Wingmaster

Since Neil is probably done with touring after this tour, I found his replacement.

 

 

LOL

 

Perfect

 

They can open their next show with the original Hawaii-Five-O theme.

I'm 6'3. I stand at concert and sporting events. I usually tell the people behind me in advance to give them fair warning. I just spent $1,400 on 4 Rush tickets for the show in Austin. You better damn well believe I'm going to be standing on my feet all night and not sitting on my hands. If that bothers the people behind me (who probably spent close to the same pre ticket) then I'm sorry, but that's the risk you take. It's a rock concert. What do people expect?

 

It's unreasonable to expect people on the floor to sit. JMO

 

I do not consider that to be the case in the stands however. Last tour in we had three drunk people in front of us standing, and not such that you could move to a spot and look around them, but flailing their arms, moving all around, interchanging seats with their sitting buddies at times, it made the concert for me and my family unpleasant and difficult to watch in peace. They literally, single-handedly, had a good chunk of the section behind them standing whenever they decided to stand, when otherwise <I>everyone</I> sat down.

 

I think that it's unreasonable for people in the front rows of the upper sections to stand and expect everyone else to do the same. The floor is different for several reasons, one that you stated, people pay money and the expectation is to stand, even for me, but also because it's not elevated seating, so it makes more sense.

 

Quite frankly, I'd be in favor of simply open floor space w/o seats on the floor. They could sell some more tix too. Everyone stands all the time, so the seats just get in the way.

Xanadu

Anthem

All their instrumentals

Marathon

Chain Lightning

 

I'm not sure that Geddy's capable of doing justice to many songs anymore tho since he can't hit the high notes. So songs like Anthem might be difficult or a problem.

Mission.

 

 

 

Seriously.

 

LOL

The final non-encore song will be The Garden, no question about it.

That's 1 way to clear out the arena

 

LOL

Anybody else thinking about skipping this tour?

 

 

 

No, not a chance!

 

Row 1 of section 303 in Bristow, VA for a pretty reasonable price. Taking the family of five including myself.

Is Losing It finally appropriate to play on tour? Any chance they'll play this Signals song?

 

LOL

 

Indeed, I've been thinking the same thing. It sure is appropriate. Hope they do.

Either way- you will love it - bring earplugs, even if you only have him put them in partly - protects his hearing and I think he will enjoy the sound more.

 

Congrats and Enjoy!

 

Great point on the earplugs. The sound definitely is improved. Musician's earplugs even better but they cost more.

I'm kind of under the impression that this tour isn't going to be as long as CAs. Maybe I'm off.

 

If so, I hope they do Baltimore again, the accoustics were great there last time.

 

I think that Bristow is pretty much sold out though except for some back corners and lawn.

I'll be enjoying rush from the lawn this year. the lawn is my home.

 

Lawn has its advantages as well. Get there early and you get front seats lawn. Always nice. Nothing blocking the view.

There's peace of mind in having tickets locked in, and as you've said you'll have a kick ass time regardless of where the seats are.

 

So far everything I've seen regarding tickets for this particular tour are just a bit off normal, yeah typically you can hold out until a week or so before show date and score tickets but that might not be the case this time in many cities. Anxiety is ramped over over what's likely the last major tour, limited number of dates with no promise of a secong leg...its a perfect storm for price gouging and fan frustration enhanced with chaos and confusion over this and that pre-sale, phantom VIP pre- sales with mere handfuls of tickets for us fans, Ticketmaster issues and StubHubbery gone wild.

 

First time in forever we're going to hit just one stop on a Rush tour as well as not having seats in the first 10 rows but it just wasnt meant to be this time; I'm just going to savor the hell out of our one show (Newark) :codger:

 

LOL at the character, but you're spot on on that!

 

Same here, We got good center first-row tix further back, I'm not filming, I'm not standing, I'm bringing binoculars, and I'm just going to take in the entire show. Anyone having tix will be rewarded wtih a fantastic evening!

 

The band said that they want to so something special for the fans too, so who knows, maybe it'll be a giveway for everyone or something special. Shit, I'd take a free bottle-opener and put it on my keychain for the rest of my life, which may not be that much longer, LOL.

he'll be fine wherever - i'd go a bit further back than those 3rd row seats to make sure he has a good perspective of the screens.

 

my son's coming with me - he's 11. his first show was in 2010. we're in row 11, first row of 2nd bank of floor seats. can't wait. seeing rush with your kid is the best - just prepare for the emotion of songs like time stands still -- whoa.

 

Oh yeah, that's the other thing, which is what I considered for my family and my two girls who are 7 and 10, the further back you are the better perspective you'll have of the entire show. Is your son more enamored with seeing the boys up close, or getting to see the entire show, which might be their best ever, from further back?

 

What if, for example, you could get front row seats in section 120 for that one, it'd be off the floor with no one in the way and dead on front view that might be second to none for the big picture.

 

Just some thoughts.

Personally, I'd sell them and try to get front row in the lower bowl or mezzanine somewhere. The bass pumping through your body on the floor is a bit intense for a 9 YO.

