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Stones having trouble selling tickets?


Dennis G

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So have the Rolling Stones finally reached the point, according to Keef, that "the fans will let us know when it's time to stop by not showing up" (paraphrasing).

 

Yesterday I got another email from StubHub on the # of tickets still available for the Orange County shows 5/15 and 5/18. Most of the prices were about half of the original email I received a few weeks ago.

 

There were full page ads in both the Sunday LA Times and OC Register pimping the concerts.

 

I just saw about a 20 second promo for the OC shows on CNN!

 

Maybe it should be "50 and Counting (Down)"???

 

I guess part of the lesson is that if they're coming near you and you plan on going, hold out on buying tickets for a bit. A lot of the seats that are still available are real good locations.

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There's been a noticeable decline in wanting to pay the kinds of prices,

that the Major Rock acts (or, their ticket sellers) want to charge. There's

a point of diminishing return, that's reached, that way. We may have reached

it, here? I don't know. It also may depend on "who" the act, is...and what

democraphic it represents most? Again...I'm not sure. But, I DO know, that

none of the people I know, personally, will pay those kinds of ticket prices,

anymore. They say, as often as not..."they'll wait for the DVD, and have a

better seat, and better sound, overall!" And, they can pause it, to go to the

head, or "fridge!" [biggrin]

 

Plus, going to any venue, for anything (Sports or Music, etc.) gets less appealing,

because of parking costs, traffic jams, cost of tickets, gasoline, baby sitters,

and even some rather nasty happenings, and/or possible incidents, around large crowded

areas, all over the world, anymore. Most, here, won't let that last "reason" deter

them, to any great extent...but, it's just something else, to have to think about, or

(God forbid) deal with, on some level.

 

CB

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this ole cat gave up on stadium, large venue shows years ago...

 

give me the smaller, more intimate venue setting like 5 rows off center stage for an ian anderson show coming up here in july.. i'm there [thumbup]

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Gotta agree with both CB and trvlr on a few points. I too, do not like large venues due to all of the above mentioned downsides. Plus, I just realize that I'm getting too old to put up with that kind of $hit LOL.

 

As to price/value/etc. the most I've paid for tix recently was a year or so ago for the Eagles at the Honda Center. We had primo seats, maybe 50 yards from center stage, on the floor. Something like $385 each.

 

By comparison, we're again seeing ZZ Top at the Pacific Amphitheatre on 8/1 for less than $60 each, with primo seats in a 15,000 seat venue. Saw them there a couple of years ago and it was just a treat and looking forward to it again. Other than that, it's DVD's and Paladia LOL

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I think 600-650 for a ticket is a bit outrageous. The Stones have a choice of a few thousand fans at a stadium who have paid $600+ for a tickets, or they can have 75,000 fans paying 60-80 for tickets. I would never pay $600 dollars to see any band/singer. Never. In fact, I'd think long and hard about paying 60-80. I'm a big Stones fan, but stupid is "stupid." I think the acts that charge these kind of ticket prices are only hurting themselves.

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I Heard something on the news that they were dropping prices and offering "specials" because sales of tickets to this tour were so slow.

 

If the Stones played a club nearby, I'd go in a heart beat, but very few bands left that I'd go to a stadium for.

 

NHTom

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this ole cat gave up on stadium, large venue shows years ago...

 

give me the smaller, more intimate venue setting like 5 rows off center stage for an ian anderson show coming up here in july.. i'm there [thumbup]

 

 

Ian Anderson solo???

 

That would be interesting.. Have seen Tull a couple of times. Most recent only a couple of years ago in a small venue.

Musically it was awesome. But as with many aging rockers,, his voice has seen better days.

 

I too am far more interested in a small venue. I saw everyone I wanted to see when I was younger. I won't travel for concerts anymore.

Only what rolls through town.

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IMX big name shows started to get silly price-wise 10 or so years ago...

