What happened to the old ticket system?

AM7865AM7865 Posts: 46
edited March 2010 in The Porch
Back in 2003 I remember getting a list of the shows in the mail. I picked the two shows I wanted to attend, sent in a certified check or money order, and I had the tickets. It felt like being in the fan club was worth it because of that privilege. This online pre-sale system makes me wonder a little bit about the benefits of the fan club. I mean, I've always been a member because I thought it gave me an "in" when it came to tickets.
Post edited by Unknown User on

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  • riffrandallriffrandall Posts: 685
    AM7865 wrote:
    Back in 2003 I remember getting a list of the shows in the mail. I picked the two shows I wanted to attend, sent in a certified check or money order, and I had the tickets. It felt like being in the fan club was worth it because of that privilege. This online pre-sale system makes me wonder a little bit about the benefits of the fan club. I mean, I've always been a member because I thought it gave me an "in" when it came to tickets.

    And I still own cassette tapes.
    "If you're looking for someone to pull you out of that ditch, you're out of luck."
  • jets521jets521 Posts: 804
    google GDTSOO.

    its the grateful dead ticket order service. has been in effect for decades and it is still used today for most Grateful Dead related bands.
    its fool proof. very rarely do you get shut out.
    your tickets are determined by the date/time of the postmark as they are recieved.

    http://www.gdtstoo.com/GDTSTOOInstru.html
    Wachovia Center, Philadelphia - 10/3/05
    Tweeter Center, Camden - 5/27/06
    Verizon Center, Wash. DC - 5/30/06
    Bonnaroo, Manchester, TN - 6/14/08
    Madison Square Garden, NYC - 6/19/08
    Spectrum, Philadelphia - 10/28/09
    Spectrum, Philadelphia - 10/30/09
    Spectrum, Philadelphia - 10/31/09
    Madison Square Garden, NYC - 5/21/10
    Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia - 10/21/13
    1st Mariner Arena, Baltimore - 10/27/13
    Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia - 4/28/16
    Enterprise Center, Saint Louis - 9/18/22
  • riffrandallriffrandall Posts: 685
    jets521 wrote:
    google GDTSOO.

    Grateful Dead related bands.

    See also: bands that no one gives a crap about & are not beating a path to their door when on tour.

    The Grateful Dead died with Jerry. (The Other Ones & Bobby Weir with his big gray Jerry beard don't count) Coincidentally, that's about the same time technology picked up.
    "If you're looking for someone to pull you out of that ditch, you're out of luck."
  • just tinajust tina Posts: 277
    back in those mail in days, i never received my show list/order form on time, it was always just late enough that i couldn't make deadline.
  • Jokertt14Jokertt14 Posts: 2,566
    Shit . in 1995 u had to call from the area code of the venue . ;)
  • jfconnorjrjfconnorjr Posts: 518
    I remember the old days too and Furthur has picked up some steam if you want to talk about the Dead.

    Anyway, the old ticket system must a have been a mess logistically for those managing it.
    The online system is fine, its evolved.
    However, I agree with a ticket limit per say. Allowing a limited number of shows to each member would cut down on excessive demand and the entitlement issue some members seem to have.
    Another thing I would like to see is if the tickets are limited, free up the first two rows :D
  • just tinajust tina Posts: 277
    jfconnorjr wrote:
    However, I agree with a ticket limit per say. Allowing a limited number of shows to each member would cut down on excessive demand and the entitlement issue some members seem to have.
    this probably does make the best sense...
  • ZodZod Posts: 10,532
    the old ticket system wasn't impervious either. On the Yield tour there were some shows that didn't have enough tickets. The order form asked you to choose a backup date in cause they didn't have enough tickets for the show you chose.

    I think there were probably alot less people using it for tickets back then as well, because the internet was in its infancy, and it didn't seem to be wide knowledge it was a benefit of being in the 10c (unless you had joined the 10c).

    Also because you had to send it in, so far in advance, there was never access to ticket 2nd night tickets.. 1st shows were always 10c ticket shows, if they played a 2nd night, we never got access to those tickets.

    so theres pros and cons from the old system. not to mention we were all sending the forms back via courier because it was first come first serve.
  • GoatboyGoatboy Posts: 509
    index cards and money orders? no thanks, internet is the way to go. they just need to revamp the system. don't know how to do that though...a lottery would be fair I guess. but with pj touring less and less demand is going to continue to be very high. especially for the large markets and for tours that consist of 10 shows, which is all they seem to do anymore. I'm just happy to get inside the venue, who knows how long fanclub tickets will last anyway with ticketmaster/live nation ruling the world.
  • Bathgate66Bathgate66 Posts: 15,813
    the postcard method was alot less stressing, thats for sure.
    viva le snail-mail !

