING STONES VIRTUAL TICKET FAN CLUB MEMBERSHIP INCLUDED WITH EVERY ROLLING STONES TICKET YOU ORDER THROUGH TICKETMASTER!A Rolling Stones Official Fan Club Virtual Ticket Membership is included with each concert ticket for this tour you order through Ticketmaster. We will send your name and contact information to RollingStones.com so they can activate your membership and send you a welcome email with log-in instructions, and additional emails. ”

So, this got me thinking….U2 are planning on continuing their tour into 2006. Will they offer the same pre-order tickets for those shows as they have for the first 3 legs? Could they throw fans a bone and do what the Stones are doing with their tickets and offer the fan club membership for free? Will they still charge $40/year for the access rights for their fanclub?

There hasn’t been any marketing to current subscribers to U2.com about renewals and any benefits they’d get for renewing their membership. So, I thought I’d do an unscientific poll among the @U2 blog readers - if you’re a member of U2.com, do you plan on renewing, and why?

Is it just me, or is there not ANY kind of spam block program provided by FanFire with the paid-membership U2.com email accounts? I’ve been getting spammed left-right-and-center with my membership email account.

I would have thought that my membership dollars could have gone towards some sort of spam filter! Anyone else having this issue?