Jones Beach concert not sold out

[erikw95]

Hello fellow Parrotheads!

Question for you all....does anyone know why the Jones Beach concert tomorrow is not sold out? I usually buy mt tickets as soon as they go on sale because in the past, they sell out quickly, at least the cheaper ones. I also usually buy a few extras in hopes that friends will join us. None are joining us this year so I went to sell them on Stubhub and I was shocked at how cheap the tickets are going for. Three years ago I sold 4 extra upper deck tix for $125 each. This year those same tickets are on sale in the low $50's, and LiveNation is selling them for as little as $36!

I'm not stressing out over this, but I just wonder what the heck could have changed??? Any clue?

Thanks and see some of you tomorrow!

Erik

[SeattleParrotHead]

People buying more tickets than they need and then selling them for more than face value in secondary markets have ruined the concert-going enthusiasm of a lot of people. Tickets cost too much to start with, but then when I have to pay 2X or 3X the face value for a good seat, I'm out.

[erikw95]

That's why I'm sitting at my computer to buy right at the time they go on sale. But this is a huge difference in just one year....I don't think that is the cause. People in NY still pay exorbitant amounts for tickets.

[SeattleParrotHead]

I was on the phone at the bell for JB's November acoustic show, but immediately there were only singles available. Today TM shows 6 scattered singles available in reserved seating but there are at least 562 available on the secondary market for up to more than 7 times the face value.

[jbfins]

I bought 4 tickets this morning for $36.00. According to Ticketmaster/Live Nation, they were not re-sale. And there were tons of them available. There were also plenty of $96.00 tickets, which was kind of funny because on Stub-Hub tickets in the exact same section were going for $250+.
I doubt most of the JB concerts have sold out in the past few years.

[LIPH]

Maybe it's not sold out because people are tired of stale setlists and too many cover songs. I'm only going to the show because I used to live here and I haven't been back for 2 years.

[WVParrothead]

Maybe it's not sold out because people are tired of stale setlists and too many cover songs. I'm only going to the show because I used to live here and I haven't been back for 2 years.

Completely fair points. There's absolutely no conceivable reason Knee Deep should be played at all at this point, much less on every single show.

[urlcenter]

Hello fellow Parrotheads!

Question for you all....does anyone know why the Jones Beach concert tomorrow is not sold out? I usually buy mt tickets as soon as they go on sale because in the past, they sell out quickly, at least the cheaper ones. I also usually buy a few extras in hopes that friends will join us. None are joining us this year so I went to sell them on Stubhub and I was shocked at how cheap the tickets are going for. Three years ago I sold 4 extra upper deck tix for $125 each. This year those same tickets are on sale in the low $50's, and LiveNation is selling them for as little as $36!

I'm not stressing out over this, but I just wonder what the heck could have changed??? Any clue?

Thanks and see some of you tomorrow!

Erik

It might have something to do with show being on a weeknight verses a Saturday night, that has become a turn off for some fans because of work schedules

[TommyBahama]

Hello fellow Parrotheads!

Question for you all....does anyone know why the Jones Beach concert tomorrow is not sold out? I usually buy mt tickets as soon as they go on sale because in the past, they sell out quickly, at least the cheaper ones. I also usually buy a few extras in hopes that friends will join us. None are joining us this year so I went to sell them on Stubhub and I was shocked at how cheap the tickets are going for. Three years ago I sold 4 extra upper deck tix for $125 each. This year those same tickets are on sale in the low $50's, and LiveNation is selling them for as little as $36!

I'm not stressing out over this, but I just wonder what the heck could have changed??? Any clue?

Thanks and see some of you tomorrow!

Erik

It might have something to do with show being on a weeknight verses a Saturday night, that has become a turn off for some fans because of work schedules

A Tuesday night doesn't help , Thursday works better because people will make a long weekend out of it. Another reason is probably the ticket prices. 150.00 per ticket is a lot to drop , plus food , booze and maybe a t-shirt. You are probably looking at 250.00. That's not counting the cost of getting there , and lodging , if staying over night for 1 or 2 nights.

[Congobill]

Maybe it's not sold out because people are tired of stale setlists and too many cover songs. I'm only going to the show because I used to live here and I haven't been back for 2 years.

