Australian dates!

[not_the_torment]

Originally Posted by DoubtfulMiracle

I'm in for Brisbane

I am keen though for some more details like, you know, prices. Of course Ill be there anyway, but if there's more than one show here (and it looks like they've left plenty of room between dates so far), I will have some decisions to make! I'm also keen to see if there will be any special packages, or the option to purchase front row tickets at a premium.

According to the American Express Facebook page, these are the prices.

Ticket Categories / Prices*

Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne & Brisbane
Gold $199.90
Silver $149.90
Bronze $99.90

Perth (+ Transport Levy $2.50)
Gold $202.40
Silver $152.40
Bronze $102.40

Hunter Valley Hope Estate Winery
Premium $249.90
Gold $179.90
Silver $149.90
Bronze (GA) $109.90

A Day on the Green, The Hill Winery
Platinum: $299.00
Gold: $199.00
Silver: $149.00
GA: $125.00
*Standard booking and transaction fees apply.
American Express pre-sale tickets are the same price as general public tickets

[DoubtfulMiracle]

^ Thanks so much for that. I'd looked all around Live Nation and all the ticket sellers, but would never have checked there!

Pretty reasonable prices, I think.

[michelej1]

Tonedeaf Written by Dylan McCarthy on 30 May 2013

http://www.tonedeaf.com.au/news/indu...es-stadium.htm

The recent announcement of Fleetwood Mac’s long-awaited return to Australia and New Zealand has spun the Southern Hemisphere into an ecstatic frenzy. But there’s one person currently not very happy about it. That’s person’s name is Andrew McManus.

The titular concert promoter behind McManus Entertainment is caught up in a heated legal battle with New Zealand venue Forsyth Barr Stadium after Fleetwood Mac changed promotors ahead of the announcement of their forthcoming tour.

McManus Entertainment made a $50,000 deposit for Fleetwood Mac to perform at the stadium in Dunedin, however, the show was subsequently scrapped when the legendary band switched promoting companies to Live Nation Entertainment, leaving the Melbourne-based promoter out of pocket. This is where things get a little messy.

Forsyth Barr Stadium – sticking to the fundamental rule of deposits – are refusing to refund McManus the $50,000. Outraged, McManus has fired back telling The Otaga Times the cancellation fee is “morally and professionally wrong” and that he plans to sue the venue for the same amount.

According to Noise 11, it’s currently unknown whether McManus had signed a contract with Fleetwood Mac at the time of the booking. Regardless, Forsyth Barr’s management have said they will fight the matter in court if need be.

It’s not the first time McManus has been involved in a booking mixup. Most recently he was at the centre of the controversial beginnings of the inaugural Stone Music Festival, which debuted last April.

The sudden announcement of the festival, a two-day event headlined by Van Halen and Billy Joel, was met with some criticism as some questioned the need for another festival in the current economic climate. Others rightfully pointed out that Van Halen had a patchy history when it comes to actually turning up to the concerns they’ve been booked for.

Despite initial friction and heated words thrown between Stone Music Festival and McManus, the two parties ended up forming a bizarre partnership, with McManus announcing that Aerosmith – the band he had booked to tour Australia – would be absorbed into the Saturday night lineup for Stone Music Festival, and in turn becoming Aerosmith’s debut show of their Australian tour, the news arriving just weeks out from its kick-off.

While reports from the festival seem to follow the trajectory of ‘small numbers, big response’, Stone Music Festival promoters have revealed that it will be making a return in 2014 with ambitions to rope in some big acts as part of a secured three-to-five year business plan. ”It could be Muse or Kings Of Leon or Pearl Jam, or it could be The Eagles, but it will always be rock and they’ll be exclusive,” said Stephen Duval, of financiers SEQ, about future Stone Music Festival possibilities.

Meanwhile, Fleetwood Mac’s show must go on. Live Nation Entertainment have since re-booked their New Zealand date for Auckland’s Vector Arena and are promising an “extraordinary show including exquisite harmonies, incomparable chemistry, sleek perfection and classic hits.”

The tour coincides with the recent release of their new four-track EP appropriately titled Extended Play; the first dose of new material since their 17th studio album in 2003, Say You Will.

“It’s the best stuff we’ve done in a long time,” said guitarist Lindsay Buckingham on-staged recently, during the introduction to new song ‘Sad Angel’ (watch some tasty fan footage here).

