Three shows I\'ll be skipping only because of the price

[Vassillios]

the music industry sucks

[Jim Cobb]

well they\'re shooting themselves in the foot hardcore. records don\'t sell anymore.  the live show is THE source of income besides licensing.

great, the record labels will stop alienating their clientbase by suing them for stealing music, right?  now they can put their focus on the live show and win back their listeners, right?

WRONG!!

they stick the diehard fans in the fucking nosebleed section so they can put the corporate elite in the front rows.  and now, at an ever increasing rate, the diehard fan is turning into a casual fan, and eventually into someone who\'s just gonna skip the show altogether.  the bands need to really get vigilant about this shit if they want to keep any sort of hope for a lasting career.  the fan that has supported the band and is the reason the band is playing these huge venues should be rewarded for their support.  they should be able to score great tickets and not have to pay out the nose for them.  instead they get shit on, being herded into the lawn section.  in any other industry, you\'d be out on your ass for treating your clientbase so disrespectfully.  you\'d never make it.  any the music industry is about to find out that they ain\'t any different.  i mean seriously!  dead fans are some of the most hardcore and devoted fans in music, and even THEY are skipping out on shows.  I think that says a lot...

It WILL change because people will stop paying.

[kindm's]

well they\'re shooting themselves in the foot hardcore. records don\'t sell anymore.  the live show is THE source of income besides licensing.

great, the record labels will stop alienating their clientbase by suing them for stealing music, right?  now they can put their focus on the live show and win back their listeners, right?

WRONG!!

they stick the diehard fans in the fucking nosebleed section so they can put the corporate elite in the front rows.  and now, at an ever increasing rate, the diehard fan is turning into a casual fan, and eventually into someone who\'s just gonna skip the show altogether.  the bands need to really get vigilant about this shit if they want to keep any sort of hope for a lasting career.  the fan that has supported the band and is the reason the band is playing these huge venues should be rewarded for their support.  they should be able to score great tickets and not have to pay out the nose for them.  instead they get shit on, being herded into the lawn section.  in any other industry, you\'d be out on your ass for treating your clientbase so disrespectfully.  you\'d never make it.  any the music industry is about to find out that they ain\'t any different.  i mean seriously!  dead fans are some of the most hardcore and devoted fans in music, and even THEY are skipping out on shows.  I think that says a lot...

It WILL change because people will stop paying.

I honestly was all pumped when they announced the tour. I wasn\'t expecting that much musically but thought it would be a good reason to get out on the road again kind so to speak.

I called a bumch of folks etc when dtaes got announced. I even posted on .info about wanting to do a bunch of shows. THEN I saw the tix price. Even tho I make a pretty good living I was like HELL no am I paying $100 per seat for "The Dead". So I didn\'t end up buying ANY tickets to any shows.

A buddy of mine mail ordered and seeing as Albany was a Friday show and as good a reason as any to hang out with friends I said screw it and went. WHAT A MISTAKE..

I guess I couldn\'t get over the $100 price. Add to that it was almost IMPOSSIBLE to get a beer there, NO ONE was partying inside, the show was MELLOW as hell even tho the crowd was obviously ready to boogie, there were many musical flubs. I found Drums to be the most enjoyable aspect of the show (and for me that is saying something). It truly kind of ruined my memories of what was once a spectacle. A circus so to speak and it really made me sad. I couldn\'t help but to look at my phone and wonder how long until the show was gonna be over.

[wildcoyote]

I honestly was all pumped when they announced the tour. I wasn\'t expecting that much musically but thought it would be a good reason to get out on the road again kind so to speak.

I called a bumch of folks etc when dtaes got announced. I even posted on .info about wanting to do a bunch of shows. THEN I saw the tix price. Even tho I make a pretty good living I was like HELL no am I paying $100 per seat for "The Dead". So I didn\'t end up buying ANY tickets to any shows.

A buddy of mine mail ordered and seeing as Albany was a Friday show and as good a reason as any to hang out with friends I said screw it and went. WHAT A MISTAKE..

