STEWART COPELAND

I got an email from Live Nation today inviting me to join a personal ticketing service; here's an excerpt of the email:

"As a member, you get more music while we take care of the mundane. It's simple. We send you a list of the latest shows in your area before the public on sale date, you reserve the ones you want and we take care of the rest."

Nothing mentioned about fees. I sent an email to ask. I'm sure it's way above what I'd ever spend but I am curious. I already got a reply saying it depends on the location and venues I'm interested in, so I replied with that info. Given THAT, I'm really sure this is going to be a small fortune. It sure will be interesting to see how this affects stuff like fan club presales.

WOW. Thanks for the info, Susan, but sheez....what a racket. Now they're going to right up front tell people they have to pay a premium to even have a shot at good tickets for shows.

Seriously, where's the attorney general on this?!? Granted, promoters have the right to charge what the market will bear, but the Ticketmaster monopoly is really screaming for regulation, if you ask me.

But then, I'm a socialist, according to some

Dive, I know what you mean.
On the one hand, I work for a business that provides services and we aim to make a profit and so on. But this is probably an inevitability given that their parking passes also sell for $$$ on top of ticket costs.

the downfall I see (for us, not for Ticketbastard/Vile Nation) is that scalpers have probably already signed up, it's just another cost of doing business.

We need more Bruces and Pearl Jams speaking up. We need U2 to tell them to fuck off and set up their own money-making, yet reasonably priced, ticketing system. (I admit, I don't feel SO strongly about this that I am willing to sell my U2 tickets, however).

Well, and looked at a certain way, it's probably along the lines of another trend about which I'm not crazy: Airlines gouging passengers to avoid long lines at security, to have enough room to actually place yourself and your stuff as opposed to being crammed into a tiny seat with no legroom, etc.

It just doesn't seem right, but in a way you can't blame 'em for charging what the market will bear.

The shitter, tho, is that you'll have to pay this flat fee up front, even if you don't buy many tickets for stadium shows. I dunno, still might be more economical to just buy from scalpers if you're not a person who's a huge fan of bands that play mega-arenas.

I heard back from them. For the NYC area a one year membership is $1500 which will include a few free tickets to selected events (selected by them) and presale access to about 5 shows.

Now if you were a person who joins a lot of bands' fan clubs, and all those bands charged $100 to $150 each, then you would be okay.

Needless to say, I'm not buying into this thing.

Um, yeah, if you were a person who joined ALOT of fan clubs.
Say, like a scalper.

It sounds like they're just trying to skirt the legislation that bands the Ticket Now racketeering that has been passed in three Canadian provinces and is being considered in other jurisdictions. They'll still make outrageous profit from those who are able to pay a crazy amount for tickets and leave only lousy tickets or none at all for the rest of us.

But, like Dive, I've been accused of being a socialist, as has each of the three provinces.

Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

BTW, I don't know if anyone else has kept following this site since their early interview with Stewart, but if you don't, you really should:

http://www.download-not-available.com/

You'll get a lot of insight into the marketing strategies in live entertainment these days. It's fascinating stuff, whether or not you agree with or like their point of view...

For the sequel to Wall Street, they should have Gordon Gecko in charge of Vile Nation.

[quote]For the NYC area a one year membership is $1500 [/quote]

ACK!!! HACK!!!! PTUI....

SEriously?! Jesus F Christ on a handcar. That's just ridiculous. And yet, you know ppl. will pay it....

Sheez. Man. I'm glad I'm not nuts about more bands that play arenas.

Unfreaking real!!!!!!!! Hello, we are in a recession people. How can they expect people to pony that up in this economy? I don't get it. There is NO WAY that deal can be worth the $$$. Really, some of the stuff that people in the "service" industry decide is a good idea to try to sell to us schmucks is unreal. As if just selling a quality service isn't a good idea, they feel need to come up with other "products" (CRAP) that nobody needs. It's all BS.

I know, I know. I couldn't even muster the strength to type a reply except for "holy shit, woman, are you smoking crack?"

I didn't think that would be nice so I didn't reply.

Sockii, that site looks VERY interesting and I will bookmark it for future reading. I saw the article dated today about "earning" customers vs "owning" and I think that mentality has led to a lot of dissatisfaction among consumers in general. all too often the attitude is "if you don't like it, there's another person right behind you willing to buy whatever crap I'm selling."

And this is what Live Nation is counting on.

Meanwhile, I am still waiting for my fan club gift from u2.com (which is being run by a Live Nation company). Hmm.