 

I'll disagree with this, he'll love that part of it.

 

At 4'9" he'd probably be fine, just realize you guys will be standing the entire time, and for a Rush show, that will likely feature a half-time where you'll likely be using to hit the heads and get a drink or whatever, i.e. still standing/walking, it could be 3 hours on your feet or close to it. Make sure he's up for it.

 

Secondly, whatever you do think this thru and don't sell your tix prematurely. I realize you're not trying to make money, but I'll be a babboon if you'll have to sell them at a loss. Take your time, they're only going to increase in value if you ask me.

 

Have you thought about, given the circumstances, trying to get row 1 or two right up front center for the tix you do have?

 

Otherwise, those 3rd row tix sound pretty good and he'll be fine behind only two rows of people.

 

Whatever you do, you've got a couple of months, think things thru and consider all of your options. Believe me, you'll have no trouble getting what you paid for either set unless you got them from resellers to begin with.

I have an acquaintance who is one of the biggest brokers in NY. I once asked him about this and his response was " we will ALWAYS get seat listings before they are available. Sometimes it is from the venue or artist and sometimes it is from the people who hold memberships. Either way, we ALWAYS get the seats ahead of time"

 

Right, it's a corrupt industry. The fans are the last people considered.

For $3,100 Rush had better be playing in my living room. Those prices are ridiculous.

 

Shit, for $3,100/pp I expect them to treat me to dinner, play in my living room, and have one of their lackeys give me a foot massage during the performance.

If you're going to take any pictures or video at all... word from the wise and been there done that! Don't waste your time you only miss the real show! And the quality that will turn up on YouTube will blow you away with some of the setups these peeps sneek in. Then you say to yourself damn I missed this and that. My favorite shows are the ones that I watch and sing every song to!

Mike

 

I can't second that enough. I see so many people wasting time filming. I prefer to watch the show. I'm one of the few that actually still brings binoculars when my seats are not up front.

I agree 100%. The ticket business is one of the biggest criminal organizations on the planet.

 

It really is, it's f'n messed up.

 

I read years ago that companies, subsidiaries owned (essentially) by TM are able to buy the tix at the original price and then legally mark them up for resale.

 

Someone's mouth in that industry was stretched to a size 7 poopshoot in order to legalize ticket scalping way back when.

 

For some insight on that reference ...

 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bl6z03A5zRs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

If it makes you feel better the most I could afford for my family, 5 of us, was section 300 at Jiffy Lube Live where the accoustics suck moose balls.

I wonder if the reselling companies, which by my understanding are either related to or subsidiaries of TM, bought them all.

 

I read somewhere years ago that when the tix go on sale those companies have it all lined up to "push a button" and within seconds have all the best seats that they pre-selected.

 

How convenient, it would allow TM to charge even more without adding a shred of value.

 

I'm sorry, but I'm in the camp that life was a lot more pleasureable prior to all this technology.

Having read Neil's most recent book, I do believe this is it, and I sense Alex and Ged had to twist his arm pretty hard to committ to tour this year. They may play select shows here and there (Toronto, LA, NYC) in the coming years but I doubt we see a long tour with full stage production after this one.

 

In a way, I'm ok with that, they'll still be going out while in great form, not what they were in their 20's or 30's but still capable of awesome musicianship. I just turned 55, can't imagine doing what they do at 60 plus...

 

I've seen too many of my favorite bands from the 70's (Stones, Who, Jethro Tull, etc) carry on well past their prime and it's sad really.

 

Yes, it is not only sad, but embarrassing to watch as well, especially when you remember what they once were.

 

It's funny, I remember seeing Kansas, after Livgren left, after Steve Walsh's voice went out, at an outdoor venue in Upstate NY with maybe, maybe, 1,500 people there. It ruined my image of the band even though all but two of the members were not even original.

 

I detest Kevin Cronin, but I heard a live tune from him recently and he sounded like a wounded chipmonk with REO. They've been touring at least 10 years too long. Give it up Kevin! HIs ego won't allow it.

 

Could you imagine Zeppelin doing something now? UGH! It would incinerate every good memory.

 

Rush's members have the good sense not to do this. Any good fan would support that.

I remember a kid in high school telling me about seeing Rush on the Counterparts tour (at this time, I had only listened to Chronicles (stopped at Subdivisions) and RTB) and how the tickets were $80. I worked all summer and had a budget of about $100/month, and I remember thinking that this kid was crazy. But this is capitalism. If people continue to pay the prices, the prices will go up. If not, they'll come down.

 

It's funny, if I can find them, I think that the stubs to the first concert I went to for Rush was $8.50. We used to go directly to the War Memorial Box Office to save the $1 service charge per ticket.

I love how these posts sometimes go. I never thought this one would end up as a discussion about how/why or what bands charge for tickets. My only question was whether or not Rush had priced anyone else out of this tour. I for one am a school teacher with very limited funds. I am definitely priced out!-- At least as far as taking my family goes. It's really sad actually. We are a Rush house. We look forward to tours and we've even traveled a bit. This would have been my 11-year-olds 4th show and the third for my 8-year-old. It will be the first tour I have missed since Signals. Bummer.

