Why I Won't Be Seeing Jimmy Buffett This Year

[Demerara]

Looks like I won't be seeing you this year after all, Jimmy.

I had tickets. Two of them. They were on my monitor at 10 o'clock this morning. As soon as they went on sale at Ticketmaster, I called up a pair of tickets in Section G, Row 9 for the Post Gazette Pavilion. All I had to do was click "Submit" and they'd be mine.

I clicked "Cancel." Here's why.

At $126 a ticket, plus charges, that's $285 a pair. As in most years, the closest you're playing is about a five-hour drive away, so add hotel, gas,
parking and meals to the mix and it's a $500 weekend. Except it's not a weekend, it's a Tuesday, and it's only overnight. (Add the exchange rate and it's closer to $600.)

Now, this might be chump change for you but it's a heck of a lot of money to me - and to my family. It's a big chunk of our vacation budget. We're not poor: We have a house, two cars, and decent jobs. But there's a mortgage, bills to pay, and kids to raise. Spending that much money for me (and my wife, who's not a huge fan but dutifully tags along) to see you
directly impacts the rest of the family. It's not only extravagant, it's selfish.

Sure, I could save a bunch of money getting lawn seats instead. Except lawn seats aren't seats at all, just a couple of square feet of damp, patchy grass. Driving five hours for the dubious privilege of standing - on an angle and exposed to the elements - on the lawn, with you a distant speck and the acoustics driving the music up into the heavens, is not appealing.

Do I enjoy your shows? Sure I do. I've had a blast every time and I've met some great folks, too. But at $126 a ticket, you've priced yourself out of my reach, plain and simple; not that I can't afford the ticket but because I can no longer justify it - not even to myself. I don't blame you, or the promoter, or the venue. Like every other commodity in a market economy, the prices are set by supply and demand. You've certainly earned the right to charge what you want, and the venue has the right to charge what it thinks the market will bear. There are plenty of people willing and able to pay this price - and more - to see you; the show sold out in minutes.

Where I do find fault is that there's no "middle ground" - no mid-priced seating. The upper pavilion seats are nowhere near as good as the lower portion, yet they cost the same price. Fans in the last row of the pavilion (and Section G Row 9 must be getting close) pay the same price as those lucky enough to score seats in the front row. That's a shame.

So to those who are going - enjoy the show! Me, I'll buy a six-pack of Corona ($10) and a lime (25 cents) and listen to the show on Radio Margaritaville (free via the Internet - thanks, Jimmy!).

And the remaining $490? I'm sure the four of us will put it to good use.

Dem

[ColdWaterConch]

We figured it out....it is cheaper for us to go to FL and sit on the beach with a SIRIUS playing the concert than to go to the concert.

That's not right....

[hawkeye315]

I'm with you guy...I paid 500 for mohegan, and then have to take a 1 hour ferry ride for 60 bucks, 100 bucks for a hotel...I'm kicking myself for buying them.

[jackiesic]

I'm with you guy...I paid 500 for mohegan, and then have to take a 1 hour ferry ride for 60 bucks, 100 bucks for a hotel...I'm kicking myself for buying them.

You'll be able to dump 'em. Don't kcik yourself.

[Cubbie Bear]

I'm thinking party at my house

[ChrTh]

$126 for anything but Lawn in Charlotte? Forget it. At 8 o'clock on 6/4 I'll be on my patio, grilling up dogs and drinking Margaritas and listening via Sirius.

[Piratical]

Demerara I am right with you on the cost issue.

Last year I had pulled up tixs on the presale for Philly at least 5 times and just couldn't pull the trigger. The best seats in Philly added up to $700 for 5 tixs (can't remember if that also included fees).

I then did some searches with some OBX realtors and stumbled onto a house right on the beach in Avon for $900 for the week. And it was the same week as Jimmy's concert.

Well, we had an AWESOME week and the keets loved it. It was one of the best weeks I ever had at the shore. I sat on the beach everyday, ALL day and just watched the ocean. It was so peaceful. I watched the pelicans skim the water like seaplanes, watched the dolphins porpoise by and even one day watched rays jumping clear out of the water. I was like a kid myself. The family had to drag me in at the end of everyday. And all the while listening to 'Coast of Carolina' playing in my mind.

