Tuesday Tidbits

Just a few things to get you through the week.

Tim reported that he's seen the Busy Being Fabulous video on the Great American Country channel (GAC) so it must be in rotation.

ILAA packages for Atlanta go on sale tomorrow. 5 Star packages are listed at $795 (but that includes parking).

Apparently, the Randy imposter is at it again. Mike let us know that he ran into him at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas.

A slew of news reports have mentioned Don as being one of the entertainers at a media event in France to launch the new QTrax music downloading service. This service says that it will have thousands of free songs available for download because they've got licensing deals with 4 of the major record labels. There's apparently some controversy because the service has launched and not all of the licensing deals are in place. We have no other information about why Don was there. It would be interesting to hear him talk about something like this and if he thinks its a viable alternative to illegal file-sharing and .99 cent downloads at iTunes.

Comments

[medicjg]

Wow I agree with mizb.The guys great grand children will not have to work a day in their life time. Why do ticket prices have to be so high? I understand that I love all access tickets are going to be high but this is crazy. Im not going to boycott the tour but I certainly feel like the band could give something back to the fans and not gouge them. The album went 7xs platinum because they were very smart and priced it reasonably.I guess the eagles presume that the bulk of there fans earn incomes on par with themself. I miss the days when they had the official fan club and offered good tickets to there fans at a reasonable price.If you paid attention to when the sale started you could have decent seats. Thumbs down here from me.

[Sad One]

I must admit, I choked when I saw the ILAA ticket prices for London. I enjoyed the 5* package two years ago ($395) but was not going to pay $795 per ticket this time. So I compromised and have gone for the 4* package - the seats are still within the first 20 rows. I'll let you know where I end up.

[limbo]

Don't kid yourself, Heidi. The only reason Prince "gave away" CD's is because 1) no one is buying his anymore and 2) so he could claim he had "sold" millions.

[heidi]

As a “newbie” to the Eagle concert experience (since for me having the time off and the money to go never coincided before), I will be attending this concert tour if the Eagles land within 500 miles of my hometown. Luckily, since it is my first (and probably last) concert of theirs, I will be happy just to hear them play, even if I am seated far back. Because my husband is so disgusted with the perceived greed on their part, I will be attending alone which may help me land a closer seat at the last minute.
I was so excited when the new cd was released last October, and was anticipating spending the big bucks and indulging myself to get a close seat. Then when they announced there would be no tour in 2008, it was so anticlimactic. All the excitement was gone so abruptly, and Eagle tickets money was spent on others for Christmas.
Then right after Christmas, they announce this piecemeal world tour. It is hard to get excited about it, especially with info being released in bits and pieces, which does not allow someone like me whose life is not busy being fabulous, time to plan ahead for this financially or logistically in terms of traveling to the venue.
I enjoyed the Tom Petty lyrics posted by Dave, which sums up my current feelings as well. It certainly makes Prince’s concert tour in 2004 look even more altruistic, in that the ticket prices for 20 rows away were very reasonable (my teenager could pay for her own ticket!). When she came home and showed the free cd of his just released album, I couldn’t believe he was giving that to his fans as they entered the concert hall! What a class act! Someone who actually performs for the love of the music itself, and to inspire young people to get into the simple joy of music! Quite a twist from the way the Eagles seem to be treating their loyal fans.

[limbo]

before you knock ILAA any further, tickets haven't even gone on sale yet, and this is what eBay is offering so far.

The EAGLES ATLANTA Verizon Wireless@Encore Park Tickets - $599.99

2 LAWN TICKETS EAGLES ATLANTA ALPHARETTA 5/14 VERIZON - $279.99

LAWN!!!

[jersey jim]

Have to voice my opinion on this ticket gouging by ILAA. In the past I have been to at least 15 Eagles shows and maybe 6 Don Henley solo shows. I never use ILAA or Ticketmaster to get my tickets. How do I get in? I go to the venue whereever it is and negotiate deals with normal fans who have extra tickets. Sometimes even scalpers at these shows are stuck with tickets and deals can be had. Try it you may be surprised.

[vicki]

I've done ILAA alot over the last few years and spent alot of money on tickets and travel to shows, and loved every minute of it. But I'm done, there's no justification for this price. I long for the days of my first ILAA, a solo Don show in Clearwater, Florida, front row seats in a small theater, and a meet n greet. Now, that was priceless! Sigh...

[Jack]

I am very pleased that you will be attending an Eagles show, MizB and I hope you enjoy the experience. My posts were just suggestions to assist you in voicing your concerns regarding the situation. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and rightfully so. I do hope you will let your person in high places know as well how you feel. I agree the pricing very high this time around. Again, I hope you can get great tickets and enjoy the show.

[MizB]

So Jack, you're basically saying those of us who are outraged and unhappy should boycott this event. Hmmmm, where did I hear that before? Oh yes! My first post! So we agree on that point, but you're bothered by my ranting? Oh well, I guess we'll agree to disagree. Oh, BTW, who said I'm not DOing SOMETHING about this situation? I've already put a call in to my friend in high places, and am working on getting ILAA seating through other means, for much, much less.

Dr. G, what can I say, I've seen the light (so to speak). I feel like I'm being bent over and violated...in my wallet. As L&M stated, some of us prefer to sit in the first 5 rows, and were very willing to shell out the $$$ in the past. But at $795, no way, uh-uh. Thank God Hall and Oates is touring again this summer. At least some of the folks I've loved all my life are still thinking clearly when it comes to ticket pricing.