I guess I couldn\'t get over the $100 price. Add to that it was almost IMPOSSIBLE to get a beer there, NO ONE was partying inside, the show was MELLOW as hell even tho the crowd was obviously ready to boogie, there were many musical flubs. I found Drums to be the most enjoyable aspect of the show (and for me that is saying something). It truly kind of ruined my memories of what was once a spectacle. A circus so to speak and it really made me sad. I couldn\'t help but to look at my phone and wonder how long until the show was gonna be over.

Holy shit dude. Your 1st two paragraphs echoed my thought process exactly.  
"Not expecting much musically but it will fun to do again -> $100?! get the fuck out of here."
That review confirmed my worst fears, and went a long way to reassure me I did the right thing.

I told lilblondie back in February, that at those prices I think our best bet to put our time and resources toward Phish.  Now, I\'m more of GD fan, in that I\'d take a \'72 Dead over a \'94 Phish if given a magic time machine.  But in 2009?  At least Phish has a chance of reaching peak levels again, like a \'90-91 GD.  In which case I\'ll be thrilled.

[zuke583]

they stick the diehard fans in the fucking nosebleed section so they can put the corporate elite in the front rows.  and now, at an ever increasing rate, the diehard fan is turning into a casual fan...they should be able to score great tickets and not have to pay out the nose for them...in any other industry, you\'d be out on your ass for treating your clientbase so disrespectfully.  you\'d never make it.  

It WILL change because people will stop paying.

sounds like every major sport franchise from the last 10 years. they seem to be doing pretty well (considering the economy). i\'m not too optimistic.

[Todd]

I honestly was all pumped when they announced the tour. I wasn\'t expecting that much musically but thought it would be a good reason to get out on the road again kind so to speak.

I called a bumch of folks etc when dtaes got announced. I even posted on .info about wanting to do a bunch of shows. THEN I saw the tix price. Even tho I make a pretty good living I was like HELL no am I paying $100 per seat for "The Dead". So I didn\'t end up buying ANY tickets to any shows.

A buddy of mine mail ordered and seeing as Albany was a Friday show and as good a reason as any to hang out with friends I said screw it and went. WHAT A MISTAKE..

I guess I couldn\'t get over the $100 price. Add to that it was almost IMPOSSIBLE to get a beer there, NO ONE was partying inside, the show was MELLOW as hell even tho the crowd was obviously ready to boogie, there were many musical flubs. I found Drums to be the most enjoyable aspect of the show (and for me that is saying something). It truly kind of ruined my memories of what was once a spectacle. A circus so to speak and it really made me sad. I couldn\'t help but to look at my phone and wonder how long until the show was gonna be over.

Holy shit dude. Your 1st two paragraphs echoed my thought process exactly.  
"Not expecting much musically but it will fun to do again -> $100?! get the fuck out of here."
That review confirmed my worst fears, and went a long way to reassure me I did the right thing.

I told lilblondie back in February, that at those prices I think our best bet to put our time and resources toward Phish.  Now, I\'m more of GD fan, in that I\'d take a \'72 Dead over a \'94 Phish if given a magic time machine.  But in 2009?  At least Phish has a chance of reaching peak levels again, like a \'90-91 GD.  In which case I\'ll be thrilled.

Ditto all of the above.

I was offered tix to Worcester Sat. night and didn\'t do it because I didn\'t think it would have been worth the drive. And I haven\'t received any calls from my good friend telling me I missed a great show. I absolutely know he would have called to bust my balls if it were the case.

Fuckin\' Cha!

[inthewhitelodge]

A friend of mine went to Albany Dead for free, good thing I guess.

[Bret]

the music industry sucks

lately!

[tyzack]

the music industry sucks

lately!

[Wolfman]

i think the price for stanley clarke and victor wooten is dead on correct. $35 for two of the best players in the world is a cheap price, considering stanley clarke just charged $35 in march for a solo show at the birchmere. the rest, however, are travesties.

