Looking for Help and Direction...I'm New

QuietNoise · Post by **QuietNoise** » February 21, 2004 7:45 pm

I have been a Buffett fan since 1979. I fell in love with his music when I began fishing the waters of the So. Cal. Pacific that same year. I grew up/older in sync with Buffett, had kids, seemingly keeping time with his changing style in lyrics and music. Of course, I have been to every concert since '79, have every t-shirt, CD, vinyl LP and anything else I can get my hands on. Here's where things get sketchy; I don't know how to get good concert tickets. My friend and I waited in line in the old days, now we wait on-line ticking away the seconds until the tickets go on sale at 10:00. Always only to get crummy Terrace seating for at least 65.00 each. I have lurked here at your forum for about 6 months. I have learned you have or know of a Ticket Exchange. Please forgive me for being uneducated, but could you explain how that works. Can I be a part of it? I usually see Buffett at Irvine Meadows in Irvine CA. It's now called Verizon Amphitheater. I know you have a Ticket Stories section on the forum, but I notice the posts are not current. So, I thought I would start here with my questions.

Thanks a lot for your help. I hope you will be patient with me while I get to know the ropes of your forum.

Kay

mason · Post by **mason** » February 21, 2004 7:57 pm

welcome kay. others will be along sooner or later to give their stories on how they go about getting tickets. as for me, i usually buy the day of the show from anyone with extras and usually at or slightly above face value. at the san jose show i got 2nd row stage left.

"listen to the stories i could tell"

member of the parrothead nation

Defimoff1 · Post by **Defimoff1** » February 21, 2004 8:02 pm

I always try Ticketmaster when they go on sale. When that doesn't work, and usually it doesn't, I go to the brokers. eBay works too. I hate paying $$$$$$$, but it gets me there.

QuietNoise · Post by **QuietNoise** » February 21, 2004 8:17 pm

Thanks. Yes, I too have resorted to upgrading my tickets by buying from people working the parking lot. I should be honest and say that I let my friend do this because it makes me really nervous. I'm always afraid we're not going to be able to sell our tickets and then we'll be stuck holding our crummy seats and whatever upgrade we've been lucky enough to snag.

If it helps at all, I love to see Jimmy at Irvine, the crowd there (parking lot party) is so much fun and so imaginative. But I will go anywhere in California to see him. We flew to San Jose once just because we had pretty good seats. Vegas is a really great show, but I am not knowledgeable about where to go for the pre-party. Maybe now that he has the store at the Flamingo that will be a hangout.

K.

Post by **SMLCHNG** » February 21, 2004 8:55 pm

Welcome, QN!!!

Just hang around a while.. hopefully it'll help to read the posts in all the areas..

Sidew13 · Post by **Sidew13** » February 21, 2004 8:58 pm

welcome aboard. Kick back, pour youself a tall cold one and, enjoy the ride

ejr · Post by **ejr** » February 22, 2004 12:23 am

The ticket exchange is available to anyone and the rule is tickets are to be sold at face value-you can access it through the tour dates section of buffettnews.com. I sold 3 tickets last year, and it was a breeze though I don't know how easy it is to get tickets that way. And, as ticket on sale dates get nearer there will be lots of conversation here about what works. But for what it's worth...

I have almost always been successful by getting tickets through the lottery at my local ticketmaster outlet. For best chances, take as many people as you can since each one will have a chance. Do not stand together when numbers for the lottery are distributed; by dividing up you are greatly increasing your chances of getting tickets.

Since you say you have been hanging around here for a while, you have seen that people are really willing to share ideas with true fans so keep following the boards.

And welcome!

tommcat327 · Post by **tommcat327** » February 22, 2004 1:15 am

65 bucks a ticket???dude,that one third what they go for here.buy 'em and be happy

ragtopW · Post by **ragtopW** » February 24, 2004 10:33 am

QN Hi and welcome I will tell you wha I would do in I was in the southland
and ticket hunting . You live in or near Irvine?? right
I would go to the fringes of TicketBasterd coverage, like in your case
Lake Elisonore (SP) or maybe up past that find a Albertsons or whatever store and get in "line" this has to be scouted out prior so you know right where to go.
than what we did when I lived in the North of California was have a friend (or two) with cell phones, If there is a line than you jump on the cells
while advancing and hopefully score this way.
the further you go the better chance you have of less pholks....
but there is a point of diminishing returns as if you are too far out in the
sticks the staff is not ready and you will lose out on time while they warm up the CPU. If you head out to the outskirts a call to the Manager
2-3 days prior to the event is usually enough to see that the staff
is ready and waiting for you anyway this worked for us many times
for "hard to get" tickets

finsupnorth · Post by **finsupnorth** » February 24, 2004 10:42 am

always gotta try your best getting as many people in line the day of the sale...if that doesn't work...ebay or the ticket exchange is great. As for Alpine Valley, we take a bus and don't worry about getting tickets because they are provided...see link below...I am sure there are other deals like this around for other venues????? Good luck! Don't be afraid to pay for what you want....

