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Post by Helmut83 on May 28, 2015 18:30:53 GMT
Incredible. As I told to BSJ, I never thought about the matter again because I took for granted that they would steal it. I never thought it would go back to BSJ!
Apparently -and fortunately- the item was deemed not worth breaking the package and stealing it by the customs employees (I'm sure they touched through the plastic to see if there was something valuable inside). Fortunately they didn't know it was ELO's because otherwise... nah, not really, those imbeciles are completely ignorant about all matters so I'm sure they wouldn't even have known what ELO is.
And BSJ, next year may be a bit too soon for my visit to Columbus, but sooner or later I'll be there and the magic pin will be in my hands.
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Post by BSJ on May 28, 2015 19:20:22 GMT
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Post by unomusette on May 28, 2015 21:34:06 GMT
Well it's good that the button found its way home, but what a ridiculous and frustrating situation And in other news, yet more bad times for Brazilian Muse fans. I really hope the band are not involved in this disgusting price hike - usually their ticket prices are very fair. But they shouldn't allow the promotor to profit like this. www.musebr.com/05/2015/nota-da-equipe-sobre-os-valores-dos-ingressos/ (the English translation is a short way down) I believe the prices in Argentina are pretty high too, but there is a student discount which brings them more within reach of the average fan. And I don't think they're having the cheek to charge even more just to get in early. Appalling. It will be very interesting to see what the band/their management have to say.
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Post by Helmut83 on May 29, 2015 0:12:11 GMT
Uno, I think it's particularly cruel because these big international artists seem to raise the prizes when they come to 3rd world countries, which is the contrary of what logic seems to dictate (or at least keep the prized level everywhere) when everyone knows an average citizen has less more money in absolute terms -this is, talking in dollars-. However, formally speaking, they have the right to set the prize they want for their concerts' tickets as consumers have the right to decide wether they are paying for it or not.
Even though I get the situation and I think it's a pity many fans don't get to attend the gig because of the prizes, I don't agree with the spirit of the article. I think someone needs to tap the author of the article on his head to see if he suddenly opens his eyes and sees how the world works. He writes things like "Thus, premium tickets will not be for the biggest fans, but for the richest"... welcome to the real world! And yeah, Rolls Royce and private yatches are not for the biggest fans of them but also for the richest. What a discovery! Luxury articles are for people with money. And according to what prizes say, Muse considers it's own concerts' tickets luxury articles. It's supply and demand: if you don't like that, don't attend and give them the middle finger.
With many other artists this would be all fair. However, talking about Muse there is one thing in which the author is right: if this band preaches "A", then why do they do "B"? But here he also needs a reality check: I have never known a socialist who does, or lives according to, what he preaches. At the end of the day they all love money like mad and are sick with greed. If these guys of Muse denounce the evils of capitalism then they must be searching to burn in hell with all those hyper expensive instruments and amplifiers they use, their luxurious lifestyle they have and the millions they must have in bank accounts. Talk about hypocrites...
All in all, I think both Muse and the author of this note are wrong. I missed tons of concerts I would have liked to go to (for example, two weeks ago I missed The Orchestra's concert because I didn't have enough money to buy tickets) and I'm not crying and asking others to sell me the tickets for two dollars. If there's someone to blame it's myself for not having had the ability to make enough money to pay for that. We all know there's a better lifestyle available if we can only make more money. And Muse needs to stop that incoherent bullshit of anti-capitalist speech because we all know they are who they are and have all they have thanks to the capitalist system, or do you think they would have been able to get to fame in Cuba or North Korea?
I'm sorry about bashing your favourite band, Uno, but I really think the occasion deserves it; it's not about their music, it's that I can't stand that kind of hypocrisy, whoever it comes from. Luckily Jeff never messed up with those things.
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Post by unomusette on May 31, 2015 23:01:34 GMT
I'm really horrified to hear that this is not an isolated incident in South America, Helmut, is it true that a most concerts are overpriced like this? I've not heard of any response from Muse in this case but it's not acceptable if the bands themselves pretend not to know that this sort of profiteering is going on. I mean, it's shocking that tickets for The Orchestra are out of reach, over here I'd expect them to be among the most affordable gigs. And mostly a concert ticket isn't considered to be a luxury item unless it's someone like maybe Madonna or Barbra Streisand who make a point of being expensive. In my experience Muse are generally very reasonably priced, especially considering the big spectacle they put on which must cost a fair bit. But I've only ever seen them in Europe, and this is the first time I've seen any protest about prices further afield.
You're completely right that once a band get big they enjoy sponsorship and the best of equipment and lifestyle, and a fair amount of them profess to be against squeezing the ordinary fan in terms of ticket pricing. Now and then you hear of bands making a stand against big ticket agencies and their extra charges for postage and "handling", but it never actually stops. It makes you wonder if the conspiracy theories are true, and that there's really no point fighting against big business which is actually a lot bigger and more oppressive than we realise.
If I hear any news from the Muse camp I shall report back. In the meantime I hope good sense prevails in time for Jeff's next tour.
