Billboard: Pearl Jam: 'Back' To The Future

given2fly23

pjhawk wrote:

I think many of us just need to calm the fuck down about the Vault thing. There should be some trust credits built up right about now. (Not saying that everyone is all worked up, but I just feel it tensing up a bit, it's going to be okay, and even though it's not a promise I can really make, I'm going to. It's going to be okay, I promise.)

not with live vault shows, they dont have many credits built up. 12/31/92 freebie w/ Avocado, MTV Unplugged and Drop in the Park were all flawed, IMO. that being said, I'm hoping they do these vault shows right and make sure they are complete, unedited and available in a lossless format (FLAC). Please!

and I think what you look at as "tensing up" is just excitement. I was excited too, then I realized that I should remember those last three releases and not get my hopes up. let's hope these vault are similar to the tour bootlegs they have done a great job with, and they are the first step in MANY vault shows being released.

rrivers

[/quote]
not with live vault shows, they dont have many credits built up. 12/31/92 freebie w/ Avocado, MTV Unplugged and Drop in the Park were all flawed, IMO. that being said, I'm hoping they do these vault shows right and make sure they are complete, unedited and available in a lossless format (FLAC). Please!

and I think what you look at as "tensing up" is just excitement. I was excited too, then I realized that I should remember those last three releases and not get my hopes up. let's hope these vault are similar to the tour bootlegs they have done a great job with, and they are the first step in MANY vault shows being released.[/quote]

Interesting, how is the 12/31 and Drop in the Park flawed? I know about Unplugged.

nooram

the band is deciding whether to play outdoor amphitheaters or arenas

Just want the band to know that Minneapolis has two new great stadiums that would love to have their concert cherries popped next year: The Twins' Target Field and the University of Minnesota's new Football Stadium

Pearl Jam is the band for the job!

http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/min/ball ... t_view.jsp

http://stadium.gophersports.com/?DB_OEM_ID=8400

NCBRI

lots of cool nuggets in that story

I like that they are considering taking it inside for a 2010 tour as opposed to the amphitheaters.

BeerBaron

NCBRI wrote:

lots of cool nuggets in that story

I like that they are considering taking it inside for a 2010 tour as opposed to the amphitheaters.

Me too. I've always preferred indoor shows for MANY reasons. I like the odd outdoor show in the summer (Toronto will be fun!) but if I had to pick one or the other I would pick an arena show without a second of thought...

hopethatuchoke

slightofjeff wrote:

hopethatuchoke wrote:

"The group remains a huge touring draw and A-list festival headliner, having grossed nearly $42 million from 51 shows reported to Billboard Boxscore from 2006 to 2008."


I am really curious as to how the apologists who defend the high ticket prices will respond to that glaring statistic.

A bunch of cool news in there. I can't wait for the vault.

I don't think anybody said Pearl Jam was poor. Ticket prices are high because that's the going rate in this day and age.

That said, grossing $42 million and netting $42 million are two different things. I'd be interested to see how much they actually MADE touring. Obviously, it's considerably less than $42 million.

I'm sure they did just fine and about 1000x's more fine than any of the people paying $90 to see them. And I wouldn't say people said the band was poor but the tone of certain posts when trying to justify high ticket prices for the band and Eddie were pretty comical and they border on calling them poor. Some people just refuse to admit that the band are driven by money now. I don't blame them but I do think there is a happy medium where you take care of your fans at the same time as taking care of your checking account.

And to the people wigging out about the vault....aren't 97% of the shows Pearl Jam have played available in some form or another in the trading community? It's not worth stressing over. Deep breaths...it'll be fine

drsluggo

hopethatuchoke wrote:

I'm sure they did just fine and about 1000x's more fine than any of the people paying $90 to see them. And I wouldn't say people said the band was poor but the tone of certain posts when trying to justify high ticket prices for the band and Eddie were pretty comical and they border on calling them poor. Some people just refuse to admit that the band are driven by money now. I don't blame them but I do think there is a happy medium where you take care of your fans at the same time as taking care of your checking account.

And to the people wigging out about the vault....aren't 97% of the shows Pearl Jam have played available in some form or another in the trading community? It's not worth stressing over. Deep breaths...it'll be fine

I think I can safely say I agree with everything in this post.

And I'm hoping they pick some cool shows for the vault that are not already available in soundboard, but I know almost every show is out there anyway so just hoping for some good ones.

slightofjeff

hopethatuchoke wrote:

I'm sure they did just fine and about 1000x's more fine than any of the people paying $90 to see them.

Well, no shit. I'm sure the owner of the local car dealership is better off than me, too. Should he be morally obligated to sell me a car for half price, you know, just cuz ?

