early ticket sales with no box office; a terrible policy

[nayrasher]

Wow, awesome, two early ticket sales without the box office selling in two weeks!  Belle and Sebastian and Clap Your Hands.  What the hell is going on?  For people who don't like spending $8 extra on a ticket, this week has been a real fucking over.  Thanks 9:30!  I think it is really slimy of you to have tickets on sale only on the internet when the box office isn't open.  Why is it called a "pre-sale" when all the damn tickets are on sale?  Why aren't some reserved for people who are willing to get over to the club and buy tickets?
 
 I already saw Clap Your Hands at the Black Cat, a place that sells tickets at the club when they are available and doesn't charge $4.50 for a Budweiser bottle.  
 
 I'm really fucking pissed at the 9:30 this week.  Refashion your ticket sales so people can get a ticket and not have to pay tickets.com some fucking ridiculous fee.

[Bags]

Originally posted by nayr497:
 
 I already saw Clap Your Hands at the Black Cat, a place that sells tickets at the club when they are available and doesn't charge $4.50 for a Budweiser bottle.  

You wouldn't have gotten tickets for this show if it were held at the Black Cat this time either, as their "box office" doesn't open until 8:00 p.m.
 
 I kind of hear you (I didn't get Clap Your Hands tickets either, I was heading to the club this afternoon), but there's virtually no place that opens its box office same time as tickets go on sale.  Only ones are Ticketmaster outlets at Hecht's, for instance, and then you're paying the extra fees anyway (and maybe not even getting tickets to shows that sell out in minutes unless you're the first person in line).
 
 You're frustrated, but I don't agree that the club's policy is out of line.

[kosmo vinyl]

There was a pre-sale for CYHSY that was in Volume the clubs paper newsletter send by post.  
 
 The B&S show was announced in the 9:30 email blast and by the band, but was never listed as a presales.  As quickly as the B&S went I doubt being at the boxoffice would have made much of a difference.  CYHSY tickets were available two full days after being announced.  I'm sure some will call it a "suprise" sellout and the real fans gots locked out.
 
 Besides the club has been holding early sales for awhile a now and tickets those shows have been available at the boxoffice.

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

I agree with the original poster.
 
 I had hoped to get tickets to both the Pogues and Belle and Sebastian at the box office.
 
 However, since online sales started at 10 am, and the box office doesn't open until Noon, both shows were sold out before they ever went on sale at the box office.
 
 Is there a way for the 9:30 Club to stipulate to tickets.com to start online sales at the same time that they open the 9:30 box office? Or does 9:30 Club get a cut of the tickets.com ticket fees, thus making it more lucrative for the 9:30 Club to have the tickets sold through tickets.com than through their box office???

[kosmo vinyl]

ok so tickets go onsale at the boxoffice and tickets.com at the same and a hundred people show up at the boxoffice wanting to get tickets.  as quickly as those shows went do you think everyone in line is going to get tickets?  people will complain about that too...

[zoso483]

i bought tickets for clap your hands on the bands' website two saturdays ago... plus the 930 presale there probably just weren't that many tickets left when the general sale started

[Relaxer]

And my 2 cents is that it's a hassle buying tickets at the Black Cat. You ask the person at the front desk, someone has to go get the manager, the manager has to show up, and then he goes and gets your tickets. The process usually takes 10-15 minutes, or longer, which is not convenient.
 
 At 9:30, you pull up to the window and buy tix straight away. Or you buy them online. I've missed out on some shows, but it's always been because I waited too long.

[markie]

I kinda disagree.
 
 It at least gives fans some chance of getting tickets for shows that will sell-out. Most people on here who wanted B&S tickets who were awake actually got tickets. For shows with countless pre-sales that was rarely the case.

[Herr Professor Doktor Doom]

I don't really care that much, but the original poster has a point.  
 
 As for the Black Cat, the inconvenience never bothered me... go in, sit at the bar, have a Red Room Ale, and your ticket will be delivered to you before you're even halfway through it.
 
 http://www.alex.to/alt.dc.music

[HoyaSaxa03]

Originally posted by Doctor Mood:
  I don't really care that much, but the original poster has a point.  
 
 As for the Black Cat, the inconvenience never bothered me... go in, sit at the bar, have a Red Room Ale, and your ticket will be delivered to you before you're even halfway through it.
 
  http://www.alex.to/alt.dc.music

by the way, i noticed that the price of a red room went up recently...

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

You must have a very fast watch, or be an impatient person.??
 
 I've bought tickets at the Black Cat box office maybe 8 or 10 times, and yes they are slow. But I've never had to wait more than maybe five or six minutes.
 
 

Originally posted by Relaxer:
  And my 2 cents is that it's a hassle buying tickets at the Black Cat. You ask the person at the front desk, someone has to go get the manager, the manager has to show up, and then he goes and gets your tickets. The process usually takes 10-15 minutes, or longer, which is not convenient.
 
 At 9:30, you pull up to the window and buy tix straight away. Or you buy them online. I've missed out on some shows, but it's always been because I waited too long.

[brennser]

Originally posted by Relaxer:
  And my 2 cents is that it's a hassle buying tickets at the Black Cat. You ask the person at the front desk, someone has to go get the manager, the manager has to show up, and then he goes and gets your tickets. The process usually takes 10-15 minutes, or longer, which is not convenient.
 

its a huge hassle buying tix at the Black Cat....and don't get me started on the soviet-style, show your ticket and id to one person at the door....shuffle 4 steps and hand your ticket to someone at the desk and receive another ticket in return....shuffle 4 steps to your right and hand that ticket to someone else to get upstairs......oh so efficient when dealing with a sold out crowd

[Frank Gallagher]

Originally posted by brennser:
   

Originally posted by Relaxer:
  And my 2 cents is that it's a hassle buying tickets at the Black Cat. You ask the person at the front desk, someone has to go get the manager, the manager has to show up, and then he goes and gets your tickets. The process usually takes 10-15 minutes, or longer, which is not convenient.
 

its a huge hassle buying tix at the Black Cat....and don't get me started on the soviet-style, show your ticket and id to one person at the door....shuffle 4 steps and hand your ticket to someone at the desk and receive another ticket in return....shuffle 4 steps to your right and hand that ticket to someone else to get upstairs......oh so efficient when dealing with a sold out crowd [/b]

I blame Dave Grohl...it's his club! (Gets ready for angry assault from bags)
 
 I found it quite amusing buying tics at the Black Cat....it's like the old "Frankie said to ask for Vinnie" "oh, okay....I'll go get vinnie" then you wait till they find Vinnie.
 
 That old ticket shuffle is also very interesting. I thought it was a David Blane trick at first...like when you get to the last ticket swap/check they give you back your underwear that you were wearing at the first ticket exchange...Then Vinnie turns his back on you and does that levitation thing.

[Herr Professor Doktor Doom]

Originally posted by HoyaParanoia:
  by the way, i noticed that the price of a red room went up recently...

Really?  I bet their rent has skyrocketed since they opened there, given what has happened to that neighborhood.  I wonder how long they'll be able to stay there....

[Herr Professor Doktor Doom]

Originally posted by brennser:
   soviet-style

heh... let a bunch of indie kids manage anything, and Soviet-style is exactly what you'll get.