The cost of fandom. Just help me understand.

[plutonic]

I've been extremely fortunate this tour. My experience is somewhat like DM's and Sockii's in that I've prioritized practically everything in my life this year around the tour. That means time and money. I looked at it like Sockii: The Police were my vacation this year.

I had a mix of good and fair seats. (There really aren't any bad seats..) Some places I went whole hog, and some places I paid the minimum to get in the house.

In my experience with TPT pre-sales, the seats were middling at best. I had better luck with some general sales tickets, one BestBuy ticket. I also picked Auctions in small markets with my brother. They ended up being just over face, and were well worth it. Buying later can be advantageous, 'cause venues release seats later. I went to at least one show 'cause I couldn't pass up the ticket deal I found.

I picked places where I had friends to stay with, and some here can attest that I crashed on floors, or not at all. (That 3am train ride back to DC was fun, huh, Conroy!)

I have personally dropped way more money than I care to admit on these shows.

I have also been the recipient of some really incredible generosity from family and even strangers who are now friends. My fam knew how important The Police were to me and they chipped in on two tickets. The biggest miracles of all, however, came from some of you sc.netters (TPT'ers, too.) Thanks to you who've enabled me to shows. This year has been the bomb!

[Kalypso]

Oh, Kimmy! If I still lived in Europe I would have seen already 3 or 4 shows, no question about it...
Public transportation, trains, friends everywhere....No prob at all. As I have done all my life.

Now every time I come to Europe to visit my family (and it's becoming increasingly difficult with a rate of 0.6 dollars for 1 EUR) I must go to Italy and stay there, make the maximum of my visit because I don't know when the next time will be. But if I were there now I would have certainly gone to Milan.

[Madgrad]

[color=indigo][/color]For me it started out as one show-- Wrigley, where I had "shitty at best" seats, but hey, I was there. At the end of July a college friend from NY and I decided to meet in Baltimore at the Virgin Festival (wayyyyyy too old for festivals, but anyhow). I took the train up from NC, which was LONG, but not so bad since I have two kids under 5 and rarely get time to myself . During the planning stages I just happened to be on eBay at the right time and got two floor seats for Giants Stadium for $200, so we turned it into a weekend and road tripped up to Jersey.

I think I've spent around $600 (that's tickets and travel) so far. I'm currently trying to convince the hubby that I MUST see them again in Charlotte, but I have my doubts. He humored me for the east coast shows, but he's not keen on my spending big $$$ for yet another show. At this point I don't want to "just be there"-- I want GOOD seats! Have considered asking family to donate to my "Police Fund" in lieu of birthday and Christmas gifts this year. That would be tacky, though-- wouldn't it?

[empty]

Ok, well, interesting and many true statements here!

Kaly, I feel for you. I also know that when tickets first came out, I balked and said "no way." After all, I have 3 kids, live in SoCal, and have never ever paid for concert tickets before (many know I used to be in the biz. that's not a brag but there was a cultural hurdle to get over there.)

I have not paid for concert tickets since 86. Nuff said. Last time I saw the boys, I spent my $30 welll earned dollars each to go and push my way and batt my teenage eyelashes to the front. long time ago.

So, I resisted. Then the LA shows approached. I was surfing ebay and craigslist and saw some deals. Some too good to be true..... But I called. And Viola. I saw the boys at Staples for $100 each for $200+ each seats. 100 level near the VIP bar. Not bad.

Found 4 tickets from a TPTer (before I ever logged on there) for $100 each. The guy had to fly out on a business trip, and he just wanted some of his money back. Last minute deal.

I also have the blessing and the curse of having to travel for my job. Sometimes, it sucks. I miss my girls. But, on a few occasions, it has enabled me to see the boys. I would NOT be going to Europe if it were not for a work trip to Vienna. And I am not even in Vienna when they are.

Had to be in Boston for the summer. Bought a cheap seat on eBay that was on the floor, and Sockii had an extra night 2. Lucky lucky me.

Jimminy, I am looking at a seminar series I planned and have to fly to 7 cities between now and Xmas. My bummer? I am in many cities a week or 2 out from the East Coast dates.

I wasn't going to CHAlloween. But I have a meeting now in NY on the 1st. And NancyRose has helped enable me with a ticket. I am paying, but....

With some of the tickets, we got TPT presales and bought an extra code: We split it for ways. I got 3rd row Wembley for face plus $25 USD. Not too shabby.
I am paying too much. But I got some stupidly cheap deals, and some not so cheap. So, it is evening out. And I have made some great friends and am enabling them and returning the kindness passed on to me.

This whole tour has somehow become a great place to make friends, hang with new people, and pay it forward, so to speak.

If you could get your buns to NYC, I'd make sure you had a chair or floor to sleep on, and one of my extra tickets girlfriend!

To me, that is what this place is all about.

Mutual satisfaction?
No, just sharin' the love.

If I got some, you can have it. If you got some, pass it over!

Ok. way too hippie for me, but you get my drift!!!!

[empty]

OH, and Policerule dear, I know you have drank more than $1000 this tour- based on Boston alone!

[jedsoon]

I personally can't justify the expense of traveling out of state just to see a concert. That's true no matter WHO's playing. If my income level were higher, i'm sure that wouldn't be an issue. The ticket prices are also quite absurd IMO. So far, i've only been to one show. I did break my out of state rule, but it was a multi-day event. Even if i paid precious little attention to the other musical attractions, the multi-cultural aspect of Bonnaroo and connecting with friends plus some other experiences i had made it worth it.

