Why Ticketbastards are ruining the careers of new acts like Sigur Ros

[Chip McDonald]

So, Sigur Ros is going to be in Atlanta at the Tabernacle on the 27th. I think "great, I haven't been to a real show in over a year". It also gives me yet another reason to get there and see Lee, take a day off maybe (which will cost approx. $150). So right out of the gate I'm down $150. The tickets are $25. Not too bad, I can handle that I suppose. Ooops. No, actually there's a $6.97 Ticketbastards "convenience fee". Now we're talking $32. Yeah, it's just $7. BUT - it's less than that at House of Blues in New Orleans, less than that at other venues (I checked). And the seats suck to boot. So, $32+$10 gas, I'm out $42. That's not counting what it will cost to take the day off. I can't afford that. It's insane. I *know* it doesn't cost that much to put on a show. Ticketbastards just pushes it over the limit. [i]Can anybody afford to go to a show without being ridiculously rich these days???[/b] The music industry is SO screwed up now, and while ClearChannel is "sort of" being held to task in conrgress (yeah, right,we'll see) Ticketbastards is a complete monopoly and of COURSE the Great and Wonderful United States Government has failed again ("oh, you shouldn't put down the U.S., it's the best place to live, why don't you go somewhere else?" there, so no one has to say it). I remember when I stopped going to live shows: it was right when Ticketbastards took over. I'm sick of running into crap like this where the whole point of the government is to provide a framework for a society, and the U.S. government is supposed to be acting with such outstanding principles when in reality it's just a charade. Again, the music industry is doomed in it's present state. All of you who make your living off of the major label gravy train are going to have a rude awakening if things don't change soon. But no one is going to speak out, Pearl Jam got squashed and no one stood up when it counted, and the same thing is happening with the new music sales market - you think I'm going to pay $20 for CD when, AGAIN, I *know* IT DOESN'T COST $20 TO DISTRIBUTE A CD, is ridiculous. When it collapses it's not going to affect me, kids are still going to want to play guitar like Jimi Hendrix, I'll still sell my couple of CD's at LIVE shows. But everyone who is living off of the music industry in high style is going to crash. *Someone* of authority is going to have to standup and put their butt on the line and try to form a *real* coalition and do some REAL acts of corporate "disobedience" before either the government is embarassed into doing something or the industry itself changes it's ways. $20 for a cd? $32 to sit in a corner where you can barely see the band, probably hear them with some crappy compressed and garbled bs of a "p.a. system"? A band that doesn't even have a hit song? How much does it cost if they DO have a "hit song"? For that matter, why is it a band that has such a strong popularist support underground DOESN'T have a hit song? CLEARCHANNEL perhaps? Whatever, sorry.

[KHAN]

Rush was $60 last summer. I would pay $60 to see Rush if you could send me back to '78 for the Hemispheres tour. But for Vapor Trails??? Gimme a break. This is the first time I've missed them since '83.

[Lee Flier]

Yeah well, let's not even get INTO what the McCartney, Stones or Springsteen tickets cost. Oh, and I WOULD have gone to see Elvis Costello at the Tabernacle, which were supposedly FANTASTIC shows by all accounts, two of the best anybody had seen, but the tix were friggin 40 bucks! And that's not including the TicketBastards charges OR the fact that you have to pay like 15 bucks to park down there on a weekend. It might be "only" 10 on weeknights. You pretty much nailed my feelings on all counts, Chip. But HEY - we're playing on the 21st with a couple of other really good bands. I can probably put you on the guest list, but if not the cover will probably be 6 or 7 bucks and NO TICKETBASTARDS!! So come on over anyway!

[Skip_dup1]

they`re coming here in April-$50 U.S. for a ticket, period. For here that`s not bad.

[Salyphus]

You've hit the nail on the head Chip. I don't do business with TicketBastard, period, which means I don't go to large concerts anymore, especially when you couple that with the absurd level ticket prices have reached of late. I'd much rather go to a small show anyway for the most part, especially since you can see a great like McCoy Tyner at a small club like [url=http://yoshis.com/]Yoshi\'s[/url] . Where's the value in getting reamed to see a crappy show in an awful sounding venue where you are herded like sheep and the performers look like ants?

