PETITION

[Key Lime Lee]

...and don't think Payola is gone. It's just now renamed "Independent Record Promoter."

[Ceol na Mara]

This is a little long but I thought it's funny and germane to our conversation here. I found it on a site called "Vorpal Blog". I was looking on google for info on what Lee was talking about re Pearl Jam (very interesting; they were suing Ticketmaster, saying TM had a monopoly and was therefore violating monopoly laws), and I came across this. (We don't have kids: are "The Wiggles" a real group?)

"Friday, May 31, 2002
Posted 11:18 PM by Michael Gebert


WIGGLE TOWN

Everywhere in Chicago there are lessons for children, if only we have the eyes to see them. Take for instance my experience buying tickets at the Chicago Theatre for The Wiggles (if you're a parent of a toddler, you know, and if you're not, you don't need to).

My son and I stood in line, anticipation on his little face. Tickets went on sale at 10:00 am and by 10:03 we were at the box office window. "Two $20 seats please," I said.

"We only have rear balcony left," came the terse reply.

And so we walked away ticketless, tears welling up in my son's little brown eyes as he struggled to understand how all those tickets could have been purchased in just three minutes. "So we don't get to see... The Wiggles, daddy?" the little tousle-haired lad asked me sadly.

"Fear not, son," I replied, and pulled out my cell phone, dialing a local ticket broker. "Do you have tickets for The Wiggles?" I asked.

"We just got them," came the answer at the other end. A quick depletion of my son's college fund, and we had seats close enough to be tickled by Captain Feathersword's hat.

"How come they got tickets and we didn't, even though we were right at the beginning of the line, daddy?" asked the little fellow.

"Because this is Chicago, my son, and standing in line and playing by the rules is for chumps and downstaters," I replied sagely. "If you want something in this town, you have to know where to go and whose palm to grease."

"Didn't that cost a lot more money?" my bright-eyed urchin asked, and then a new enthusiasm overtook him: "Wow, maybe we could sell the tickets for even more money!"

"No, son," I replied, "if we were to sell the tickets for more money, we'd be scalpers and breaking the law."

His little face clouded. Then it brightened again. "At least this way, The Wiggles get lots of money to make more videos!"

"No, son," I explained, patting his little towhead, "they do it this way so the artist doesn't get any of the extra money. Ticketmaster and the ticket brokers keep it all."

We walked a little further, as my adorable moppet took in this new understanding of the way things work in this old world of ours. Finally he had another question for me. "But Dad, if the artists don't get the money— that's just as bad as burning a CD of music, isn't it? Isn't that what they say, that it's wrong because you're stealing from the artists?"

"Yes, son," I said, marveling at the ragamuffin's wisdom beyond his years, "it is wrong for you and me to steal from the artists. But stealing's different for Ticketmaster and the ticket brokers, my son. Because this is Chicago and they have a license for it."

[tnbuffettfan]

Amen!!great story!!!

[tryin' to reason]

BTT !!!

Thought this had some interesting - and similar - themes like the current brouhaha.

[SMLCHNG]

And so is this post.

Please remember that in all business, the customer is always correct and it is the seller's responsibility to ensure that their satisfaction is met.

Or he could pack up his guitar and not play at all.... trust me, he doesn't need our money and honestly he doesn't owe us anything.

[TommyBahama]

I'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM GETTING TICKETS!!!!...and someone posted from CT about not being able to go to a show or something...didn't read back......There are 5 shows scheduled between Camden and Greatwoods...and 2 more that are a possibility!!!...thats about 100,000 tickets!!

[SMLCHNG]

Just in case it's missed... this thread is from 2003.

[HD18JBGuy]

I'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM GETTING TICKETS!!!!...and someone posted from CT about not being able to go to a show or something...didn't read back......There are 5 shows scheduled between Camden and Greatwoods...and 2 more that are a possibility!!!...thats about 100,000 tickets!!