QuietNoise · Post by **QuietNoise** » February 24, 2004 4:41 pm

Thanks everyone. I'm taking this all in. I've never tried going on the outskirts to try for a ticket. That may be a viable option. Here in O.C and Riverside County, the lines are very long even before the door opens to the ticket master place. All the tickets are bought up by scalpers. We are left with the junkie seats. I have been first in line before and only been offered Terrace seats. This is a seat where you need binolulars to see which guitar Jimmy's using, what arm bands he's wearing etc. (far away).

I know this is a crazy thing to say, but I've become so frustrated lately. Here goes: So many of the folks that go to the concert at Irvine seem like they're just there for the party. They don't even listen to Jimmy. I wish I could have their seat. In additon, the seats in the in the front go for for somewhere between $1,700. and $2,500. Way too steep for me. Oh, I guess this is all stuff you all have heard a million times before. I would just like a decent seat at a Buffett concert. I am such a fan as are all of you. I have enjoyed his music for so many years, for once, I would like to be able to see him close up.

ragtopW · Post by **ragtopW** » February 24, 2004 4:47 pm

I don't know what your budget is but another idea is to pick a spot
(do some checking on price) and go away! we sat in the back of the stage
in both Denver and San Jose and Jimmy comes out and does 3-4 songe
just to that crowd and you are fairly close for the rest of the show,
I would think a road trip might be a thought check around it's way cheaper
to go some places than others. Good luck

Craiger · Post by **Craiger** » February 24, 2004 6:01 pm

These may be obvious, and all may not apply to your ticket-buying situation, but here's a few tips:

- Numbers matter. The more people you can recruit to help buy, the better.

- Diversify as much as possible. Have some folks in line at outlets, and others elsewhere using computers for online sales. Have your ticket outlet people use cell phones while they're waiting (although many outlets prohibit cell phone use once you're within a certain distance of the ticket window).

- Have your computer-users jockey the phones as well. They've got 2 hands...have 'em click the mouse and hit redial on the phone simultaneously!

- As mentioned earlier, make sure your people are NOT getting consecutively-numbered lottery tickets. Some places have a ticket rep go down the line handing them out. Some places have a randomizing system. Try to find out from the rep how they do the lottery, and adjust your people accordingly.

- Get to know the people in front of and behind you in line. Aside from the fun of meeting your fellow Parrotheads, you also may be able to score extra tickets from them if they're successful. I once got the last available tickets at an outlet, and offered to sell any extras I had to the guy behind me in line, who was a nice guy I had been chatting with all morning. I wrote down his name and phone #, and several months later when some of my group pulled out on me, he was the first person I called to get rid of them.

Also- have some cash on hand if you're on line at an outlet. Over the years, I've seen several quick transactions take place immediately after the window closes and someone gets shut out. Very often someone will only need 2 or 3 tickets, but everybody buys the maximum just in case. Lots of folks then immediately sell them to people behind them in line who offer cash on the spot. It also beats trolling the parking lot at the show trying to unload them.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

bumper · Post by **bumper** » February 24, 2004 6:25 pm

There was a thread some time ago about purchasing tickets and how to accomplish. Irvine, never call it Verizon, yuk, is a small venue about 16k seats. You are competing with clubs, sponsors, scalpers and who knows what else. If I remember it sold out in about 5 minutes and we had several folks on the prowl. It worked..we ended up with several, a few of which I sold here on the ticket exchange. Its a good thing.

QuietNoise · Post by **QuietNoise** » February 24, 2004 8:35 pm

I'm starting to get the picture.

I am gaining confidence in the realization that if I end up with multiple tickets, I will obviously not have trouble selling them. It's kind of like parking lot ticket sales but with more organization and a bit more time, right?

bumper · Post by **bumper** » February 24, 2004 9:02 pm

QuietNoise wrote: I'm starting to get the picture.

I am gaining confidence in the realization that if I end up with multiple tickets, I will obviously not have trouble selling them. It's kind of like parking lot ticket sales but with more organization and a bit more time, right?

uhhhhh, yeah

LIPH · Post by **LIPH** » February 24, 2004 9:06 pm

I always go to ticketmaster.com and in the last 3 years I've gotten tickets to every concert I tried for. Not just Buffett either, The Allman Brothers, Spriongsteen, Bonnie Raitt, Lyle Lovett, just got 10th row for Van Morrison yesterday. I can never get through on the phone and I don't want to take my chances with the lottery system standing on line at a TM outlet.

East Texas Parrothead · February 24, 2004 9:20 pm

Welcome, QuietNoise.

I've had great luck in the Ticket Exchange area. BN'ers are the best at trying to help. That's how I found BN. A guy from Missouri, who couldn't make the Dallas 2002 show sent tickets to me just based on a couple of emails. I've heard the horror stories, too, but this guy was a parrothead and came through with great seats at face - - - he would even let me pay for the certified mail - return receipt postage.

Other friends have had good luck with multiple purchases.

Good luck. And . . . welcome to your new addiction!