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Becoming very frustrated with Ticketmaster


Zurisht
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I went to the box office at the Amalie Arena in Tampa I thought that would be my best bet having to avoid the whole Ticket Master dibacle. I have had great success using his method in the past and fortunately Tampa is a well visited city. In the way past it seemed they would try to visit the area during spring break due to the fact the Toronto Blue Jays have their spring training just across the bay. I even checked the Tampa Bay Rays schedule ( for $#!ts & giggles) to see if they hosted the Blue Jays near May 24th (the Tampa date) on a Sunday night ughhh lol. Anyhoo going directly to the box office is a doable senario for me for Tampa shows. I have even waited long after the start of ticket sales and ended up with pretty decent seats. Tampa is not like a northern city so eventhough there is a considerable amount of Rush fans down here shows very rarely sell out within the 1st month or two or even at all. Don't get me wrong there is always a good showing and enrgetic crowds. It,s just the following is not prolific down here. Now I have been backstage (GUP/PW warm up tour Lakeland FL 03/11/1985)-BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE!!!- on the general admission floor (anyone remember those daze?) 1st, 6th, 12th row. 1st, 2nd level Alex's side Geddy's side center etc. lawn (various venues, various cities 1981 to present), I even sat outside of the Ford amphitheater TM tour 10/01/2010 when I was layed off during the great recession and had to feed my family and couldn't afford to buy tickets. Many experiences during my long tenure as a Rush fan concert attender. So I figured with all the hype and my own reasoning that this may be the last opportunity to be able to see these guys perform live again in my/their lifetime. I figured I better go t the box office the day tickets went on sale. Not too big of a crowd when tickets went on sale at 10am I0-12 people ahaed of me (in my line). I'm thinkin good deal I'll be scoring some decent seats. then I start hearing the others in front of me grumbling and incredulous comments on what seats are avalable. by the time I am 3 peeps back only 3rd level available wOw this is a new experience for me lol. So when it's my turn the sweet lady does "best available" search for two seats together like 3 rows up 3rd level off center center Ged's side $75 a pop another new experience for me shelling out that amount out for 3rd Level !!! I can already hear my wifes voice in the back of my head, thank God it was my 51st Birthday so I had a solid out lol. So when I ask if there is a chance there may be two seats in a wee better spot the lady says if she looks there will be a chance I will lose the "good" seats I have. I immediately think conspiracy! lol so not wanting to take a chance of getting pushed farther up where I may need to have oxygen lol and that with an arena I couldn't just sit out side, I took'em. Now as I metioned before and one who is reading this may have come to the conclusion that my view is "in there at all is where it's at" I actually in my old age prefer to be towards the back upper 1st level lower 2nd level center stage. IMPO it is the best mix of sound waves that are generated and eminating from the stage collide for a very well mixed sound. it seems the closer to the stage on the floor more of the music is shot over your head and a bit muddled impo. It is also provides a more visual experience to see the whole interaction and movements of the light show and lets not forget the big video screens so you can see an edited view of the boys up close. I know you don't get to see the famed interaction and funny poses or be able to catch a tee shirt but to me it just sounds better set back a bit. So I have to find my binoculars and let the anticipation start building that I will be in there! and that is where it's at!... Edited by Crimsonmistymemory
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A friend of mine just texted me. Apparently they are putting tons of good tickets back in the system after nearly all 10, 000+ seats magically sold out in 6 hours to a concert that has had almost no publicity beyond a brief mention or two on the radio.

 

Goddamn scalpers...goddamn venues in cahoots with the scalpers...

Edited by USB Connector
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It is just as well I'm not going. What would I do trying to get a ticket with only a dial up connection?

Try Craig's list down the road. Someone will be selling unneeded tix at face value.
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Yeah, it's absurdly priced. Might have to go for some nosebleed seats this time around, sadly.

 

I wonder if the prices would be this outrageous if it hadn't been mentioned that this would be the "Last tour of this magnitude"?

 

I've mentioned this too. I think it has a lot to do with it.

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It's a real crapshoot. For CA I just went with the flow and scored at the back of the floor of B B &T Center, close to the mixing table. Decent seat saw everything both direct to stage and video screens, and way LOUD enough.

 

This time, unless there's a second leg playing MIA/FLL I'm doubly screwed-pay for the ticket AND road trip/accomodations, etc. Will possibly hit Tampa but God, I'll have to pay the price and not count the cost.