In the past, when i saw a band multiple times, it usually just never had the same impact the second time around, unless i'd allowed a little time to pass. So i have little motivation to see them again this tour. UNLESS they come to NC and i just get a wild hair...

Did somebody say Charlotte..?

[sockii]

I will say those of us on the East Coast ARE fortunate that so many shows were drive/train/bus-able over reasonable distances and at reasonable costs. Quite honestly that's the only way I could manage so many shows this year -- I only flew to one, and that was a show I chose wisely because of the friends I knew would be there that I really wanted to go to a concert with. I had people all over the country inviting me to see shows with them, but I knew at $200-300 a plane ticket (at best prices I could find), that would cost me a ticket to a show I could afford locally instead, so...I had to make choices. I've missed and am missing other shows I logistically could make because of work I can't give up if I want to afford going to OTHER concerts, so...yeah. More choices that had to be made.

One more travel tip I'd add to the list: Priceline. And use biddingfortravel.com to figure out how low you can bid on a hotel room to get what you want. I've gotten $150+ listed hotel rooms for $50-60 that way. I know other folks have saved big on car rentals through them as well.

[conroy]

[quote="plutonic"]
I picked places where I had friends to stay with, and some here can attest that I crashed on floors, or not at all. (That 3am train ride back to DC was fun, huh, Conroy!)
[/quote]

Yep, I slept great on the train after tanking up at the Irish pub across the street from Penn Station! Those early morning trains are great because you are almost assured of having both seats to yourself and the white noise of the train lulls you to sleep. The Challoween train ride home should be a blast!

[sockii]

[quote="jedsoon"]
In the past, when i saw a band multiple times, it usually just never had the same impact the second time around, unless i'd allowed a little time to pass. So i have little motivation to see them again this tour. UNLESS they come to NC and i just get a wild hair...
[/quote]

See, my problem was I was just so overwhelmed the first show I went to -- Dallas -- that I actually barely remember the concert itself now. It was just so surreal to be there that it all went by in a complete blur. I didn't really start to appreciate what I was seeing until the second show (Philly), and each show seemed to have more and more impact on me instead of the other way around...

[policerule]

that sounds familiar sockii... i seem to remember more of the shows highlights as i go along. i barely remember philly or boston, but we all know why thanks to megan outing me as a complete drunk ( i was ). in philly, i was just soooo freaked out to be seeing them for the first time, that i just jammed my ass off and didn't really pay attention to the show too much. i didn't have good seats that night either (as you might remember sockii), so it didn't really matter.

i cried at my 3rd show at msg, so that was quite memorable. i think that's when it hit me. so my last show should be the best and i'm going to try to absorb everything - shouldn't be hard from 4th row - tee hee!

all of my expenses were pretty spaced apart too and i drove to all but one, so i'm just winging it as i go along.... i haven't had to charge anything YET.

i'm going to try priceline though... i've heard good things from other's too.

[Kalypso]

Yes, Edi, when we travel for work we use Priceline and it's really convenient, often you stay in a 4 star because they don't sell all the rooms. Expedia and the others are not even close.
Even in Hawaii, high season, we found nice hotels to stay for $50 to $ 75 a room per day.

[Susan]

[quote="Kalypso"]OK, I have to ask this. And sorry if you feel like I am asking inappropriate questions, but I really cannot fathom this.
How do you do it? (i.e. following the band going to more than one concert AND flying abroad too?) [/quote]

It's not a bad question at all. How I have managed:
I had a sting.com fan club membership since around 1999 or 2000, when Brand New Day came out. Sting.com members were offered a free TPT.com membership when the reunion stuff all started. This was a huge break for us--some may scream when they read this but remember these are the people who were buying tickets for all his solo tours and so on.

So between friends with Best Buy REward zone memberships, the fan club membership, and being fortunate to live in NY where there have been a good number of shows...it's been manageable to see a few shows. My only travel was for Vancouver and I needed a vacation anyway.

[empty]

I would suggest join BB rewardzone now. It's too late for the presales for the fall East Coast shows(had to have been live by Sept 1st) but I think you could be in luck for spring West Coast shows.

Kaly, I will bet my undies there will be West Coast shows.
You want the plain black or the La Perla if I lose? I will wager the La Perlas sweetheart- that is how confident I am!

(like I said there would eventually be a DC show too... Not smart, just obvious)

it's free to join. And the seats aren't the front row, but they don't SUCK, and then at least you get to have a good seat for face...

[Kalypso]

Thank you, dear, I wear only Cosabella...I am a sucker for my favorite brands...but we could always bring a clean LaPerla sexy thing to throw onstage
Now we are bringing the thread below the waist [I appreciate your wishes very, very much.]

[kimmy]

Kalypso....

I don't want to get your hopes up here...... but.....

Us Twickers lot were talking about the tour and that these shows in London would probably be the last ever.......

I know the band are back on your side of the pond then over the Oz and asia....

We thought they would then come back to the states to finish?

If they are near home (Stewarts and Andy's) at the end of the tour then that's good for them and for you!!!

I personaly think Stewart has read your threads about you are fed up and is teasing you!!!

Have heart (And keep your fingers crossed!!!!!)


Kimmy