J, you and obsession make a great point.  You can definitely make the case that Wooten/Clarke is worth it.  I will rethink going to that show.  Meanwhile, it is almost impossible to make the case that the other two shows are worth it.  

KindM\'s sorry about that show man.  We all know the saying "some of the best deals are the ones you don\'t make" but it\'s painful to apply it to shows and say "some of the best show choices you make is not going to a show"  Coyote is right, Phish is such a better investment...2 Phish shows for the same price as one Dead show and Phish is immeasurably better right now.    

And Jim, yes, this is all about money in shows and especially pro sports.  I\'ve been writing about how Fenway is 75% corporate or wine and cheese for 5 years now, and the NBA is worse.  I can say for certain though, that, believe it or not, the one league with nothing but real fans in the seats is the NFL.  Especially in cold weather cities where you have to be diehard to even show up, and even moreso in New England and New York where the stadium is nowhere near the city.  Obviously the boxes are a different story, but throughout the stadium it\'s nothing but season ticket holders and the friends they bring, and other assorted diehards.

[leith]

"Phish is such a better investment...2 Phish shows for the same price as one Dead show and Phish is immeasurably better right now."

Well you\'re right Seth. It is immeasurable because it\'s purely opinion.

If you were crazy enough to pay the full price for The Dead yeah I can see maybe where you were trying to come from.

As for me my free Shoreline Dead ticket fell through so I called a few friends and voila\' I have a lawn ticket for $45. Can I buy tickets to 2 Phish shows for $45?

From the shows I have heard The Dead are kicking ass and get me more excited than what I heard from Phish(which was at times glorious and others average.)

[zuke583]

I can say for certain though, that, believe it or not, the one league with nothing but real fans in the seats is the NFL.  Especially in cold weather cities where you have to be diehard to even show up, and even moreso in New England and New York where the stadium is nowhere near the city.

the only insight i get into the mind of a patriot fan is bill simmons. and while the nature of the  sport does benefit the diehards, simmons has written a couple times about how the new stadium keeps the "real" fans far enough away so that their yelling won\'t be heard on the field. so no, it\'s not wine and cheese like the mlb and nba, but it has priced out the average joe. will the business be sustainable? almost certainly. but it\'s not the best way to build fan loyalty like there used to be

"Phish is such a better investment...2 Phish shows for the same price as one Dead show and Phish is immeasurably better right now."

Well you\'re right Seth. It is immeasurable because it\'s purely opinion.

totally agree. i love phish and i enjoy recordings of the grateful dead. after hearing those phish hampton shows, to say that "Phish is immeasurably better" than anything right now is a real stretch.

As for me my free Shoreline Dead ticket fell through so I called a few friends and voila\' I have a lawn ticket for $45. Can I buy tickets to 2 Phish shows for $45?

on the west coast? probably

[Todd]

Talked to my buddy last night and Woosta was meh. He said there were a couple high points, but overall he wasn\'t impressed. He told me at several points during the show all he could think of was "well, at least I have a couple Phish shows coming up".

[boombox]

Well, if Phish or the Dead ever do make it to these shores, I hope they are not charging those prices. GREEDY is not the word I\'d use.

I saw Stackridge (anyone heard of them?) this week for $15 and got the chance to chat to them afterwards over a drink. And they are an eight piece band. Next month I will see the Strawbs in the same venue for the same price. In August, I intend to go to a festival here:

http://www.new-dawn-events.co.uk/woodstock/

for $175 for the weekend including camping. You guys paying the silly figures I am reading here for Phish and the Dead must be earning $$$$s!!

[SlimPickens]

they stick the diehard fans in the fucking nosebleed section so they can put the corporate elite in the front rows.  and now, at an ever increasing rate, the diehard fan is turning into a casual fan...they should be able to score great tickets and not have to pay out the nose for them...in any other industry, you\'d be out on your ass for treating your clientbase so disrespectfully.  you\'d never make it.  

It WILL change because people will stop paying.

sounds like every major sport franchise from the last 10 years. they seem to be doing pretty well (considering the economy). i\'m not too optimistic.