Update: Costello fires Ultrastar

[Divemistress of the Dark]

From an email I just sent to ElvisCostello.com:

[quote]OK, I'm really pretty goshdarn irritated by this. I just heard on the radio there's an Elvis show at the Ryman in Nashville in June - and there'll be a ticket presale on the part of this radio station starting tomorrow.

WHY didn't I get an email from you guys?! I didn't even know about the show!!! Yes, I already have tickets for Bonnaroo the week before.

The terms of my having joined the fanclub allegedly include "early access to tickets." I'd have completely missed out on good seating for this show if I hadn't happened to turn on the radio. Are you even bothering to do a Fan Club presale?

Any information would be appreciated. Also, why have we been waiting months for you to start running a message board on the website?
[/quote]



This after I'm already irritated they didn't send out any info on the Spectacle tapings so that those of us who are, you know, fans? Could have entered a contest to attend...

And we thought Police.com was bad. Seriously, I'm having to scrape up information from free email lists and Facebook, despite having paid $35 to join Costello's Official Fan Club.

So. Moral here is you're on your own, as far as getting any info on this artist or what he's up to.

[Divemistress of the Dark]

The upside...it's gonna be a killer show:

Elvis Costello & The Sugarcanes
featuring Jim Lauderdale, Jerry Douglas, Jeff Taylor,
Mike Compton, Stuart Duncan & Dennis Crouch

That there is some of Nashville's best session playing, I don't care who you are.

[TheEqualizer]

You didn't get an e-mail? I did quite some time ago. I was going to sent it to you, Jean, but I figured you already knew. Sorry.

Oh, and there was a presale.

[TheEqualizer]

Oops. The e-mail was regarding the shows in Virginia and NC. I got nothing regarding a show in Tenn. But I somehow heard about the show at Ryman, but I just can't remember where now.

[TheEqualizer]

The Ryman show is June 16 - My birthday and the 3rd anniversary of the Oysterhead Bonnaroo show.

You do know about the May 2nd show in Memphis, right?

[Divemistress of the Dark]

I did, but only because I'm on the Beale Street Music Fest email list.

Seriously. I ask you. Are we fans expected to mind-read and to check the website every goshdarn day just in case there's a show added nearby? It'd be easier to offer that rationale if there were any other reason to look over there. But they've gone weeks on end without adding any updates to the News page, and they've been promising a fan forum since last October to no avail. I'll grant you, the handful of new shows were added to the Tour page - recently, since I checked it when the Wolf Trap email went out.

I simply can't believe I would have missed not only this radio station presale, but the actual ticket onsale had I not happened to turn on the radio.

I'll let you know what lame excuse they email back - if they bother to reply at all.

ETA: You're not gonna believe this. They sent out an email offering a presale - that starts 45 minutes from now. I just edited the original thread title to reflect this info.

WAY TO LET FOLKS KNOW! For crying out freaking loud!!!!

[quote]Elvis Costello Fans,

Elvis is going out on the road! The following dates have just been confirmed:
6/10/09 - Beacon Theatre (NYC, NY)
6/16/09 - Ryman Auditorium (Nashville, TN)
8/29/09 - Chautauqua Institute Amphitheatre (Chautauqua, NY)

Because you have been such loyal fans to Elvis, we would like to offer you first access to tickets for these shows via the presale link below.

Presales will start at 3pm - local market time on Wednesday, 4/1/09.

See you at shows!

[/quote]

[empty]

I did get an email about Wolf Trap and NC- bought 3rd row in NC only to realize I can't go.
I'm pretty sure they're sold tho.

CANNOT WAIT for more dates to be announced. WHAT? no West Coast????

[Divemistress of the Dark]

OK, maybe I'll chill out a little. JUST GOT 5TH ROW on the AISLE!

And FOURTH in another section that isn't quite as good...

[empty]

email please with details????

[Divemistress of the Dark]

Check that email, sugar. Also, there's another presale tomorrow that will be good - these will all be floor seats near the stage - and I found this out the hard way, when I missed the local radio presale for the Wilco gig and wound up in the balcony. NOT that that sucks - there's literally not a bad seat at the Ryman, which only holds 5000 people. Elvis always plays like three hours there and these sidemen are going to be so good you will weep. I'm telling you. If you're a Costello fan at all and can humanly get here, this gig will be a must-see.

(The Ryman is considered the home of country music, quite literally, and everyone on earth played there from Hank to Elvis to Johnny to Patsy. Artists always - always - bring the A-game.)

ETA: I'm a fool who just can't be satisfied. Went back into the Fan Club presale, they had two more in the fifth row center so I bought 'em. Sigh. At least they're $50 tix and not $225...Y'all do let me know if anyone wants to go.

[GinaSuperCat]

Dive: Avatar + Location = Win <grin>

I have a chapter due right before Roo so this may just work out perfect!

PCat is finishing the final rounds of edits on his book ms right now, and is balls-to-the-wall on the deadline tomorrow so I'm gonna wait until he's clear of that before raising this this, but I'll tell you, magic 8 ball says "outlook is good"

We've got a drive tomorrow to a conference in Virginia so he will be a captive audience <giggle>

[Divemistress of the Dark]

EXcellent. Mwahahah.

I think I've screwed up, tho - I bought six tix and just now noticed the limit was four. Sigh. Shades of Police presale - they put all the transactions through and now I'll have to sweat to see which tix get cancelled. I may call them to see if I can negotiate. Or check the radio-station presale tomorrow to see what they've got and buy one more pair just to be safe.

ETA: OTOH - looks like the presale still isn't sold out. If they don't sell all the fan club tix, maaaaaaybe I'll get away with six tickets. Should I sit tight and see if they issue all of them?? I guess I shouldn't call and red-flag my order if I'm hoping to score all six of them...

[Divemistress of the Dark]

Just now in the inbox...No wonder we're fans. I won't imagine my impassioned screed from yesterday made much difference, but I did post it on Costello's group on Facebook...

[quote]The expression, "a dog's breakfast" comes to mind.

If you don't know it, then I'm sure you can look it up on the internet. Perhaps you're better at these things than I have proven to be. I got into rock and roll to get away from computers.

Nevertheless, the most recent version of "www.elviscostello.com" started out with the best intentions and we thank our friends at Ultrastar for their efforts but I have come to the conclusion that this model is never going to work for me, so we are shutting it down.

So, gentle subscriber, we thank you for your interest and must offer you one of two options.

The first is a full refund of your subscription.

The second is a credit for download features on a new site which is currently under construction.

It will no longer be subscription based but will offer unique content for download, both free items and those for which payment will be required.

Given your recent experience, I'd take the money and run, I just wouldn't spend it all at once on those overpriced reissues people are always trying to sell you...

Steal everything you can.

You can only go to hell once...

Your Fiend Indeed, Elvis Costello [/quote]

[GinaSuperCat]

some faith reestablished in the music world...thank you darlin <grin>

[DirtyMartini]

I think I'm in love.

Thanks, DD.