Chicago Tribune Article: "Fleetwood Mac, Revisited"

[cliffdweller]

Originally posted by Keith
the steep ticket prices has kept me in check.. i've been to only the D.C. show. It was a $144 well spent, because my favorite band made me feel young again.. I'm still enjoying the boots from the tour... it's so good to know that Fleetwood Mac still has the live magic... but $125 a ticket is steep. I'm sure it's expensive to tour.. but then our band loves to spend a lot of $$$ to be as comfortable as possible on tour.. if my $144 goes to help make Stevie more comfy in an expensive hotel.. then be it.. she is still out there on tour making beautiful music in her high top reaboks.... I do hope they return to the East Coast, as I would love to hear them again..

i heard 'Say You Will' on 94.7 yesterday.. D.C.'s classic rock station.. they played a rock block from FM - Oh Well, Rhiannon, Say You Will (album version), and Don't Stop.. it was good to hear the new one on the radio.. sounded classic! :-)

Yeah, and let's all remember that going to a concert is a luxury not a necessity.

[Tusk57]

Trackaghost, you really stepped in it when you stated something to the effect.....who has the right to make more money because of his talent then other hard working people. What?!!! Just because someone is hard working doesn't automatically translate into being wealthy. A ditch digger I'm sure works his butt off, while a rock star has the good life. Some teachers and social workers work like crazy with much stress, etc., but nobody put a gun to their head to choose that field. They knew what it paid before they became one. If you want to be rich, go into a field where the money is. If you don't, good for you....I'm happy for you, just quit whining about it. This is a capitalist society last time I checked!

[strandinthewind]

Thanks y'all for the info. about the concert promoter. BTW - I, too, hate Clear Channel for a variety of reasons, the least of which is I think they have the capability to become a semi-official quasi state run propoganda machine for whatever political party is at the helm. That scares me and reminds me of Peronism (Evita's dictator and mercenary husband for those who do not know! ).

Also, I tried to look up how their and others' concerts have been selling, but the only site I found that possibly has such info. was one called soundscan. I think people on this board have referred to soundscan before. If they are reading this and, unlike me, have a password, etc., I would be greatly appreciated if they could supply some info.

Again, I think it would be kinds cool to try and figure this out. But - I am a bit of a geek that way

[strandinthewind]

Originally posted by cliffdweller
Yeah, and let's all remember that going to a concert is a luxury not a necessity.

Well said - that was the point I was trying to make with the new car and $500 Versace belt analogies.

Interestingly, I heard this morning the Stones are doing a free concert or concerts in Toronto to help alleviate the economic pain caused by the SARS scare. Wouldn't it be cool for FM to do the same for the apparently financially unable in America.

Also, I thought of one thing we have not considered. There are tickets that are as low as $47.50 to the FM concerts. Granted, they are not on the floor or in the first balcony. But, at least you would get to go for around $50, which I think is far more reasonable and affordable than $125. So, look at us, myself included, only considering the $125 seats - What was that about a $500 Versace belt as opposed to a cheaper one that does the same thing

[strandinthewind]

Originally posted by trackaghost
I give up I really do! I am feeling really disillusioned by all of this. Yes I know, whine, whine whine. Maybe I should just shut up and accept my lot, because this of course is how positive changes are made that improve people's lives, by sitting back and saying nothing.

I, for one, have enjoyed your comments even though I may not have agreed 100% with all of them. I hope you'll keep posting if not here then in other threads

[strandinthewind]

While I agree with you all about the $125 tickets being too much (even though I have paid it three times now ), I am just curious, do you still feel screwed by the $50 tickets which were available in most venues? I mean if I can't afford to do something, I opt for the next best thing if I really want to do it. In this case, I would opt for the $50 tickets and be happy I could see them and feel happy they priced some of the tickets at a level I could afford. But that is just me - many may differ on this.

Note: I am not being hateful. I am just curious because $50 seems reasonable to me.

[jwd]

Also, I thought of one thing we have not considered. There are tickets that are as low as $47.50 to the FM concerts. Granted, they are not on the floor or in the first balcony. But, at least you would get to go for around $50, which I think is far more reasonable and affordable than $125.

Or they could take that $47.50 and go see The Dave Mathews band or Radiohead in concert and get really good seats. That's what a friend of mine from work and his wife are doing. The high ticket prices for Fleetwood Mac just didn't fit their budget. They are both hard working people with decent jobs, albeit not doctors or lawyers. Trying to raise two young chiildren is not cheap. Jenny is a fan of Fleetwood Mac from back in the day and was really looking forward to seeing them play when they came to town. It's just a shame that Fleetwood Mac doesn't know the value of a hard earned dollar and are cutting a portion of their fan base from seeing them on this tour. It's all about the music though and planting those seeds huh?! RIGHT!!


Do they serve cake on the lawn?!


Joe

[dissention]

Originally posted by strandinthewind
While I agree with you all about the $125 tickets being too much (even though I have paid it three times now ), I am just curious, do you still feel screwed by the $50 tickets which were available in most venues? I mean if I can't afford to do something, I opt for the next best thing if I really want to do it. In this case, I would opt for the $50 tickets and be happy I could see them and feel happy they priced some of the tickets at a level I could afford. But that is just me - many may differ on this.

Note: I am not being hateful. I am just curious because $50 seems reasonable to me.

Strandy, darling, if you think $50 for nosebleeds to see FM is reasonable, WHAT'S THE WORLD COMING TO?!

