Point Depot becomes O2 Arena

Irishoz

Just heard on the radio that when the point depot reopens after the refurbishment it is to be called the O2 Arena. What do you think of this?

Also apparently as part of the deal with O2, O2 mobile customers will have first preference on purchasing tickets and will be put into a 'swift-pass' style line at concerts as having well as access to the arenas 'O2 bars'

Is this a bit slightly unfair???? I haven't seen the designs for the new arena- anyone know where they are on the web?

Timans

Surely that is not true?

If it is, it is a bag of ****.

NIBBS

Well this isn't really a surprise to me if it's true, Livenation own the Point now, so they do what they do, the preferential treatment for O2 customers would be taking it too far though.......just a little odd.....

There's an Artists impression in a "Point" thread either in this section or the "Rock & Metal" section with some good information from someone that was involved in the initial work for the venue........or just do a search in Google for Point Village and you should be able to see a little detail on it.....

Oral Slang

Timans wrote: »

Surely that is not true?

If it is, it is a bag of ****.

Yeah, I heard the same interview on Matt Cooper this evening.. Thought it was mad too that the O2 customers have 48 hours advantage to book tickets for gigs...

Jello

Crap name - 'The O2' to be exact.

http://www.theo2.ie/ - that's their website, has some design images.

It’s what Irish music lovers have been waiting for. A stunning, new, state-of-the-art entertainment venue, with the kind of world-class acoustics that great music deserves. And the top artists will come to The O2, which will be one of the most advanced arenas in the world.

The atmosphere promises to be electric, every time, for everyone. No wonder music lovers can’t wait. Even better, we’re more excited to tell O2 customers, that you and your friends will enjoy some nice extras. Imagine, you’ll have access to your own bar and facilities, as well as priority tickets to plenty of gigs.

Register today to be eligible for priority tickets and some more privileges to come, exclusively for O2 customers.

The O2. The news is out.

Priority for O2 customers is absolutely ridiculous. I mean WTF? Your mobile phone network shouldn't have any affect on a concert you attend.

Savman

Identical setup to The O2 arena in London, o2 customers actually got a special presale code for tickets to the Prince gigs.

Guess I'm sticking to O2 for a while then :rolleyes:

bryston

Jello wrote: »

http://www.theo2.ie/ - that's their website, has some design images.

Press the "Take a Tour" button on the bottom RHS of the page.:)

Passenger

Looks like any other generic concert venue.

The days of an acts biggest fans queueing out over night really are over. Now its every musician who plays in that arena is just a shill for a phone network.

Obviously corporate sponsorship killed the spirit of rock and roll and musicians as artists a long time ago...but this just depresses me in my face a little more

garthv

Mneh, theyve a load of o2 arenas all voer the world.
Might mean a bit more higher caliber of artists now...rather than the standard two week Westlife stint that we've all become accustomed to.

escapeact

this would make me pretty angry, if Apple hadn't already suckered me into an O2 contract for me iPhone!

Timans

O2 customers having priority is a disgrace.
Surely this isn't going to happen!?

Fall_Guy

jayhaitch2 wrote: »

The days of an acts biggest fans queueing out over night really are over. Now its every musician who plays in that arena is just a shill for a phone network.

Nowadays an acts biggest fans are usually members of the online fan club of said act, and most acts already give out pre-sale passwords to said fans so they can buy tickets a few days before general sale.

Unfortunately, more and more venues are sponsored by a major corporation, it's just the way it is: "staple centre, hershey bowl, reebok stadium, emirates stadium, O2 arena".

Why else would O2 put money into the place if they weren't going to get something back from it? Its business, and its the way of the world i'm afraid.

The Walsho

The name is annoying enough, but for 02 customers to have priority is absolutely ridiculous. I can't believe this would be allowed to go ahead.

Buttons_sb

Any ideas as to when its reopening??

Glad im on 02 then

ShawnRaven

The Walsho wrote: »

The name is annoying enough, but for 02 customers to have priority is absolutely ridiculous. I can't believe this would be allowed to go ahead.

Don't like it? Switch networks! It's that simple!
VR!

honru

Pretty boring and uninspired name considering there's already an O2 Arena in London, Prague and (soon) Berlin. "The Point" was a great name, t'will be sorely missed.

However those artists' impressions do look rather appetising. Here's hoping the venue will sound as good as it looks.

Bluetonic

Can someone change the title, it's call The O2 not O2 Arena.

Vim Fuego

The o2 subscriber thing is crap anyway. There must be over a million o2 customers anyway so what real advantage would you have when something really popular comes to town.

humanji

Bluetonic wrote: »

Can someone change the title, it's call The O2 not O2 Arena.

I think it's actually called the O2 Venue, to differenctiate between the actually O2 Arena. Still a crap name and I'll be calling it The Point for a long while yet (hell I managed to never call RT2 Network 2 long enough for it to be changed back, so it might happen here too ).