I agree. Alpine Valley is one of his fastest selling venues and I have got tickets from TM every single year for the past 12 or so years. I have also always got tickets for Chicago and Detroit. While I sympathize with the cause and those who are unable to get tickets, I don't understand how people can't get them.

I will add, however, that I always buy lawn tickets. I don't care at all about being close. I go to dance, sing, drink, and party. So, that could weigh in on the ease of me getting tickets.

[ph4ever]

Boy I miss 2003 - or at least the atmosphere. You could have a differing opinion without those of the opposite view making fun of you. Telling you to STFU. Telling you to quit complaining. Following you from the "complaint thread" to another thread just to harass you.

Too bad some people of today's BN don't realize you can have different opinions and still remain respectable to the person whose views differ.

[SMLCHNG]

Too bad some people of today's BN don't realize you can have different opinions and still remain respectable to the person whose views differ.

Uh huh.

[ph4ever]

Too bad some people of today's BN don't realize you can have different opinions and still remain respectable to the person whose views differ.

Uh huh.

They also wouldn't start another thread and make fund of the thread you started in the thread they started.

[clearlakeparrot]

I have always been able to get a ticket to anything I wanted to go...that I really wanted to go to.

[FINSUPinIdaho]

Why dont some of us on this board become tix brokers? Split up into regions.

[LIBuffettFan]

I just look at it as any day that Jimmy continues to tour whether near or far is a good day. One of these days he may actually decide to retire and then we are going to have alot of frustrated parrotheads. I understand the dissappointment with the tickets and schedules. But be happy that you can travel to see him perform if you really wanted to. Eventually thats not going to be the case. I'm just happy that Jimmy continues to spend what could be his retirement years on the road performing for us when he really doesnt have to anymore... Fins Up!!

[stingray]

Jimmy is in great shape, but is in his sixties. Be grateful if you got to see him live! He will retire one day to enjoy the money we have made him, and then what are we gonna complain about?

[popcornjack]

Too bad some people of today's BN don't realize you can have different opinions and still remain respectable to the person whose views differ.

Uh huh.

They also wouldn't start another thread and make fund of the thread you started in the thread they started.

Hey, hey, hey, don't tempt me. I've done it before and I'll do it again!

It took me a page and a half to realize this was six years old, so many of the complaints were the same.

[moog]

The only time I had trouble getting tickets was pre broadband internet. Not sure if it would be any better if it would return to an outlet or phone only sale.

[LivingOutMy2ndChance]

EBAY!

[La Vie Dansante]

I'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM GETTING TICKETS!!!!...and someone posted from CT about not being able to go to a show or something...didn't read back......There are 5 shows scheduled between Camden and Greatwoods...and 2 more that are a possibility!!!...thats about 100,000 tickets!!

I agree. Alpine Valley is one of his fastest selling venues and I have got tickets from TM every single year for the past 12 or so years. I have also always got tickets for Chicago and Detroit. While I sympathize with the cause and those who are unable to get tickets, I don't understand how people can't get them.

I will add, however, that I always buy lawn tickets. I don't care at all about being close. I go to dance, sing, drink, and party. So, that could weigh in on the ease of me getting tickets.

Just went to TM (5/24/09 7pm) and was able to pull up 4 tix for:
A.C. (lots of tix there)
GW (Thurs show Sec 11)
Camden (Thurs show Sec 103 and lawn)
Camden (Sat show sec 104)

I also had no problem getting tix (4 for 2 shows each) this year so I'm not sure what people (from the northeast) mean when they say they're getting "shut out".

[ParrotHeadInThe Making]

What happens is that the day tickets for a show go on sale everyone is on line trying to get tickets. When that happens TicketMaster's web site jams up, so people get shut out and assume that tickets are not available. however, for the most part if people wait closer to show time more tickets are released. This year, so far, I have not had any problems getting tickets to three shows. We will see how it goes when Orlando goes on sale.