Thanks you to the scalpers

[sweetcell]

not to every show, just the "big" ones... it's not hard to figure out which shows will sell out instantly b/c of massive appeal.  the will-call-only+immediate-entry policy did wonders to limit scalping at the smashing pumpkins show (yes, i'm sure a few scalpers managed to bring in their victims, but they were very few - much much less than if advance hard tickets were mailed out).

long search lines at jam band shows have nothing to do with will-call only, and everything to do with searching for drugs and taping equipment.  those concerns are completely unrelated to will-call only.  work with me, walkies, let's not get issue mixed up here.

[sonickteam2]

I think the club should limit ticket sales to 2 per person and require them to be picked up at will-call the night of the show where once you get your ticket you have to imm. enter the venue (no chance to resell).

Surely you can't be serious?

dont call him shirley.

  I like how the Baltimore Orioles do it, is they have a "scalp free zone" where you can buy and sell tickets at or below face value.  If you implied the "tickets must be picked up in person" rule BUT let people dish off unused tickets for face or less , that could ease pain.

 and yes, the lines would suck, every night.

[vansmack]

[EDIT] Damn you sonick!  Now I have to think of Lieutenant Hurwitz joke.[/EDIT]

[dave24]

not to every show, just the "big" ones... it's not hard to figure out which shows will sell out instantly b/c of massive appeal.  the will-call-only+immediate-entry policy did wonders to limit scalping at the smashing pumpkins show (yes, i'm sure a few scalpers managed to bring in their victims, but they were very few - much much less than if advance hard tickets were mailed out).

long search lines at jam band shows have nothing to do with will-call only, and everything to do with searching for drugs and taping equipment.  those concerns are completely unrelated to will-call only.  work with me, walkies, let's not get issue mixed up here.

These limits just make what an avid fan will pay that much more.  Because there were so many less tickets on the market, the people who did buy for the Smashing Pumpkins show paid hundreds per ticket.  The same thing happened to the aftermarket buyers for the Beastie Boys/Sheryl Crow show last month, as well as the Bob Dylan show a few years back.

Limits like this inflate demand.  The overage for any of those shows wouldn't have been nearly that if the ticket sales weren't so limited.

Besides - how many shows are on sale for some time before they sell out?  There'd be plenty that were missed that people would complain about.  

If you look around at what happens when there's a glut of tickets for shows on the open market, the undercutting is severe.  It's a pretty rare 9:30 Club show that people really wind up paying much more than $25 over for on average.

Really - just take advantage of it when you can.  I got my Squeeze tickets from a reseller for $15 each (and that was $45 + service to start with).  I did the same for Paul Weller, well... $25 anyway...  

Anyway...  no matter what steps are taken, reselling will always exist, and people will complain about it.

[Jaguar]

More bullshit in an already repressive society! You put all those restrictions in and you may as well call them "No 3rd and 5th Wheels Welcome" shows. You must continue to be ostresized. Stay home! You aren't wanted here. Way to go to promote a business.

What Dave said is correct about increasing demand on scalped tickets.

Also, if something comes up where you can't make a show, you're going to have to eat that ticket. You don't like it? Too bad! Eat up, sucker!

If you couldn't get to a computer when tickets went on sale or missed out otherwise, too bad. You starve!

A craptastic idea that only creates more suckage for those who just want to have some time out on the town with a night of good music. Not at all good on the business side either.

When there is a will, there is a way .... and the scalpers will always find a way to prevail. Only way to truly stop them is NOT TO BUY above face from them.

Sonick, I agree with you about the Orioles method of reselling unused tickets. It's a win/win for all without an ulterior profit motive for the scalpers.

[sonickteam2]

Sonick, I agree with you about the Orioles method of reselling unused tickets. It's a win/win for all without an ulterior profit motive for the scalpers.

 exactly. exactly. exactly.  While it may hurt to miss some shows, if people didnt buy scalped tickets, people wouldnt sell them.

  Which will never happen because there are always people who would rather drop $500 on a pair of front row seats as opposed to waking up early in the morning, refreshing their browser over and over ttrying to get them for cheapr.

[chaz]

I think the club should limit ticket sales to 2 per person and require them to be picked up at will-call the night of the show where once you get your ticket you have to imm. enter the venue (no chance to resell).

Surely you can't be serious?

dont call him shirley.

 

Christ, I can't  believe it took 30 minutes for someone to bite on that one....

[vansmack]

In my defense, I'm 3 hours behind and had just made my way in this morning.  No excuse for the rest of you.

[dave24]

I also enjoy the Orioles scalp-free zone.  It's a great way to get tickets, as well as get rid of extras, without fearing consequence of buying a bogus ticket or being hassled by police/security like you're some scalper, when you just have a couple extra seats to move.

You can pretty much do this at the club too... when I've had extras, the staff has just reminded me I can only sell for face value.

[sweetcell]

These limits just make what an avid fan will pay that much more.  Because there were so many less tickets on the market, the people who did buy for the Smashing Pumpkins show paid hundreds per ticket.  The same thing happened to the aftermarket buyers for the Beastie Boys/Sheryl Crow show last month, as well as the Bob Dylan show a few years back.

Limits like this inflate demand.  The overage for any of those shows wouldn't have been nearly that if the ticket sales weren't so limited.

wow, way to confuse issues.

the club holds 1200 people.  for shows like the smashing pumpkins, beastie boys, prince, etc there are always going to be people shut out.  it's unfair to limit a person's chance of getting in b/c they refuse to pay a scalper's ransom fee.  having a wad of cash shouldn't allow you to push your way to the front (how un-american of me, i know).  ability to scalp a show = more people trying to get tickets (fans + scalpers) = less chance for DC'er to make it in.  will-call only = only locals buy tickets = increases YOUR chance of getting in.  you do realize that the vast majority of scalpers aren't people on street corners, but online and around the world?

