Deal Reached on Music Venue in Silver Spring

[distance]

Originally posted by Julian, good manners AFICIONADO:
 And without exception, for shows at the 9:30 club (a venue without direct competition in its market), they're almost always 5, if not 10, dollars more then any other market I see. For example: recently, the Editors were $25 at 9:30 and $15 in Norfolk. And this trend also copies over to IMP arena shows.
 Not saying Seth is price-jacking, just saying I find it odd that in every market around me that there's competition, prices are lower then those offered by Seth's monopoly. [/QB]

well, i too have found norfolk to be cheaper, but i also don't like the norva as much.  i don't think the sound or the atmosphere is as good there.  usually it's about 20% cheaper.. and you can also park for free if you get there early enough (when they are charging hourly for parking in the deck as opposed to the flat fee).  it's a big quicker to get there if you can avoid hampton tunnel backup.
 
 but NYC and boston and SF shows are usually more expensive than DC shows as far as i've seen.
 and i have the same choices you do.
 
 absolute priority (if all else equal) for me for the three cities you listed would be dc, then norfolk, then raleigh.  what raleigh venue are you talking about? i hope not the ritz/disco rodeo.  that has to be one of the worst venues i've ever been to.

[you be betty]

I agree.  A lot of people in the area will appreciate the earlier end time, I think.
 
 

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
  Why do you like it, if it's less fun for you?
 
 I think it's pathetic that people tie the degree of fun to alcohol availability. If you need alcohol to enjoy a show at a certain level, you're either seeing a shitty band, or you yourself have a problem.
 
   

Originally posted by Tom Servo:
  I like how, as a concession to citizens for the bad economic deal, the county agreed to make the shows less fun via venue and alcohol curfews.  Classic win-win right there.
 
 Also, is "neighborly" the word that people think of when reading this?  
 
 "Live Nation also agreed to some neighborly gestures: an annual $30,000 contribution to the nonprofit Celebrate Silver Spring Foundation; an annual auction of concert memorabilia to benefit community groups that Leggett identifies; and six free tickets to each event to be distributed by the county executive."

[/b]

[anarchist]

mo co gets to use the place 6 times a year for free.  mo co community groups can use the facility for $3k thirty x's a yr.  legitt gets 6 free tix to every show.  does the county and community groups have first dibs on the dates?  what if a community group books the facility and later radiohead sez they want to play there on the same date?

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

Originally posted by distance:
   what raleigh venue are you talking about? i hope not the ritz/disco rodeo.  that has to be one of the worst venues i've ever been to.

Alot of the "indie" acts that play 9:30 Club in DC also turn up at Cat's Cradle in NC. And it's almost always cheaper.
 
 I agree Disco Rodeo is the worst venue maybe ever.

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

So does the Cat's Cradle have a competing Clear Channel venue which is driving the cost of shows down?
 
 

Originally posted by Julian, good manners AFICIONADO:
   

Originally posted by distance:
   what raleigh venue are you talking about? i hope not the ritz/disco rodeo.  that has to be one of the worst venues i've ever been to.

Alot of the "indie" acts that play 9:30 Club in DC also turn up at Cat's Cradle in NC. And it's almost always cheaper.
 
 I agree Disco Rodeo is the worst venue maybe ever. [/b]

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

The bottom line for me is that if the cost of shows goes up, I just go to less shows. Simple.

[distance]

Originally posted by Julian, good manners AFICIONADO:
   

Originally posted by distance:
   what raleigh venue are you talking about? i hope not the ritz/disco rodeo.  that has to be one of the worst venues i've ever been to.

Alot of the "indie" acts that play 9:30 Club in DC also turn up at Cat's Cradle in NC. And it's almost always cheaper.
 
