Sandoz

^{Sunken Treasure! I should have stayed in town another night! Sigh.}

You're a nice guy Tinnitus.

Stay well, Donna. Omicron is everywhere. Everywhere! 

@BigDitchStan I posted this over at the crazy SBS Facebook page too, but I am posting it here re: your cancelation/insurance plans:

6 hours ago, sonnyfeeling said:

My understanding is that the way these festivals work is the promoter does a buyout of the resort, agreeing to pay the resort owner a fairly large sum of money in exchange for the right to put on the show and sell packages directly to fans.

 

The band has a contract with the promoter to allow the use of their name and to play a certain number of shows.

 

I don't know what either contract says, but I presume that the promoter is on the hook for the buyout fee unless the resort somehow is unable to deliver the rooms. And the band probably has some major penalties to pay if they cancel. They probably also have non-disparagement clauses that could cost them dearly if they used that bully pulpit unwisely.

 

The trouble with the current situation is that someone (or many someones) will probably wind up losing a pile of money. During normal times, these things were hugely profitable, but obviously the rules have changed in the COVID era.

 

What a mess.  

@sonnyfeeling thanks for this explanation, this makes sense to me.  At this point, I see only 2 situations where SBS is canceled or postponed (my ideal scenario):  Situation #1 would be too many positive COVID tests on arrival of musicians/crew/Cloud 9 staff, , like what happened with Dead & Co. Situation #2 is that Quintana Roo is declared to be either orange or red status on Jan 17th by their local government, which requires businesses/hotels to decrease their maximum capacities of guests, etc...we will see.

On 1/4/2022 at 8:45 PM, GoCubsGo said:

I’m looking for a deeply discounted Sky Blue Sky Mexico package. Wasn’t planning on going due to the cost and it being sold out! But if the price is right, I’m willing to make it work.

 

Hoping to pay no more than $2,500 total considering the last minute timing of this, but have some possible additional wiggle room. Shoot me a PM if you’re looking to unload a package, thanks!

Sent you a PM

You want to hear a crazy stat?  Based on the current US 7-day average: Every second, 7 people in the US are testing positive for COVID!  WTF! 

5 minutes ago, Boss_Tweedy said:

I'm not trying to scare anyone because I'm particularly susceptible to respiratory illnesses. And when I get them they're usually more severe, as I have a lifetime of respiratory ailments since birth. With that said I'm pretty sure I have COVID, and I should know for certain tomorrow. Assuming I have Omicron, this stuff has been pretty awful over the past four days. Monday wasn't so bad because my only symptom was muscle aches. Tuesday through Today, however, have been rough. I'd been really good and avoided large crowds of people for nearly two years until last Saturday. I wanted to see my law school alma mater's quarterback play his final college game before heading off to the NFL. Having lived with COVID for four days, there's no freaking way I'd do it again. I've had fever, sore throat, nasal congestion and drainage, extreme fatigue, muscle and joint aches, and at times chills. It's like the flu on steroids. And I'm double-vaxxed and boosted. While I want to make it clear that most people won't have the same reaction I am to Omicron (there are several people with whom I sat at the game who have experienced only headache and scratchy throat), I do want to share my experience to educate anyone who might believe that Omicron is always mild or that humanity has gained control over the virus. We're not out of the woods yet. 

Ugh, I am sorry you feel so lousy. I am fully vaccinated and boosted too. Interestingly, the worst symptom I've had this week is terrible low back pain. The back pain has been described by many people with Omicron variant in South Africa.  So strange.

I hope you turn the corner soon @Boss_Tweedy , without any longstanding effects. And I agree there is no freaking way I'd do it again  -- now I have to monitor my teenage daughter like a hawk She's fully vaccinated, but she has a history of an auto-immune disease. I don't want this virus to challenger her immune system!

My husband and I are not going to SBS, even if the show goes on despite this huge surge and the current PITS dumpster fire. 

I now have COVID, after a ski trip to Utah last week. Argh. I am certain I was infected during one of two 30 minute indoor lunches, when it was below-0 temperatures and my kids needed to warm up their fingers/toes. While I ate my lunch, I  literally looked around the packed ski lodge thinking, "OMG, I am getting COVID right now...." I did!

Even though I have a positive test and would be able to go to SBS without any testing at all, I cannot be a part of this craziness. And my husband is healthy and negative (so far). Once again, although we are all *SO DONE* with COVID, this virus proves that it is NOT done with us. Sigh.

5 hours ago, jff said:

Sorry in advance for the long rant,  but I guess I need to vent a little…
 

We did buy insurance.  The event urged us to get cancel for any reason insurance, and offered three plans.  We bought the highest end plan on the event website, which they said offered the best coverage.  We figured that plan would include cancel for any reason, since that’s what they were telling us to buy.  It does not.  In order to get cancel for any reason we would have had to buy the most expensive plan, and then add on cancel for any reason.  I don’t recall seeing anywhere on screen when I bought insurance to make any add-ons.  I feel duped over that, and it wouldn’t surprise me if there are others who think they have cancel for any reason coverage who actually do not and will only learn that when the insurance company denies their claim.

 

I guess we’re “lucky” because we’re going through a terminal pet illness, so we may be able to recoup our costs.  (We would be backing out because of this even if Covid didn’t exist.) But their language regarding pet illnesses leaves them a lot of leeway to weasel out. The illness must be “so debilitating as to make travel impossible.”  I have no idea what that means, but I feel we meet that mark as it would be totally unreasonable (though not technically “impossible”) for us to leave our dog with a sitter when our dog gets weaker every day and is within a strong likelihood of dying while we’re in Mexico, especially if we had to stay there and quarantine after the festival.