Yeah, I do feel screwed. Wanna know why? Because of the $125 ticket prices! People snap up the $50 seats so quickly because they want to see the concert but can't afford $125 for good seats. Therefore, there aren't any $50 seats left in the NOSEBLEEDS where I won't be able to distinguish the Gold Dust shawl from the Stand Back cape from Lindsey's damn chest hair. If they weren't charging such high prices (and anyone who feels that FM doesn't have a lot of say in dictating ticket prices is deluding themselves), you'd be able to see them.

Hell no, I wouldn't pay $50. I'd save it and see Heart, Pat Benatar, Lucinda Williams, Chris Isaak, Aimee Mann, The Pretenders, Sheryl Crow, Blondie, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Annie Lennox, or the-god-otherwise-known-as-Tom Petty in the front row for that price!

[CarneVaca]

Now this thread is taking a silly turn. Come on, Strand, you feel screwed because you gotta pay $125 because you're too slow to get the $50 tickets? Well, that's another side of capitalism, isn't it? By the way, capitalism as we know it has failed. I wonder if it will take us as long to realize this as it took the Russians to figure out communism didn't work either. But I digress.

Look, I decided not to buy tickets for this tour for several reasons:

--The band struck me as being in this primarily for the money. Greed seemed to be at play here in a major way, and not just on the part of the label.

--I didn't really want to be surrounded by a bunch of crazy, sweating fans screaming their heads off. I wanna enjoy the music, I pop in the CD. Pluck that big crowd crap.

--Mrs. Carne and I are planning a major trip halfway around the world, which will be costly but necessary.

But ultimately, I could have afforded tickets. I chose not to do it. Why put more money into the pockets of people who have shown very little regard for those who made their success possible? Pluck 'em!

You know something? I don't buy from Amazon anymore. Sure, I like the convenience and the prices. But after they screwed up two very important orders and treated it with shrugs, I told them to go to hell.

Sometimes you must stand on principle.

[strandinthewind]

Originally posted by CarneVaca
Now this thread is taking a silly turn. Come on, Strand, you feel screwed because you gotta pay $125 because you're too slow to get the $50 tickets?

Although I have said a lot, I am not sure I ever said that
Although I think $125 is huge, I have willingly paid it and have not looked back. I also did not look at the cheaper seats because I like to sit in certain sections (usually in the first riser on the immediate side of stage left or right or I am often on the handicap section with a friend in a scooter). Fortunately, I can do this. However, I am well aware that many other people cannot or should not and have and now have credit card balance to reckon with.

I was just saying that if I wanted to see FM, could not afford $125, and also could get over my outrage at them charging $125 for probably at least 1/2 of the venue (and I realize many cannot and this is a significant issue for some who have posted), I would pay the $50 and sit in a nosebleed (Note: my experience suggests not all of these seats are horrible - but they are high up). But, that is just me. I realize many other people would not do that. That is why I was asking about the $50 seats.

You know, it is interesting, I do not mind the $125 so much once I get used to it. What I will NEVER get used to is the $45,998,678.02 Ticketbastard charges and venue charges. Do you know those @@sholes actually charge you like $3.00 to download your ticket and print it on YOUR OWN paper. Mother F*%$ers!!!!!!!

By the way, if I do not tell you then, let me tell you know that I hope you and the Mrs. have a great time on your upcoming trip around the world!!!!! I love to travel

[CarneVaca]

Originally posted by strandinthewind
Although I have said a lot, I am not sure I ever said that

I know. I did a little bit of interpretation there. I'm not a fan of Ticketbastard either. Mostly I just go to club shows now. I am fortunate to work in Manhattan (did I just say that!?!?), so I just go to the club and buy the tickets without the extra charges.

By the way, if I do not tell you then, let me tell you know that I hope you and the Mrs. have a great time on your upcoming trip around the world!!!!! I, too, love to travel

Well, it's only halfway around the world. And it's very exciting. Thanks for the good wishes.

[stephmoore]

Originally posted by jwd
Or they could take that $47.50 and go see The Dave Mathews band or Radiohead in concert and get really good seats. That's what a friend of mine from work and his wife are doing. The high ticket prices for Fleetwood Mac just didn't fit their budget. They are both hard working people with decent jobs, albeit not doctors or lawyers. Trying to raise two young chiildren is not cheap. Jenny is a fan of Fleetwood Mac from back in the day and was really looking forward to seeing them play when they came to town. It's just a shame that Fleetwood Mac doesn't know the value of a hard earned dollar and are cutting a portion of their fan base from seeing them on this tour. It's all about the music though and planting those seeds huh?! RIGHT!!


Do they serve cake on the lawn?!


Joe

I tell you what I think:

I think another *AMEN* is in order here.

Hey Trackaghost -- Don't sweat it -- I'm in your corner! I think that maybe Tusk57 needs to grow up a bit. Then maybe he/she'll understand what we are talking about. Remember: Open mind leads to open heart. Closed mind leads to hard heart.

[strandinthewind]

Exciting news!!!!!!

Ticket prices in some of the added shows are about $35 for the not as good seats to $97.50 for the best seats.

So, maybe they listened and it is becoming cheaper to see the Mac in what appears to be smaller venues. I also could be the venues are cheaper at this time of year or are just smaller and therefore cheaper. Who knows - I am just glad the prices are dropping at least for now.

Note: I did not check all new venues.

[CarneVaca]

Strand, I doubt seriously they listened. Most likely scenario is that since these are secondary markets, they had to lower the prices to get the attendance.

The economy is still moribund.

[strandinthewind]

I agree - I was just "a hopin' "

Also, if they are smaller arenas in secindary markets, they are cheaper to book, etc.

I am just glad the prices are going down at least for the moment anyway.