And I wouldn't say people said the band was poor but the tone of certain posts when trying to justify high ticket prices for the band and Eddie were pretty comical and they border on calling them poor. Some people just refuse to admit that the band are driven by money now.

I think "driven by money" is a little melodramatic, don't you? It's not like they are charging $300. They are charging what the market dictates. So what? It's not out of line with other arena rock shows.

I don't blame them but I do think there is a happy medium where you take care of your fans at the same time as taking care of your checking account.

What do you mean take care of the fans? Practically every show I've been to has been sold out, so *somebody* is buying these tickets. There are plenty of fans who are being "taken care of." I just don't see why the band should feel obligated slash their ticket prices to below market value just because some people can't afford them. They should cut you a break, just to be a pal? That's kind of stupid, frankly. This argument wouldn't work anywhere else, with any other good or any other service. I don't know why people think this argument works here.

The tickets cost what they cost. If you want to pay that much, you do. If you don't, you don't. When my wife wants to go see "Little Shop of Horrors" or "Lion King" or some other piece of Broadway shit when it comes through town, I decide if I've got $100 a pop to spend on tickets, or not. There's no getting on the "Little Shop of Horrors" message board and moaning about the high ticket prices. I either pay them or I don't. And if I don't, someone else will.

In the same sense, there's no "defending" Pearl Jam ticket prices. They just are what they are. It's what happens when rock bands get older, and their fan base gets older and (ostensibly) gets real jobs and can afford a higher priced ticket. The Who aren't charging $15 anymore, either.

jimed14

so after being in full blown baseball trade deadline and Red Sox game mode (Sox win, hell yeah) ... I finally read this ... GREAT STUFF ...

.... and has pointed out a few pages back, this didn't pass me by ...

Also on tap is a headlining slot Oct. 4 at the Austin City Limits festival, plus a run of shows in Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii in November and December.

mmmm, winter vacation!!!

I can't imagine one person on this board being bitter right now.

(well ... except for the Philly fans waiting for a 3rd show, of course.)

norm

yeah hawaii is intriguing....kicking myself for not going in 06....pearl jam and U2 and hawaii!!!

i'm a shithead :twisted: :ugeek:

jimed14

norm wrote:

yeah hawaii is intriguing....kicking myself for not going in 06....pearl jam and U2 and hawaii!!!

i'm a shithead :twisted: :ugeek:

exactly how I feel looking back on it ...

granted, I alreday had a trip to Brazil in October of that year planned and booked when I found out about Hawaii ... but, I should have made PJ/U2 work ....

comrades in shitheaddom.

norm

jimed14 wrote:

norm wrote:

yeah hawaii is intriguing....kicking myself for not going in 06....pearl jam and U2 and hawaii!!!

i'm a shithead :twisted: :ugeek:

exactly how I feel looking back on it ...

granted, I alreday had a trip to Brazil in October of that year planned and booked when I found out about Hawaii ... but, I should have made PJ/U2 work ....

comrades in shitheaddom.

yeah i just didn't want/have the money....i've been trying to stop living off credit for the last several years and i didn't want to do it then

be responsible blows :twisted:

given2fly23

rrivers wrote:

Interesting, how is the 12/31 and Drop in the Park flawed? I know about Unplugged.

12/31 was a below average recording, one that was already circulating amongst the trading community for many years. when I'm getting a show directly from the band, as incentive to pay more and order the album from the fan club, rather than buying the same album for a cheaper price at a store, I expect it to be a professionally recorded show.

Drop in the Park is missing songs (Sonic Reducer and RITFW). there are also fades between songs. no good.

some of you may flame me (flame on) or think I'm being picky and should just be grateful, but this is a band that has a history of valuing live recordings. I would not have paid for these things had I known about these flaws, and that makes me feel ripped off.

it's like hiring a world renown chef to prepare your dinner and he or she brings out frozen pizza.

drsluggo

non-entity wrote:

it's like hiring a world renown chef to prepare your dinner and he or she brings out frozen pizza.

Didnt you know it wasn't delivery, it was Digiornos?

Yeah - lame joke. I know what you mean though. The real question I have now is how can the TC not give any incentive to preorder the CD through them where with Target you can get TWO live concertns AND the entire album on Rockband? That's just seeming odd to me.

hopethatuchoke

slightofjeff wrote:

Well, no shit. I'm sure the owner of the local car dealership is better off than me, too. Should he be morally obligated to sell me a car for half price, you know, just cuz ?


I think "driven by money" is a little melodramatic, don't you? It's not like they are charging $300. They are charging what the market dictates. So what? It's not out of line with other arena rock shows.

I don't blame them but I do think there is a happy medium where you take care of your fans at the same time as taking care of your checking account.