[D. Gauss]

well let's not get into my least favorite nyc club...b.b. king's. nothing wrong with b.b. himself, the man is a legend and a sweetheart to boot (who else has 15 kids by 14 diff women and generously supports them all?)...anyways.. i took a friend there for his birthday to see delbert mcclinton (who everyone should see anyways)... bought the first 5 tickets at 45 bucks a pop. general admission. it's a dinner club and i heard the food blew, so we went elsewhere beforehand. show up tix in hand 45 min before showtime and are shown the furthest, worst seats in the house (stage obscured by a pole).... being that it is my friend's b-day, i complain and we end up moving to a decent table maybe 30 feet from the stage. not bad. waiter comes, takes our drink orders. asks us about food. we say that we've already eaten. 2 minutes later the manager comes over and kicks us out of our seats, cause we weren't having dinner! we end up in the booth next to where we started (fortunately no pole to obstruct view) for the show. tix were $45 apiece, and our bar tab was over $300, yet even though we bought the first 5 tix available, we couldn't have been treated any worse! and my animosity towards the place couldn't be any stronger.... so bad in fact that on principal, i passed up, a) several chances to play at the club and, b) my one and only chance to see the all-original lineup reunion of the blasters. :( b.b. king's club sucks! to put this all in perspective, 2 weeks later i was in memphis and saw a 3 day outdoor festival. a 3 day pass was the same money ($45.00) as a single act at b.b. king's. on the bill was: delbert mcclinton bonnie raitt kid rock cheap trick puddle of mudd carla thomas bela fleck cameo eddie floyd ike turner hubert sumlin and more that i can't remember. b.b. king's club sucks. -d. gauss

[strat0124]

Well I'm sure if he were running it, things would be different. Morgan Freemans club in Mississippi is top notch I hear, must be the southern hospitality! I shy away from those clubs with a stars name, normally its $20 cheeseburgers and people lined up out the door just to say they've been there. Fuck that. I'd rather go somewhere theres dim lights, thick smoke, and loud loud music........theres a song somewhere in there! :)

[vintagevibe]

[quote]Originally posted by Lee Flier: [b]Yeah well, let's not even get INTO what the McCartney, Stones or Springsteen tickets cost. Oh, and I WOULD have gone to see Elvis Costello at the Tabernacle, which were supposedly FANTASTIC shows by all accounts, two of the best anybody had seen, but the tix were friggin 40 bucks! And that's not including the TicketBastards charges OR the fact that you have to pay like 15 bucks to park down there on a weekend. It might be "only" 10 on weeknights. You pretty much nailed my feelings on all counts, Chip. But HEY - we're playing on the 21st with a couple of other really good bands. I can probably put you on the guest list, but if not the cover will probably be 6 or 7 bucks and NO TICKETBASTARDS!! So come on over anyway![/b][/quote]The Elvis show was truely incredible. I went out and bought half of his catalog after it. $40 is really not too much for a good show IMO. $75 to $100 is getting a bit out there.

[patrick_dont_fret]

d guass, you went to the Memphis in May Beale St. Music Festival, otherwise known as MusicFest. That year sucked balls, man. There were hardly any good bands, save for Bela Fleck, the Doobies, and a couple of others. Great price for all of the choices you get, though. I went to see Widespread, and the tickets cost $30 per night. So, $60 for two nights of the greatest (jam)band ever, ain't too bad I don't think. Hung out with some of my friends, smoked some of the finest herbal this side of Canada, and had an all around great time. Of course, you also got two different opening acts, as well. So all in all, it was a great show. The doors opened at 7, opener on by 7:30, music stops aroung 12:30 (city ordinance, no later than 12 for such a large concert, but you know how the encore goes!). Plenty of music for one night, a whole lot over two. But you definitely have to figure in the money you spend on Shakedown Street....beer, veggie phillies, glassware ;) , etc.

[Kris]

[quote]Originally posted by Chip McDonald: [b] $32 to sit in a corner where you can barely see the band, probably hear them with some crappy compressed and garbled bs of a "p.a. system"? [/b][/quote]If it matters, The Tabernacle usually sounds REALLY good, and you can view the show from where ever you want... though you'll probably be standing, not sitting...

