Betrayal, Disbelief, Abandonment, Entitlement and other words that describe my prinicipled dilemma.
Stop me if you've heard this one:
I have been a fan of these guys for twelve (12) years. My first concert ticket, twelve years ago, set me back $5, and a two-hour drive from Gainesville to Orlando. It was in a cleared out church sanctuary with maybe 200 people. Maybe.
There are a few people who can claim fandom longer than me, but not many. And certainly not as loyally.
In the twelve years that have elapsed, I have seen my guys in concert at least once for every year -traveling to West Palm Beach, Orlando and even New York with my fellow groupie to catch them in Times Square. One year, fellow groupie and I promoted a show in our college town (which is fancy lingo for selling tickets, hanging posters and hanging out backstage). I've escorted them to interviews and escorted interviewers to them, I've snuck into a show early and "found" myself backstage where I didn't belong - only to have my loyalty deepened when lead singer Mac greeted us like we were old friends. We weren't, yet. That was way early. There were times later when I was backstage because I did belong, and I could just rock to myself as professionally as possible, because I was "working."
So here's the deal. Favorite band is coming again, this September. With another favorite band. Pre-sale starts today. Good seats are...
SIXTY FREAKIN' DOLLARS.
plus...
A SEVEN DOLLAR SERVICE FEE.
...each.
Sure, there are other seats available, like, in the parking lot, for $30.
It seems to me that bands ought to have some kind of loyalty rewards program, like, how some gyms let you keep your original starting fee so that you're still paying $8 a month when all the newbies are shelling out $49. Or how cruise lines give you new bags and keychains and stuff when you become a "repeat cruiser." Or how Subway used to have that card where when you bought 10 sandwiches your 11th was free.
But they don't. I was offered the opportunity to join the fan club (for $30) and then I have the privilege of buying tickets earlier than other people, but at the same price. But anyone can do that. I want some recognition. I want a reward for 12 loyal years. I can sing lyrics to songs that the rookies don't even know exist. Entire albums are logged on my brain's hard drive. I have reached the point in fandom where I can look around a packed venue and honestly say that I have been listening to these guys from the beginning - longer than a good portion of the audience has been alive. (Christian shows feature a lot of kids in the audience.)
So I am torn. Do I want to go? Absolutely. Do I want to pay $67 per ticket? Absolutely not. Do I EVER win anything, like FREE TICKETS? Nope.
Alas. Thoughts?
I have been a fan of these guys for twelve (12) years. My first concert ticket, twelve years ago, set me back $5, and a two-hour drive from Gainesville to Orlando. It was in a cleared out church sanctuary with maybe 200 people. Maybe.
There are a few people who can claim fandom longer than me, but not many. And certainly not as loyally.
In the twelve years that have elapsed, I have seen my guys in concert at least once for every year -traveling to West Palm Beach, Orlando and even New York with my fellow groupie to catch them in Times Square. One year, fellow groupie and I promoted a show in our college town (which is fancy lingo for selling tickets, hanging posters and hanging out backstage). I've escorted them to interviews and escorted interviewers to them, I've snuck into a show early and "found" myself backstage where I didn't belong - only to have my loyalty deepened when lead singer Mac greeted us like we were old friends. We weren't, yet. That was way early. There were times later when I was backstage because I did belong, and I could just rock to myself as professionally as possible, because I was "working."
So here's the deal. Favorite band is coming again, this September. With another favorite band. Pre-sale starts today. Good seats are...
SIXTY FREAKIN' DOLLARS.
plus...
A SEVEN DOLLAR SERVICE FEE.
...each.
Sure, there are other seats available, like, in the parking lot, for $30.
It seems to me that bands ought to have some kind of loyalty rewards program, like, how some gyms let you keep your original starting fee so that you're still paying $8 a month when all the newbies are shelling out $49. Or how cruise lines give you new bags and keychains and stuff when you become a "repeat cruiser." Or how Subway used to have that card where when you bought 10 sandwiches your 11th was free.
But they don't. I was offered the opportunity to join the fan club (for $30) and then I have the privilege of buying tickets earlier than other people, but at the same price. But anyone can do that. I want some recognition. I want a reward for 12 loyal years. I can sing lyrics to songs that the rookies don't even know exist. Entire albums are logged on my brain's hard drive. I have reached the point in fandom where I can look around a packed venue and honestly say that I have been listening to these guys from the beginning - longer than a good portion of the audience has been alive. (Christian shows feature a lot of kids in the audience.)
So I am torn. Do I want to go? Absolutely. Do I want to pay $67 per ticket? Absolutely not. Do I EVER win anything, like FREE TICKETS? Nope.
Alas. Thoughts?
Comments
Agh! Someone remove the dagger!
On a side note, JC and I were both at the same Third Day/Switchfoot concert at his old church in high school like '97. Random, eh?
--rhoda