Morrissey

[lagas]

I tried again after reading Ms. Pretentious' post...and then suddenly I realized there were more tickets available...keep trying I guess...

[K8teebug]

was just able to pull up a single.

[reggie]

anyone else going to the atlantic city gig?

[DC Rob]

Here's what I sent to the Strathmore, and their response:

I tried to get pre-sale tickets yesterday both online and via phone at Tickemaster for the Morrissey show on 12/7, and none were available. Which I found odd. I went to the 9:30 Club website user forum and read that no one was able to get tickets either. So I called your box office this morning at 10:00 AM to get tickets and was told the show is sold out. How is that possible?  Clearly the Ticketmaster presale was ambushed by companies like StubHub somehow. Who already had tickets for sale on their site this morning. But even pre-sales have limited tickets available. How did the rest of the tickets get sold out by 10:00 AM on the actual day they went on sale? I know there is a Strathmore membership where your customers also get to order the day before they go on sale to non-members, but I find it impossible that even they purchased all of the tickets in advance too. Can you explain how this happened?


Mr. Clark,

It?s complicated, but I can explain it.  I don?t think it will make you feel better, though.

Yes, ticket brokers abuse the websites and have algorithms that help them do that.  Unfortunately, until the government actually figures out a way to make scalping tickets illegal we are left unprotected.  The artists gets paid no matter what; it is the patrons and the venues/promoters that are being taken advantage of.  TicketMaster has the resources to program more defenses into their system (though I?m not sure that they actually do this), but a non-profit like Strathmore does not.  We are aware of who most of the brokers that buy through our site are and try to limit them and defend ourselves when we can.

When IMP rents Strathmore they place most of the inventory on sale at TicketMaster.  Strathmore is generally allotted about 15% of the house to sell.  IMP almost always does a PreSale for folks on their mailing list.  They only sell about 25% of their inventory on PreSales.  That may seem unfair when they run out after about an hour (which is what happened yesterday and why people were not able to buy tickets later in the day), but they are actually doing to protect patrons in general to be sure there are a good amount of tickets available for the public sale.   If you did not know about a PreSale or did not want to pay to be in a fan club, then wouldn?t you be devastated to find out something has sold out on a PreSale?  For that reason, I believe there are contractual obligations to being sure there is inventory for public sale.

IMP does not often allow Strathmore to do a PreSale as well, but for this event they allowed us to extend the PreSale to our members (an annual donation program ? Strathmore is a non-profit).  We also only sold a portion of our inventory on the PreSale.  Unfortunately, since we only had 15% of the house to begin with that did not leave us with very much inventory this morning and we blew through it in less than 10 minutes.  I can confirm that only one known broker got tickets through our site and it was only a few.

That?s how it works!  Sorry for the long explanation.  It?s a gift and a curse.  Keep checking TicketMaster and even our site? especially closer to the event.  As things shift around, you may see availability, particularly on the day of the show.

Hope that helps and I am truly am sorry you were unable to get tickets.

Thanks,

Hilary White
Assistant Ticket Office Manager

[wml7]

Well that was a very nice letter with a clear explanation.  I guess all the ones who didn't get tickets should  try when the date gets closer.  I do know that singles were able to be grabbed as you see some of the guys here get that.  I just know I couldn't get two at any time
 

[K8teebug]

What a sweet response.

[atomicfront]

"and the venues/promoters that are being taken advantage "  - I don't see how the venues and promoters are being taking advantage.   They get their money no matter if a scalper or someone going to see the show pays for the ticket.  And if the scalpers can't sell their tickets they still get paid.


But on another note it is nice to know that Morrissey has become popular again.  I remember when he couldn't sell out michael's eight avenue in Glen Burnie.   

[i am gay and i like cats]

i guess this puts to rest all of that . . . 'the smiths reunion.'

[DC Rob]

But on another note it is nice to know that Morrissey has become popular again.  I remember when he couldn't sell out michael's eight avenue in Glen Burnie.   

When was that? The first time I saw Morrissey was at the Capitol Ballroom around 1996 and it was sold out.  Then at the 9:30 Club a few years later. Again, sold out.  The next time was at Wolf Trapp in Vienna back around 2006.  The Pavillion was full and had to be sold out. I certainly didn't see any empty seats. Not sure about the lawn. But it was pretty damn full too.  That was the last time he played the D.C. area.

[Vas Deferens]

http://www.songkick.com/concerts/666709-morrissey-at-michaels-eighth-ave

[Mark_Read]

Didn't he play DAR recently as well? He did have a late '90s slump in the UK as well, but came back with "You Are The Quarry".

[wml7]

Ive seen the bastard twice.  In richmond at the national and the very next night at Warner hall.
 

[Here's the thing]

Ive seen the bastard twice.  In richmond at the national and the very next night at Warner hall.
 

I thought that show at the National was really good. Tight band, Morrissey seemed into it and appreciative of the enthusiasm. Good time.

[Justin Tonation]

Two Terminal 5 nights added, 10/12-13.

[wml7]

Two Terminal 5 nights added, 10/12-13.

Oh nice, another show that will be impossible to get tickets