A new Prince thread!

[abu hamster]

Saw the Killers several times over their time with us. Not a huge fan personally (ex was) but anyone who says they are shit live clearly needs their head checking.

[stuartbert two hats]

Saw the Killers several times over their time with us. Not a huge fan personally (ex was) but anyone who says they are shit live clearly needs their head checking.

[CaledonianGonzo]

If you have kids - or just generally like Let it Go - this is an interesting wee bit of trivia for future pub quizzes:

http://thedailymusicnews.com/2014/03/14/oscar-winning-disney-song-let-it-go-inspired-by-prince/?utm_content=buffer1d305&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[Guest]

extra shows at Manchester & Birmingham....

just sayin'

[suzie sue]

Has been debunked :-(

[pogal]

The Killers always seem too quiet at outdoor shows? Weird I know, as I'm sure that can't be the case, but, well, yeah... Odd.

Saw 'em at Brixton years ago and they were really good. Never eclipsed that, sadly. And never really followed Hot Fuss, which, even though it's not my kind of thing, I thought was a cracking debut.

[eFestivals]

The Killers always seem too quiet at outdoor shows?

Nope, the exact opposite.

They can be heard, and that's bad.

[Trebor]

I've decided if the mountain is looking doubtful about coming to Mohammad (Prince coming to Glastonbury), I'll probably have to go see him in Leeds.

[pogal]

Nope, the exact opposite.

They can be heard, and that's bad.

[Rose-Colored Boy]

I've decided if the mountain is looking doubtful about coming to Mohammad (Prince coming to Glastonbury), I'll probably have to go see him in Leeds.

[Mr.Tease]

What a surprise- ticket master did their usual trick of only releasing the crappy seats on ticket day, pretending all tickets sold out, and then a day or so ago, suddenly and magically remembered they had the better front row tickets in the back of a drawer and have just put those for sale (which are now selling slowly).

It's crap like this that's stopped me buying any gig tickets the past few years- I hate the whole process- the inflated starting price, the ridiculous charges (you have to pay even to print the ticket off yourself!), the legal touting, the illegal touting, the pretend 'it's sold out' rubbish. I don't know why ticket agencies are allowed to get away with all this.

[dimus]

I don't know why ticket agencies are allowed to get away with all this.

[atomised]

Certainly seems to be an awful lot of good seats available today

[russycarps]

What a surprise- ticket master did their usual trick of only releasing the crappy seats on ticket day, pretending all tickets sold out, and then a day or so ago, suddenly and magically remembered they had the better front row tickets in the back of a drawer and have just put those for sale (which are now selling slowly).

It's crap like this that's stopped me buying any gig tickets the past few years- I hate the whole process- the inflated starting price, the ridiculous charges (you have to pay even to print the ticket off yourself!), the legal touting, the illegal touting, the pretend 'it's sold out' rubbish. I don't know why ticket agencies are allowed to get away with all this.

[hundread]

This is going to show a complete naivety but do this happen regularly with ticketmaster? Does it happen with other major ticket vendors?

The amount of times I've been trying to get tickets to a show only to find them almost immediately 'sold out' or only rubbish tickets (say 02 Level 4) available, it would be ever so slightly grating to find that it's standard practice to hold back tickets until after a 'sold out' announcement has been made.

[CaledonianGonzo]

As much as anything it's a way of trying to drive up demand through scarcity and to flog rubbish seats for a lot of money. Presales often work in similar fashion, giving advance access to some of the worst seats in the house. I think it's driven as much by the promoters as the ticket vendors and it's definitely not just restricted to TM.

[hundread]

So basically promoters hyping events to drive up demand, which will sell more tickets but also make it harder for more genuine fans (those who don't need an event to be the next big thing but follow the artist/act) to get tickets?

wow....I have been very naive. So whilst being naive, and I realise this is a generalisation question, but do bands/acts/artists usually know that much about how their shows are being promoted? Enough to know that this practice goes on?

[eFestivals]

do bands/acts/artists usually know that much about how their shows are being promoted? Enough to know that this practice goes on?

I'd guess that those who choose to know about all aspects of the industry know about it, and those who see their job as (only) banging the drums or whatever don't.

There's a conflict here, that centres around money. In essence, the band 'sell' themselves to the highest bidding promoter, so that highest bidding promoter uses all the tricks he can to ensure that his high bid pays off. If a band chooses to include conditions on what the promoter can and cannot do, then that is likely to reduce the amount that any promoter is prepared to risk.

It's the way of the world.

[russycarps]

I'd guess that those who choose to know about all aspects of the industry know about it, and those who see their job as (only) banging the drums or whatever don't.

There's a conflict here, that centres around money. In essence, the band 'sell' themselves to the highest bidding promoter, so that highest bidding promoter uses all the tricks he can to ensure that his high bid pays off. If a band chooses to include conditions on what the promoter can and cannot do, then that is likely to reduce the amount that any promoter is prepared to risk.

It's the way of the world.

Edited May 8, 2014 by russycarps

[CaledonianGonzo]

The (small) upside is that closer to the event itself you can often pick up really good seats for face value as "Newly Released Tickets" or "Production Holds" go onsale - often euphemisms for the seats in exorbitant "VIP" packages that have gone unsold or corporate seat options that haven't been exercised.

(Or you can just waltz into empty seats near the front as the gig is beginning and hope that noone else shows up to sit in them....)

[pogal]

I hate to mention their name again, but Pearl Jam fought a long, protracted legal battle with Ticketmaster over a whole range of ticketing issues and how they are sold/prices etc.

You can read more here

But, like so many other things in music, The Man always seems to win.

[hundread]

This has been very enlightening. So much so I'm slightly disappointed in my own naivety.

I'd wondered about Pearl Jam as they've got a mechanism of selling tickets via Tenclub that works on a raffle basis. You apply to the shows you'd like tickets to with a preference rating then if your name is drawn you can buy two tickets. I'd imagine said system is to ensure their fans get the best seats in the house and a fair chance of said seats. I'd wondered why such a system wasn't more prevalent with large vendors as it seems to work pretty well. I think this thread has also successfully answered that question too.

The world really doesn't work the way it should!

[LondonTom]

The (small) upside is that closer to the event itself you can often pick up really good seats for face value as "Newly Released Tickets" or "Production Holds" go onsale - often euphemisms for the seats in exorbitant "VIP" packages that have gone unsold or corporate seat options that haven't been exercised.

[Trebor]

Ah I wondered why a hundred seats or so were released the day before a sold-out Russell Brand gig I was on the guest list for, all in prime spots around me!

[atomised]

Even plenty of standing available below face valueon the secondary sites much as I hate them