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Post by Helmut83 on May 31, 2015 23:04:37 GMT
I'm really horrified to hear that this is not an isolated incident in South America, Helmut, is it true that a most concerts are overpriced like this? Yes it is. What they always say is that most of their costs are fix and in dollars so they can't lower the prizes, but the purchasing power around these countries is far less in terms of dollars so it gets hard for most pedestrian citizens to afford tickets. And yes, I also expected The Orchestra tickets to have much lower prizes. I saw some photos and it looked like they played in a half-empty theatre, so at the end of the day it was painful both for their potential public and for them as well. To make things worse, it was in a theatre quite far away from the city centre and in a not-so-good neighbourhood, a Thursday, and at the same time Boca played River for the Libertadores Cup (a game that paralizes the country). I mean, if on top of all those circumstances your prizes are so high, you are going to get a half-empty theatre like they got.
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Post by unomusette on May 31, 2015 23:25:13 GMT
So nobody wins in the end? This is an awful situation. I suppose it's the main reason for a lack of shows being put on - we always assume it's because of a political or security situation but it seems as if it's all about economics
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Post by nickheynes on Jun 1, 2015 11:48:43 GMT
yeh nobody wins (sigh) I don't understand the economics of this situation tho' Surely it's better to sell more tickets at a reasonable price than fewer tickets at an inflated price.
If you sell more tickets then surely you sell more merchandise/beer/food etc. It depends on who is controlling all of the component parts that go to make up the price of the ticket (promotor,band,venue,local council, merchandiser,etc etc)and who is the most greedy!
I had tickets to see the Stones at Wembley a few yrs ago. They cancelled because they had to pay tax. Did I see them when they toured again? No, and I never will again because I was disgusted by their actions. But their next tour was the biggest ever tour by anyone ever.
The problem is that so many people will pay over the odds to see their favourite band / team/ whatever and fill a venue . It comes to something when it's cheaper to go and see a Bundesleiga match (Including travel ,a beer and a programme!)than it is for me to see West Ham vs Arsenal when I only live 20 miles from Upton Park.
Would I pay a month's salary to see Jeff live again? No But there will be some who would and if there's enough of them then someone will say "well, that ticket price was justifiable and affordable"
I also think that tickets have become more expensive since the age of the download. It's harder to earn money from selling your music so artists have to earn more from sponsorship,tickets and merchandising.
Capitalism sucks but so does everything else. I just wish that certain bands wouldn't take an anti-capatilsm stance when it's impossible for them to be anything other than capitalists.
At least Monty Python were honest about their reasons for doing the gigs at the O2 and Peter Kay called one his tours the "Mum wants a bungalow tour" then sold out the Manchester Arena for god knows how. many nights and gave all the money to Comic Relief.
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Post by Helmut83 on Jun 1, 2015 17:23:40 GMT
Well said, Nick.
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Post by unomusette on Jun 2, 2015 22:47:14 GMT
Yes, spot on, Nick.
I'm right there with you about the Rolling Stones, it would be funny if it wasn't so awful. When people get to that sort of wealth level they are living in a totally different world to the rest of us. The fact that they'd sold tickets meant people had probably booked accommodation, time off, etc which was wasted due to the Stones' selfish action. But of course this wouldn't even have occured to them.
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Post by nickheynes on Jun 11, 2015 11:03:07 GMT
Any update on this Uno?
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Post by unomusette on Jun 11, 2015 22:31:56 GMT
No, it's all gone very quiet. The Brazilian fans who began the campaign were really vocal about it at the start, but there's been nothing since and no reply from the band's management either. I don't spend any time on the official website other than to get tickets in the presales, it's extremely clique-y with lots of people who seem to just be waiting to start a big argument over nothing at all. But I might go on and see if the discussion is on there. I first saw it via Twitter. In fact I think most of the Muse fans I know get all their info via Twitter and don't bother so much with the fan sites. There is a certain element who delight in sneering at people who don't have an encyclopedic knowledge of the band; I had it a bit when I first got into them but I can give as good as I get so it didn't bother me that much. More sensitive souls just end up being bullied which is a shame. The clue is in the name - "fan site" Of course the HW fan site is an example to all the others in terms of free speech with fair play - long may it continue
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Post by nickheynes on Jun 12, 2015 11:44:32 GMT
No, it's all gone very quiet. The Brazilian fans who began the campaign were really vocal about it at the start, but there's been nothing since and no reply from the band's management either. I don't spend any time on the official website other than to get tickets in the presales, it's extremely clique-y with lots of people who seem to just be waiting to start a big argument over nothing at all. But I might go on and see if the discussion is on there. I first saw it via Twitter. In fact I think most of the Muse fans I know get all their info via Twitter and don't bother so much with the fan sites. There is a certain element who delight in sneering at people who don't have an encyclopedic knowledge of the band; I had it a bit when I first got into them but I can give as good as I get so it didn't bother me that much. More sensitive souls just end up being bullied which is a shame. The clue is in the name - "fan site" Of course the HW fan site is an example to all the others in terms of free speech with fair play - long may it continue Of the course the HW site is a great example. Mainly because its FUN !! It doesn't surprise me that it's gone a bit quiet. That happens a lot with protests. I had it with a previous job. we had a legit argument. started of with all the sales force in it together then petered out over time till only I was left . My solicitor said I'd win. My boss said life might become uncomfortable so I played the system for a while , got another job and left them right in the S***! HA HA HA!! and the guys who stayed are still moaning and the episode took place 6 years ago!
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