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"Our" gripes are justified.... Ticketmaster's website and system sucks as well. How many of you had the site crash in the middle of a purchase? I had 10th row seats for Chicago until it crashed and 7th row for New Orleans as well. So not only are scaplers, brokers, ect getting tickets but when you finally get through its a damn crap shoot if the system will run smoothly enough to purchase.
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It sounds like I have to thank my lucky stars. I needed four for Tampa and was able to score two during the Tickets Today presale and two during the Ticketmaster public sale.

 

In both instances there was "nothing available" for 25-30 minutes but I kept hitting search repeatedly.

 

From TT presale I was able to get floor 3, row 7; on the public sale I scored section 118 (next to stage on Alex's side) row 10.

 

By the way, the Tampa show is a Sunday night, but it is Memorial Day weekend so Monday is a holiday.

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I hate the fact that on the VIP pre-sale for Toronto, there were no gold packages at all. So I went for silver thinking I better not wait. A week later in the regular sale, there were a number of better seats available. I would have bought them had I not gone for the silver. I think it is better to wait. The pre-sales are a chance for Ticketmaster to sell seats farther back by creating the illusion that seats are going quickly.
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Just looked at Ticketmaster since I'm on my lunch to see if anything new is available. Apparently now only resale and platinum tickets are available for Columbus. Sigh
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Absolutely. Ticket purchases are becoming increasingly frustrating...and I don't really think this is just for Rush, but between my hardcore love for the band and the demand they seem to warrant, it makes it seem even worse when purchasing tickets for their tours.

 

I like that you brought up the 'Platinum Tickets' thing. This is basically legalized scalping. It's basically frowned upon, unless you're Ticketmaster, which then makes it okay?!

 

I will tell you now though...prices are even more ridiculous than ever. For the one show, I picked up two UPPER BOWL tickets, simply because I had a tough time justifying $170 a ticket to sit in the Lower Bowl. Now...those same seats down below...just lower bowl, not even Floor...are $500+ through TM's Platinum Tickets. What an f'n joke.

 

I will say this...I used their Platinum Tickets last tour...but it was for a reason...I managed to score 4 FRONT ROW seats...FOUR! Clearly, I struck gold that tour because I didn't pay anywhere near $500 each. Ticket prices are basically doubled now. It's getting ludicrous.

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Some of the ticket issues are regional. It's much easier to land VIP packages or Platinum Tickets at cheaper rates and availability in Canada, Europe, and soft markets in the US. The flashpoint tour dates in NYC, LA, and Vegas, it's sheer luck if you managed to score VIP Gold. At the LA dates, tickets in the upper LOGE (not the orchestra, the SECOND bowl levels) are going at 750 a pop right on TM. A couple hundred bucks more at StubHub, you can get in the pit.

 

High demand + accessibility + American hubris = if you want to sit close at the Forum, MGM, or Madison Square Garden, you're going to pay.

 

Sigh. There are benefits of living in SoCal. One of them is always having a short drive to virtually every touring artist on the planet. One of the cons, however, is having to pay for good seats. :/

Edited by Van Squalen
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It's free market capitalism, not injustice. They have taxes to pay and a tour to fund. :)

 

It's funny, 'cause you never hear too much frustration about prices to see formerly arena-level outfits playing smaller sheds or casinos, right? We all can afford the 60 bucks to see Styx or Def Leppard or Foreigner at the Indian casino.

 

But the truth is, Rush is more popular now than ever. They've become a model of 'must-see' arena rock, not just for those of us who've seen them many times over the years, but people who'd heard of them, but never saw them. Add into that a recent Rock Hall induction, as well as internet rumors and (no doubt) radio and venue - spread innuendo that it might be their last tour, and also said tour only has a few dozen dates limited to the north american continent, and boom....high demand, high cost.

 

A couple years ago, when the Stones did their first 50 year anniversary leg, it cost ANYONE, upper bowl or pit, 600 bucks just to walk in the door and sit lower loge or floor at Staples Center in LA. A scant few lucky folks took advantage of their crapshoot $85 pit seat lottery, but overall, most of the 19k crowd paid over 500 bucks just to be there.

 

Currently U2 is demanding 300 bucks just to get in the door at the Forum this summer, and they're playing five nights there! LOL.

 

Rush, for better or worse financially, has become one of the legendary flashpoint bands that can command these prices in hot markets.

 

It's good on one hand, for the Canuck boys, because it indicates they haven't lost any allure; in fact, their legend has only intensified, clearly.

 

On the other, it's harder for diehards to get what they were accustomed to getting in years past.

 

C'est la vie. :)

Edited by Van Squalen
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Just looked at Ticketmaster since I'm on my lunch to see if anything new is available. Apparently now only resale and platinum tickets are available for Columbus. Sigh

 

At least they probably won't move the stage again if you buy now. My VIP seats aren't VIP anymore.