 

As for the direction of this post: I truly believe that bands, especially Hall of Fame bands with serious draw and clout, can have as much say as they choose when it comes to ticket prices. I think we Rush fans give the boys a certain amount of plausible deniability (yes, that's a T4E reference). Don't you all think that Eddie Vedder could get $200 a pop if he wanted to? Why do you think he settled for such a low ceiling on the last tour? Well, we know he hates ticketmaster, and we know he truly loves his fans. I think that Rush love their fans too-- just in a very different way.

 

I hear you, but compared to other ticket prices, I really don't think that Rush is out of line. I'm sure you can get lawn seats at an outdoor venue for $40 or so, maybe less at the time on craigslist or something. Granted, not the best "seats," but still, you can get in. When the Rolling Stones, The Who, some of these huge pop stars come, basic tix are often $200. That I don't get.

 

The days of $20 seats are long gone. Again, I think you give too much lattitude for what the band can contribute to the charges.

 

Also, let's keep in mind, this is tough work for 60-year old musicians. We cannot expect them to do it out of the goodness of their hearts, they have lives too and even only tour b/c of the fans. At some point, in their shoes, you also have to realize that there's a price that makes it worth it and anything less than that and not so much.

 

It's easy to sit here and talk about how the band should cut us all a break, but they make sacrifices too. When I'm that old I hope that I don't feel obligated or need to for financial reasons, have to do something as physically stressful and demanding as a tour like that.

 

I for one would not want to go to a concert at which they felt undercompensated to the extent that it might reflect in their energy level or level of performance and that they were just doing it out of a deflated sense of obligation.

 

I hear ya though, but I really think that a good chunk of the ticket prices go to other elements besides the band and that they have less control over much of it than we think.

 

Also, these M & Gs, which I have no interest in, are what cost so much. And rather than tickets in the first 20 rows on the floor, how about within the first three rows on the sides up front? I've never had troubles getting those for relatively reasonable.

 

In Charlotte for the CAs tour I got tix first row in the first part of the second level, off the floor, directly facing the stage across the arena. Had a fantastic time and sat throughout most of the show, very relaxing, allowed me to focus on the music. It's all a matter of perspective.

Funny responses.

 

I was in row 9 for the Hershey show two years ago. It was great. I'm tall though, probably one of the tallest people on the floor, as in I feel sorry for anyone behind me. And I am sympathetic, but what can I do.

 

At the same time, depending upon the venue, I often prefer to sit in the front row of a section off the floor. This gives me the option of just sitting an enjoying the music. I'm not one to take vids or pics and post to facebook during the show, I'm one to take in every sight/sound and make the most of it for my memories. Pics just aren't the same to me.

 

Tix in front rows of great sections are much less expensive and usually more readily available upon public sale. They also aren't as hunted by the shylocks for legal resale.

 

It really depends upon what you want. I would do at least one show with great seats on the floor, but I can enjoy the show from anywhere.

 

I'm also not a meet & greet kinda person. I'd pay to be able to sit and chat with them over dinner on me, but just to walk by and shake hands doesn't do it for me. It's the Limelight theme in reverse.

Yes, they know you will pay any price to see them. That bothers me that advantage is taken of love for the band.

 

I think this is where I am as well. The notion that the band has NO control over pricing is just not true. The band CHOOSES to not have control over pricing. Springsteen has control, Pearl Jam has control. Bands can have control if the want it.

 

My current plan is to "pick-up" a show on the day-of if the mood and the wallet meet up in harmony. The $600.00 that would have been spent taking the family to see Rush will be spent on a condo at our favorite ski resort during Spring Break. This makes me really sad but I have to think bang-for-the-buck.

 

Agreed. Some people here that probabaly have jobs paying well into 6-figs, some maybe much more, just act as if everyone has a cool grand to throw around. I also notice that some are older individuals or couples that probably don't have families with young kids and the like. Try explaining to your family that you couldn't do that Memorial Day annual weekend at the beach because you decided that it was more importent to have a front-row seat for Rush or any band for that matter instead. Wouldn't make me much of a Dad now, would it.

 

Bandmembers decide to turn down hundreds of K to be able to have some time with their families, how much more so for a family that has to choose between a family vacation, perhaps the only one of the year, and a ticket to a concert for one person, or perhaps just Mom & Dad!

 

I'm old enough to remember, as are many here, when concert tix were gotten directly at the box office with no fees whatsoever. Nowadays they even charge you fees even if you get the tix directly from the arena/venue. This is a societal thing that has developed. Companies, originally started by Ticketmaster, are legally allowed to make arrangements to purchase tix ahead of time simply to resell them. There is no value-added, it's purely greed.

 

I don't think that a lot of the bands like it anymore than the fans, but the music industry has been so corrupted it should be shameful.

Alex, on what he thinks should be on his own tombstone: “Oops! Sorry.”

 

LOL