So I noticed that tickets go on sale this Friday, February 26th, for a Vampire Weekend show on September 15th (don't worry, that's September 2010, not September 2011). And that the Flaming Lips Summerstage show, in late July, is already sold out. When did we get to the point of having to plan SEVEN M*****F****NG MONTHS ahead to see a band play a gig?!?
I was about to get all "in my day" up in here, but then I did a quick search and found out that when Paul McCartney played Shea Stadium last year, 2009, tickets went on sale a month before the show. One month.
I haven't fully thought out the practical economics of this, but it seems to me that selling tickets to a sure-to-be-popular show seven months ahead of time would be a good thing for the ticket resale market (known as "scalping" in the pre-StubHub era). Resellers can snap up a big chunk of the tickets before a lot of people even realize the show has gone on sale (or realize it but hold off on buying tickets), and then rake in the cash as demand increases toward the show date.
BTW, I might post a belated review of Contra soon. Because what the world needs now is love, sweet love, and another opinion on Contra.
UPDATE: I've become aware of a regrettable omission in the above post. I neglected to mention that American Express cardholders can buy tickets via a "presale" on Wednesday the 24th. ROCK'N'F***IN'ROLL!!!!!!!!
UPDATE #2: Apparently, ticket buyers will be required to show ID and the credit card used to buy the tickets to get into the show. Which, in theory, should eliminate scalping and any possibility of getting some money out of the tickets if some kind of schedule conflict comes up in your life between now and September.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
This also allows for the opportunity of the show being cancelled. Then if you want a refund you would only get the price of the ticket back and not the $7 to $15 per ticket service fee
Hadn't thought of that. The band could get into a Brian Jonestown Massacre-style melee onstage and break up in seven months time - who knows?
Speaking of BJM, check out this new Anton interview:
http://www.imposemagazine.com/features/anton-newcombe
Whenever he opens his mouth, he can't not say amazing stuff.
Post a Comment