I thought that I would share the fact that Im heading to see FF tonight. Now, most would say, "Wow, thats a strong intro (not)" but if anyone had any idea what I paid for them, then you would understand that I am paying to be pre-excited about it right now. Im just going with the flow here to make myself feel better for the brutal virtual mugging I got online.
I have seen FF 2x recently, once with their acoustic tour and then they came back around for a rock tour. Both were first affordable, but moreover both concerts were tremendous and made me appreciate them as true legends of our time. You hear them on the radio and stuff but it wasnt until 3-4 years ago I really had a driving urge to go see them, especially since I practically tour with Pearl Jam each time they come within 500 miles of my vincinity, it gets Expensive, but PJ loves their fans and make it niceynice to afford a ticket thru their fan club....at face value. Which is the basis of this post. Prices.
I just went to a metal show and the headliner was All That Remains at the Trocedaro. The ticket itself was 15 bucks. With the service fees, the -et-hem- convenience fees and handling fees, it doubled the ticket price. And I bought it online and I did all the work to get them. They just have a server that emails the .pdf ticket to my inbox and I even have to use my own paper/ink to print it out. Not to mention, after my years of concerts, I have quite a collection of ticket stubs that help as a nice token of the time. Now, I got a lousy printout, which does carry the same mystique as holding a stub from say the Black Crowes/Jimmy Page tour or my Pink Floyd ticket from 1988...but I digress.
So, why all the fees? I found the tickets, bought them and had them emailed to me. I guess, I am paying for their electricity of the packets sent to and from because I know, there wasn't any "Human" interaction with this process. And what of their reduced staff that helps them save money because everything is automatic and internetly connected. 8] (they're all TUBES)
This is just an example of what I've noticed in the last 8 years or so. You pay for more, but you get less and we're supposed to like it. Its funny, that the cost of gas to the show, the ticket that was not within five leagues of its face value, parking and not to mention the price of beer/food at the show, all of these things seemed to be breaking my will to go see concerts anymore. With all the cost, I cant even afford drugs to bring to the show and God forbid I want T-shirt.
I thought all this may be getting better once Ticketmaster lost its monopoly on ticket sales, but its more like they paved the road for worse ticketing companies to rip people off in more ingenious, despicable ways and then just call them some kind of new "fee".
The described pattern above, can be said for most companies that are operating today.
Prices are theme here, remember?
I am dumbfounded by how the economy is so in the drink but inflation is barely mentioned but running ramped. Oil, housing, utilities, health care, even freakin food is up in price but hardly talked about. Price. That is key here. Because if the price hasnt risen-yet-, then there was a new "fee" added to what you purchased, transacted or even for something you did yourself but had to pay up, regardless. Maybe thats how inflation is flying under the radar because the 'price' isnt the problem under the umbrella of inflation. If its not the price rising, its a new fee which somehow cant be added or considered to be 'inflation'. What good is it if something costs the same as in 1998 but they added 15 different fees to the overall purchase? Same can be said of Taxes, you wont see anyone raise taxes or even speak the word, they'll just call it a fee. Look for new fees to pay for the war in 2009. Good thing we have a Oil tycoon, corporate headboard slamming POTUS in office, maybe he can help us all out before he leaves.
In closing, at this cost, I'll enjoy the show. But, I am not sure if I'll go to any others, anymore. Its a luxury and I got to save for more future fees of some kind, from someone/some company that has what I need/want. Think maybe the Foo Fighters could start a revolution by renaming them to 'Fee Fighters'?
I hope they appoint Pearl Jam as their cabinet...
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I just found out recently from Southern Sith (of the BTDT forums) that these guys do a cover of the old "Baker Street" tune. I got to check it out on YouTube and it really did keep honorable to the original classic.
Enjoy the show..
Yes, they redid that one well. Another song they redid was "Down in the Park" which is one of my favorites. Didnt play either tunes last night but it was a great, great show. They dropped a stage from the ceiling in the middle of the stadium and played an acoustic set. It was the only time they slowed down. They rocked out the entire night at an unbelievible pace. On top of that, when they paused and talked to the crowd, those guys are pretty damn funny, too. And I heard my first triangle solo..yes the little triangle instrument. They were busting on the percussion guy (not drummer) and egged him to do a triangle solo. Funny.
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