Bluetonic

Pretty sure it's called 'The O2'.

Whats in a name anyhow, The Point Theater and The Point Depot were interchangeable. Once the sound is better, which lets face it couldn't be hard it's a win win situation.

They can call it 'I'm Harry Crosbie and I think the sun shines out of my arse arena' for all I care

laoisfan

The Walsho wrote: »

The name is annoying enough, but for 02 customers to have priority is absolutely ridiculous. I can't believe this would be allowed to go ahead.

maybe so but i wonder how many people will port or sign-up to O2 mobile network just so they can get their tickets 48hrs earlier. think about it. from a business point of view it make great sense.

btw my brother (man utd supporter) actually switched from O2 to Vodafone (when vodafone sponsored utd). when vodafone stopped sponsoring utd he switched back to O2. sounds crazy but some people will love it. personally i am not worried even though i am actually thinking of porting from meteor to O2 next month. hmmmm

JJ

I actually switched from Vodafone to O2 soon after they started sponsoring Man U though I didn't bother to do so until my old mobile died.

Savman

Bluetonic wrote: »

Pretty sure it's called 'The O2'.

To-mayto To-maato

Bluetonic

Just to clear up the ticket priority, it's 15% of the tickets available for O2 customers for 48 hours.

Bluetonic

New configuration

SQ2

You can buy an O2 pay as you go sim for €10 anyways..

rubadub

Savman wrote: »

To-mayto To-maato

O-2, O-tout

I would imagine it will be only bill paying customers.

JJ

There's nothing on the site that says pay as you go are excluded.

peter1892

Bluetonic wrote: »

New configuration

It's big - I wonder what the views will be like from the back rows, seems pretty far away from the stage (although probably no worse than being at the back in an outdoor venue & at least there should be no obstructions).

Clank

It was going to be called the O2 Arena up until a while before the announcement then O2 UK said no to it.

O2 customers having a priority is a joke.

ellenmelon

what i find slightly humourous are their "vip clubs" where you pay 1500euro for not a lot. i'd at least expect free parking/food/bev's but for what you pay, you get very little (private entrance? "personal service"? the ability to buy tickets even if it's sold out?) obviously aimed at those who are just there to be seen but it's still extortionate in my opinion.

Savman

Clank wrote: »

O2 customers having a priority is a joke.

The Point Depot as a venue was a joke. It was a converted warehouse with the worst sound imaginable. Sure o2 are throwing their corporate oar in here, but it's a relatively minor issue in the grand scheme of things, that finally Dublin has a purpose built concert arena.

Savman

Mr.S wrote: »

apart from the sound issues, i thought it was a class venue, it had a great look to it, and even the sound wasnt THAT bad..

Well to each their own I guess. I'd been there many times, it really was hit and miss. I've been to the o2 Arena in London and it's quite classy, I expect the new Point/o2 in Dublin will be along the same lines.

In the old Point, its location was a bloody nightmare and once the Luas extension is finished the new venue will be a really nice place to see a show.

Mossy Monk

Transport to the venue would be good. I will reserve judgement until I attend an event.

kdpis

JJ wrote: »

I actually switched from Vodafone to O2 soon after they started sponsoring Man U though I didn't bother to do so until my old mobile died.

Ha Ha, thats so funny, Im the same never used Vodafone because of those United tossers.

Is the arena always going to be fully seated?

This would be ok for the likes of Westlife, Madonna and the poppy end of things but an all seated gig would completely kill the atmosphere at a Metallica, Green Day or Muse gig or any self respecting rock band for that matter.

I enjoyed quite a few gigs in The Point thought it had a great atmosphere when it was a full house, a nightmare of a place when there wasn`t though.

NIBBS

Only 5months to wait Mossy.......
due to open on 8th December (assuming there's anything decent/you'd be interested on there at the time...)

there's some bogus Iron Maiden dates going around - would have been nice, two nights there Dec 11th & 13th, but as I thought when first seeing them the dates just don't make any sense......don't know what big acts will still be out on the road in Dec.......hopefully dates start getting filled soon and some more info on the venue gets distributed.....

Bluetonic

kdpis wrote: »

Is the arena always going to be fully seated?

Other posts in this thread indicate the seating layout and a standing layout.

I would fully expect some Coldplay dates on December 20th, 21st, 22nd or 23rd. It's really a no brainer if the venue is complete.

A couple of low key test events prior to that, possibly for O2 staff only.

Bluetonic

Here is how the priority works in the O2 Arena in London, presume it will be the same here.

