tweety

Bon appetit!

 

Nice!  I especially love the necessary implication that results from combining the two. 

Pretty sure that part was lost on you though.

I have bought MANY a great seats on Frontgate presales including frontrow a FEW times.  Most anything related to Corporate America sucks!  Plus it's luck, I didn't have any yesterday, you didn't, but some did.  It's life.

I'm not talking about luck of the draw.  I get that.  Been on both sides and have no problems with it.  Hell, I have done the on-line "mail order" presales for every Phish show within range of me for years and have yet to receive a single ticket through MO.  I don't attribute my lack of luck there to anything other than odds and I've never let it keep me from a show.  But with Front Gate I am talking about not being able to deliver the service for which they are charging.  Front Gate has had problems for many years because its on-line infrastructure is obsolete by decades and it simply doesn't care.  I've also gotten great seats through FG in the past, but it doesn't mean that I am oblivious to the fact that their website and ticketing system interface are terrible, clunky and not equipped to handle the demand volume for the events that they sell.   

Thank you SarahC.  After throwing back a few pairs within 2 rows of the top and in each end section, I finally pulled a pair in the middle section.  I couldn't have done it without your password help.

 

Now here's one for the Frongate vs. Tickmaster debate

 

TICKETMASTER PRESALE Tue 10/21 two $50 tickets w/ FREE mailing $131.04

 

FRONTGATE PRESALE WED 10/22 two $50 tickets w/ WILL CALL $113.50

 

$17.54 savings

 

Both pairs bought one hour into the presales

There is no debate--they both suck.  Ticketmaster usually extorts more fees, but their ticketing system is much more advanced and not likely to crash when a few thousand people are trying for tickets at the same time.  Front Gate is apparently able to pass on the savings that result from the fact that they haven't invested in upgrades to their system or their customer service.

not 100% sure, but i think it's ENDOSCOPE

Ha!  You funny guy Timmy.  I thought it was CHUNKSOFGUYSLIKEYOUINMYSTOOL.

I'm going to the shows at the Cap in Port Chester and am looking on some input on where to stay. In manhattan or right in Westchester near the venue? I should note I'm flying into and out of LGA.

Here's a list from the Cap website:

http://www.thecapitoltheatre.com/where-to-stay/

I can't speak for any of the places, but unless you are driving I would recommend staying somewhere within walking distance of one of the Metro North train stops in between Port Chester and 125th Street (Harlem).  The Cap is within a frisbee throw of the Port Chester train stop.  The M17 bus stops right next to the 125th Street Metro North train stop and it will take you to LGA.  Easy peasy; I've done it several times coming from CT.

Ok, it's been fun jawing with some of you here today.  Definitely helped me work through my frustration with Front Gate's suckitude.  Gotta run now; the real world calls.  I know you're all disappointed.

Good luck on Friday to those who got screwed by Front Gate today.

Drinks on me at Garcia's for anyone who IDs me as Tweety.  Except TP--it will be too easy for him because I will be the one standing right in front of him during the show.

@SarahC:  Sorry that my smart-assedness annoyed you.  I do know it will be all good in the end, but I have little tolerance for businesses that suck as bad at what they do as Front Gate does; even more so when they are perceived as a cooler alternative to another sucky business, but they suck worse in reality.   

Looking forward to the tinnitus photography thread of photos of tweety's butt with Jeff Tweedy in the background.

it might end up turning into a colonoscopy.

You think your ears are ringing now...

I don't think i've seen this much action in a thread in a single day since my all time favorite:

"should we sit or stand while watching Wilco?"

i'm  beginning to get a vibe that collectively, Via Chicago is hoping for a Friday shutout for our new pal Tweety.

Awesome!  I am flattered that you would waste negative energy on hate for me.  Even moreso seeing as you are apparently the collective voice of Via Chicago.  Now I remember why I haven't been back here in years.  From the looks of it, there are only a handful of people who still post here, so you've got that going for you.

I am sorry to disappoint you, "pal," but I won't be shut out.  I can guarantee you that.  I have never been shut out of a Wilco show in the 20 years I've been seeing them and I'm not about to let this little bump in the road change that.  I'll be the guy blocking your view. 

