PROBLEMS WITH ADEQUATE SEATING??

[Bayou Bengal]

My hubby and I (kkb2323), went too 5 venues last tour. We ARE trying for

8-10 next tour----Fall 2012. Sure Wish It was Sooner!!!!!!

 

At 3 shows we had a really hard time getting adequate seating for my

disability. I am declared legally blind, having very limited central vision 20%

and ZERO peripheral sight. RP--Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Basically if I am past the 3rd row, 12-15 feet from the stage, all that is seen is a blurry, form of a person on stage. At 1 show (the gorge) 2nd row (Geddy side) I was close enough to see Geddy and Alex(when he crossed stage) like I can see while watching them on video.

 

Can anybody comment about issues they might have had, being accommadated for their special needs??

Some people think " she's just looking for great seats for face vaule".

 

I explain to them that I can prove ( through Dr's records) EXACTLY what my

sight limits are .

The Boxoffice says " oh no honey, you don't need all that, we trust you".

They don't even know me, I could be making lies up !!!!

 

All the venues are different yes, but Ticketmaster says they gurantee to

accommadate me according to my disability.

They think when they put you in a area for wheelchairs, your being

accommadated.

 

So actually when LIVE IN CLEVELAND came to blu ray was the first time I saw the show !!

 

ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS or IDEAS will be appreciated !!

Go LSU, GO Saints:Baton Rouge, Louisiana

See our pics on the rush.com sight (The Gorge) SIGNS AND ALL(red shirts)

[driventotheedge]

I met you guys at the hotel in Ellensburg, WA the afternoon of the Gorge show. Like most Rush fans, my first thought was "nice folks". So gald my favorite venue in the world was able to get you somewhere you were able to see a bit better. Hopefully next tour will be even better for you.

.

.

.

P.S. Go Seahawks, and your team's QB Drew Brees is a heckuva guy (he was in San Diego when I lived there).

[HowItIs]

Glad you got to see the show up front at The Gorge! I have arthritis, so sometimes I need accessible seats. The biggest problem I've run into is having to wait for the venue to contact me as the proper seats aren't available any other way. By the time they do, the seat selection is pretty poor. The best I've done is the second tier on the rail, center. It was a good view but I would have liked to try to get something closer on the center row *shrug*. Still, that show was life-changing for me.

 

 

Hope we see you at The Gorge on the CA tour!

[Lerxster]

Bayou Bengal or HowItIs, could you please explain how you went about getting those special tickets? My wife has medicals that won't allow her to stand for two songs, let alone two sets, but she doesn't qualify for handicap status yet. She hasn't seen Rush yet, and I am bound and determined to get her the seating she needs at a CA show I've never had this situation so I have been formulating my plan, such as contacting the venue they'll play at to see if they need a doctor letter.. to basically find out what their policy is. I'll assume not all venues do things the same way, but any tips you could offer would be appreciated. Feel free to PM if you'd rather discuss in private. Thanks

[Tommy Sawyer]

QUOTE (Lerxster @ Jan 2 2012, 07:15 AM)

Bayou Bengal or HowItIs, could you please explain how you went about getting those special tickets? My wife has medicals that won't allow her to stand for two songs, let alone two sets, but she doesn't qualify for handicap status yet. She hasn't seen Rush yet, and I am bound and determined to get her the seating she needs at a CA show I've never had this situation so I have been formulating my plan, such as contacting the venue they'll play at to see if they need a doctor letter.. to basically find out what their policy is. I'll assume not all venues do things the same way, but any tips you could offer would be appreciated. Feel free to PM if you'd rather discuss in private. Thanks

If you sit in an upper bowl, you don't have to do much standing.

 

I was in one in 2010 - not much standing at all. Maybe just TSOR and Tom Sawyer.

 

Just bring binoculars!

[MCM]

My only experience with special seating was the Giant Center in Hershey, Pa (this is the indoor venue there, they have an outdoor one too); a few weeks before this last Rush show in Hershey one of my nephews had to have knee surgery and was confined to a wheelchair for many weeks.