    :ugeek:
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    That it ain't no sin to be glad you're alive
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  • hopethatuchokehopethatuchoke Posts: 2,927
    I don't understand why every other bands fan club is capable of selling tickets to shows online (many of them without $20 membership fees) but the club that does charge can't get it right. NIN, Muse, Radiohead...probably many others. It seems to be they are so insistent on making sure that the tickets people get are random that they are willing to do it this way.
  • riffrandallriffrandall Posts: 685
    I don't understand why every other bands fan club is capable of selling tickets to shows online (many of them without $20 membership fees) but the club that does charge can't get it right. NIN, Muse, Radiohead...probably many others. It seems to be they are so insistent on making sure that the tickets people get are random that they are willing to do it this way.

    Plenty of clubs charge, and not everybody gets tickets to every show that they want. When bands start to suck, there are plenty of ways to entice fans to get to the shows.
    "If you're looking for someone to pull you out of that ditch, you're out of luck."
  • hopethatuchokehopethatuchoke Posts: 2,927
    I don't understand why every other bands fan club is capable of selling tickets to shows online (many of them without $20 membership fees) but the club that does charge can't get it right. NIN, Muse, Radiohead...probably many others. It seems to be they are so insistent on making sure that the tickets people get are random that they are willing to do it this way.

    Plenty of clubs charge, and not everybody gets tickets to every show that they want. When bands start to suck, there are plenty of ways to entice fans to get to the shows.

    Agreed but they don't require you to try for hours to get tickets. When they are sold out, you know immediately. Based on what 10 club said with the 10 minute limit on carts, why would it take hours for a sold out to show up?
  • riffrandallriffrandall Posts: 685
    I don't understand why every other bands fan club is capable of selling tickets to shows online (many of them without $20 membership fees) but the club that does charge can't get it right. NIN, Muse, Radiohead...probably many others. It seems to be they are so insistent on making sure that the tickets people get are random that they are willing to do it this way.

    Plenty of clubs charge, and not everybody gets tickets to every show that they want. When bands start to suck, there are plenty of ways to entice fans to get to the shows.

    Agreed but they don't require you to try for hours to get tickets. When they are sold out, you know immediately. Based on what 10 club said with the 10 minute limit on carts, why would it take hours for a sold out to show up?

    Um... because the world is an imperfect place? In other clubs, you don't necessarily know immediately, in some, you put your request in & it says "pending" for days and days until finally you get a "no."
    Things could be a lot worse.
    "If you're looking for someone to pull you out of that ditch, you're out of luck."
  • hopethatuchokehopethatuchoke Posts: 2,927

    Um... because the world is an imperfect place? In other clubs, you don't necessarily know immediately, in some, you put your request in & it says "pending" for days and days until finally you get a "no."
    Things could be a lot worse.

    Which club is that?
  • Ryan_WFCRyan_WFC Posts: 1,342
    edited March 2010
    I don't understand why every other bands fan club is capable of selling tickets to shows online (many of them without $20 membership fees) but the club that does charge can't get it right. NIN, Muse, Radiohead...probably many others. It seems to be they are so insistent on making sure that the tickets people get are random that they are willing to do it this way.

    Doesn't Ticketmaster run some of those fan club presales you mentioned? I want no part of that, thanks...

    And as for 10-C, it's not at all that they want it to be random -- it's the opposite, in fact. They want the people with the most tenure to get the beast seats (other than the lottery). This gives them incentive to hang on to their membership, meaning they'll keep paying dues and NOT scalp the seats. Whereas with the Ticketmaster type presale it is truly random -- anyone can nab the front row. And if I just paid $15 for a Muse membership and can make $500 on the front-row tickets and then re-join the club next year with no penalty, why wouldn't I?