I think Tweety is blowing this out of proportion. It's not like it was the general on sale or anything. There are many more tickets that will be available come Friday.

 

No reason to be so grumpy and outraged. It's 10% of what is likely a 2000+ seat venue.

Thank you.  I understood that fully before the first time you posted it, but posting it again was most helpful. 

And yes, I understand that it doesn't suck because it didn't happen to you.  And it sucks much less when you have tickets that you have selected taken from you due to the ticket seller's ineptitude during a fan presale than it would to have the same thing happen during a general sale.  Infallible logic there.

I look forward to wasting more time on Friday.  But at least I will be paying exorbitant fees to a business that actually performs the service for which it charges.

People love to gripe about stuff, and sometimes they think bringing their struggles here will fall on sympathetic ears. Doesn't always work that way. It's just a pre-sale.

Ah, no.  Not looking for sympathy here.  This is a fan site and I came here to discuss a problem with a fan presale to see if anyone else experienced the same problems.  Not surprisingly, they did.  I also think that the internet is a great equalizer that allows ordinary people to voice concerns about businesses that are not doing their jobs.  Sometimes it actually helps, in that the business makes changes, or people stop using that business. 

Wilco makes a point of touting that Front Gate is the only ticket retailer with whom it has a direct contractual relationship, suggesting that it is somehow better than Ticketmaster, everyone's favorite whipping boy.  At least now I understand why Wilco continues to use them, despite the fact that they are far worse than Ticketmaster:  A lot of fans eat it up blindly like pablum, simply because Wilco says it is so.  Look around the rest of the world and you will see that Front Gate consistently gets terrible reviews from all corners, except here I guess.

Carry on and enjoy it.  I'm sure it tastes good to you.  Defending a business because Wilco does business with them is the only reason you need, as long as you are not the one getting screwed. 

This happens for every single show I ever get tickets for, 99% of which are from Live Nation/Ticketmaster.  This is not an issue limited to Front Gate.

Yes, it always happens for every show.  But usually not from fan presales.  Ticketmaster makes no pretense about the fact; it resells its own tickets through its own scalping services.

Which is why there should be no pretense about Front Gate being any different, except that Front Gate is inept at what it does. 

so Ticketmaster has some magical combo of hardware and software that allows you to always get tickets to any event, regardless of the demand?

 

 

interesting.

You might try reading for comprehension.  I usually helps you understand what the witer is saying.  Once again you missed the point.  I don't have a crayon but I will try to keep it simple so you can follow:

Ticketmaster has a system that only offers you tickets when they are available, but--in a revolutionary technological achievement--it actually allows you to purchase the ticket(s) you have selected.  Quite a concept, eh?  But wait, it doesn't stop there:  Once it offers you a ticket, it tells you how long you have to complete each step before it releases the ticket, and it counts down the time so you know how much time is left.  Amazing, isn't it?

Front Gate apparently offers tickets when available, but it does not always allow you to purchase the ticket(s) you have selected. It does not hold your selected tickets for even one second while you click "Add to Order."  Rather, it crashes and logs you out, erroneously stating that it is "for security purposes."  This happened to me, others who have posted here, and at least two of my friends today.  Judging from the fact that the customer service rep told me they had lots of similar complaints today, and the fact that the Wilco Facebook page suspended comments on the announcment of the pre-sale, I don't think mine was an isolated incident.  Far from it.  

See the difference?

Didn't think so. 

Surprise, surprise:  Tickets for Cap night 2 are already up on Stub Hub---for $225 per ticket.

Good to see that Front Gate was able to get tickets to true fans. 

Or not.

I called Front Gate back and got a customer service agent who was as inept at his job as Front Gate is at providing tickets.  He was unapologetic and snarky, and basically admitted that it's a flaw in their system because it crashes when it gets too much volume.  The only further comment he offered (while chuckling) was that it was even worse for Beck tickets.

So...Front Gate is in the business of selling tickets over the internet, but its website cannot perform that function without crashing.  How hard is it to have a system that holds a ticket for the one second between the time it offers it and the time it takes to click "Add to Order"?  One would think that that would be an essential feature of a ticket-selling website.  Hell, Ticketmaster tells you exactly how much time you have to complete each step before the ticket is released.