 

I already had floor seats for the four of us but knew he would not be able to be on the floor. I called the Giant Center (not ticketmaster or livenation) every day for a week to find out about a wheelchair seat for him. Every day I talked to a different person and got the same answer. They told us to show up and they would change his ticket for a wheelchair ticket. When we got there we went to the box office, they let us in before they opened the doors, changed his ticket, gave him a wheelchair seat also allowed his mom to sit with him. The wheelchair seating was at the top of the lower bowl, not as close as our floor seats but did have a good view... I was very pleased with how that venue handled the situation, they were very courteous and helpful.

 

This of course does not help someone who needs seating based on a visual needs but someone who needs wheelchair access. I guess the moral of my long winded story is to deal directly with the local venue if possible.

[HowItIs]

QUOTE (Lerxster @ Jan 2 2012, 05:15 AM)

Bayou Bengal or HowItIs, could you please explain how you went about getting those special tickets? My wife has medicals that won't allow her to stand for two songs, let alone two sets, but she doesn't qualify for handicap status yet. She hasn't seen Rush yet, and I am bound and determined to get her the seating she needs at a CA show I've never had this situation so I have been formulating my plan, such as contacting the venue they'll play at to see if they need a doctor letter.. to basically find out what their policy is. I'll assume not all venues do things the same way, but any tips you could offer would be appreciated. Feel free to PM if you'd rather discuss in private. Thanks

When buying tickets online, there is usually an option for disabled seating. When you choose this option, someone from the venue e-mails or calls you to arrange the seating and sale. You do not have to be "officially" handicapped to request such seating. Of course you are right, each venue handles things differently but according to the Americans With Disabilities Act they must provide adequate seating for your wife. I have never needed a letter but you might run into a venue that asks for one (I had to show one at Disneyland but now I just show the pass from the last visit). Calling around now to find out the policies isn't a bad idea at all. Good luck.

[Lerxster]

QUOTE (Tommy Sawyer @ Jan 2 2012, 11:27 AM)

QUOTE (Lerxster @ Jan 2 2012, 07:15 AM) Bayou Bengal or HowItIs, could you please explain how you went about getting those special tickets?  My wife has medicals that won't allow her to stand for two songs, let alone two sets, but she doesn't qualify for handicap status yet. She hasn't seen Rush yet, and I am bound and determined to get her the seating she needs at a CA show I've never had this situation so I have been formulating my plan, such as contacting the venue they'll play at to see if they need a doctor letter.. to basically find out what their policy is. I'll assume not all venues do things the same way, but any tips you could offer would be appreciated. Feel free to PM if you'd rather discuss in private. Thanks    If you sit in an upper bowl, you don't have to do much standing.   I was in one in 2010 - not much standing at all. Maybe just TSOR and Tom Sawyer.   Just bring binoculars! I'm assuming she doesn't qualify for handicap status, but she did lose her full time job last year due to her Multiple Sclerosis and Fibromyalgia. I could try for cheap seats, but I don't want to take the chance on having enthusiastic Rush fans in front of us.

[Lerxster]

QUOTE (MCM @ Jan 2 2012, 03:09 PM)

My only experience with special seating was the Giant Center in Hershey, Pa (this is the indoor venue there, they have an outdoor one too); a few weeks before this last Rush show in Hershey one of my nephews had to have knee surgery and was confined to a wheelchair for many weeks.  I already had floor seats for the four of us but knew he would not be able to be on the floor.  I called the Giant Center (not ticketmaster or livenation) every day for a week to find out about a wheelchair seat for him.  Every day I talked to a different person and got the same answer.  They told us to show up and they would change his ticket for a wheelchair ticket.  When we got there we went to the box office, they let us in before they opened the doors, changed his ticket, gave him a wheelchair seat also allowed his mom to sit with him. The wheelchair seating was at the top of the lower bowl, not as close as our floor seats but did have a good view... I was very pleased with how that venue handled the situation, they were very courteous and helpful.  This of course does not help someone who needs seating based on a visual needs but someone who needs wheelchair access.  I guess the moral of my long winded story is to deal directly with the local venue if possible.