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It's free market capitalism, not injustice. They have taxes to pay and a tour to fund. :)

 

It's funny, 'cause you never hear too much frustration about prices to see formerly arena-level outfits playing smaller sheds or casinos, right? We all can afford the 60 bucks to see Styx or Def Leppard or Foreigner at the Indian casino.

 

But the truth is, Rush is more popular now than ever. They've become a model of 'must-see' arena rock, not just for those of us who've seen them many times over the years, but people who'd heard of them, but never saw them. Add into that a recent Rock Hall induction, as well as internet rumors and (no doubt) radio and venue - spread innuendo that it might be their last tour, and also said tour only has a few dozen dates limited to the north american continent, and boom....high demand, high cost.

 

A couple years ago, when the Stones did their first 50 year anniversary leg, it cost ANYONE, upper bowl or pit, 600 bucks just to walk in the door and sit lower loge or floor at Staples Center in LA. A scant few lucky folks took advantage of their crapshoot $85 pit seat lottery, but overall, most of the 19k crowd paid over 500 bucks just to be there.

 

Currently U2 is demanding 300 bucks just to get the door at the Forum this summer, and they're playing five nights there! LOL.

 

Rush, for better or worse financially, has become one of the legendary flashpoint bands that can command these prices in hot markets.

 

It's good on one hand, for the Canuck boys, because it indicates they haven't lost any allure; in fact, their legend has only intensified, clearly.

 

On the other, it's harder for diehards to get what they were accustomed to getting in years past.

 

C'est la vie. :)

 

I wouldn't mind paying super high prices for the super hot groups,

My Problem is,

You can't get a "Face Value" good ticket unless your super lucky thru TM

or at the Venues own Box Office, even if your are 1st in line at the window ! ! ! ! :rage:

It's the corporate deals they have with the SH & brokers :huh:

So the general public & real die-hard Fans have virtually No Chance to get a good regular "face Value" ticket thru the only methods available to us.

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Getting good 'face value' tickets has always been difficult. It's not a new phenomenon. Back in the day, waiting at Bass or Cheap Thrills or overnight at the venue, before the internet, it was still hard to get the good seats.

 

And some folks' idea of 'good' seats varies from others. One might say if you're in the building and can see the band with an unobstructed view from the back of the venue, that's 'good' enough. Others might say 'good' seats are in the pit. Or behind the soundboard.

 

It's all subjective.

 

But the truth is, nearly anyone can get in the door at any of the shows currently listed for a hundred bucks.

 

From there, it's just a matter of how much you want to pay to be in a different locale within the venue.

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It is an injustice.

 

What is? Rush's popularity and demand? Or the fact that the market drives value?

 

It is no different than the old days when we lined up outside the venues. Some folks got luckier than others. We never had full access to all options unless lucked into being one of the few fortunate souls who pulled the right fate card.

 

I guess I'm just hardened to too many years of concert-going. I really don't see a lot of difference except that, just like any luxury disposable-income-based items coveted by a large group, prices have gone up. Same is true for high end houses, Bentleys, signed Beatles albums, or anything else that is coveted by many, but afforded to only a few.

 

The only way artists get around this product of consumerism these days is by only playing massive general admission shows, like Jack Johnson and U2 do. One price for all, until they sell out, then again, the secondary market starts upping the former standards of costs.

 

It simply comes down to demand. You can lament your favorite artists' popularity, sure. You can lament the fact that certain companies have designed their business model to capitalize on that demand, like StubHub. But high demand shows have been around since Elvis and the Beatles. And as long as people are desperate to see the music in the fashion they'd prefer, those businesses are going to thrive. In the end, it comes down to class-based consumerism. Which, alas, is the state of the West currently. :/

Edited by Van Squalen
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Getting good 'face value' tickets has always been difficult. It's not a new phenomenon. Back in the day, waiting at Bass or Cheap Thrills or overnight at the venue, before the internet, it was still hard to get the good seats.

 

And some folks' idea of 'good' seats varies from others. One might say if you're in the building and can see the band with an unobstructed view from the back of the venue, that's 'good' enough. Others might say 'good' seats are in the pit. Or behind the soundboard.

 

It's all subjective.

 

But the truth is, nearly anyone can get in the door at any of the shows currently listed for a hundred bucks.

 

From there, it's just a matter of how much you want to pay to be in a different locale within the venue.

 

THIS! Luckily most concerts I went to as a teen were general admission so no problem, but any time I went for reserved seating good tickets were always difficult.

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