The cost of fandom. Just help me understand.

[TheEqualizer]

I wonder how many people applied for a new credit card (accepted one of those guaranteed offers in the mail) just so they could get tickets?

[Kiki]

I'm always envious of people who can do more than me on stuff like this. Because I'd love to get to more than one show. I'm going to try...but my opportunity came in the form of the show in Louisville, KY. I couldn't even afford the good seats. I went for the $50 seats on the track of Churchill Downs. I was literally as far away from the stage as one could get on the track. Far corner to the right near the cash bar.

But I wouldn't trade it for anything in this world. I had a blast. I was coming off a vacation to Ireland, a few deaths in my family, and this concert was more than I could imagine.

I was even shopping in the gift shop at Churchill Downs when they shut it down so Stewart could go shopping. My roommate and I slipped in, mostly because I was oblivious to security, and we went to get her a shot glass.

Things like that I'll always remember and will always be what I treasure...the music, the mood, the fans, the merchandise (yeah...spent way too much there!), the fact that I danced with a 60's go-go girl to Every Little Thing She Does is Magic.

That may be the end for me as far as The Police on tour go. I'd love to get to more, but I'm a non-traditional part-time student at a university (paying my own way without help or loans) and have a full-time job. But I do love reading about the adventures of those who go!!

Living vicariously!

~Kiki~

[TheEqualizer]

The Police = adding to the US's growing credit debt

[DirtyMartini]

Some presale tix are great; some suck. All depends on the blocks available, the venue, the market, the number of people clamoring for seats, etc. Same goes for the secondary market -- some places you get killed; others you get a bargain. Also depends on what you want. Some folks will buy uber-cheap seats just to be in the building as many times as possible; others will save up for 1 or 2 really primo seats instead.

Same goes for travel expenses -- some places are more expensive than others to get to and to stay in, etc. You just have to look at all the different options and see what the most cost effective method/location is available. Sometimes it pays to travel to somewhere remote; sometimes it doesn't -- depends on the travel and ticket costs. It's all about craploads of research, doggedness, and a bit of luck at times.

And money-wise, there's also some debt involved as well as some sacrifice. Some folks are maxing out their credit cards (I am NOT advocating that, btw); some folks are giving up other things in order to see shows. Actually, most people that I know who are grabbing multiple shows are giving up other things and going into a bit of debt for it. It's simply a matter of what kind of situation one is able to handle and whether or not one feels that situation is worth handling.

In my situation, I've given up a few things; I've taken on some debt; I've spent some hours on Greyhound; I've done quite a bit of driving; I've picked up a few expensive seats; I've picked up a few bargain-basement seats; some shows I refused to miss; some shows I am dying to attend but can't justify. I'm doing the best I can with what's available to me.

[policerule]

my very generous boss paid for 2 of my floor seats, my flight to boston and my hotel room for 2 nights there. 17 years with the company and reliable service (no, it's not what you're thinking!) has rated me some wonderful benefits. i drove an hour to all of my shows except boston, so the gas didn't kill me. i would say that the boss dropped $3000 on me for police shows, but he knows that they have ALWAYS been my favorite band and he knew how excited i was... he actually gave me his credit card and told me to go nuts getting tickets and that's exactly what i did. i ended up selling 7 or 9 of them ( i forget now ) on ebay just so that i could get the best seats.


i'd say that i've spent around $1000 with tix, expenses and misc. and that's being kind. i'm sure that if i counted all the booze i drank in philly, new york and boston, it would be a lot higher

[Kalypso]

[quote="Pdaitabird"][quote="TheEqualizer"]SC.net = the forum with member with money\Kalypso, I feel for you. I would so love to go to more shows, but I just don't see it happening. I got the mediocre $90 seats (through Ticketmaster, it was easy), and I'd want the good seats next time. I feel fortunate that I got to go once. I never thought I'd be able to see them again, period. I can't justify the debt of another one, nor can I justify doing another show and telling the kids sorry, no vacation for you next year...which is what it would be in my case.

I really hope you get a show worked out.[/quote]

Thank you! I am glad that you got to see them once, even if the tickets weren't the greatest, at least the gigatrons and the atmosphere must have partially made up for it.
I don't have children, thank goodness, because I could not afford to live in NorCal if I had. Hubs and I seeing things from completely different points of view (you know how you tell a goyim - non-Jew - from a Jew? The goyim always pays full price!) and he made me reflect on the fact that if I bought tickets right now, seeing the Police once would cost us more than one month of mortgage plus electricity and water...
It is right a comma 22, tickets go down, plane prices go up, so the most reasonable thing to do, he said, is waiting for a location where we can drive and not fly, so we can get better seats.