While fellow bandmate Stevie Nicks shared Buckingham’s enthusiasm, previously remarking of the new world tour: “It’s the perfect time to go back out – 2013 is going to be the year of Fleetwood Mac.”

With a career spanning more than four decades and global album sales amassing more than 100 million, even with the release of the new EP, Buckingham has noted that there’s still a focus on the band’s extensive catalogue of hits. “We always have to play ‘Dreams,’ ‘Rhiannon,’ ‘Don’t Stop,’ ‘Tusk,’ ‘Big Love,’ ‘Landslide’ and all our most famous songs,” he told Rolling Stone at the end of last year.

“When you’ve gone through all your must-do’s, that’s 75% of your potential setlist. I think with the other 25%, there are areas of our catalog that are more under-explored,” continued the guitarist.

[michelej1]

The New Zealand Herald, May 31, 2013
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainm...ectid=10887598

Dunedin Stadium halts legal action over Fleetwood Mac
By Nigel Benson

Dunedin Venues Management Ltd has extended an olive branch to the promoter of the ill-fated Fleetwood Mac concert scheduled for Forsyth Barr Stadium.

McManus Entertainment director Andrew McManus was initially charged a $50,000 cancellation fee for the event, over which he threatened legal action.

However, he told the Otago Daily Times yesterday (Thur) the fee had subsequently been reduced to $15,000.

"An olive branch was put to me, which I accepted to avoid long-term legal fees and so I can walk away from this," he said.

Mr McManus agreed a deal with DVML in January for Aerosmith to play at the stadium on April 24 and Fleetwood Mac on December 17.

"When I did the initial deal, I honestly believed I had both tours.

"While the two concerts were always my intention, beyond my control [United States promoter] Live Nation came in and have taken the Fleetwood Mac tour off me," he said.

Mr McManus has previously toured Fleetwood Mac twice and solo tours by Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood.

"I think I am entitled to believe loyalty and being promoter of record would ensure me of 'my' tour. No other promoter would break the code of trying to steal another's bread and butter tour when they have had ownership for the past decade. Unfortunately, I was wrong."

Live Nation bypassed Dunedin in favour of an Auckland concert, activating a $50,000 cancellation fee, which Mr McManus described as "morally and professionally wrong" and he threatened legal action.

DMVL chief executive Darren Burden said the "very explicit" contract was for a two-concert deal for Aerosmith and Fleetwood Mac and the cancellation fee was included as part of the contract.

However, the company issued a statement yesterday, indicating it had softened its stance.

"Following discussion, Dunedin Venues has agreed a cancellation fee with McManus Entertainment for the Fleetwood Mac concert, which has been paid.

"Although our relationships with promoters are very important, we have operated with integrity and in line with the contractual arrangements that are in place."

DMVL did not confirm the $15,000 fee, citing commercial sensitivity.

Fleetwood Mac will play Auckland's Vector Arena on December 6.

- Otago Daily Times

[StreetAngel86]

Originally Posted by not_the_torment

Too bad the pre sale is only open to AmEx card holders. That's about the only credit card I don't have!

this annoys me greatly. i have visa which is why i like ticketek
ive never heard much good about livenation tho especially on these boards .. someone share a positive story please

[michelej1]

I got several Live Nation packages for the Unleashed tour. They weren't as good as Mick's VIP package was this time around, because they were twice as expensive and they didn't tell you which seat you were getting beforehand. But they seemed to be organized pretty well.

Michele

[not_the_torment]

Originally Posted by StreetAngel86

ive never heard much good about livenation tho especially on these boards ..

I wish Live Nation would've stayed away. There's still no seating plans up for Brisbane & Melbourne. The Sydney show is up but it does not make me happy.

[DoubtfulMiracle]

I also found these VIP packages for Sydney.

http://media.ticketmaster.com/en-au/...eyPackages.pdf

Holy smokes. I'm hoping there's been a mistake, or something in the package has just been left off. That dearest package is more than twice the price of Mick's meet and greets, with some measly merchandise and without the meet and greet! If they're the legitimate prices, they're criminally expensive and nowhere near worth the money.

[michelej1]

^I know it's criminal. All I can say is at least it guarantees a front row ticket, which is better than they've done in the past -- for the same price.

