If this was about ticketmaster, people would be outraged at having to pay 44% markup. The 9:30 Club and their Mom & Pop ticket provider can do no wrong though.
wrong. ticketmaster DOES charge the same types of fees (look up a $20 ticket on TM and see how much that will cost you). argument FAIL.
folks seem to forget that $20 = cost of the ticket, and of the ticket ONLY. delivery, handling, etc. is extra. you decide how that ticket gets in your hands. go to the club = less money, more time. online = faster, easier, more expensive.
i wonder if the venues simply charged $28 "face" for the ticket and included delivery, if that would made you happier. cool, less choice.
or if the venues dropped online ticketing, and the only way to get a ticket was at the box office... just like 20 years ago. yeah, that would be great too.
However, for many shows if you want to get a ticket at all- before the scalpers get them all and hawk them- that'll cost you $8.75.
vs. having to line up for 12 hours, overnight, to get tickets in the good ol' days. pick your poison. my point here is that for high-demand shows, there is always a premium to get a ticket.