That's great that it worked out for your nephew. Thanks

[Lerxster]

QUOTE (HowItIs @ Jan 2 2012, 06:25 PM)

QUOTE (Lerxster @ Jan 2 2012, 05:15 AM) Bayou Bengal or HowItIs, could you please explain how you went about getting those special tickets?  My wife has medicals that won't allow her to stand for two songs, let alone two sets, but she doesn't qualify for handicap status yet. She hasn't seen Rush yet, and I am bound and determined to get her the seating she needs at a CA show I've never had this situation so I have been formulating my plan, such as contacting the venue they'll play at to see if they need a doctor letter.. to basically find out what their policy is. I'll assume not all venues do things the same way, but any tips you could offer would be appreciated. Feel free to PM if you'd rather discuss in private. Thanks    When buying tickets online, there is usually an option for disabled seating. When you choose this option, someone from the venue e-mails or calls you to arrange the seating and sale. You do not have to be "officially" handicapped to request such seating. Of course you are right, each venue handles things differently but according to the Americans With Disabilities Act they must provide adequate seating for your wife. I have never needed a letter but you might run into a venue that asks for one (I had to show one at Disneyland but now I just show the pass from the last visit). Calling around now to find out the policies isn't a bad idea at all. Good luck. Thank you

[Kozmo4Rush]

Whatever you do ...

 

DO NOT GET YOUR TICKETS FROM TICKETSTODAY!!!

 

WARNING!!!

 

They sell handicapped seats at presales to the general public. I was sold a pair. So were several other fans!!! I called TT and they told me it was "..okay. We do this all the time." (Yes, I got a name!!)

 

Then it turns out, those seats were not even allowed to be sold during a presale!!

 

After a long ordeal, and intervention from ANTHEM and Americans with Disablilties Organization, TicketsToday had no choice but to reissue my tickets.

 

But.....

 

....they put me farther back. So I called ... again. So did Anthem, and someone from the AwD.

 

Two months later, I recieved tickets that I felt were reasonable.

 

I later filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and the AWD folks!

 

Best advice: Call the box office and speak with a manager. Also, most venues have a service that assists folks to their seats with wheelchairs. Call first!!!

 

Good luck with future shows!!!

 

 

[nobodys hero]

I get "accessible" seats for every show I see. Sometimes TM can help you and sometimes they will refer you to the venue itself where a manager needs to pull the seats.

If you go through the venue you may have to wait MONTHS until they see what they have left that the band doesn't use that they will sell as accessible.

 

There is generally no difference between "sight impaired" and "wheel chair" seating, which means in some venues sight impaired folks may be at the very end of a section or rows.

 

As for Kosmo's situation above he was indeed in handicapped and able bodied as he sat near me. Unfortunately there are MANY people who say thet are handicapped just to get the better seats and the truly disabled folks are in the back rows. I see this all the time at Red Rocks where able bodied folks (who admit they bought from a broker) get the first few rows and those who truly need those seats are in row 70 the last row.

[got rush?]

Hi, I am Bayou Bengal's Hubby. (kkb2323)

Sorry it took so long to post.

Thank You to all the members who have posted on

This subject. All the shows we where able to go to, (5)

SYRACUSE, THE WOODLANDS, CHICAGO(united center),

NEW ORLEANS & THE GORGE, the one venue that really

stands out is N. O., LA--75 miles from home. Yes we had to go

Through the process of emailing TM and waiting for a response.

N. O. was the only venue that ask us for proof of wife's

disability, In which we ha no problem in providing. The venue

(the Arena) still put us on the 15th row. Not bad for me, my wife

Could not see the stage. With her sight, she does fall into a certain

category that most venues are not quite sure how to handle.

She has to be close to the stage. When you tell people she is Blind,

they are thinking "if she is blind, why does she need to be close? She can't

See anyway". She is sight impaired or Legally Blind.

We tried to go to the Cleavand show, the venue told her " your blind ? Did you know

they are making a video? I don't think the band would want a blind person with a cane sitting

up front, you will be in the way" . After a few choice words, she

told her "The band would love for any fan to be up front!!!

In fact NEW ORLEANS was the show that we was back a ways. All the others where within 5 rows from stage. The United Center Box Office was the most rude, obnoxious, unpleasant

people you would ever want to talk to!! We have learned that in order to handle anything

that involved Sight impairs seating, you need to ask to speak to the venue Sales Manager or someone who handles "special needs" patrons. Once they realize your not just going to accept just any

seat they think you would be happy with, they start really trying to find seats that WILL make you more comfortable. The Gorge was two of the best seats we

had all tour. Try contacting their box office. We called 10 people just to get a person to talk to. By luck we found a phone number to a person with Live Nation, that's who we

Will call next time they show at The Gorge.