 I agree Disco Rodeo is the worst venue maybe ever. [/b]

i also take into account the following
 a) carrboro is 50 miles farther from richmond than dc
 b) I85 is totally brutal and i can't stand the drive, especially late at night ... which leads me to..
 c) shows seem to start later at the cat's cradle as compared to 930 on weeknights.  i've found that a lot of nights i'm getting out around 1am.  with a ~3hr drive home, that puts me getting home at around 4am.  combine that with the the stretch of interstate and it feels like you're never going to get home.  930 shows seem to let out closer to 12 than 1 and with the drive being 2 hours or less, it's not as bad.
 
 if you are talking about the cat's cradle, you shouldn't say raleigh, though.
 
 i like both venues but even if the 930 show is more expensive, i would probably go there if i had to choose between the two.  cat's cradle is a lot better than it used to be now that it's non-smoking (and it's also not nearly as hot in the summer as i remember it being a few years ago).

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

Originally posted by distance:
  if you are talking about the cat's cradle, you shouldn't say raleigh, though.

It's the Raleigh area. This new Live Nation venue is in Silver Spring, which isn't technically DC, but we all think of it as competition in the same media-market all the same.

[Lambofgodfan]

Originally posted by Julian, good manners AFICIONADO:
   

Originally posted by distance:
  if you are talking about the cat's cradle, you shouldn't say raleigh, though.

It's the Raleigh area. This new Live Nation venue is in Silver Spring, which isn't technically DC, but we all think of it as competition in the same media-market all the same. [/b]

Silver Spring is a block outside dc though. It isnt much of a stretch to call it the dc area.

[Lambofgodfan]

By block outside I really mean next to. unlike jaxx which is considered the dc metal scene.

[kosmo vinyl]

If the deal gets approved... I think Seth should turn Merriweather into a state of the art all year row facility as a huge FU!

[Jaguar]

Originally posted by kosmo:
  If the deal gets approved... I think Seth should turn Merriweather into a state of the art all year row facility as a huge FU!

I like that idea!
 
 Honestly, unless it's someone that I desparetely want to see, I plan on out and out boycotting the place on shear principle. Even then, odds are I'll just miss the show.
 
 Oh, and Leggett has been placed on my total shit list of evil politicians that will never, ever get a vote from me for anything. Yes, I know I'm not in Montgomery County but, unfortunately, stink like that usually are the ones who climb the ladder which means that one day I will have a vote. (Not that voting is legit or stands for much anymore in this day and age.) Regardless, from now on, I will turn the other way whenever I smell that stench coming.

[sweetcell]

so do those 6 free tickets per show go straight to leggett, or do they belong "to the people of Mo Co"?  if so, how will they be allocated?  maybe raffled off with proceeds going to the county?  somehow i doubt it...
 
     

Originally posted by Julian, good manners AFICIONADO:
 And without exception, for shows at the 9:30 club (a venue without direct competition in its market), they're almost always 5, if not 10, dollars more then any other market I see. For example: recently, the Editors were $25 at 9:30 and $15 in Norfolk. And this trend also copies over to IMP arena shows.
 
 Not saying Seth is price-jacking, just saying I find it odd that in every market around me that there's competition, prices are lower then those offered by Seth's monopoly.

the presence of monopoly/competition is not the only difference between DC and those other markets.  for arena shows, live nation (and the occasional other) operate here in DC = competition for arena shows.
 
       

Originally posted by 930clubber:
  I'm glad someone else doesn't buy the "more competition = higher prices" argument. Extra venues also signal more market capacity and room for more bands to perform.  Prices in NYC or LA, cities ten times our size, with many more venues, have nearly the same prices as does DC for the same acts.

so if there is more competition there, shouldn't price for shows be lower by your logic?  or are you saying that competition has no effect (since prices are the same), so everyone is getting their shorts in a knot over nothing?
 
       

Originally posted by distance:
 but NYC and boston and SF shows are usually more expensive than DC shows as far as i've seen.
 and i have the same choices you do.

everything is generally more expensive in big cities, entertainment included.

[azaghal1981]

Stellar idea. And very doable.
 
 

Originally posted by kosmo:
  If the deal gets approved... I think Seth should turn Merriweather into a state of the art all year row facility as a huge FU!

[kosmo vinyl]

Hyattsville could use a little revitalization as well near the metro station...