Preferred B

For what it's worth, I just checked out StubHub for the Madison show next month. The venue manager told those of us who waited in line for tickets on the day of the sale that they had no front row tickets available - 8 of them were sold in the band's presale, and the other 9 were being held back so the band could take people from the back of the venue and send them up front. (I've seen this done at some other shows, and it's pretty cool.) On StubHub right now, there are 4 tickets available in the front row for $393 each. Which means that of the 8 Row AA tickets sold in the band's presale,

Oh, that's exciting. I hadn't had any plans to travel for any Pavement shows, but if they're (more or less) coming to me ...

Cars Can't Escape into Wishful Thinking was a great transition in Eindhoven.

They print new ones and nullify yours. But if you could just give them back for no refund, there would be no advantage for scalpers. It probably wouldn't apply to a lot of people, but there have got to sometimes be people who can't make a show and just eat the cost because they can't find anyone to take it on short notice. At least this way you'd still eat the cost, but some stranger would have a chance to use the ticket. (Okay, I realize we're no longer doing anything about scalping here. But hopefully making sure at least a few fans can get tickets?)

Can't they cancel barcodes though? If you don't get a ticket in the mail, they can reissue you another, which is the same kind of idea. You could technically lie about that, too. I don't see this system as being any more prone to dishonesty, especially since you're not getting anything in return if you just give back the ticket. But you're right about it requiring another person to keep track of it all, probably on the venue level. If Twitter somehow let you tweet at all followers of a particular band and have them actually see it (if they didn't follow you), it would be a lot easier t

I just got Cleaving from the library. I didn't read Julie and Julia until a month or so ago. (I haven't seen the movie.)

Ha! I remember that, dimly. There's an example of a show I couldn't get to. I see your point about the possibility of getting a ticket for a reduced price outside the venue. How about this - if I can't use a ticket and can't sell it, I have the option of giving it back to the venue to sell night of. That way you're no more likely to buy a ticket you might not use, but if you absolutely can't use it and can't sell it and can't get there to give it away yourself, you can still give someone the hope of buying it. I'd say the venue could give it away, out of the goodness of their heart, inst

Are you saying that you think if people knew they had the option, they'd be more likely to buy tickets for shows they weren't likely to attend anyway? That would be annoying, but I think that the option to return unusable tickets to the official ticket pool would be a much better solution than people who can't go just leaving a ticket unused. You can look for buyers on the secondary market, of course, but if I can't use a ticket and don't know anyone who can, I'd much rather just let the venue or company handle reselling it than try to find a buyer myself. If nobody buys it, then I don't ge

Do the majority of online scalpers not operate locally (i.e. buy tickets for shows all over the U.S.)? That's about the only thing I can think of. I think the in-state thing makes sense for a city like Milwaukee big enough to have an in-state (in-city) or environs market that could support the shows on its own. Your point about Waukegan is valid, but most stuff that comes to Milwaukee also comes to Chicago. You're right - it wouldn't make much sense for a city like Boston, or probably a lot of stuff on east coast. The Pabst folks also do their best to cancel the tickets and resell them i

I don't see a problem with the in-state mailing address thing. It doesn't prevent people from neighboring states from buying tickets, it just means they have to pick them up in person. If you buy tickets and can go to the show, you're fine. I agree that in the case of will-call only, it's a problem if you can't go. And if you're trying to help a friend buy tickets, it's also an issue. And will call for GA makes me nervous. But I still think it's a better system. You only buy if you're pretty sure you can go, or you take a chance on losing the money. It's your choice. And if venues woul

There was a long article about this in the New Yorker last year, maybe in August? It was an interesting read. Yes - here's the abstract.

It would some headaches, but I wish more artists (or venues) would do what the Pabst Theatre and its cousins do - almost as a matter of course, if you don't have a Wisconsin billing address, will call is your only ticket option. Taking it further, will call with no name change for all shows - period - would come close to eliminating the secondary market. I think someone here already mentioned that. I agree that it's nice to have other options if you absolutely get shut out - but if the person who buys the tickets has to be the person picking them up on the night of the show, then at least a

How is buying from StubHub any better (morally) than buying from any other scalpers? I mean, there used to be posts all over VC decrying the scalpers for being slimeball assholes. I'm not trying to attack anybody, just wondering if people honestly see it as something different and why. I've never used them, but I'm not saying I'd be above it in a time of crisis if there were no alternative.

I read that one. There was some funny stuff about cranky old people, if I recall correctly. I got this for Christmas - totally forgot it existed or I would have picked it up sooner:

I truly am sorry you had problems with your order, but

My feelings on Front Gate are no secret, but that's a bunch of crap. If you try once unsuccessfully, you get logged out. if you empty your cart, you get logged out. If you successfully purchase tickets for one show, you get logged out. If you glance at the screen and Front Gate doesn't like the expression on your face, you get logged out.

If it happens again, gogo, you shall check out the museum. Didn't someone even give you their "get in tomorrow" sticker last time?

I agree with Al Kooper! "Bodhisattva Blues" is a great song, and probably my favorite from 7WC2.

I'm enjoying it so far. I'm sure it would be even more meaningful if I were a man and/or had children, but Chabon is such a good writer. gogo - a couple months ago both Achak Deng and Dave Eggers spoke at the UW and I somehow missed it entirely. I read about it the next day. Bah!

Here is the setlist, posted in Just a Fan:

Indeed! There's now an official show thread in the correct forum, too. http://forums.viachicago.org/topic/42534-jeff-tweedy-solo-acoustic-phoenix-az-122709/page__pid__1389556__st__0entry1389556

Oh, wow. It's great to see that one back again.

My Dutch friend Willem grew up thinking that was a song about Africa.

Oh, gogo did all the work. I just said, "Yeah, that sounds good" when she asked me things.

I bought one!