 

Probably the precursor to the current global financial crisis, when promoters started to realise the true costs of staging stadium concerts... :blink:

 

The Stones have honed their stage charisma over 50yrs so perhaps deserve 'top dollar'...and particularly Mick will be aware of the balance between over and under pricing...

 

IMO there are few bands able to put a smile on one's face like the Stoney Blokes...

 

And I have noticed similar astute marketing for their previous tours...

 

V

 

:-({|=

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I think the business has turned around 180 degrees from what it was back in the day. It costs huge amounts of money to mount a nationwide tour, especially with the amount of equipment they haul around and set up/tear down etc. A couple of years ago I saw Elton John and Bill Joel at Wrigley Field. Had to park several blocks away and on the walk to the field went past the semi trailers parked that hauled in the equipment - I counted 10 of them, and there may have been more parked elsewhere.

 

Back in the day bands sold millions of vinyl albums at $5 to $10 each. The tour was a way to promote the album sales and the cost was written off against the profit from album sales. Now everyone buys a tune or two for 99 cents off the internet, or downloads it for free. So the tour has become the way to make money. The huge cost of the tour now has to be covered by the ticket sales. Thus the ticket prices have gone up from $20 to $500.

 

Don't you just love technology? [sneaky]

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Guest Farnsbarns

I'm glad I get free concert/festival tickets nowadays. The prices people charge are bonkers.

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$650 dollars to see the stones? that is the definition of MADNESS.

C'mon, in this economy.. like these jokers NEED the money! seriously..

 

I guess "a fool and his money are soon parted" applies here as well.

 

They should be showing a bit more gratitude to what would be their loyal fan base for listening to their crap all these years.

 

While I appreciate their accomplishments, I wouldn't drive across town to see a free stones show. They've never been any interest to me. I don't like them. Never have... never will..

 

to each his own.. you can have em...

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Here's a link to a front page article from today's Orange County Register. Since the OCR has recently gone "pay per view" if you will, unless you're a daily subscriber, the link may not work for you.

 

If not, short article basically outlining Stones ticket prices over the years (from '64's $5 to today's outrageous sums).

 

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/stones-508512-tour-seats.html

 

Be interesting to see how many empty seats there are for the two shows.

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$650 dollars to see the stones? that is the definition of MADNESS.

C'mon, in this economy.. like these jokers NEED the money! seriously..

 

I guess "a fool and his money are soon parted" applies here as well.

 

They should be showing a bit more gratitude to what would be their loyal fan base for listening to their crap all these years.

 

While I appreciate their accomplishments, I wouldn't drive across town to see a free stones show. They've never been any interest to me. I don't like them. Never have... never will..

 

to each his own.. you can have em...

 

C'mon Kid - tell us how you REALLY feel. [tongue]

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Saw them in San Jose on the 8th. Paid way too much, the seats weren't great and it was too loud and I enjoyed every second of it. I hadn't seen them since the free show at the Altamont Speedway in '69, I still have their first album that I bought in '63 and I decided when the tour was annouced that I was going to see them regardless of the cost. Fortunatly I had just benefitted from a small financial windfall so the tickets really cost me nothing.

I'm 66 now so I think this may be the last time I'd be able to see them so I did.

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Ian Anderson solo???

 

Not solo, has a set of musicians backing him, but he's not touring with his regular entourage on this tour. Not sure the reason...sometimes ya just need a break I guess. I've read good reviews, so looking forward to it

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I think 600-650 for a ticket is a bit outrageous. The Stones have a choice of a few thousand fans at a stadium who have paid $600+ for a tickets, or they can have 75,000 fans paying 60-80 for tickets. I would never pay $600 dollars to see any band/singer. Never. In fact, I'd think long and hard about paying 60-80. I'm a big Stones fan, but stupid is "stupid." I think the acts that charge these kind of ticket prices are only hurting themselves.

 

I just read that the Pink Floyd Experience, a tribute band that apparently tours the world doing Floyd with all the staging and lights is charging $120 plus booking fee for a show! I wouldn't expect to pay that much more to see THE REAL THING!...Just amazing what people will pay to get close to the music they love.

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