Have you thought about going to a concert lately? You better take a 2nd mortgage out on your house. First of all, you gotta get the tickets. Tickets go on sale on a certain date, BUT if you are a member of something (the band fan club or citicard holders) you can buy tickets 3 days earlier.
I remember going to the local record store the night before they go on sale and waiting in line to be the first to buy tickets. Then a few years later you could run to the record store as soon as you heard the concert announced and they would issue "line numbers" so you could avoid the overnight stay to buy tickets. And even later (after people were lined up every Wednesday just in case they announced a concert at 5pm), they drew the "line numbers" lottery style.
So now, 25 years later, I am attempting to buy tickets to see Cheap Trick. Not even the headliner, but I will certainly be paying the most I have ever paid to see them since they are coming with Def Leppard. So the investigation begins. How do I get front row tickets without selling one of my 5 children to get them?
I find out that there will be a pre-sale for Def Leppard fans and for citicard members. I don't have a citicard and don't have time to open one as the pre-sale is the next morning. I check the Def Leppard site and for $30 I can get a code to insure I get tickets 3 days prior to the general public sale. Sounds good. $30 should get me in the first 5 rows. Very do-able.
So I sign up, get my code and I am good to go. But wait: there is another offer they send me: 
As a fan club member, I can now pay $170 more for my tickets and get a laminated picture and a parking pass. Well this does guarantee first 10 rows. But wait a minute. When I do MY presale before the general public, will I not be allowed first 10 rows? Upon furthur investigation I find out that there is also a $175 ticket for guaranteed first 20 rows (without parking and pretty laminate). UGH.
I remember seeing bands for $10.00. Check that. TEN DOLLARS. Now how do I take a kid? For my wife and me and 2 kids, it would be ELEVEN HUNDRED +. OK, so I don't take the two kids and sit in the first 10 rows. But I can't believe the cost. And this is all without any adult bevarages and a commemorative T-Shirt.
So I log into the regular pre-sale and turns out I can get row Q for $125. SUCKOUT! That's what it feels like. I really want to get good seats but $125? And these aren't in the first 5 rows, right? A = 1, B=2, C=3 ... you get the idea. And I'm on a timer to make my decision. OK. Click accept and total: $150 per ticket. WHAT? ONE HUNDRED FIFTY? OMG. $25 in ticket fees PER TICKET! I'm too deep in now. So I'm going to the show but for $150 per ticket and looks like my kids have to skip this one so I can sell two tickets to my neighbors. $600 for a family night out is too STEEP!
I know. You would spend your money elsewhere. I got ya' already. I hope what you really want to do doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
6 comments:
Cheap Trick huh? I can dig that! Guess I shouldn't tell you to watch for their "warm-up" shows at the many smaller venues they frequent.
The last time they played in Toronto, I saw them at a bar called The Horshoe, for the $10 cover.
Ultimately, they are a bar band and they do play at an awful lot of them. It's just finding out when and where.
G/L and I think you owe me $1 for the bad beat story!
:)
I remember scraping the $25 I'd need to go to all kinds of concerts. Then saving even more money to get a $25 t-shirt to prove I was cool and there. Today's prices definitely get a yikes out of me.
Sounds like a cool show though, enjoy!
don't get me started on how much it costs if you want to get a beer or water once you get inside...the "fees" they charge these days are absurd.
Bam Bam: Noted. I owe you a buck.
OhCapn: Where are all those Tshirts today????
LJ: I'm sure you paid double or triple to see the Boss (and then twice in one week). But it sure is worth it isn't it? ;)
It gets harder and harder ever year to prevent the Mrs from throwing them away. I've still got a few though. Pearl Jam from 1991 is still one of my favorite shirts. All the Judas Priest, Deep Purple and Def Leppard shirts are gone :(
lol, guilty as charged. it is worth it for me. i try to always eat beforehand, and don't always drink at the shows, but $125 a ticket is still very hefty for me.
plus i need to find places to stay in boston, hershey and minneapolis. :)
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