Beating the scalpers at their own game?

I'm making good on my concert-going promise, and adding No Doubt to my roster of shows in the coming months. To be honest, the original intention of the resolution was to see more inexpensive shows in the city and check out some new bands, but I can't resist the nostalgic allure of Gwen Stefani and company. 

I am intrigued by their ticket-selling model (and a little surprised by their $80 top ticket price). Instead of offering a standard mailing list pre-sale replete with password easily stolen by scalpers, ND's pre-sale is a bit more complex. Here's a direct quote from their website:

You can now validate your email address to be eligible to join the No Doubt Tour Club to get the best seats in the house for the upcoming 2009 Summer Tour featuring special guest Paramore. For a $15 per show membership fee (charged at the time of purchase), Tour Club members will receive the following...

• GUARANTEED access to purchase up to 4 prime tickets (limited number of memberships per city!)
• Tickets printed on custom designed commemorative No Doubt Tour Club ticket stock with club member name printed on each ticket
• Exclusive No Doubt Logo Sticker
• Exclusive No Doubt Tour Club Magnet
• Exclusive No Doubt Tour Club Iron-On
• Access to No Doubt Tour Club web page with exclusive photos and tour updates

The final scalper-beating measure requires that all Tour Club purchases be picked up at Will Call. In an article from the LA Times, No Doubt's tour manager admitted that he hatched the idea from hearing about how Bruce Springsteen held tickets for the first 10 rows at Will Call only - theoretically circumventing scalpers ability to keep the best tickets away from the biggest fans. Of course, Will Call or not, scalpers are still going to get their hands on these tickets, and such a model won't work for the entirety of a large venue (reportedly it's about 1,500 tickets per venue).  

It's an interesting idea, and any initiative to put the best tickets in the hands of the people who really want them is something I wholeheartedly support. If you're not interested in paying top dollar for what's sure to be a fun summer concert, there looks to be $10 lawn seats for sale at many venues as well, so it looks like everyone should end up happy. Except for the scalpers, of course. And that's exactly the goal.

A lunch well spent

Some days, you just need to spend your lunch hour taking a trip to H&M and buying $12 worth of metal bangles.

Today was one of those days.

But why are the tickets so BIG?

So these

arrived the other day, which, yay. But can we take a minute to address the fact that they seem to be unnecessarily oversized? Here's a standard demon spawn Ticketmaster ticket for comparison:

That's a pretty big size difference. Maybe they're just trying to justify the service charge that amounts to 40% of the ticket price (Live Nation - now with more ticket for your money!), but how am I supposed to fit that in a pocket or teeny little clutch? I mean, there's just no room for a purse when you're rocking out at a GA show, and I like to keep my ticket stubs in good condition for my box of keepsake awesomeness. Oh well. Doesn't make me any less excited for the show!

Oh oh, look what you've done

So far, 2009 has been better than 2008. The fact that I'm watching something on Def Leppard on VH1 Classic that might be the highlight of my week - and it hasn't been a bad week - should give you an indication of just how bad 2008 was.

And for good measure, let's throw this in:

Oh yeah.

Spring Training: Part IV

The soft focus only serves to further enhance the idea that CC is intended to have a divine influence on the rotation...

[Photo Day, same old sources...]

Spring Training: Part III

TINO!!

[Photos from Yahoo! Sp... oh, you know the drill]

I made it happen!

About two and a half weeks ago, my Facebook status was this:

Lo and behold, The Hold Steady are playing a show to celebrate the first anniversary of radio station 101.9 RXP on March 30 at Irving Plaza. I'm not saying it was my doing or anything but HOLY CRAP AM I EXCITED. Now I just hope I can get tickets...

Spring Training: Part II

Man oh man, is Spring Training ever here. 

[Yahoo! Sports has the photo galleries that makes me happy]

It's here!

Happy Spring Training!

[photo from the AP via Yahoo! Sports]

I made all of the ladies in the area pregnant

As noted on many corners of the internet yesterday, Bruce Springsteen pretty much broke Ticketmaster (not until after I got a few GA floor seats for the Meadowlands, though!). He broke it so thoroughly, in fact, that I was concerned I wouldn't be able to get tickets to Flight of the Conchords. It seems my fears were misplaced, however, as I managed to snare a pair of pretty good seats. The description said "ORCH," so I just assumed they were decent lower level seats, paid for them and proceeded to get sick (unrelated to the ticket-buying process).

When I was finally able to go back and pull up a real seating chart, I couldn't find my seats. It wasn't until after I did a bit of digging that I discovered that the tickets were actually in the ORCHESTRA PIT. Holy close seats, Batman!

And oddly enough, my position in relation to the stage is almost identical to when I saw the Conchords last May - 3rd row left center. So excited!

Hee!

It's the look on his face afterwards, the "heh heh, holy crap.... whoops!" that really sells it.

When Scooter and the Big Man bust the city in half

I want this on a shirt or a canvas or poster or sticker or something. That, my friends, is the heart of the E Street Band. Love it.

And that was one hell of a halftime show.