    In the end, I think they have the right system. If anything, maybe a DMB-style sign-up would work best where you're not guaranteed to get tickets, but if you do they're by seniority (with the rows 1-2 and 9-10 by lottery). But I would absolutely want 10-C, not Ticketmaster, running that.
    Post edited by Ryan_WFC on
    "They said ... timing was everything
    made him ... want to be everywhere
    there's a ... lot to be said for nowhere."
  • Ryan_WFCRyan_WFC Posts: 1,342

    Um... because the world is an imperfect place? In other clubs, you don't necessarily know immediately, in some, you put your request in & it says "pending" for days and days until finally you get a "no."
    Things could be a lot worse.

    Which club is that?

    I fought the WASTE server for three hours for 2008 Radiohead tickets to Camden, fwiw.
    "They said ... timing was everything
    made him ... want to be everywhere
    there's a ... lot to be said for nowhere."
  • hopethatuchokehopethatuchoke Posts: 2,927
    Ryan_WFC wrote:

    Um... because the world is an imperfect place? In other clubs, you don't necessarily know immediately, in some, you put your request in & it says "pending" for days and days until finally you get a "no."
    Things could be a lot worse.

    Which club is that?

    I fought the WASTE server for three hours for 2008 Radiohead tickets to Camden, fwiw.

    As did I but that was 2 years ago. The Thom Yorke presale was smooth as can be and they were high demand shows in NY.
  • Ryan_WFCRyan_WFC Posts: 1,342
    As did I but that was 2 years ago. The Thom Yorke presale was smooth as can be and they were high demand shows in NY.

    Yeah I definitely understand that there are other presales out there that run more smoothly (or at least end more quickly). But I'd prefer 10-C to retain full control of the tickets.
    "They said ... timing was everything
    made him ... want to be everywhere
    there's a ... lot to be said for nowhere."
  • NeilJamNeilJam Posts: 1,191
    edited March 2010
    I don't understand why every other bands fan club is capable of selling tickets to shows online (many of them without $20 membership fees) but the club that does charge can't get it right. NIN, Muse, Radiohead...probably many others. It seems to be they are so insistent on making sure that the tickets people get are random that they are willing to do it this way.

    Plenty of clubs charge, and not everybody gets tickets to every show that they want. When bands start to suck, there are plenty of ways to entice fans to get to the shows.

    Agreed but they don't require you to try for hours to get tickets. When they are sold out, you know immediately. Based on what 10 club said with the 10 minute limit on carts, why would it take hours for a sold out to show up?


    It took me a couple hours to buy Radiohead tickets for Cleveland through WASTE in 2008, so the 10 Club system isn't the only one that can take a long time to get through.

    edit - oops, skipped the last few posts and didn't notice a couple people already mentioned sales through WASTE from 2008. Anyway, there is no way they could go back to the index card system from before.
    Post edited by NeilJam on
  • Kanye EastKanye East Posts: 782
    You must be talking about the 10c in the 90's. Because in 2003 you had to wait in line at the venue hours before the show took place in order to get the best seats. There was no prioritization at that time. It was 1st come 1st serve.
    DC-9/24/96
    Philly-8/28/98, 8/29/98, 9/1/00, 9/2/00, 4/28/03, 7/5/03, 7/6/03, 10/3/05, 5/27/06, 5/28/06, 6/19/08, 6/20/08, 10/27/09, 10/28/09, 10/30/09, 10/31/09, 10/21/13, 10/22/13, 4/28/16, 4/29/16
    Jones Beach-8/25/00
    PSU-5/3/03
    Irvine-6/2/03
    San Diego-6/5/03
    Hershey-7/12/03
    Reading-10/1/04
    The Gorge-9/1/05
    Vancouver-9/2/05
    AC-9/30/05
    E. Rutherford, NJ-6/1/06,6/3/06
    Bonnaroo-6/14/08
    VA Beach-6/17/08
    MSG-5/20/10,5/21/10
    Baltimore 10/27/13
  • Ryan_WFCRyan_WFC Posts: 1,342
    Kanye East wrote:
    You must be talking about the 10c in the 90's. Because in 2003 you had to wait in line at the venue hours before the show took place in order to get the best seats. There was no prioritization at that time. It was 1st come 1st serve.

    Not exactly -- they split the tickets up into a bunch of batches, based on seniority. So if you were like #10,001, you were in the first/best batch.