I never thought I'd say this, but I can't wait for Ticketmaster to get even bigger and force these clowns out of business.  I wonder who they know who keeps giving them business despite the fact that they are not good at it.

NM

when demand far outstrips supply in cases like these, what exactly are these 'screwups' on the end of the ticket seller? serious question.

If that is truly a serious question you should seriously read the replies that have already been posted.  Seriously.  It has nothing to do with supply and demand when the ticket seller's system is so inept that it logs you out "for security reasons" when you do nothing other than press "Add to Order" for the ticket you selected.

There is a reason why Ticketmaster is still in business and getting bigger.  And there is also a reason why Front Gate will be out of business sooner rather than later.  One business actually provides a service; the other has apparently managed to survive because it has connections, but those won't last forever when it can't do the job. 

Frontgate works for me almost every time.  You need to stay at it for a good thirty minutes though.  They released the tickets in waves. There were ticket drops every few minutes-I got great seats for capitol theater night 2 at 10:15 and decent tix for night 1 five minutes later.

 

I am always amused when people come on to message boards to complain five minutes after tix go onsale instead of trying for tix.

I agree that the logging out thing is weird, but it happened to me after I bought tix for another show, so I can sorta see that. Not sure why it happened to you before you bought though, As for tix apparently available but not able to purchase, same thing happened to me for another band's presales on ticketmaster, I kept trying, and 45 minutes after on-sale I scored a ticket. Just keep trying until they actually say "sold out."

That's when I scored my one ticket for Night 2.

I kept trying until all ticket options disappeared.  I then called Front Gate to complain about the screw up and the recording said that all Capitol Theatre tickets were sold out.  I then e-mailed Front Gate to explain what happened and got a reply that said all Capitol Theatre tickets were sold out.  Not amusing.  Pathetic. 

THIS is exactly what I was talking about. A friend & I did the same thing...constantly refreshing the screen, on their the second they went on sale...and, again, the same thing, I got to where I should have been able to order the tickets & then it, for no good reasons, logged me out & dumped my tickets...this happened more than once, & to my friend as well...who was laughing at how horrible they were.

 

I usually work with someone else when getting Wilco pre-sale tickets, & she hates Front Gate too...but today it was someone knew & they were shocked at how insane & haywire Front Gate's website & process was...

 

Look I've gotten plenty of great tickets from them before, but just because I've done well, doesn't mean that I don't think they stink...It's not whether or not I get mine, it's how screwed up their process is...also Ticketmaster stinks too, for sure, but again that doesn't make Front Gate not terrible

 

Oh yeah & for the record, the incompetents there also did put up the tickets for the Ryman for sale an hour earlier than advertised. Can they do anything right over there?

Yes, Ticketmaster stinks too, but at least they provide a service for the exorbitant fees they charge.  As in, you can actually complete an order and get the tickets you ordered.  It astounds me that Front Gate can be so inept and still be in business.  This exact same thing happened to two other friends of mine this morning...AND the same thing happened to me four years ago, the last time I used Front Gate. Except that time I ended up with too many tickets because they screwed up my order the other way, i.e., they filled one order twice after logging me out for no reason after I put the tickets in my cart.  

How is Front Gate still in business?  These people are total clowns.  Worst ticketing website I've ever seen, and it hasn't improved a bit in the four years since I last used it.  Wilco should be embarrassed that it still uses such an unprofessional and unskilled business to handle its ticketing. 

What a joke Front Gate is.  I can't believe Wilco is still using such amateurs.  I was logged in well beforehand and refreshed the page for Cap night 2 every few seconds so I was in as soon as the tickets came up.  Tried for two GA and it said not enough tickets.  Tried for one GA and it came up with all the details, fees, etc.  I clicked "add to order" and it logged me out "for security purposes."  By the time I logged back in tickets were all sold out.

I really can't believe that a band as accomplished as Wilco still uses such a joke of a business.  Grade school students could design a website that works better. 

My first post on the board in some time, but wanted to share some thoughts after last night