We are going back this year and I can't wait.

BTW, the house was beautiful too!

[Wino you know]

Six pack of Corona-$10.00
And the remaining $490? I'm sure the four of us will put it to good use.

Dem

Dem-
Drive to Iowa-a six pack of Corona here is $7.00 U.S., a 12-pack is $13.50 U.S.
All you'd have to do is provide the gas to get here. I'll supply the the Coronas (and PLENTY of them) and everything else. Bring the whole family, including cats, dogs, goldfish, pet rocks, etc. The party will begin when you get here.
I'm dead serious. $126.00 is WAY too much to sit up in Puratory.
At least my Dallas ticket is on planet Earth.
However many concerts I go to this year (probably 3), I'm ALMOST certain that 2006 will be my last, even if it isn't Jimmy's last.

See you this summer?

[BilltheLizard]

Dem

Just wanted to say that what you wrote and how you wrote it was very accurate and tactful and exactly the way many of us are/have been feeling.

We love Jimmy and the shows, but justifying that kind of money for that length of time is not in the cards.

For those of you that can justify it, great more power to you. We honestly hope you have a hell of an evening.

Dem, remember one advantage we will have this summer by listening via RM is the bathrooms will be a lot closer and a lot cleaner.

[warmsugar]

We figured it out....it is cheaper for us to go to FL and sit on the beach with a SIRIUS playing the concert than to go to the concert.

That's not right....

You are so right. Friend & I had tickets on screen then were told no. She asked if I wanted to pay scalper prices...heck no...JB won't know I am there so I'll use my hard earned $$ to go on vacation to the beach!

[AlbatrossFlyer]

Looks like I won't be seeing you this year after all, Jimmy.

I had tickets. Two of them. They were on my monitor at 10 o'clock this morning. As soon as they went on sale at Ticketmaster, I called up a pair of tickets in Section G, Row 9 for the Post Gazette Pavilion. All I had to do was click "Submit" and they'd be mine.

I clicked "Cancel." Here's why.

At $126 a ticket, plus charges, that's $285 a pair. As in most years, the closest you're playing is about a five-hour drive away, so add hotel, gas,
parking and meals to the mix and it's a $500 weekend. Except it's not a weekend, it's a Tuesday, and it's only overnight. (Add the exchange rate and it's closer to $600.)

Now, this might be chump change for you but it's a heck of a lot of money to me - and to my family. It's a big chunk of our vacation budget. We're not poor: We have a house, two cars, and decent jobs. But there's a mortgage, bills to pay, and kids to raise. Spending that much money for me (and my wife, who's not a huge fan but dutifully tags along) to see you
directly impacts the rest of the family. It's not only extravagant, it's selfish.

Sure, I could save a bunch of money getting lawn seats instead. Except lawn seats aren't seats at all, just a couple of square feet of damp, patchy grass. Driving five hours for the dubious privilege of standing - on an angle and exposed to the elements - on the lawn, with you a distant speck and the acoustics driving the music up into the heavens, is not appealing.

Do I enjoy your shows? Sure I do. I've had a blast every time and I've met some great folks, too. But at $126 a ticket, you've priced yourself out of my reach, plain and simple; not that I can't afford the ticket but because I can no longer justify it - not even to myself. I don't blame you, or the promoter, or the venue. Like every other commodity in a market economy, the prices are set by supply and demand. You've certainly earned the right to charge what you want, and the venue has the right to charge what it thinks the market will bear. There are plenty of people willing and able to pay this price - and more - to see you; the show sold out in minutes.

Where I do find fault is that there's no "middle ground" - no mid-priced seating. The upper pavilion seats are nowhere near as good as the lower portion, yet they cost the same price. Fans in the last row of the pavilion (and Section G Row 9 must be getting close) pay the same price as those lucky enough to score seats in the front row. That's a shame.

So to those who are going - enjoy the show! Me, I'll buy a six-pack of Corona ($10) and a lime (25 cents) and listen to the show on Radio Margaritaville (free via the Internet - thanks, Jimmy!).

And the remaining $490? I'm sure the four of us will put it to good use.

Dem

so why did you go thru the hassle of getting on TM if you weren't going to buy them?

