jsarnerphoto

Adult tickets for both nights are available again right this second (10:48) - grab them quickly if you missed out...

I'm gonna tty and get tickets... assume it's 10 am CT?

I would say so - it definitely was last year.

Wait....I'm starting to see a very faint vision of my future....

Do tell! Do you do something memorable on your way out so that everyone will remember "that guy" on the way back in?

That's pretty much it. I've always been polite and apologetic as I make my way back through the crowd, just because it's the right thing to do. Lately, I decided that I might as well expand on that to ensure there are no suspicions or conflicts on my way back to the stage. So now in addition to just saying "I'm sorry, excuse me....excuse me, I'm sorry" on the way out, I pick a general route that I can follow in both directions and along the way I try to add some levity and build some good will by introducing myself by name to as many people and groups as I can and saying things to the effect of "I'll be coming back this way, please remember me and don't yell at me (or hit me, or stab me or whatever)." Sure, I get some confused stares, but most people understand and appreciate what I'm trying to do. On the way back, if I can approximate the same route, 3 out of 4 people will remember me and even help me get through, and the 4th will see this and realize I'm not trying to pull anything. It's fascinating to see people's reactions on the way back: I'll say "excuse me" and some people will whip their heads around preparing for a conflict and then all the tension disappears from their faces as they recognize me. Most of the time, a few people will joke about having never seen me before and we'll have a laugh and I'm back at the stage before I know it.

Of course, if you're not the extroverted type, there's always method #2 - a foolproof technique I came up with at Solid Sound 1 as a joke, but it's actually a pretty good idea. I'm always prepared to use it, although I've never needed to because my usual method is faster and even sort of fun. Method #2: When you're at the stage and the show hasn't started, take out your cell phone, take a picture of yourself at the stage, and show it to anyone that gives you a hard time. I would imagine this would cut short any objections rather quickly!

I was so hoping they would ask for volunteers to get bumped from my flight home yesterday so I could stick around for one more show. Can't complain at all about the amazing shows I did see, but this setlist is absolutely killer. I started to reply with a list of songs, the combination of which would have literally made my head explode to have heard in one night, but the list kept growing until it was almost half of the show! I hope everyone had an awesome time!

I like to have a few cocktails when I'm at a show. So if you wait in line and get up close, do people save your spot if you have to use the restroom or want to go the bar?

 

We got into The Riv at the tail end of Eleventh Dream Day so it was pretty packed by then. We just chilled in the back and grooved back there.

I made it to the main floor for the encore when it had cleared out a little bit.

I doubt most people would save your spot if you just walked off without saying anything, but I've been up front at many shows and I've never encountered anyone who wasn't more than happy to save (and even defend) my spot when I asked politely, whether I had been chatting with the person before the show or the request was my first interaction with them. I've even accomplished it non-verbally if it was during a song.

Having said that, getting through the rest of the crowd and back to your saved spot can sometimes get a little dicey because people often assume you are just trying to get over on them. That happened separately to a couple of people I know when we were up front at the Metro show. I have devised a couple of pretty simple solutions for those occasions, though. They work so well that when it was my turn to use the bathroom on Friday, I encountered no resistance and was back so quickly that my friends thought I had decided not to go and turned back!

I saw it at McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn (Wilco) and was front-row center for it in D.C. last December (Tweedy). I felt incredibly lucky!

I think you'll be better off on Friday anyway, Bosco. A friend and I both went in a 10:00 on the dot. His CAPTCHA was ridiculous and he had to reload it once. Mine was not too bad for once. I got tickets, he didn't. He tried again, but by 10:03 they were gone! Let me know if you wind up coming to NY for either/both shows so we can meet up. I was so focused on prepping for and shooting Solid Sound that I didn't get to see a lot of people I wanted to meet up with. At least for now, I don't plan to shoot in NY so that I can relax and enjoy it more.

Add another vote to the keep trying chorus.

 

I just slipped through the cracks and picked up 2 for NYC about 20 minutes ago.

HA - I guess this answers my question from last week. See you bright and early in Central Park?

I'd be curious to hear whether these purchases get canceled. For your sake I hope not, but there was some confusion over the language that any multiple purchases for a single show would be canceled - even if the total was under the limit. If yours stand for a few days, I guess we know that's not what they meant.

I know, B - I was worried about that too, especially since the Boston language was different than the other venues. I called Frontgate immediately after, explained the whole thing and they said I was fine as long as my orders totalled 4 tix. That gives me at least some peace of mind. I wanted to clear it up right away before the public on-sale just in case.

As I have learned from these damn things, keep trying. I got one after 5 minutes of going back and forth.

I hear that! Except for the Bowery Ballroom fiasco, I have been lucky with this persistence technique. Somebody, somewhere is going to let their cart expire - probably because they wind up going back in to get something better. After having to refresh the damn CAPTCHA 6 times (I should have had more coffee before the presale), the tix for NY were already gone. But I stuck with it and 9 minutes later, I scored 2.

Same with Boston - I got 2 in the left pit after 4 failed and went back to get 2 more elsewhere. Everything was sold out for 19 minutes, then I managed 2 more in orchestra left on the inner aisle.

I still haven't unpacked, washed my muddy clothes, or fully gotten all of the water out of my cameras, but I did finally manage to get the photos I shot for prefixmag.com posted last night. You can have a look HERE

Sadly, they are super low-res for now due to the site's compression, I'll be posting the full shots on my site soon. Here are a couple of samples from Prefix:

I have an extra 3-Day Pass (hard ticket). I'll be on-site early (before 4PM) and can leave the ticket at will call for you if you PayPal me the $40. PM me if interested.

