Such a huge bother to buy tickets on Ticketmaster during an on-sale!

JOEJOEJOE

A bunch of good shows have been going on-sale on TM.

Even though the current waiting room method may help prevent resellers from getting first dibs on tickets, I wish they'd go back to the old method where everyone had a chance at the stroke of 10am.

For The National, I was able to get seats in the first 12 rows for both L.A. shows, but that was after spending almost an hour waiting for good seats to pop-up.  I've been going to concerts for over 40 years, so I remember having to wait in line at a TM outlet.  I know that online ticketing is easier than an in-person on-sale, but the chance of getting in on the first click is very low these days.

mickeyrat

can always get tix from the venue, but wont be able to get specific seats I dont think.

Zod

I'm not sure TM could go back to first come first serve.   Queues are a way to deal with the massive load of traffic that gets directed to a website during an onsale.   With all the legit and bot activity it may no longer be feasible to go back to the non-queue method.

My favourite area of concert tickets:

1) Later 90s, when we figured out the TM system was network, so it was stupid to call your local TM because the lines would be busy, but you could call any other TM to buy the tickets, so we tried a few and settled on one in Brandon, MB.  We'd call it whenever we needed tickets, would call a minute early, ask some questions, and as soon as it was time, we'd get tickets.  Got so many GA tickets and tickets in first 10 rows during that era.

2) The 00's before the plebs figured out how to use the internet   Those first number of years buying tickets on the website was amazing.  Most people were still waiting in line, but you'd be first in line if you refreshed and searched right away.  So many good tickets in the earlier period of online sales.

My least favourite:  Waiting in line outside.  So much time spent, then sometimes they would do random wristbands and you'd lose your good spot.  Also saw a TM sell a wad of tickets to a scalper, and scalpers paying people to wait in line. 

but yah.. I don't think we're going back the no queue thing.  To much website activity now, they need to limit how many people can search at once.  Plus the last time I did that was for PJ in Seattle 2013, and it sold out the second we got in.. it doesn't help

lexicondevil

Zod said:

I'm not sure TM could go back to first come first serve.   Queues are a way to deal with the massive load of traffic that gets directed to a website during an onsale.   With all the legit and bot activity it may no longer be feasible to go back to the non-queue method.

My favourite area of concert tickets:

1) Later 90s, when we figured out the TM system was network, so it was stupid to call your local TM because the lines would be busy, but you could call any other TM to buy the tickets, so we tried a few and settled on one in Brandon, MB.  We'd call it whenever we needed tickets, would call a minute early, ask some questions, and as soon as it was time, we'd get tickets.  Got so many GA tickets and tickets in first 10 rows during that era.

2) The 00's before the plebs figured out how to use the internet   Those first number of years buying tickets on the website was amazing.  Most people were still waiting in line, but you'd be first in line if you refreshed and searched right away.  So many good tickets in the earlier period of online sales.

My least favourite:  Waiting in line outside.  So much time spent, then sometimes they would do random wristbands and you'd lose your good spot.  Also saw a TM sell a wad of tickets to a scalper, and scalpers paying people to wait in line. 

but yah.. I don't think we're going back the no queue thing.  To much website activity now, they need to limit how many people can search at once.  Plus the last time I did that was for PJ in Seattle 2013, and it sold out the second we got in.. it doesn't help

Totally forgot about the nice TM operators who would sometimes just keep you on the phone to wait for the on sale. Also, I spent many nights at venues partying while waiting to buy tickets. Then they would do the wristbands and I'd usually get crap seats, but at least I had fun hanging with other fans.

I really don't know what the solution is to thwart bots and other nonsense. I have been going to less and less shows lately, just because I don't want to deal with the insanity. Glad I'm not a kid right now. I don't know how I'd afford to see these insanely expensive shows. That is what is sad.

Zod

lexicondevil said:

Zod said:

I'm not sure TM could go back to first come first serve.   Queues are a way to deal with the massive load of traffic that gets directed to a website during an onsale.   With all the legit and bot activity it may no longer be feasible to go back to the non-queue method.

My favourite area of concert tickets:

1) Later 90s, when we figured out the TM system was network, so it was stupid to call your local TM because the lines would be busy, but you could call any other TM to buy the tickets, so we tried a few and settled on one in Brandon, MB.  We'd call it whenever we needed tickets, would call a minute early, ask some questions, and as soon as it was time, we'd get tickets.  Got so many GA tickets and tickets in first 10 rows during that era.

2) The 00's before the plebs figured out how to use the internet   Those first number of years buying tickets on the website was amazing.  Most people were still waiting in line, but you'd be first in line if you refreshed and searched right away.  So many good tickets in the earlier period of online sales.