 

 

[lerxt1990]

QUOTE (kkb2323 @ Jan 7 2012, 06:33 PM)

Hi, I am Bayou Bengal's Hubby. (kkb2323) Sorry it took so long to post. Thank You to all the members who have posted on This subject. All the shows we where able to go to, (5) SYRACUSE, THE WOODLANDS, CHICAGO(united center), NEW ORLEANS & THE GORGE, the one venue that really stands out is N. O., LA--75 miles from home. Yes we had to go Through the process of emailing TM and waiting for a response. N. O. was the only venue that ask us for proof of wife's disability, In which we ha no problem in providing. The venue (the Arena) still put us on the 15th row. Not bad for me, my wife Could not see the stage. With her sight, she does fall into a certain category that most venues are not quite sure how to handle. She has to be close to the stage. When you tell people she is Blind, they are thinking "if she is blind, why does she need to be close? She can't See anyway". She is sight impaired or Legally Blind. We tried to go to the Cleavand show, the venue told her " your blind ? Did you know they are making a video? I don't think the band would want a blind person with a cane sitting up front, you will be in the way" . After a few choice words, she told her "The band would love for any fan to be up front!!! In fact NEW ORLEANS was the show that we was back a ways. All the others where within 5 rows from stage. The United Center Box Office was the most rude, obnoxious, unpleasant people you would ever want to talk to!! We have learned that in order to handle anything that involved Sight impairs seating, you need to ask to speak to the venue Sales Manager or someone who handles "special needs" patrons. Once they realize your not just going to accept just any seat they think you would be happy with, they start really trying to find seats that WILL make you more comfortable. The Gorge was two of the best seats we had all tour. Try contacting their box office. We called 10 people just to get a person to talk to. By luck we found a phone number to a person with Live Nation, that's who we Will call next time they show at The Gorge.

This steams my clams. Fo rf-cks sake, theres 10,000+ plus seats, hundreds of dollars per seat up front, and what, an average for the whole tour of what 0.7 sight impaired folks per show to accommodate? OK, ask for proof, some people are scammers, but after that, let you sit in the first bloody row or two with only one companion seat.. I mean really, is it THAT hard!?!?!?!?!?!

[HowItIs]

I'm with Lerxt1990 on this - that was incredibly obnoxious! I mean, you told them that she was visually impaired, not completely blind. What kind of idiots do they hire at that place? (metaphorical question, we can tell from your story what kind...)

 

If you have a contact at LiveNation, s/he can likely deal with getting you tickets for venues other than The Gorge, I'll bet. If the Boys really will be touring in the fall, I seriously doubt they will play the Gorge.

 

Say, you wouldn't want to share that person's name/number with the rest of us who need disables seating, wouldja?

[nobodys hero]

QUOTE (HowItIs @ Jan 8 2012, 04:41 AM)

Say, you wouldn't want to share that person's name/number with the rest of us who need disables seating, wouldja?

I was thinking the same thing.

 

Seriously though I too had to deal with the United Center and it seems they don't want to put disabled people on the floor which is the best place to see (front and center) so I was up and off to the side and not very happy .

 

I did the last tour with my friend who is nearly blind and I explained this to everyone at each box office and they still want you up and off the floor which is really frustrating if you've only got a little vision you need to be up close.

[lerxt1990]

QUOTE (nobodys hero @ Jan 8 2012, 01:17 PM)

QUOTE (HowItIs @ Jan 8 2012, 04:41 AM) Say, you wouldn't want to share that person's name/number with the rest of us who need disables seating, wouldja? I was thinking the same thing.   Seriously though I too had to deal with the United Center and it seems they don't want to put disabled people on the floor which is the best place to see (front and center) so I was up and off to the side and not very happy .   I did the last tour with my friend who is nearly blind and I explained this to everyone at each box office and they still want you up and off the floor which is really frustrating if you've only got a little vision you need to be up close. ...which leas you to want to say "what part of visually impaired don't you understand!?!??!?!"   UGH!