I've posted on here enough about the stale set lists (basically seeing the same show every year) and I absolutely agree that it's playing a role in declining ticket sales. I know there are other factors at play -- this being a Tuesday night show, the fans are getting older and maybe less likely to to shows as much as they used to, especially mid-week, ticket costs, etc. But I remember when I lived in NYC from 1994 - 2002 that Jimmy's Jones Beach shows always sold out very quickly no matter what night they were on. And here in San Diego where I live now, Jimmy has a concert coming up in October and it's not close to sold out. That would not have been the case 5 - 10 years ago. Hell, maybe even a few years ago. Tickets for the Vegas shows are also much easier to get than they were even just a few years ago. Jimmy needs to shake things up with the live shows. Include more deeper cuts from his songbook, retire some of the standards we've heard every show for the past 30 years, change the set list from night to night (not 100%, but maybe rotate 10 songs from show to show). The way it is now is you've seen one Buffett show and you've seen all the band has to offer. We all know they're capable of delivering more as a live act. Maybe declining ticket sales will bring about some changes. Or not. Jimmy may not care all that much. We'll see, I guess.

[erikw95]

I figured out what happened. Live Nation held two entire sections of tickets (several hundred ticket total) and put them on sale probably a week or two before the concert for only $36, and they were lower than the upper deck which had sold for $56. So this of course drove down the cost of tickets on stubhub and other sites to screw over scalpers which I would appreciate if it wasn't Ticketmaster and Live Nation making money hand over fist. I had bought extra tickets in hopes of getting some friends to come, but that didn't happen and I ended up selling them....but at a loss. I sold them for 1/3 what I paid, the last 3 tickets sold 30 minutes before showtime. I won't be buying extra tickets in the future. Hell, I might wait till the last minute. LOL!

So that being said, everyone who said the reason was stale set list and on a week night was the reason....I don't think so. The place was completely jammed....not a seat was open. The parking lots were jammed with people partying all day despite having some rain come through earlier in the day. This is the 6th or 7th year in a row I've seen JB at Jones....always on a weeknight, always sold out in the end. Always a similar set list, and everyone having a blast regardless. And quite a few young people there. I'm convinced JB could do this same set list for the next 25 years and continue to sell out. Always a good time.

[drunkpirate66]

Jimmy Buffett has toured every year for like 40 straight years and the majority of the songs people pay to hear were written in the late 70s early 80s. His set lists wouldn't be considered stale if he toured every few years like most major acts. The top grossing tours this year, mostly, haven't performed a decade or more . . . if Guns n' Roses performed the same hits from Appetite From Destruction every summer at the same venues since its release in 1987 they would be considered stale too. Jimmy performs every year and his set lists are stale . . . if he ever took a year off he would be considered a douche. I prefer it they way he chooses to do it. Its still a great day and it won't last much longer. Although, the old man is looking like he is in some pretty good shape for a 70 year old. A Pirate Looks at 75 on tour? 80?

[erikw95]

Jimmy Buffett has toured every year for like 40 straight years and the majority of the songs people pay to hear were written in the late 70s early 80s. His set lists wouldn't be considered stale if he toured every few years like most major acts. The top grossing tours this year, mostly, haven't performed a decade or more . . . if Guns n' Roses performed the same hits from Appetite From Destruction every summer at the same venues since its release in 1987 they would be considered stale too. Jimmy performs every year and his set lists are stale . . . if he ever took a year off he would be considered a douche. I prefer it they way he chooses to do it. Its still a great day and it won't last much longer. Although, the old man is looking like he is in some pretty good shape for a 70 year old. A Pirate Looks at 75 on tour? 80?

Exactly.....JB gives what most of the fans want. Hardly anyone goes to see a band that's been around for decades to hear their new stuff. Smart bands play 3-4 songs from the new album and stick to the classics for the rest. And nothing wrong with a few covers. he played like 26 songs Tuesday night.

[daddymention]

I figured out what happened. Live Nation held two entire sections of tickets (several hundred ticket total) and put them on sale probably a week or two before the concert for only $36, and they were lower than the upper deck which had sold for $56. So this of course drove down the cost of tickets on stubhub and other sites to screw over scalpers which I would appreciate if it wasn't Ticketmaster and Live Nation making money hand over fist. I had bought extra tickets in hopes of getting some friends to come, but that didn't happen and I ended up selling them....but at a loss. I sold them for 1/3 what I paid, the last 3 tickets sold 30 minutes before showtime. I won't be buying extra tickets in the future. Hell, I might wait till the last minute. LOL!

They are doing the same thing this year in San Diego (Chula Vista). I'm waiting until the $36 seats are released. I check ticketmaster 3-4 times a day. It sucks, but it also sucks that every seat in the venue is $136 even in the top (back) section, when it used to be tiered pricing. People think there is no other option so they pay $136....but I've caught on to what they are doing...so I wait.