My least favourite:  Waiting in line outside.  So much time spent, then sometimes they would do random wristbands and you'd lose your good spot.  Also saw a TM sell a wad of tickets to a scalper, and scalpers paying people to wait in line. 

but yah.. I don't think we're going back the no queue thing.  To much website activity now, they need to limit how many people can search at once.  Plus the last time I did that was for PJ in Seattle 2013, and it sold out the second we got in.. it doesn't help

Totally forgot about the nice TM operators who would sometimes just keep you on the phone to wait for the on sale. Also, I spent many nights at venues partying while waiting to buy tickets. Then they would do the wristbands and I'd usually get crap seats, but at least I had fun hanging with other fans.

I really don't know what the solution is to thwart bots and other nonsense. I have been going to less and less shows lately, just because I don't want to deal with the insanity. Glad I'm not a kid right now. I don't know how I'd afford to see these insanely expensive shows. That is what is sad.

Yah, when we were younger too, the veteran acts (like the Stones) would charge way more than the bands we would see, but in hindsight I assumed that's because we were young and didn't have much money, so you couldn't command higher prices from fans who didn't have $$.

I think bands younger people want to see also charge a fair bit, or at least the ones that can sell out an arena.  

Yet all the concerts keep selling out, and demand for live events keeps increasing.   I agree it keeps me from going to more shows, but I've gotten old, so if I have to miss a few days of work to travel to closest big city to me to see a show, it's pretty much made weekday concerts a dealbreaker, let alone the cost.

I suppose until they hit the point where they aren't selling out shows, then price is justified.  If you overprice your good, you're not supposed to sell them all.

JeBurkhardt

The good old days of the 80's, sleeping outside of a record store overnight to get tickets. At least in California back then, just about every show was GA, so it didn't matter when you got your tickets, you were good to go.  

pjhawks

This is why I like the Stub Hub option and disliked the PJ's system last year eliminated the option. I know I know using resales sites isn't great for the artist blah blah blah but I would argue it's much better for the consumer.  let me decide a few weeks before I show if I want to go and what I want to spend to see a show. Why spend $200 12 months ahead of time when I can decide within a month of a show what price works for me.  I've seen so many great shows waiting and use the secondary market closer to show time.  I don't even try for Ticketmaster tickets at on sale.

jjflash

pjhawks said:

This is why I like the Stub Hub option and disliked the PJ's system last year eliminated the option. I know I know using resales sites isn't great for the artist blah blah blah but I would argue it's much better for the consumer.  let me decide a few weeks before I show if I want to go and what I want to spend to see a show. Why spend $200 12 months ahead of time when I can decide within a month of a show what price works for me.  I've seen so many great shows waiting and use the secondary market closer to show time.  I don't even try for Ticketmaster tickets at on sale.

Good points @pjhawks I'm often guilty of getting swept up in FOMO for ticket drops multiple months in advance. It's hard to predict family and work affairs eight weeks in advance, much less eight months. Unfortunately, that's the live music world we live in. The rub happens months later when it's close to the scheduled performance and you have to scramble to get rid of tickets to a show you can no longer attend. In some instances I'd rather pay a little more on the secondary market w/n a couple/few weeks of show time to not have to deal with TM's or AXS's on-sale BS, and have the peace of mind buying tickets to a show I'm certain to attend.

JOEJOEJOE

Comments on ticket prices from Harvey Goldsmith, a prominent UK concert promoter:

From: Harvey Goldsmith

Subject: Jack Antonoff's comment at The Grammys

I read Jack Antonoff’s comment about ticketing issues, made at The Grammys over the weekend

 

"it’s not ‘cause of Artists" he says.

 

How wrong he is.

 

The Artists, through their representatives, totally control every aspect of Live Touring. From what is on stage, backstage and indeed the ticket price.

 

Promoters may recommend ticket prices, but the Artist always makes the final decision.

 

Ticketing Companies will suggest a whole tariff of ways to fleece the fans.

However the Artist always has the final say.

Those Artists that always blame everyone else are the same ones that sanction the problem.

 

It is totally in the Artist's remit to say whether ticket prices should be "as printed" on the ticket or not.

 

The Promoter can negotiate the Ticket Commission, but often the artist will demand its share if there are surplus profits.

The exception being if the Promoter has its own separate deal with the Ticketing Company.

 

At the end of the day only the Artists can stop the madness that besets us.

 

Some already do, but not nearly enough.

 

Harvey Goldsmith

pjl44

The solution is always to go to more club and theater shows. Cheaper and maybe 10% of the time it's a fight to get tickets at face. If your favorite artists are also very popular it's going to be an expensive nightmare. I have to scrutinize anything in an arena, shed, or stadium these days.

josevolution

pjl44 said:

The solution is always to go to more club and theater shows. Cheaper and maybe 10% of the time it's a fight to get tickets at face. If your favorite artists are also very popular it's going to be an expensive nightmare. I have to scrutinize anything in an arena, shed, or stadium these days.

Yeah that’s the boat I’m in! I stay away from the big ticket bands, I just scored two GA tickets to Heartless Bastards no problem and it’s a small venue I just enjoy these kinds of shows way more.