[CP]

You guys complaining about a $7.00 service charge should feel lucky. I had every intention of going to see Luther Vandross in Radio City Music Hall next week, until I saw the ticket prices: $55.00 - $96.00. Paying anywhere between $150 and $200 to see Luther is kinda steep, but I was going to buy the tickets anyway. Until I saw the additional charges: $4.50 - building facility charge; and, $11.55 convenience charge. That's $16.00 extra per ticket. That changed my mind. I refuse to pay that additional money. That's highway robbery. Until they do away with these charges I won't go to another concert. Well, that's not true, I would pay it to see Stevie Wonder in concert.

[george costanza]

Well, the problem here (as we already know) is the power of ever larger corporations to buy control of the agencies that ought regulate them. I think it's just a return to the usual nature of things following a period (mid-20th century) when there was an actual attempt (Taft-Hartley; FDA; FCC; civil rights legislation; etc) to turn the arms of government to actually helping people. We've all read (I hope) about the "robber barons" that controlled the US previously. Now they're back ...& they're bigger & badder than ever. As far as the music biz...it's just another part of "entertainment industry" & they'll continue to control & package & sell...it'll be increasingly like what's been portrayed in various sci-fi tales---new media forms, new artist media, etc; virtual-reality Britney Spears concert (why tour when you can just sell the experience?); the small room at the top of the pyramid will be ever-more rapidly changing, with an stronger emphasis on instantly-marketable, malleable "talent". Industry will not die (no money-making biz will kill itself) but the way [i]musicians[/i] can fit in will be different. It already [i]is[/i] What needs to be accomplished is getting into that future before "them". My suggestions? I don't really have any concrete ideas to offer; all I know is that the world has always been a place where the dollar trumps art or integrity. Twenty years ago, [see Residents [b]Rox-Toth[/b] manifesto] there was an upheaval of DIY music promotion as people realized that "the talent scouts weren't coming to get you". We'll all have to re-ignite that spirit.

[fantasticsound]

You took the words right out of my mouth, Chip! I don't do business with TicketBastards. I found the only way to see most concerts years ago. Find out who hires local crew. Contact them and make yourself available for load in and load out. Most venues allow the local crew to watch, either from out front or backstage. That's right. They pay you to see your favorite concert instead of vice versa. If you're experienced, you can get on the spot or stage call and get paid extra to work the show. Plus, most times they provide catering! No expensive Coke's or popcorn, etc. If you're unable to work local crew, they may still have positions available directing people to their seats or working security. I saw Stevie Ray Vaughn and was paid to help people sit down. The pay stinks, but I was there to see Stevie, so who cares? If you're in New York, LA, Nashville, Austin, TX, etc., keep an eye out for TV tapings. We procured tickets to several Live At The Ryman tapings. The talent was awesome and the show was absolutely free. They want to be sure to have a full house for the recording, so seats are free. If all else fails, stay home. It's the only way to send a message to promoters and TicketBastards that we will not support ridiculous ticket prices and even more ridiculous extra charges. Support your local acts. There's almost bound to be someone you'd like to see.

[george costanza]

Your "crew member" suggestion, Neil, is effective for only a small percentage of people, unfortunately.

[fantasticsound]

Frankly, George (Costanza), that's not my problem. More importantly, these places ALWAYS seem to need ticket takers, and they don't even need to know who you are prior to the event. The Stevie Ray Vaughn concert was when I was young and ignorant. A friend suggested we drive up to Milwaukee and work the show. He'd managed to find out who did hiring for each show, but we had no idea what to expect upon arrival. He's a beefy individual, so they put him with a line of security personel behind the security barrier below the downstage edge. I, being of a more slight build, was given a job of directing traffic to their seats. But excuses are like... everyone has one. If you do not wish to work a show to see it at no cost, fine. It was a suggestion. And one that, in my experience, works.

[D. Gauss]

i think fantasticsound's idea is wonderful. damn, wish i'd thought of it. silly me, i always ended up having to blow skanky roadies to get backstage at cool shows. simply collecting tickets sounds MUCH better than that! :) -d. gauss

[fantasticsound]

[quote]Originally posted by d gauss: [b]i think fantasticsound's idea is wonderful. damn, wish i'd thought of it. silly me, i always ended up having to blow skanky roadies to get backstage at cool shows. simply collecting tickets sounds MUCH better than that! :) -d. gauss[/b][/quote]:D ROTFLMAO! Of course, who are you callin' a skanky roadie?!? :freak: