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Open Letter to the Band

erbie627erbie627 Posts: 14
edited March 2008 in The Porch
Dear Pearl Jam,
I am nearly 40 and have been a fan since my army days in California. I like that we have aged together. I have one favor, maybe plea would be better. 2 summers ago when you toured with Tom Petty you announced tour dates in segments. It lead me to buy and have to resell tickets, with fan club permission, to 2 shows.

Could you please announce future tour dates as a complete tour? As a husband with 4 children and limited days off available I would like to be able to plan the shows I would like to see without having shows closer announced later.

Maybe seeing my favorite band in concert is something I have outgrown the logistics of, but it seems like a big game. $70 to $100 a ticket is serious money, especially in a down economy and $3.50 a gallon gas. Those prices make this a serious proposition for everyone involved. Please try to consider all of your fans on this upcoming tour and other tours.

Sincerely,
Frank Erb
Post edited by Unknown User on

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    Vedd HeddVedd Hedd Posts: 4,506
    Don't worry.

    All the dates have been announced.
    Turn this anger into
    Nuclear fission
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    You go, Frank!
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    encompassing tripencompassing trip Columbia SC Posts: 160
    Good luck! Hopefully you will get your chance but you can't expect them to accommodate everyones request. If they did they would be playing in my back yard, at my convenience of course:)
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    erbie627erbie627 Posts: 14
    Good luck! Hopefully you will get your chance but you can't expect them to accommodate everyones request. If they did they would be playing in my back yard, at my convenience of course:)

    It seems that if tickets are still available I might not be the only one that wishes this all went down differently. Also, I often read posts of the South needing more shows. If these sell slowly it may make that harder to come by in the future.
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    Vedd HeddVedd Hedd Posts: 4,506
    erbie627 wrote:
    It seems that if tickets are still available I might not be the only one that wishes this all went down differently. Also, I often read posts of the South needing more shows. If these sell slowly it may make that harder to come by in the future.

    Please view my last 10 posts on this subject.
    Turn this anger into
    Nuclear fission
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    erbie627erbie627 Posts: 14
    Actually I remember there is no real way to know how many 10c tickets there are. Well neither Ed nor the band has posted so I maybe am not being heard
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    Ledbetterman10Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,731
    erbie627 wrote:
    Dear Pearl Jam,
    I am nearly 40 and have been a fan since my army days in California. I like that we have aged together. I have one favor, maybe plea would be better. 2 summers ago when you toured with Tom Petty you announced tour dates in segments. It lead me to buy and have to resell tickets, with fan club permission, to 2 shows.

    Could you please announce future tour dates as a complete tour? As a husband with 4 children and limited days off available I would like to be able to plan the shows I would like to see without having shows closer announced later.

    Maybe seeing my favorite band in concert is something I have outgrown the logistics of, but it seems like a big game. $70 to $100 a ticket is serious money, especially in a down economy and $3.50 a gallon gas. Those prices make this a serious proposition for everyone involved. Please try to consider all of your fans on this upcoming tour and other tours.

    Sincerely,
    Frank Erb

    dammit Erb, get with the fucking program!
    2000: Camden 1, 2003: Philly, State College, Camden 1, MSG 2, Hershey, 2004: Reading, 2005: Philly, 2006: Camden 1, 2, East Rutherford 1, 2007: Lollapalooza, 2008: Camden 1, Washington D.C., MSG 1, 2, 2009: Philly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2010: Bristol, MSG 2, 2011: PJ20 1, 2, 2012: Made In America, 2013: Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014: Denver, 2015: Global Citizen Festival, 2016: Philly 2, Fenway 1, 2018: Fenway 1, 2, 2021: Sea. Hear. Now. 2022: Camden

    Pearl Jam bootlegs:
    http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
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    rhinomagicrhinomagic Charlottesville, VA Posts: 2,549
    I had a co-worker recently named Erb. He is the coolest guy.

    I agree with your plea, too.

    .
    Memphis 1994
    New Orleans 1995
    Fort Lauderdale 1996
    Atlanta & Birmingham 1998
    New Orleans 2000
    Tampa 2003
    Kissimmee 2004
    New York City (x 2) 2008
    East Troy (x 2) 2011
    Chicago & New Orleans 2013
    Hampton, Raleigh, Boston 2016
    Baltimore 2020
    Louisville 2022
    Philadelphia & Baltimore 2024
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    Honestly being a fan of this band is embarrassing if I'm associated with the majority of people on this board. It's a concert, a rock concert not anything more or less. I'm just as big a fanatic as the next person and I catch some shows that are within my means, there have been some shows between 06 and now I would have loved to catch...the Vic, Gorge etc but I couldn't, I waited until they came back around. Enough is enough, this band and this fanclub owe you NOTHING no advance notice, lower ticket prices or more dates so why don't all of you get a grip.