I must have seen hundred of concerts in my life (apart from Paul McCartney, it was always impossible to get tickets), but this has been the most cumbersome situation ever!
Should I start hoping for Oysterhead regrouped? [/code]

[policerule]

K, i would pay the same or more to see oysterhead. no joke.

[DirtyMartini]

Just an aside: $3500 for CA to TX sounds ridiculous, K -- I spent way less (per person) going across the whole continent. I'd spend a couple of hours doing some research on that cuz those numbers just don't sound right.

Oh! And another way to save on travel if it's an option -- go alone and split the hotel with a forum-mate. (And never underestimate the value of continental breakfast.)

[Kalypso]

[quote="policerule"]my very generous boss paid for 2 of my floor seats, my flight to boston and my hotel room for 2 nights there. 17 years with the company and reliable service (no, it's not what you're thinking!) has rated me some wonderful benefits. quote]
Wow! I am starting to think that you have the most wonderful boss in the world! If I didn't know you well, Edi, I would have thought that you had ~~~~~~ your boss
My "bosses" for 4 years of indented servitude gave me a $200 discount on an iBook, which I needed for working with them. (I am hoping for a 15% discount on an iPod Touch).

And DM, you really are one wise firecracker. In the end it's up to what you really want and what you are willing to sacrifice. Totally true.
And no, I don't have any debt and I hope it stays that way. Maybe because the US system is so different from us and the State does not give you squat, I am terrified of being in that situation.

[Kalypso]

DM, I know it sounds preposterous, but I calculated the shittiest prices on StubHub at the moment, which is $285 x2, and the cost of 2 plane tickets: because of the unpredictability of our jobs we cannot book a flight two months in advance, so you get totally screwed on that one.

Going alone is kind of an option and I should hope taxis are cheap in SA because I don't drive. My brother has just been to Dallas for work and told me you don't go anywhere in Texas without a car. I always get continental breakfast because I am European and eat very little in general *plus, Edi, I don't drink! .
I am pretty picky on hotels, though: it does not have to be four stars, but absolute cleanliness required.

OTOH, as EQ knows well, I suck so bad at maths that probably I did not add up everything correctly

[policerule]

you could go way cheaper than the numbers you quoted, but it still costs a pretty penny to go in somewhat of style... i.e. good tix, really clean room and transport.
i prefer to travel that way as well. i'm a happily spoiled woman sometimes. i walk in the door at the end of the day and say "hey, who do i have to b*** around here to get a hotel upgrade?!"

kidding of course, but i couldn't resist.

[DirtyMartini]

[quote="Kalypso"]DM, I know it sounds preposterous, but I calculated the shittiest prices on StubHub at the moment, which is $285 x2, and the cost of 2 plane tickets: because of the unpredictability of our jobs we cannot book a flight two months in advance, so you get totally screwed on that one.[/quote]

Still seems kinda crazy in that I got to Vancouver with 2 weeks notice for less. CA and TX aren't really all that far, so I'm surprised by the numbers.

But, if for whatever reason it does add up to that, I would look at other locations. Even though they're farther away, VA, NC, DC, GA, even MX might be cheaper options. (I got on a bus to Cleveland so that I could score tix that I could never obtain around here. It was a pain in the ass but (to me) absolutely worth every grimey Greyhound minute.)

Although I do fully expect West Coast dates to be added. The tour schedule obviously isn't finished -- they haven't even scheduled Asia yet.

[Kalypso]

[[[[[[hugs DM for her encouragement]]]]]]]]

[kimmy]

Kalypso.

Dunno about the US shows but in the UK there were so many tickets on sale via ebay and then people outside the grounds selling tickets for much less than face value.

I needed one short notice to go the Twickenham on the Saturday (entered to go to the fan club party and didn't have a ticket!!)

I bought one half price!

I guess it depends if you want to risk not getting a 'good' ticket or not?

Now I know it takes hours to fly across the US but is there a cheaper alternative to flying? Bus, train? Would that save some money? Could you make a weekend of it?

I think most of the guys here would try and do whatever to see the band, I have worked the most ridiculous amount of overtime which has paid for my tickets, and i have no children, and not much of a mortgage, and so it's not really difficult for me, but I know for others it's really tough.

I'm crossing my fingers for you!!

Kimmy

[policefan]

Re: DirtyMartini quote]
Although I do fully expect West Coast dates to be added. The tour schedule obviously isn't finished -- they haven't even scheduled Asia yet. quote]



Otherwise



[quote="Kiki"]
That may be the end for me as far as The Police on tour go. I'd love to get to more, but I'm a non-traditional part-time student at a university (paying my own way without help or loans) and have a full-time job. But I do love reading about the adventures of those who go!!

Living vicariously!

~Kiki~[/quote]




Same as Kiki except I am not a student but a non-traditional stay at home mom.