[dr.g]

I'm thrilled to see MizB (who frankly, I've always seen as a blind loyalist) express disgust and outrage over these ticket prices and availability. I'm always amazed that the likes of Springsteen and Petty can go on tour for ticket prices in the $55-$110 dollar range, but the Eagles can't. I guess Henley and Frey hate Republicans until it's convenient to become one! The entire concert ticket business is sleazy and I, for one, am convinced that the artists are neck deep in the sludge. It's like Super Bowl tickets... regular fans can't seem to be able to get their hands on them. Meanwhile, corporate partners of the NFL fill the seats. Most of them don't know Tom Brady from Marsha Brady! Let's face it, we're all being played for fools and suckers and as long as these shows sell out (or come close) nothing will change. Thank God there are at least a few artists left who are responsible and appreciative of their fans, who have provided them a lifestyle beyond their wildest dreams.

[Jack]

I did not mean to offend anyone here, but I understand how ILAA works having been part of it before and as I stated, was surprised by the amount they are charging too, and I can commiserate with everyone here about the policies of agencies selling tickets and services. If unhappy about the situation, I suggest boycotting the events. Hopefully,decent tickets will be still available after all the "in" people have their turn if you still want to attend. It's unfortunate that that is the way corporate business is run nowadays.

[L&M]

Jack....the part you're missing here is that the ILAA seats are in the first few rows. That means those seats won't be available in the regular sale. Some of us prefer to sit in the front. Basically the only way to guarantee a front row seat is to buy the ILAA package. We've been supportive of ILAA in the past, but honestly $795, or almost $600 above the face value of the ticket, is just plain robbery. Sadly we won't be going because we just can't afford these prices.

[Jack]

No MizB, I am not unaware of how things work at corporate America, but sometimes you have to try to take the bull by the horns and DO SOMETHING instead of sitting back and complaining about it. Isn't that what Americans are all about? The process of the empowerment of free speech is something Americans hold very dear. You would be amazed what one voice can accomplish. I too was taken aback by the ILAA pricing but if someone wants to spend their money on such an event, that is their decision pure and simple. If not, just don't buy into it.

[MizB]

Jack, are you new to corporate America? I have a friend at TM, who usually can get me great tickets for any show I want to see. I know about the ins and outs of TM and believe me, their ticket selling policies would make your head spin. It's amazing what is held back from the general public. Does anyone really wonder why the scalpers get the best seats? Do you think my voice will really be heard when there's tons of $$$ being made by those in charge?

And as for calling ILAA, yeah, they'll drop the prices because I complained. This is basically a done deal, and there's nothing that they ticket-buying public can do...but vent their frustrations (insert sarcastic smirk here).

But I digress, there's a good thread over on Eagleland under the Eagles on Tour/US Tour Dates, where the venting really belongs.

[Dave]

In support of MizB (and anyone else who cares to "vent"), I give you the insightful words of the Tom Petty song, 'Money Becomes King'...

"And as the crowd arrived
As far as I could see
The faces were all different
There was no one there like me

They sat in golden circles
And waiters served them wine
And talked through all the music
And to John paid little mind
And way up in the nosebleeds
We watched upon the screen
They hung between the billboards
So cheaper seats could see

Johnny rocked that Golden Circle
And all those VIPs
And that music that had freed us
Became a tired routine
And I saw his face in close-up
Tryin' to give it all he had
And sometimes his eyes betrayed him
You could see that he was sad

And I tried to rock on with him
But I slowly became bored
Could that man on stage with everything
Somehow need some more?

There was no use in pretending
No magic left to hear
All the music gave me
Was a craving for lite-beer
As I walked out of the arena
My ears began to ring
And money became king."

[Jack]

A suggestion: perhaps instead of venting here MizB, you should maybe contact Ticketmaster regarding their unfair practice of ticket distribution and call ILAA and explain your dissatisfaction with their service.

[MizB]

-- If you don't want to pay the high price to sit in the front, and aren't interested in sitting in the back, then simply don't go to the concert. --

Slow day? I think I've said quite clear that I won't be going. And just to let you and others know, I am going to bitch about it to the rafters, so if you don't want to hear my rant, don't read my posts.

[limbo]

If you don't want to pay the high price to sit in the front, and aren't interested in sitting in the back, then simply don't go to the concert. Here's a thought: not EVERYONE who loves the Eagles will fit in the front row. Some will have to end up in the back.

The fact that people will pay $800 for a concert ticket, dinner & drinks proves that we are not yet in a recession. Regardless, while this country is still free, people have the right to spend however much they want on anything they want. And bands are free to charge whatever they want, too. Don't like it? Stay home. Easy.

[MizB]

Allan, by the time tickets go onsale with TicketMaster in NYC, only horrid seats come up. Somehow the scalpers and their ilk get to the good seats waaaay before the general public. Not to mention all of the nepotism and favoritism that goes on in the ticket biz, which prevents someone who would like a decent seat from getting one. ILAA has been the way to go for the past few years if a person desires a guaranteed good seat. While others may be quite pleased sitting in the last row of the 'blues', that would not interest me in the least.

Still, this should not stop anybody else from grabbing whatever crumbs that the powers that be throws out. Enjoy the show.

[Allan]

MizB: Why don't you just buy a ticket in the $100-$200 range?

[MizB]

Ugh! $795, including parking? Where is the parking lot? NYC???

We're in a recession, so I just cannot phantom why the 5-Star tickets have gone up so much from the last tour. Didn't ILAA charge $500 back in 2005 in the U.S., and an average of $440 in England during the 2006 tour? It's not as if they've added anything new to the package.

In the past I have dealt with people I know telling me that I'm spending too much to see the band, but I've always defended my right to spend my money the way I want to, but now I'm really thinking about boycotting this tour altogether. It's as if the almighty dollar is more important than the fanbase. I'd rather sit for a week under a palm tree in Aruba than blow that kind of dough on a one-night event.