[ColdWaterConch]

Looks like I won't be seeing you this year after all, Jimmy.

I had tickets. Two of them. They were on my monitor at 10 o'clock this morning. As soon as they went on sale at Ticketmaster, I called up a pair of tickets in Section G, Row 9 for the Post Gazette Pavilion. All I had to do was click "Submit" and they'd be mine.

I clicked "Cancel." Here's why.

At $126 a ticket, plus charges, that's $285 a pair. As in most years, the closest you're playing is about a five-hour drive away, so add hotel, gas,
parking and meals to the mix and it's a $500 weekend. Except it's not a weekend, it's a Tuesday, and it's only overnight. (Add the exchange rate and it's closer to $600.)

Now, this might be chump change for you but it's a heck of a lot of money to me - and to my family. It's a big chunk of our vacation budget. We're not poor: We have a house, two cars, and decent jobs. But there's a mortgage, bills to pay, and kids to raise. Spending that much money for me (and my wife, who's not a huge fan but dutifully tags along) to see you
directly impacts the rest of the family. It's not only extravagant, it's selfish.

Sure, I could save a bunch of money getting lawn seats instead. Except lawn seats aren't seats at all, just a couple of square feet of damp, patchy grass. Driving five hours for the dubious privilege of standing - on an angle and exposed to the elements - on the lawn, with you a distant speck and the acoustics driving the music up into the heavens, is not appealing.

Do I enjoy your shows? Sure I do. I've had a blast every time and I've met some great folks, too. But at $126 a ticket, you've priced yourself out of my reach, plain and simple; not that I can't afford the ticket but because I can no longer justify it - not even to myself. I don't blame you, or the promoter, or the venue. Like every other commodity in a market economy, the prices are set by supply and demand. You've certainly earned the right to charge what you want, and the venue has the right to charge what it thinks the market will bear. There are plenty of people willing and able to pay this price - and more - to see you; the show sold out in minutes.

Where I do find fault is that there's no "middle ground" - no mid-priced seating. The upper pavilion seats are nowhere near as good as the lower portion, yet they cost the same price. Fans in the last row of the pavilion (and Section G Row 9 must be getting close) pay the same price as those lucky enough to score seats in the front row. That's a shame.

So to those who are going - enjoy the show! Me, I'll buy a six-pack of Corona ($10) and a lime (25 cents) and listen to the show on Radio Margaritaville (free via the Internet - thanks, Jimmy!).

And the remaining $490? I'm sure the four of us will put it to good use.

Dem

so why did you go thru the hassle of getting on TM if you weren't going to buy them?

For the same reason I did....it is one thing to pay that much money if you get lucky and get a decent seat....but to pay that price for a crap seat is not worth it.

There needs to be different pricing levels...I had 4 for the second to last row. I threw them back b/c $150 a seat is not worht it, when I can get a lawn seat 3' further back for $38.

[warmsugar]

Six pack of Corona-$10.00
And the remaining $490? I'm sure the four of us will put it to good use.

Dem

Dem-
Drive to Iowa-a six pack of Corona here is $7.00 U.S., a 12-pack is $13.50 U.S.
All you'd have to do is provide the gas to get here. I'll supply the the Coronas (and PLENTY of them) and everything else. Bring the whole family, including cats, dogs, goldfish, pet rocks, etc. The party will begin when you get here.
I'm dead serious. $126.00 is WAY too much to sit up in Puratory.
At least my Dallas ticket is on planet Earth.
However many concerts I go to this year (probably 3), I'm ALMOST certain that 2006 will be my last, even if it isn't Jimmy's last.

Drive to PA. case of Corona (sm bottles ) is about $16.

See you this summer?

[MelliJellyBean]

$94 for two lawn seats

[Tarheel Tail-Gator]

Looks like I won't be seeing you this year after all, Jimmy.

I had tickets. Two of them. They were on my monitor at 10 o'clock this morning. As soon as they went on sale at Ticketmaster, I called up a pair of tickets in Section G, Row 9 for the Post Gazette Pavilion. All I had to do was click "Submit" and they'd be mine.

I clicked "Cancel." Here's why.

