Has the Merch become more important than the music?

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  • Caught-A-Bolt-Of-Lightning
    Caught-A-Bolt-Of-Lightning Posts: 1,336
    edited June 2014
    For me...in order of importance:
    1) Music (Live & Studio)
    2) Ticket stub ( I have every one from every show I've been to...starting in July, 1976)
    3) Poster (I love the art and looking at them reminds me of the shows and the moments within the shows. I have one for every show I've been to except Charlotte & Greensboro 2000 for which no posters were produced. Don't want to talk about it.... :(( . Plus I collect some other "important" shows (aka 10 year anniversary, PJ 20, Wrigley, etc)
    4) Stickers (I like them cause they're so trade-able & cheap)
    5) T-shirts ( I don't usually buy one...they're pricey and seem to not last very long...)

    So in summary..the merchandise does mean something to me...but only because of the music.
    Post edited by Caught-A-Bolt-Of-Lightning on
    Raleigh, NC., 8/31/98, Charlotte, NC., 8/4/00, Greensboro, NC., 8/6/00, Mountain View, CA., 10/31/00, Raleigh, NC., 4/15/03, Charlotte, NC., 4/16/03, Mountain View, CA., 10/25/03, Asheville, NC., 10/6/04, Philadelphia, PA., 10/3/05, Washington D.C, 5/30/06, Virginia Beach, VA., 6/17/07, Philadelphia, PA., 10/28/09, Charlottesville, VA., 10/29/13, Charlotte, NC., 10/30/13, Memphis, TN., 10/14/14, Greenville, SC., 4/16/16, Hampton, VA., 4/19/16, Raleigh, NC., 4/20/16, Columbia, SC., 4/21/16, Boston, MA., 8/5/16, Boston 9/2/18 & 9/4/18., Nashville, TN., 4/2/20., Nashville, TN., 9/16/22.

    EV Solo - Washington, D.C., 8/17/08, Atlanta, GA., 6/24/09, Orlando, FL., 11/27/12.
  • PJ-Cubs
    PJ-Cubs Posts: 3,377
    Based on forum posts alone it is close. The 2014 tour announcement thread is 29 pages but the Mystery box thread is quickly catching up at 21 pages.
  • Eddieshometown
    Eddieshometown Evanston, IL Posts: 986
    4 hour wait in 90+ heat @Wrigley = my cure from my Merch addiction. Did get 2 Cracker Jack posters and 2 deck of cards but was exhausted.
    6/26/98 & 6/27/98 - Alpine Valley, 10/9/00 - Allstate Arena - Rosemont, IL 6/18/2003 - United Center, 5/16/2006 - United Center,
    5/17/2006 - United Center (7th row center, caught Eddie's pick), 6/29/2006 - Summerfest with Tom Petty,
    8/24/2009 - United Center, 7/19/2013 - Wrigley Field, 10/3/2014 - St Louis, 10/17/2014 - Moline (GA), 10/20/2014 - Milwaukee,
    5/14/2015 - Pete Townshend/EV, 8/20/16 & 8/22/16 Wrigley Field Part 2&3, 8/18/18 & 8/20/18 Wrigley Parts 4 & 5, 9/18/2022 - St Louis
    All Chicago Wrigley and United Center shows (not worth listing out )
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,657
    edited June 2014
    People go to way greater extremes about tickets and going for their best concert experience than they do about merch, and many spend way more on traveling to shows than they do on merch, so no, in don't think so at all. As Zod said, it's just one more thing related to the band to get into and talk about between shows. Sure, a lot of people like collecting, but I don't think it's become more important than the music (especially since so much of the merch purchases are bootlegs and vinyl.
    Post edited by PJ_Soul on
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • Of The Aggie
    Of The Aggie The ATX Posts: 1,550
    I don't get the chance to go to many shows but if the t-shirts are nice, I'll get one and that is all. I used to try to get every piece of music they put out but that stopped after the 2000 bootlegs when I realized I didn't want to spend all that money on CDs I really only listened to once.

    I'm totally into vinyl but got into it after 2000 when all the 90s albums became impossible to find and I'm not going to pay the going rate for those. I'll wait for the reissues.

    I don't jump on all the limited edition crap either. $50 for an incomplete show on vinyl, 7" records of an album I already own, yet another version of Ten, and a $75 box full of stuff the 10 club couldn't sell, no thanks!
  • helplessdancer
    helplessdancer Posts: 5,293
    posters, of shows i went to, were cool to collect for awhile. so were tshirts
    then one day i realized i have way too much stuff
    so today it's all about the music, and that doesn't include owing a new coke bottle colored version of something i already have.
  • F Me In The Brain
    F Me In The Brain this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 31,801
    Of The Aggie said:

    $75 box full of stuff the 10 club couldn't sell, no thanks!

    If you check the thread on this stuff some of it is pretty killer gear for those who do like Merch. (Old shirts, records, posters) Yes, there is also stuff in the box that they have had in the 10C Store here forever....this is true.


    The love he receives is the love that is saved
  • juddboz80
    juddboz80 Posts: 2,141
    Backspacer didn't sell many copies on black vinyl but they put it out on white vinyl and it sells out quickly!
    Cant buy what i want cause its free....
  • my2hands
    my2hands Posts: 17,117
    Posters are art just like the music... I have a few that i like from special shows... the show stickers are cool for a $1 and are a cool cheap way to commemorate a show... other than that, not really intetested

    As far as wrigley, that shit was disgusting

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