Oh shit, JFF. I hate insurance companies so much -- they are the evil behind so much badness in the world (I am both a bitter doctor, and a bitter mother when I think of my personal experiences with insurance companies). You never get what you pay for, coverage wise.  

JFF, I am so sorry to hear about your sick dog. It's so frustrating that you have to deal with insurance BS, on top of all the stress you already have. Savor this time with her. Hope to meet you at the next SBS (on second thought, I am unsure I will ever be able to support a Cloud 9 event after this one)...maybe it will be a SSF or a regular old Wilco show. Take care and stay healthy.

And @kidsmoke have you made a final decision yet? You in or out? I am still undecided ---- I actually think that Omicron still has a very healthy chance of showing Cloud 9 who's boss here. Two weeks is a long ways away...just think it was only FIVE WEEKS AGO that this variant was first identified in South Africa....

@jffI am so skeptical of local travel insurance (from past experience..loophole after loophole), that I didn't bother looking.

It's such a huge bummer that Sky Blue Sky is the first Cloud 9 event of the run. It would have been ideal to sit back and see what happens with Panic En La Playa (Jan 22-26), Avett Bros (Jan 22-31), Brandi Carlile (early Feb) before heading down to Mexico. I feel like we are the festival guinea pigs! If ~100s of people test positive on departure (and fill up the resort's isolation capacity), it will certainly affect what happens for the next event(s). Because they'd have to prepare for the potential of another huge cohort of positive tests 5 days later when Panic en la Playa folks have their departure antigen tests collected, then Avetts, etc. etc.  The isolation requirement is 10 days, so there would be some overlap between festival events.  

Did you see the news about the Bad Bunny outdoor concert in Puerto Rico? At least 2,000 infected! Granted it was a huge show (40K attendees) but they required vaccination for all attendees + masking required during the show. I don't think SBS requires vaccination to attend -- just a negative test I think. Too late to add it as a requirement. 

We were unable to purchase the insurance (there was a handful of states that were excluded from the Cloud 9 insurance, including mine). So, I haven't officially canceled yet...literally creating a list of pros-cons over here. Wondering if postponement will happen (hoping, actually). I agree that the likelihood of having a positive antigen test upon departure will be extremely high. The Omicron variant is as contagious as measles. The logistical issues re: being stuck in a Mexico hotel room for 10 additional days are a little overwhelming to consider: Child care at home, missing work for an additional 10 days, and concerns about local medical care access if needed. Also, I know that the current plan is to bus all the positive people to a nearby Residence Inn for isolation. Does the hotel have room for potentially *hundreds* of infected people?  Because it really could be hundreds. Argh. I hate this virus so much.

5 hours ago, timbits said:

Longtime lurker, first time poster 

you make me laugh

PS @lizish HI!!!

Hey there people! I can't believe VC has been around for 20 years. I joined this message board specifically to find a recording of the 7/31/2002 Wilco show at The Orpheum Madison. So I probably joined in August '02? Then ended up meeting so many of you in person over the years. And it took a global pandemic for that show @Orpheum surface (it showed up on nugs.net  a couple months ago woot woot)! 

I've made so many wonderful long-lasting friendships on this old message board. So many funny memories. So many good people. Love you all. xxoo

The combo of show #1 + shows #2 brought me so much joy during this crazy terrible pandemic. Thanks Wilco. I had forgotten how much I need you. 

Time warp. @TCP do you still have these 2 available? Show is now on 10/6/21. 

The Portland show that was 3/24 (night 2) at Arlene Schnitzer is now Nov 10 at Keller.

(although the email I got with the ticket change says that it was changed from Sept 30 at Schnitzer... strange).

 

Haven't seen anything new on Wilcoworld for any shows yet, nor have I heard anything about the other PNW tickets.

I didn't even realize that the venue had changed for the show! I wonder if it's because the original nights did not sell out...3/24 was Portland Spring Break week, which I am certain was the reason the shows did not sell out. 

The Portland, OR show (night #1) is rescheduled to November 9, 2020.  New tickets were emailed to me last week. 

I assume that show #2 will be on November 10th (I did not purchase tix for show #2 -- was supposed to be out of town).

Stunning photos and a great write up.  A lot of your impressions were similar to mine, except I really enjoyed the Dr. Dog set! It had been about 10 years since I'd seen them and they still put on a super show.  Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos. 

Argh, the server crashed in Portland. Did anyone have luck in the Pacific NW presale? 

I was in the 2nd row center, with all the longtime fans, and almost everybody took pictures/video with their phone/camera during some point during the show. Usually, it was timed to when the picturesque wooded backdrop set changed lighting: Spring, Fall, Winter, Sunrise, Sunset, Night, etc. Everybody took pictures/video discreetly (didn't hold the camera high up in air with 2 hands, for example), although a few accidentally forgot to turn off their flash, lol.

 

Security appeared to be perfectly fine with fans using their cameras in this discreet manner. Interestingly, when Wilco performed 'Impossible Germany', dozens of fans in the front rows put their cameras up to take full video in full view of Security and also the band, and nothing was said to them. Perhaps because it's such a popular song that they don't mind, lol.

 

The fans in the front rows were very friendly/chill, and also in general, as previously pointed out. There were no evil eyes given out or snide comments made to fans taking photo/video. Everyone was nice.

 

Let me know if you have any other questions! Hope this helps,

Yes being a GA show kinda guarantees that the first couple rows will be packed with people who are there for the right reason.  And as you described, very chill & very friendly, as always. But smartphone video at any concert still always makes me want to punch the person. And I'm not a violent person  

I have no further questions Doctor Detriot! Thanks!

Dr Mom 

I *have* to ask: Were smartphones allowed or strictly prohibited?

Wowzers I hope the sick guy is OK. Anyone have an update on his condition? Kind of one of my biggest nightmares.  And yeah, glad you got to pee Sammer..