At $126 a ticket, plus charges, that's $285 a pair. As in most years, the closest you're playing is about a five-hour drive away, so add hotel, gas,
parking and meals to the mix and it's a $500 weekend. Except it's not a weekend, it's a Tuesday, and it's only overnight. (Add the exchange rate and it's closer to $600.)

Now, this might be chump change for you but it's a heck of a lot of money to me - and to my family. It's a big chunk of our vacation budget. We're not poor: We have a house, two cars, and decent jobs. But there's a mortgage, bills to pay, and kids to raise. Spending that much money for me (and my wife, who's not a huge fan but dutifully tags along) to see you
directly impacts the rest of the family. It's not only extravagant, it's selfish.

Sure, I could save a bunch of money getting lawn seats instead. Except lawn seats aren't seats at all, just a couple of square feet of damp, patchy grass. Driving five hours for the dubious privilege of standing - on an angle and exposed to the elements - on the lawn, with you a distant speck and the acoustics driving the music up into the heavens, is not appealing.

Do I enjoy your shows? Sure I do. I've had a blast every time and I've met some great folks, too. But at $126 a ticket, you've priced yourself out of my reach, plain and simple; not that I can't afford the ticket but because I can no longer justify it - not even to myself. I don't blame you, or the promoter, or the venue. Like every other commodity in a market economy, the prices are set by supply and demand. You've certainly earned the right to charge what you want, and the venue has the right to charge what it thinks the market will bear. There are plenty of people willing and able to pay this price - and more - to see you; the show sold out in minutes.

Where I do find fault is that there's no "middle ground" - no mid-priced seating. The upper pavilion seats are nowhere near as good as the lower portion, yet they cost the same price. Fans in the last row of the pavilion (and Section G Row 9 must be getting close) pay the same price as those lucky enough to score seats in the front row. That's a shame.

So to those who are going - enjoy the show! Me, I'll buy a six-pack of Corona ($10) and a lime (25 cents) and listen to the show on Radio Margaritaville (free via the Internet - thanks, Jimmy!).

And the remaining $490? I'm sure the four of us will put it to good use.

Dem

so why did you go thru the hassle of getting on TM if you weren't going to buy them?

For the same reason I did....it is one thing to pay that much money if you get lucky and get a decent seat....but to pay that price for a crap seat is not worth it.

There needs to be different pricing levels...I had 4 for the second to last row. I threw them back b/c $150 a seat is not worht it, when I can get a lawn seat 3' further back for $38.

I agree that there should be an $86 level for the back sections. People are paying 4 times face for lawn seats on ebay for Charlotte. And the sad thing is, you'll be able to get them for face of less the day of the concert in the parking lot. Just have to have a little faith and patience.

[Wino you know]

Drive to PA. case of Corona (sm bottles ) is about $16.

See you this summer?

You just may, Sugar. I've been known to put in a few unexpected appearances from time to time.

[Cubbie Bear]

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha


Thats the sound of a certain balding, slightly chubby entertainer laughing all the way to the bank. And I guarantee you, the first time he sings something not off the yellow album, the yuppie next to you who could afford it, will say "what is that song I never heard that before"

[Tiki Bar]

For the 2 I lost, the total was $289.80 for 2 $126.00 seats... $37.80 service fees?!?!?!?

[Jollymom21]

So to those who are going - enjoy the show! Me, I'll buy a six-pack of Corona ($10) and a lime (25 cents) and listen to the show on Radio Margaritaville (free via the Internet - thanks, Jimmy!).

And the remaining $490? I'm sure the four of us will put it to good use.

Dem

I like the ideas of putting the extra hundreds of dollars to use on a beach vacation with the family. Even though we'll probably pay a huge amt. to go to at least one show this year, when you put it in perspective with spending the money to be with family for a fun, relaxing time . . . .

Last year we created our own lawn seats right in our own backyard. Ordered the pizza, opened the Coronas, built a fire in the pit and cranked up Radio Margaritaville and had a great time. And as someone else had mentioned, the bathrooms were close and clean!!

Fins up everyone!

[Southern Monkey]

Thank you to all of those who didn't buy tickets cause they were too expensive and enabling me to get decent pavilion seats for Charlotte...

I hope they go up another $50 next year and I might be able to get even better seats!