    Randall's Island 96----NJ 1 '06
    14 shows and counting
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    Honestly being a fan of this band is embarrassing if I'm associated with the majority of people on this board. It's a concert, a rock concert not anything more or less. I'm just as big a fanatic as the next person and I catch some shows that are within my means, there have been some shows between 06 and now I would have loved to catch...the Vic, Gorge etc but I couldn't, I waited until they came back around. Enough is enough, this band and this fanclub owe you NOTHING no advance notice, lower ticket prices or more dates so why don't all of you get a grip.

    There are definitely to many fanatics on here & the band owes us nothing. I do think the ticket prices suck, but they dont stop me from purchasing just as i think beer prices suck at the venues yet i still buy the beers.
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    this place no longer has anything to do with the music, it's a bunch of people complaining about the business logistics of 10c. From the way things are announced, to poster sales, to which songs they should play, to the "Official Thread of the day" the list goes on and on and on

    Randall's Island 96----NJ 1 '06
    14 shows and counting
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    restlesssoulrestlesssoul Posts: 6,943
    this place no longer has anything to do with the music, it's a bunch of people complaining about the business logistics of 10c. From the way things are announced, to poster sales, to which songs they should play, to the "Official Thread of the day" the list goes on and on and on


    i try to stay out of the bullshit and keep it about the shows and the music...after all, thats what its all about!!!!

    nice name!
    Van '98, Sea I+II '00, Sea '01, Sea II '02, Van '03, Gorge, Van, Cal, Edm '05, Bos I+II, Phi I+II, DC, SF II+III, Port, Gorge I+II '06, DC, NY I+II '08, Sea I+II, Van, Ridge , LA III+IV' 09, Indy '10, Cal, Van '11, Lond, Van, Sea '13, Memphis '14, RRHOF '17, Sea I+II '18, Van I '24
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    KingmidgetKingmidget Posts: 628
    Honestly being a fan of this band is embarrassing if I'm associated with the majority of people on this board. It's a concert, a rock concert not anything more or less. I'm just as big a fanatic as the next person and I catch some shows that are within my means, there have been some shows between 06 and now I would have loved to catch...the Vic, Gorge etc but I couldn't, I waited until they came back around. Enough is enough, this band and this fanclub owe you NOTHING no advance notice, lower ticket prices or more dates so why don't all of you get a grip.


    Sorry...they ain't shit without the fans.
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    zootownzootown Posts: 666
    Kingmidget wrote:
    Sorry...they ain't shit without the fans.


    Ah, I think herein lies the problem. Sure, the fans are important, but don't you think that they would still be artists, despite how much $ they have made, shows they have played, people they have pissed off or satisfied. Remember, this is "NOT FOR YOU". I concur with restless souls summary. Sometimes I am embarrassed to be a fan, not because of the music or what they represent, but because that alot of the fans (at least on this board) seem to have few other sources of satisfaction outside of Pearl Jam. Perhaps this is a wrong assumption, but I too am blown away with the sense of entitlement that some fans have here. Shit, I live in Missoula, and was told by Jeff Ament himself that there would be a show in 2008 here in Missoula, but do you here me making demands or complaining? Give it a rest! Besides, if they are not touring, it is because they are making a new album!

    By the way, Ive noticed that most board members who have a gajillion posts or have been 10c members for a long time are taking this in stride.
    I hold the pain, release me!
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    rhinomagicrhinomagic Charlottesville, VA Posts: 2,549
    zootown wrote:
    Shit, I live in Missoula, and was told by Jeff Ament himself that there would be a show in 2008 here in Missoula, but do you here me making demands or complaining?

    Fascinating nugget.

    I'll be interested to see if that one comes to be. Hope so!

    .
    Memphis 1994
    New Orleans 1995
    Fort Lauderdale 1996
    Atlanta & Birmingham 1998
    New Orleans 2000
    Tampa 2003
    Kissimmee 2004
    New York City (x 2) 2008
    East Troy (x 2) 2011
    Chicago & New Orleans 2013
    Hampton, Raleigh, Boston 2016
    Baltimore 2020
    Louisville 2022
    Philadelphia & Baltimore 2024
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    Kingmidget wrote:
    Sorry...they ain't shit without the fans.

    I think 500 or so people on here vs. 8,000 10Clubbers at the last MSG show says it all. they could do without a few hundred people that are impossible to satisfy.

    Randall's Island 96----NJ 1 '06
    14 shows and counting
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    erbie627erbie627 Posts: 14
    Since none of the replies were from band members that I could discern. It doesn't really apply to you.

    If you are comfortable with the way the band runs its business that's great. I didn't ask anyone to sign a petition to play here or there or anywhere. No petitions for my favorite song. I love seeing them live. I was around buying tickets the last time and as soon as I bought my tickets for them in Minneapolis they announced a show at Summerfest.

    If the band, not you fellow fans, doesn't put a tour together any better than this one could be or the last one was. Maybe I need a new band and I can just relive the memories of my favorite shows. Which I don't post as some bizzare badge of honor.