Outside circumstances have put me in an unfortunate financial situation, Would still love to be able to attend this weekends fun with my friends, but can only afford $60. If anyone is stuck with an extra I would really appreciate it and would love to buy you a beer.

 

I am located in Brooklyn and will be up in Boston on Thursday night..

 

Thanks

Mike

Mbrown444@gmail.com

You have a PM and email!

Maybe it's the other benefit show. Or I am just thinking of something else.

I believe you're thinking about the living room shows. As I understand it, the attendees may tape those but may not distribute them (except among the other attendees). I believe that's why the living room links in the archive are marked "removed by request." Last year at the Vic, I saw several taping rigs in action (although I'm not sure if there is a prohibition on distributing the recordings, as the tapes from last year have never surfaced publicly).

I'm going to the show on Saturday. Does anyone know if there will be people taping/recording the show?

I'm going both nights and expect I will be taping them.

@IrishMickeyWard

I feel you have some valid points, although your personal attacks are troubling. Therefore, I will only say this and move along:

Why don't you take it up with the photographer that gave you a problem? I have never once ignored any request from a concert patron. I don't stand up and block anyone's view and I don't "jockey" for anything. In fact, I intentionally positioned myself away from the other photographers (at the expense of my photographs) for the sole purpose of minimizing my intrusiveness on the enjoyment of the audience. I am there to do a job, but I, for one, do everything I can (short of not being there) to be considerate of the concert patrons. If that means not getting the best shot - so be it. I understand that some, if not most, photographers are not as considerate and conscientious as I strive to be, and it bothers me as much as it bothers you when this occurs. However, I can only speak for myself and you have chosen to attack me personally.

Watermarking is an unfortunate necessity. I, personally, have had photos stolen by corporations with massive budgets who would otherwise have had to pay a significant amount of money to license them. NBC Sports is an example - definitely not a glorified blog. I have also licensed photos exclusively to major corporations and publications, including Rolling Stone. Part of "exclusivity" is that the photo hasn't been downloaded and posted anywhere and everywhere else. Hence the watermarks.

Photographs are a commodity that I make. I would love it if I could go out to a store, see something I would like to own and just hit "right-click, save as" and take it home. Unfortunately, that's not how things work, yet people are conditioned to think that photographs are there for the taking. (And I'll just agree to disagree that an "expensive camera and quality lens" automatically produces "mint photos." You should give it a try sometime - I'd be happy to lend you my camera. As I said - I have never ignored a request from a concert patron).

To answer your question, photographers are, indeed, vetted by Wilco's publicist, as are the publications they shoot for. The function of a publicist, as you might have guessed, is to provide publicity for the artists they represent. If you are, in fact, "any yahoo" claiming to be a photographer, the publicist will not issue a photo pass because the photographs will not be seen and, therefore, will not create publicity. I don't own Prefix and do not feel any need to defend it, but it is certainly read by more people than a "local newspaper." If Wilco's publicist felt that 1.2 million monthly page views does not amount to "publicity" for Jeff Tweedy, she would not provide access. If you disagree with that determination, please contact her and tell her why you feel otherwise.

Lastly, I don't know why you feel compelled to personally attack me and the publication I shoot for. An inconsiderate photographer is an inconsiderate photographer, whether they are working for Rolling Stone that day or for a "glorified blog." You are neither more nor less likely to encounter a courteous photographer depending on the publication they are working for that day. If you feel that my photographs are of a poor quality, I am open to critique. But insulting me because of the publication I was shooting for is just unwarranted, especially since I wasn't the photographer that gave you a problem. I don't come on here and attack you and where you work because somebody else in your profession only put 8 McNuggets in my 9-pack that day .

no pressure, but you should post that boulder show when you get around to mastering it

 

i think i saw you in boulder and portland... i'm assuming you're the only photographer who'd be at both!

 

great photos!

I'm glad you like the shots. I wanted to make up for my Boulder photos. Security had us pressed against the side walls and Tweedy was lit entirely from behind. I got some decent shots under the conditions, but I'm much happier with these.

I'm not far from finishing the Boulder recording. I just have a huge backlog of photos to process so it's hard to get to it. To make things worse, I shot a show in NYC on Sunday after the Portland show on Saturday...

Had a great time in Portland. I taped the show, but thanks to dmait I don't have to mix it now (I still haven't finished the 1/7 Boulder show ). I also shot the show for Prefix: http://www.prefixmag...tre-in-portlan/

You can also see some much higher-res shots in my gallery at http://www.jsarnerph...16398920_4YAgF/

Like this one:

Thanks all!

And Paul, you would be surprised how many people have said "wow, you took that with your phone?"

Full disclosure: this is my photo. Lest there be accusations of self-promotion , I don't own/sell Lakland Basses (actually, John Pirruccello from Autumn Defense does):

BETTER LINK:

http://digital.premierguitar.com/pre...u1=friend#pg46

I'm so jealous! I would have gladly stopped by the loft to shoot these. I'm already flying back and forth from NY to Chicago twice in one week to see Tweedy, what's one more trip? They have my number...

Awesome! Just booked my flights (although in retrospect, I probably should have waited until I had tickets )

so painful to search for tickets after having already bought some, and then pulling better seats. i don't know why i do it to myself!

Haha - that's what happened to me in Boulder. Went from GA to 2nd row center (and bought them). I didn't torture myself by checking this time, given that Portland is all Will Call. I easily sold my GA ticket for Boulder.