Michele

[StreetAngel86]

Originally Posted by DoubtfulMiracle

I also found these VIP packages for Sydney.

http://media.ticketmaster.com/en-au/...eyPackages.pdf

Holy smokes. I'm hoping there's been a mistake, or something in the package has just been left off. That dearest package is more than twice the price of Mick's meet and greets, with some measly merchandise and without the meet and greet! If they're the legitimate prices, they're criminally expensive and nowhere near worth the money.

950$ ... bloody h3ll ... you can go to 4 or 5 shows for that amount.
if it was a Stevie M&G ... i would do it
but i am thus far not enticed by those packages

at least ticketek doesn't really do these stupid packages
so everyone wanting to buy platinum tickets has about the same odds as getting front 2nd/3rd etc row as the next person

[DoubtfulMiracle]

^Turns out those packages apply in all capital cities.

My guaranteed front row seat in 2009 was only $400 or $500 (can't remember now) from Preferred Seating. I would expect some increase, and sure it didn't come with anything but the seat, but that's all I wanted! Makes me sad, these prices.

[not_the_torment]

Originally Posted by DoubtfulMiracle

^Turns out those packages apply in all capital cities.

Damn! I thought Brisbane and Melbourne had maybe escaped. So how does it work then? I guess the chance of getting anywhere close to the stage during the presale, buying a gold priced ticket, is quite low because they hold the better seats hoping for someone willing to pay for the higher priced 'packages'?

Is it better to wait until closer to the date & hope the packages don't sell & the tickets get put back into the pool?

Also, has anyone seen a seating plan for Brisbane or Melbourne? The Sydney one shows gold priced tickets being about 90% of the Ent Cent, meaning someone getting a floor seat pays the same price as someone in the upper tier.

And one more thing. What chance do you think there is they will announce a 2nd show in some places?

[StreetAngel86]

Originally Posted by not_the_torment

Damn! I thought Brisbane and Melbourne had maybe escaped. So how does it work then? I guess the chance of getting anywhere close to the stage during the presale, buying a gold priced ticket, is quite low because they hold the better seats hoping for someone willing to pay for the higher priced 'packages'?

**insert angry face here** im going to be buying tickets on friday. hoping for a good seat. but if there's basically crap coming up ... why bother. wait until Oct/Nov and ppl who bought early tix always sell theirs if they can't go. but i never liked being risky like that

And one more thing. What chance do you think there is they will announce a 2nd show in some places?

based on nothing more than previous Mac tours here, Melb usually gets a second show. and maybe sydney?


Just went to the ticketek site, and they are having a presale on tickets too...a post presale presale why is this becoming so complicateD?

LIVE NATION PRE-SALE
Fri 7 Jun, 9am - Mon 10 Jun, 5pm*

Visit www.livenation.com.au to sign up as a My Live Nation member to access exclusive pre-sales and receive the latest news on upcoming events.

MY TICKETEK INTERNET PRE-SALE
Tue 11 Jun, 2pm - Wed 12 Jun, 5pm*
On sale to public Thu 13 Jun, 9am

[DoubtfulMiracle]

It's presale madness!

not_the_torment (love that lyric, by the way) -- they usually say the presale is an opportunity to secure a ticket before they go on sale to the general public, not a preferential seating service (look at me, I could practically do the advert). So in theory, you should still be able to get decent tickets in a presale, although I've sometimes been a bit skeptical about how many of say the first five rows are actually released for sale vs special packages, give aways etc. In saying that, I've often done well in the promoters or ticket agent presales - second row for Stevie in 2011, and fourth row for The Who when they were here.

My approach will be to get the best tickets I can on Friday morning, and keep checking back until the show to see if anything better comes up. If it does, I think the odds of me being able to sell the first lot of tickets are pretty good, and I'd even be willing to take a small loss on them if the other ones were worth it.

I think the chances of a second show are pretty good in Sydney and Melbourne, and maybe Brisbane. They've certainly left plenty of room for them. I guess it just depends on how the first shows sell - I think concerts are taking a bit of a hit compared to 2009, but hopefully they still go alright.

And hopefully the seating plans will go up tomorrow with the Amex presale? I hate this lack of info - I need to prepare for Friday already!

[michelej1]

Only thing is you might not get the second show until 2014, rather than back to back.

Michele