Saturday, March 07, 2009

Steely Dan live 2009: The band

And here are the band members in alphabetical order:

Left Bank Holiday Band - 2009

Tawatha Agee [Backing Vocals: '08, '09]
Jim Beard [Keyboards: 08, 09]
Keith Carlock [Drums: 03-'09]

Jon Herington [Guitar: '00-'09]
Michael Leonhart [Trumpet, Keys: '00-'09]
Cindy Mizelle [Backing Vocals: '03-'09]

Jim Pugh [Trombone: '00-'09]
Roger Rosenberg [Baritone Saxophone: '06-'09]
Catherine Russell [B. Vocals: '08, '09]

Freddie Washington [Bass: '06-'09]
Walt Weiskopf [Saxophone: '03-'09]

"Excuse me sir; could I borrow your binoculars to see if I am at the right venue. I can't hear the band over all the talking and mucking about here at the back of the arena..."

As far as tickets go it's the same old mess. Not that we expect it to be anything but.
Just took a look at what is on offer for the London show June 1 over on the Ticketmaster site. We were looking for one single ticket, best available. And got what?

Section BLK4
Row W
Seats 43
Description
PRICE LEVEL 2
DRESS CIRCLE

The general advice in the ticket selling world still is what it has always been; stay cool and check back as better tickets usually pop up later. Fine if you live close enough to the venue.

But what if you have to make plans to travel to the show?
Gamble on better tickets becoming available and order the airplane tickets, book the hotel room and risking ending up at the far back with the worst tickets possible? So much for the "concert experience".

If we're supposed to buy tickets up to six months in advance of a show we should also get the courtesy of having access to all the best tickets from the start. Not see them miracously appear weeks and months after the show went on sale.
It's enough to kill the initial buzz of being able to see your favourite artist live. Enough to make you stay at home and spare yourself the unnecessary hassle.

We wish that things were constructed to first and foremost serve the ticket buying audience, instead of making it as easy and profitable as possible for the Ticketmasters and Live Nations of this planet.

Se you at the shows? Maybe...

3 comments:

angel said...

Amen!

I so understand what you are saying. I find it incredible that I have to buy what's available, make my plans and then buy more seats, if I really want a good one. Thankfully, I am usually happy with what I get and I deal.
That doesn't make it fair though.

Nebukadnessar Stephenson and Sigurd Huckle said...

Thanks for understanding ;) The way it is is the way it is and I doubt anything will change the way it's set up. Maybe if I had been a more seasoned concert goer I would feel differently or maybe even have some better way to get those good or better tickets?

Truth be told I've been quite successful in getting tickets, but it involves keeping a cold head and go back and back again to check out what tickets are available. Hold off on buying for as long as possible.

Did a quick comparing what the official ticket seller and a reseller had to offer, and of course the latter had better seats available. With a 95% premium making the ticket price almost double!

No shadow should fall on Steely Dan as this is the way that all major artists concert tickets are being sold.

It's a business, all lehgal, a free market and all that, but sometimes it frustrates med no end...

/end of rant.
The snow shines white ouside my window, the laundering is done, it's a beautiful Sunday and I'm still alive :)

Anonymous said...

Try needtickets.com. It searches all sellers and alerts you when tickets become available