* Venue: The O2
* Artist: Barry Manilow
* Event Date: Sunday 7 December 2008
* Offer Period: 9am Wednesday 9 July until 8am Sunday 13 July 2008
* Key Word: BARRY
* Maximum Ticket Number (per transaction): 6
* Total Tickets Available: 2000 per event

1. O2's priority ticket offer is open to anyone who is an O2 UK customer on the day before the Offer Period commences.
2. All O2 customers who text the relevant Key Word to 2402 prior to or during the Offer Period, will receive a unique password that may only be used once, and a URL that directs them to the Ticketmaster promotions page. This URL and password provides the recipient with the chance to purchase tickets online during the "Offer Period". Capacity restrictions may apply during busy periods. Texts sent to 2402 are charged at standard network rates.
3. Instead of sending a text and purchasing tickets online, customers can also call 2402 from their O2 mobile in the United Kingdom. Customers calling 2402 will be connected to a dedicated Ticketmaster line for The O2 which provides the recipient with the chance to purchase tickets by phone during the Offer Period. Capacity restrictions may apply during busy periods. Calls to 2402 are charged at standard rate.
4. Standard Ticketmaster purchase policy applies to all ticket purchases*.
5. The Offer Period may coincide with the general public sale of tickets. However, tickets will be reserved from the general sale as O2 priority tickets, as set out in these terms and conditions. There are a limited number of these offer tickets available and the offer runs during the Offer Period or until the O2 ticket allocation is sold out. The tickets and specific dates will be allocated on a 'first come first served' basis. Customers may also attempt to purchase tickets through the general public allocation, if desired.
6. O2's priority ticket offer does not guarantee access to the best seats. O2 is allocated a broad range of seats for each event and when booking tickets, customers have the option to choose where to sit from the range of seats available.
7. Ticket purchases may be refused or cancelled if more than the Maximum Ticket Number are requested; the ticket allocation is sold out; if the person attempting to purchase tickets does so outside of the Offer Period; or if O2 or Ticketmaster reasonably believe that the purpose of the purchase is to enable commercial re-sale of the tickets.
8. O2 accepts no responsibility for incorrectly completed, lost or delayed text responses or delayed, incomplete or unprocessed online or phone purchase transactions.
9. For the purpose of administering the priority ticket allocation, O2 reserves the right to exchange information and data regarding applications for unique passwords with Ticketmaster. O2 and Ticketmaster's decision as to ticket allocations is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
10. Entrance to concerts is subject to the standard conditions of entry to The O2, which can be viewed online at http://www.theo2.co.uk/web/guest/termsandconditions.
11. Events may occasionally be cancelled after publication of a priority ticket offer for reasons outside O2's control. O2 will endeavour to promptly update any relevant information but can not issue refunds for texts sent or calls made by customers before this occurs.

gobbledegook

To annoy O2 let's all just keep calling it The Point Depot

humanji

kdpis wrote: »

Is the arena always going to be fully seated?

The tiered seats at the bottom retract to open up the floor. I don't know if the floor is as big as it was before, though.

bryston

humanji wrote: »

The tiered seats at the bottom retract to open up the floor. I don't know if the floor is as big as it was before, though.

I think the standing area will be slightly smaller than before but everything has been turned 90 degrees so it's hard to make a direct comparison.

Imagine standing in the old Point with the stage along the long wall but with alot more tiered seating surrounding the flat floor area. The tiered seating will also have a much steaper rake than before so everyone feels closer to the stage.

Now they are building residential apartments next door, they have had to consider sound insulation as it was never an issue before.

PrivateEye

It'll always be the Point Depot to everyone though, I don't think anyone will start calling it the o2 Arena :rolleyes:
when I seen it in the paper I thought 'ohhh! a new arena!?'

I thought Christy Moore would be the first act to play at the reopened point, with his two live recordings there- and the fact he's played it more than anybody else.

"Hows it goin' everybody,
you're very welcome to the o2 areeeena..."

Mossy Monk

PrivateEye wrote: »

It'll always be the Point Depot to everyone though

I always thought of it as a dump.

WindSock

I switched networks from O2 last week but still have my 086 number. Will I still be able to buy tickets with this I wonder?

None of the pics show the skyscraper going next to it.

The Walsho

gobbledegook wrote: »

To annoy O2 let's all just keep calling it The Point Depot

I think the Meteor/Vodafone could work too.

rubadub

Mr.S wrote: »

apart from the sound issues, i thought it was a class venue, it had a great look to it, and even the sound wasnt THAT bad..

I hate(d) the point too, as did the majority of my mates. I was delighted when it closed, since I used to get so pissed off seeing adverts for bands I liked who were playing, only to then see it was for the point. We sort of just boycotted the point as a venue in the end.

Furious-Red

counting crows are playing in the o2 in december.

MagicMarker

All i have to say is that it looks fecking fantastic!! Can't wait to see it in person.

Joe_Dull

The Walsho wrote: »

I think the Meteor/Vodafone could work too.

That gave me a chuckle

dave.omeara

Well if O2 are sponsoring it, then of course there going to want a few perks, like advance tickets and the such, and if you're on o2, then good luck to you, I'm more annoyed that they couldn't come up with a better name. The O2. Just lacks marketing originality.