[BottleofRum]

I think 75% of the people who go to a show want to hear the same 12-14 songs each time. The rest would prefer more deeper cuts and less covers so he is catering to the majority. Just based on the reaction of the crowed when Cheeseburger, 5 O'Clock starts playing or any other of the standards the crowd is very into it.

I think the reason shows are no longer selling out is two reasons, 1. cost, ticket prices are ridiculous high for pavilion seats and 2. More options these days. From the mid 90's to the mid 2000's was the height of Buffett hysteria. $30 lawn tickets were selling for $200-$300 each on the secondary market. The Buffett concert was the only real big tailgating/concert package experience around during that time. A lot of casual fans and many people who couldn't name one song would go just for the party and that created an inflated market because there were no other options. Now with a whole new genre of music that is along the same styling of Buffett but cater to those Buffett casual fans and younger fans and also have a big tailgating experience many are no longer going to Buffett. Country Fest is this weekend in Foxboro, how many casual fans given a choice between Buffett last weekend or country Fest this weekend would choose Buffett? Not many.

[TommyBahama]

I think 75% of the people who go to a show want to hear the same 12-14 songs each time. The rest would prefer more deeper cuts and less covers so he is catering to the majority. Just based on the reaction of the crowed when Cheeseburger, 5 O'Clock starts playing or any other of the standards the crowd is very into it.

I think the reason shows are no longer selling out is two reasons, 1. cost, ticket prices are ridiculous high for pavilion seats and 2. More options these days. From the mid 90's to the mid 2000's was the height of Buffett hysteria. $30 lawn tickets were selling for $200-$300 each on the secondary market. The Buffett concert was the only real big tailgating/concert package experience around during that time. A lot of casual fans and many people who couldn't name one song would go just for the party and that created an inflated market because there were no other options. Now with a whole new genre of music that is along the same styling of Buffett but cater to those Buffett casual fans and younger fans and also have a big tailgating experience many are no longer going to Buffett. Country Fest is this weekend in Foxboro, how many casual fans given a choice between Buffett last weekend or country Fest this weekend would choose Buffett? Not many.

Agree , plus with country fest , you are getting 4 bands I thing...I know of Thomas Rhett (who I would like to see) , Midland and of course Chesney (who also just sold out 2 shows at Mohegan a couple of weeks ago)

[boatdrinks84]

I have no problem with the standards. If you're good and hammered like you should be, the standards are fun. Problem is, it seems like the number of standards has increased dramatically.

I count eight standards: Margaritaville, Fins, Come Monday Pirate, Cheeseburger, Changes, Volcano, Son of a Son. Then you've got an entire second group of songs that have become standards: 5 O'Clock, OPH, Brown-Eyed Girl, Southern Cross.

On top of that, there's a whole third group, which is like 50/50. At least ever other tour, you'll get at a few of these: Knee Deep, Pencil-Thin Mustache, Grapefruit Juicy Fruit, Weather With You, Back Where I Come From, and The City.

What I'm getting: there are so many great songs in the catalog we don't get to hear because half of the setlist never changes and another 25% rarely changes. I thought we were going to see a shift in this after the Key West setlist show, the featured album per city, and the per-city song voting, but it really hasn't come to be.

[TommyBahama]

I have no problem with the standards. If you're good and hammered like you should be, the standards are fun. Problem is, it seems like the number of standards has increased dramatically.

I count eight standards: Margaritaville, Fins, Come Monday Pirate, Cheeseburger, Changes, Volcano, Son of a Son. Then you've got an entire second group of songs that have become standards: 5 O'Clock, OPH, Brown-Eyed Girl, Southern Cross.

On top of that, there's a whole third group, which is like 50/50. At least ever other tour, you'll get at a few of these: Knee Deep, Pencil-Thin Mustache, Grapefruit Juicy Fruit, Weather With You, Back Where I Come From, and The City.

What I'm getting: there are so many great songs in the catalog we don't get to hear because half of the setlist never changes and another 25% rarely changes. I thought we were going to see a shift in this after the Key West setlist show, the featured album per city, and the per-city song voting, but it really hasn't come to be.

The problem is , he isn't playing to his fans , he's playing to the 1st timers , sponsors and corporate people that get free tickets. They can identify with the standards , but the deep cuts they don't. It's all about marketing . OPH I would put on your 1st list , that is always played live.

[BottleofRum]

Tommy is 100% correct. It's like owning a bar, the regular customers don't make you money, the new customers do.

[SeattleParrotHead]

If you're good and hammered like you should be...

Another reason for declining attendance?