    Everyone in the forums needs to get over themselves. It is just music and just a band and worshipping them as everyone else seems to isn't healthy.
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    ScottZeagleScottZeagle Posts: 169
    erbie627 wrote:
    If the band, not you fellow fans, doesn't put a tour together any better than this one could be or the last one was. Maybe I need a new band and I can just relive the memories of my favorite shows. Which I don't post as some bizzare badge of honor.

    Everyone in the forums needs to get over themselves. It is just music and just a band and worshipping them as everyone else seems to isn't healthy.

    Well said, Frank....

    I am happy that they are playing Florida, but if I hadn't just got my tax return, swinging nearly $300 for concert tix would be an issue in this economy.

    If you are looking for a new band to get into, check out Lucero. They are a bit different than PJ musically, but they are a grass roots band that has been working the roads and touring their asses off for 6 years...and their live shows are adventures!!! :D

    Best,

    Scott
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    OceansJennyOceansJenny Manhattan, NY Posts: 3,196
    Erb, I think its more concert venue business logic. They aren't holding out on the dates for fun, they just aren't fully booked. So they announce in "legs" so to speak. If they wait for all the shows to be booked and announce all legs at once, there will be short time notice between the announcement and the first leg. So people would have to make last minute plans. Thats why most legs are around the same region; so if you buy lots of tickets for the first leg, its assumed you live near there, and if they announce a second leg in a different region, you wouldn't be interested.

    I can understand it is frustrating if they have only announced 1 leg and its not your region, because you don't know if theres gonna be a second leg closer to you. But its just how it goes. In my opinion, if its a full album tour, expect multiple legs and many shows, thus hold out for leg 2 or 3 because they'll probably hit your region (US speaking). If its not a full album tour, you can't expect a second leg, and neither can the band for that matter. They probably don't know if more shows are probable or not, or if they feel like doing them.
    DC '03 - Reading '04 - Philly '05 - Camden 1 '06 - DC '06 - E. Rutherford '06 - The Vic '07 - Lollapalooza '07 - DC '08 - EV DC 1 & 2 '08 (Met Ed!!) - EV Baltimore 1 & 2 '09 - EV NYC 1 '11 (Met Ed!) - Hartford '13 - GCF '15 - MSG 2 '16 - TOTD MSG '16 - Boston 1 & 2 '18 - SHN '21 - EV NYC 1 & 2 '22 - MSG '22
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    I'm waiting for someone to come along and say "Life is not fair, they should not have to play in your backyard. If you want to see them, drive or fly 500 miles to see them. Be damned with expenses!"

    But yes, I'm with you on what you're saying. I don't expect them to play in my own backyard, but having the option to drive no more than a hundred miles or so to see them would be swell.

    I live in a prime location where I can drive to 4 cities or so that they have been to numerous times in the past without causing too much stress on my bank account. After all, not all of us have the luxury of taking days of work and/or have the cash flow to drive 3 or 4 states over to see them.

    Yes it sucks, but that is life these days. I want to see them, but my money is too tight to be blowing it on airfare or a lot of gas.
    Noblesville 6/03
    Toledo 10/04
    Grand Rapids 10/04
    Grand Rapids 5/06
    Cleveland 5/06
    Cincinnati 6/06
    *hopefully sometime before I die* Noblesville

    Songs I'm hoping to hear live: Nothingman, In My Tree, Indifference, and Animal
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    spinDrAtlspinDrAtl Posts: 109
    erbie627 wrote:
    It is just music and just a band and worshipping them as everyone else seems to isn't healthy.

    Ummm, making a plea to the band on a message board to change the way they set their tour legs, announce the tickets, and so on makes it seem that it's more than 'just music and just a band' to you and perhaps not so healthy either.

    Just sayin.
    So this is what it's like to be an adult.

    Atlanta 4-3-94,Charleston 10-5-96
    Atlanta 8-7-00,Atlanta 4-19-03
    Vegas 6-6-03,Vegas 7-6-06
    Chicago Vic 8-2-07,Columbia 6-16-08
    MSG I 6-24-08, Philadelphia 10-31-09
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    Hello Erbie, this is, um, Pearl Jam. Thank you for posting your life story and whatnot on the message board. Even though we're surfing, skateboarding and pretending to be buddies with Boom, we have taken your plea under consideration and the next tour we announce will hit your living room. We will announce it 10 years in advance. Hope you can make it!

    PS. Please do not rip into our fans in the future if we don't reply too quickly. They're a sensitive bunch.
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    erbie627erbie627 Posts: 14
    I'll start another posting for new bands to listen to. The point of my "Open Letter" was totally missed by some. Though from a different thread one of the posters hit it exactly. Message boards allow people to be assholes on the internet. It's why I have a total of 10 posts in life and don't venture into message boards much. I may update to having a signature block so everyone knows I've been to a show or 2 :)
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    The JugglerThe Juggler Behind that bush over there. Posts: 47,315
    zootown wrote:
    By the way, Ive noticed that most board members who have a gajillion posts or have been 10c members for a long time are taking this in stride.

    that is not true.
    chinese-happy.jpg
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