    Arriving at the venue first that day ensured you'd get the best pair within your batch, but if your number was really high you still ended up far back. And if you were #10,001 and you showed up at 8pm, you were still third row or whatever.
    "They said ... timing was everything
    made him ... want to be everywhere
    there's a ... lot to be said for nowhere."
  • AM7865AM7865 Posts: 46
    That was all rumor. I arrived 2 hours before the Buffalo show and maybe 3-4 hours before Toronto. The lines were insane but I had 3rd row for both. It was still seniority. Waiting in line was a waste of time. At least there was beer :D
  • NK10452NK10452 Posts: 40
    AM7865 wrote:
    Back in 2003 I remember getting a list of the shows in the mail. I picked the two shows I wanted to attend, sent in a certified check or money order, and I had the tickets. It felt like being in the fan club was worth it because of that privilege. This online pre-sale system makes me wonder a little bit about the benefits of the fan club. I mean, I've always been a member because I thought it gave me an "in" when it came to tickets.


    I see you joined in 1998 -- the glory days -- my buddy and I talk about this every time tixx go on sale. It probably was a nightmare for the 10 club staff, what it was a dream for the fan club members.
    I'm still alive
  • And why buy a 160 GB mp3 player when you can just whistle? :P :D:lol:
  • hopethatuchokehopethatuchoke Posts: 2,927
    WASTE is also free. I'd love for them to have had good servers but nowhere did they charge for membership/the opportunity to buy tickets.
  • Kanye EastKanye East Posts: 782
    Ryan_WFC wrote:
    Kanye East wrote:
    You must be talking about the 10c in the 90's. Because in 2003 you had to wait in line at the venue hours before the show took place in order to get the best seats. There was no prioritization at that time. It was 1st come 1st serve.

    Not exactly -- they split the tickets up into a bunch of batches, based on seniority. So if you were like #10,001, you were in the first/best batch.

    Arriving at the venue first that day ensured you'd get the best pair within your batch, but if your number was really high you still ended up far back. And if you were #10,001 and you showed up at 8pm, you were still third row or whatever.

    You are correct. But there was no prioritization within each batch, which caused people to camp out at the ticket windows well before the show.

    Bottom line, that was a pain in the ass and the system in place now is MUCH better, imo.
    DC-9/24/96
    Philly-8/28/98, 8/29/98, 9/1/00, 9/2/00, 4/28/03, 7/5/03, 7/6/03, 10/3/05, 5/27/06, 5/28/06, 6/19/08, 6/20/08, 10/27/09, 10/28/09, 10/30/09, 10/31/09, 10/21/13, 10/22/13, 4/28/16, 4/29/16
    Jones Beach-8/25/00
    PSU-5/3/03
    Irvine-6/2/03
    San Diego-6/5/03
    Hershey-7/12/03
    Reading-10/1/04
    The Gorge-9/1/05
    Vancouver-9/2/05
    AC-9/30/05
    E. Rutherford, NJ-6/1/06,6/3/06
    Bonnaroo-6/14/08
    VA Beach-6/17/08
    MSG-5/20/10,5/21/10
    Baltimore 10/27/13
  • And why buy a 160 GB mp3 player when you can just whistle? :P :D:lol:

    Funniest post in forever. Kudos! :lol:
    There's a lot to be said for nowhere...
  • riffrandallriffrandall Posts: 685
    Kanye East wrote:
    Ryan_WFC wrote:
    Kanye East wrote:
    You must be talking about the 10c in the 90's. Because in 2003 you had to wait in line at the venue hours before the show took place in order to get the best seats. There was no prioritization at that time. It was 1st come 1st serve.

    Not exactly -- they split the tickets up into a bunch of batches, based on seniority. So if you were like #10,001, you were in the first/best batch.

    Arriving at the venue first that day ensured you'd get the best pair within your batch, but if your number was really high you still ended up far back. And if you were #10,001 and you showed up at 8pm, you were still third row or whatever.

    You are correct. But there was no prioritization within each batch, which caused people to camp out at the ticket windows well before the show.

    Bottom line, that was a pain in the ass and the system in place now is MUCH better, imo.

    Totally.
    The one and only time that system really worked for me was when they played Albany in 2003. I ended up with front row of the second section back on the floor & I didn't pick up my tickets until about 10 minutes before they went on.
    That was when people on the boards started bitching about why blind people got priority seating since they didn't technically need it.
    "If you're looking for someone to pull you out of that ditch, you're out of luck."
  • PillowPantsPillowPants Posts: 4,875
    jokertt wrote:
    Shit . in 1995 u had to call from the area code of the venue . ;)

    they said that you did

    but not for augusta maine ;)
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