Besides - how many shows are on sale for some time before they sell out?  There'd be plenty that were missed that people would complain about. 

again, my suggestion of will-call only would be for "big" shows that are certain to sell out instantly.  if shows take a while to sell out, that means everyone - fans and scalpers - had a chance to buy tickets.  no one was shut out, unless they didn't plan for it.

Really - just take advantage of it when you can.  I got my Squeeze tickets from a reseller for $15 each (and that was $45 + service to start with).  I did the same for Paul Weller, well... $25 anyway... 

 
yeah, i've landed myself some sweet deals over the years thanks to night-of-show dumping.

More bullshit in an already repressive society! You put all those restrictions in and you may as well call them "No 3rd and 5th Wheels Welcome" shows. You must continue to be ostresized. Stay home! You aren't wanted here. Way to go to promote a business.

dude.  because making sure everyone gets a fair chance at tickets is EAXCTLY the same as saying who can and can't enter the club.  yup, exactly the same.

actually, scalping defines who can and can't get in: the rich.

[walkonby]

These limits just make what an avid fan will pay that much more.  Because there were so many less tickets on the market, the people who did buy for the Smashing Pumpkins show paid hundreds per ticket.  The same thing happened to the aftermarket buyers for the Beastie Boys/Sheryl Crow show last month, as well as the Bob Dylan show a few years back.

Limits like this inflate demand.  The overage for any of those shows wouldn't have been nearly that if the ticket sales weren't so limited.

wow, way to confuse issues.

the club holds 1200 people.  for shows like the smashing pumpkins, beastie boys, prince, etc there are always going to be people shut out.  it's unfair to limit a person's chance of getting in b/c they refuse to pay a scalper's ransom fee.  having a wad of cash shouldn't allow you to push your way to the front (how un-american of me, i know).  ability to scalp a show = more people trying to get tickets (fans + scalpers) = less chance for DC'er to make it in.  will-call only = only locals buy tickets = increases YOUR chance of getting in.  you do realize that the vast majority of scalpers aren't people on street corners, but online and around the world?

Besides - how many shows are on sale for some time before they sell out?  There'd be plenty that were missed that people would complain about. 

again, my suggestion of will-call only would be for "big" shows that are certain to sell out instantly.  if shows take a while to sell out, that means everyone - fans and scalpers - had a chance to buy tickets.  no one was shut out, unless they didn't plan for it.

Really - just take advantage of it when you can.  I got my Squeeze tickets from a reseller for $15 each (and that was $45 + service to start with).  I did the same for Paul Weller, well... $25 anyway... 

 
yeah, i've landed myself some sweet deals over the years thanks to night-of-show dumping.

More bullshit in an already repressive society! You put all those restrictions in and you may as well call them "No 3rd and 5th Wheels Welcome" shows. You must continue to be ostresized. Stay home! You aren't wanted here. Way to go to promote a business.

dude.  because making sure everyone gets a fair chance at tickets is EAXCTLY the same as saying who can and can't enter the club.  yup, exactly the same.

actually, scalping defines who can and can't get in: the rich.

god you're beautiful when you post like this.  and i love the time i went to a black crowes show at da club and the guy at the door opened my cigarette pack, pulled a few out, smelled the pack, gave me a look that he would find something you dirty fucking hippie, and then begrudgingly gave them back.  i was in smiley heaven.  man, i'm glad i quit smoking.

[Jaguar]

Dude, you wanted it down to 2 tickets. That's pretty damn low. It's not all couples only going to shows. Combine that with the fact that not everyone can actually be at a computer at 10:00AM any given day of the week. (That itself has always irritated the Hell out of me!) Guess professional surfers don't understand that at all. There are a ton of jobs out there where it is impossible for one to do so. You have all kinds of scenerios where that one professional surfer is buying for a small group of legitimate concert goers. Those very same professional surfers are sometimes the very ones stuck with extra tickets. Recipe for a loss without any scalping agendas being involved.

[dave24]

You have all kinds of scenerios where that one professional surfer is buying for a small group of legitimate concert goers.

Yep - I get to sit at a desk without firewalls in place to keep me from anything but gambling and porn.  But, I have plenty of friends who have blue collar jobs, or jobs that don't allow them on anything but their own intranet.  So, I get to be the designated ticket buyer many times.  I don't sweat it.  But, a LOT of these people would never get to these shows if I wasn't able to pull several tickets for them.

[sweetcell]

Dude, you wanted it down to 2 tickets.

i assume you're directing this tirade at rusty organ, 'cause he's the one who made this suggestion.  i never said such a thing.  i think limit=2 is too low, although for high-demand shows i think 4 should be the max.

luckily for y'all, i don't make any of the rules

[Jaguar]

Dude, you wanted it down to 2 tickets.

i assume you're directing this tirade at rusty organ, 'cause he's the one who made this suggestion.  i never said such a thing.  i think limit=2 is too low, although for high-demand shows i think 4 should be the max.

luckily for y'all, i don't make any of the rules

Than I apologize to you.

But the general idea still stands regardless of anyone elses ideas. While I appreciate the intent that a lot of bands, venues, etc., have when they come up with some of these confounded ideas, too often they end up leaving so many of the real fans out because of some of the things I and others have noted in this thread.

I think the club usually limits to 6 (but may very well be wrong) which I think is a better number but I can understand bringing it down to 4 for a very high demand show...and I don't mean your run of the mill easy sell out either.