Christ on a bike! You know, I really do not enjoy pooping on the band that I once loved more than anything on earth, but geez they make it hard for me not to do so.
The latest gripe I have is this out and out money-grab. Yes! I am aware now that touring is expensive. But much like with everything else that is now dictated by the consumerist way society runs – it is those least able to comply with it that are the ones that feel the brunt of it.
Funny how it was during the tour of Once Upon a Time that Mr Kerr found himself on ‘Open To Questions’ in 1986 and having to bat off questions about the prices of tickets to see Simple Minds – and here we are, nearly 40 years later, having that same argument. What in blazes? Pretty sure Mr “Find another hobby” will spout the same answer as he did 40 years ago. A real shame.
I am trying to understand what these VIP tickets really actually offer “real fans” (as much as a hate that term) any more. For as you can see from the VIP details below that there is no meet and greet and seemingly no soundcheck either. So this extortionate ticket price offers you: A guaranteed first-three-rows seat (how pissed would you be, paying that much to end up in the third row?), a lanyard, a(nother!) copy of OUAT, and some “guided tour” of the venue that most people probably have zero interest in seeing.
I get the tiered pricing structure for the seats, I do. So…why not just stick to those standard tiered tickets? Why have these inflated VIP pieces of BS? I really feel for the North American fans, I really do.
I just can’t abide by this. I can’t. As I say, I know touring is expensive, but it’s ultimately the fans that pay. “The promotor/artist says you gotta pay pay pay, and you pay – still you pay” – to paraphrase someone’s lyrics.
I looked up the prices for the gig at Concord, CA – as it is closest to where my friend near San Francisco is – it was just for shits and giggles, you know. Just to see what ticket prices were like. Holy hell! The CHEAPEST ticket I could find was $158! I repeat, that’s THE CHEAPEST ticket I could find in the pre-sales. Maybe there’ll be cheaper ones when tickets go on general sale? I don’t know. But if that is THE CHEAPEST?! Then….have a word with yourself! Forking heck!
Anyway, that’s my rant.
Good luck with selling out these venues at such short notice (in real terms) Simple Minds!
Just to end with Mr Kerr’s 1986 suggestion to “find another hobby.” Erm, nope. I haven’t found another hobby, I’ve just found music and artists that I can go and enjoy and support that don’t require me to sell a kidney to go and see them and support them. Artists that feel like they are still actually about the music and not the revenue that can be accrued from being in “the music BIZ.”
Adios!
Omg the Concord show!! I have *never* heard of the venue they’re playing. I looked it up before tix went on sale and the other bands they’re hyping are all… *ahem* previously arena acts: Styx, Nelly, Joe Satriani & the reviews shown are for Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sammy Hagar & Foo Fighters. Feeling a very … *conservative* theme.
I initially thought it was a casino show, as the majority of US dates are large venues way outside major metros/in the burbs (like the one in Concord, CA) but I am VERY MUCH not a target audience so never heard of any shows there (before SM).
I noticed in the app that there are hotel stays nearby cheaper than gen admin tickets! Extortionate! (I think it’s probably due to the target audience of the area – older white conservative young Boomers/Gen Xers who can afford to live outside of the city.)
Those VIP ticket prices are on par with a full weekend or a day pass for several bay area festivals (though prices have increased dramatically in the past couple years. Portola, Bottle Rock, Outside Lands, etc. Mosswood Meltdown (hosted by John Waters; headliner this year is Devo https://mosswoodmeltdown.com/ ) VIP full weekend tickets are less than one VIP seat for SM. I know it’s grapefruits & tangerines (and I hate arena/large shows AND festivals equally) but am struggling to process the ticket prices.
A good number of the U.S. fans leaving comments on the tour announcement were scratching their heads about the venues – either as odd/bad choices, or that they’d just never heard of the venues before. I just watched the Jimmy Kimmel performance, and the less said about that the better. 🥴🥴
I can’t bring myself to actually load the Kimmel clip. I’ve seen *one* person (on r/genx subreddit) who said it was a good performance. I’ll have the bloody earworm of that song for the whole week if I do.
Such a weird tour.
I did get an email today that Underworld (speaking of old white blokes) are doing a US tour in May tho they’re actually playing in SF at the Warfield which I *hate* (like, actively LOATHE) as a venue, but… it’s Underworld! We’ll have to see on that one.
I don’t blame you. It was a concise version (time constraints of live television restricting its length to shorter than its original 7-inch single version. Praise be! I’m not really on any of the fan groups on FB any more so have no true idea how it went down. The comments left on the official SM profile on FB leans heavily (naturally) to the sycophantic so that’s no real reflection on how good (or otherwise) it was. I tend to think these things can only be mediocre at best. Watching it the once was enough for me, put it that way. 🙂
I would hope Underworld’s tickets are not ridiculously overpriced like *cough* some other band’s is. Seeing a number of fans – some of them quite ardent, who would be more than happy to follow them abroad saying “Mmmm, not this time! Think I’ll pass.” I wonder why? 🤔🙄
How much of a say do Simple Minds have in the ticket prices? Is it not down to the promoters and all that crowd? (Genuine question btw,as I have no idea).I wouldn’t be paying it.
I’m not sure myself but I would like to think they have SOME sway. I mean, surely they would choose the promotors in the first instance, wouldn’t they? This whole “it’s the promotors and not the band/artist” excuse is getting a bit tiring, quite frankly. When you have someone like Robert Smith who is standing up to companies like Ticketshafter and giving it to them and telling them NOT to rip-off fans. I mean…I dunno. It’s so easy for a band to say “it isn’t us, blame them.” But if you really value your fans – if you can see by knowing how much it is costing you to stage the bloody thing that your fans will probably struggle to attend – then…wouldn’t you try and do something about it? I don’t know. I know Jim will take this whole “it isn’t down to me, and if some fans can’t attend then that’s tough luck to them” stance on it and it’s just so saddening. But it’s everything I’ve come to expect from him now – and that’s also sad.
I know. In short it’s pish. I was looking at tickets for Pantera in the Hydro next month and they are over £100 for standing!
😳😳