What do you mean take care of the fans? Practically every show I've been to has been sold out, so *somebody* is buying these tickets. There are plenty of fans who are being "taken care of." I just don't see why the band should feel obligated slash their ticket prices to below market value just because some people can't afford them. They should cut you a break, just to be a pal? That's kind of stupid, frankly. This argument wouldn't work anywhere else, with any other good or any other service. I don't know why people think this argument works here.

The tickets cost what they cost. If you want to pay that much, you do. If you don't, you don't. When my wife wants to go see "Little Shop of Horrors" or "Lion King" or some other piece of Broadway shit when it comes through town, I decide if I've got $100 a pop to spend on tickets, or not. There's no getting on the "Little Shop of Horrors" message board and moaning about the high ticket prices. I either pay them or I don't. And if I don't, someone else will.

In the same sense, there's no "defending" Pearl Jam ticket prices. They just are what they are. It's what happens when rock bands get older, and their fan base gets older and (ostensibly) gets real jobs and can afford a higher priced ticket. The Who aren't charging $15 anymore, either.

There is a huge difference between your used car dealership making 6 figures a year and PJ making $42 MILLION. He isn't morally obligated to sell you at a discount but I doubt that he went public with interviews in the 90's saying fuck ticketmaster, I love Fugazi and $15 tickets, it's all about keeping ticket prices low, etc.

They aren't charging $300 because very very few people would pay $300. $200 poster books, $40 tshirts, $35 posters, $80 tickets for Eddie sitting by himself on stage for 2 hours....they ARE driven by money. When you make $42 million, you can probably afford to lower some of your prices a bit. And their prices are in line by certain shows (Bruce, The Stones) but definitely out of line when you compare them to other contemporaries closer to them in success and relevance (Radiohead, Green Day, etc.) Even Metallica is cheaper than them and they have a very sick stage setup. Actually, Bruce had $19.67 tickets for the spectrum shows.

By taking care of the fans, I mean not charging the maximum amount. I would say they are on the cusp of the amount of money they can charge and sell out. After service charges, Philly tickets were a little more than $90. I don't think they sell out 2 shows if they are $110 each. There is NO REASON why Spectrum tickets that cost $40 in 2003 should be $90 in 2009 OTHER than the band wants the money. As I said...that is fine. We pay it, it's their choice but people can't continue to say they are a "band of the people" and it's all about the fans. It is clearly about the money at this point. More power to them.

Wilds

What a fucking awesome article. Really summed up so many things that were in question.

And by in question I mean by the Premature Ejaculators who whined and cried about the target deal.

I mean nothing will change. NOTHING WILL CHANGE. Despite how awesome this band is, and how awesome the Ten Club treats us, and how much of a bargain the cost of membership is, how reasonable the ticket prices are in this day in age (or at least how the ticket price should be easily understood by anyone with 1/2 a brain), no matter where or how much, or how often they tour, the Negative Anger, No Perspective, Spouting Jackamoes, will still verbally puke all over these message boards.

It is truly a sickening thing to witness.

Thank you Pearl Jam and Ten Club for what has already been an amazing 2009, and it hasn't even really started to get good yet.

Now I hand this thread back to the majority of Fans who appreciate everything that the article spoke about, and to the vocal minority of Loudmouth no nothings who want to sully these boards with their glazed over angry view of the world (and band) that is out to get them.

Ricsard

WOOOOO, this article is brilliant!!!
I am excited about all the fantastic news (especially Rock Band DLC), and I am really looking forward to seeing the European dates in 2010!
This must be an incredible year for all PJ fans!

Fifthelement

As so many others have said . . . awesome news!

I can hardly wait for the Hawaii announcement

U R A Crazy Breed

holy shit!! there was a whole lotta goodness in that there little interview!.....and backspacer dropping on Rockband on release day?! didn't see that coming! cool!

2010 = Boston & NY shows!!!

shit is getting hot in the kitchen baby..bring on the Philly shows!! ...in 3 months

i think i may have to install a fire poll in my house too, going to my bathroom downstairs....because i almost shit myself when i read this article!....thanks for posting!!

benjs

Several things came to mind here..
First off, here we have confirmation from Stone that - yes, you doubters - the band has always had their own profits in mind, and simply didn't have the know-how!
Second, the band's distribution method (exclusive with Target) IS actually mildly revolutionary! I didn't know about this, but that article really made it sound like this is a very respected decision from the industry, which is great to hear.
Third, lean and mean. Need I say more?
Fourth, I guess we know what happened to the vault! Very smart way of actually implementing it... this way, Pearl Jam can probably hand Target a bunch of paper slips to put in the bag of each album sold with a code, rather than printing this album in four or five different versions. I hope Ten Club remembers to treat us (as they always do!) to something special too - even those of us who bought the LPs
Finally..








Bring it on