I am a big fan of the band Rush. [Nerd alert. Whatever, shut up.] I recently checked StubHub to see if I might improve my seats for the show in Atlanta at the end of September. Two front fow seats are available for a measly 9 grand each. Uh, no. It's odd: years ago, I would've paid a lot to get front row tickets, but didn't have the cash. Now that I have more to spend on stuff like this, I don't think I could pull the trigger on anything over $200 each. (In this particular case, that is tempered by the fact that I have seen them twice from the front row in the past.) Also, I'm a big Atlanta Braves fan. Waaay back in 1992, walking to the 7th game of the NLCS Braves-Pirates Sid Bream slide comeback game, a guy offered me $400 for my ticket. I was a poor college student, but I turned it down. I'm glad I did, as I enjoy having that "being there" memory. Focus: What would you pay to see your favorite band front row? Alt. Focus: If you had front row tickets for your favorite band on the final show of their farewell tour, or Super Bowl with your team, or WS Game 7, what's your price to give them up?
The music is BUMPing from up so close. I used to be a pretty big seat snob, but I've mellowed out in recent years. My biggest score ever was a face value front row center seat to James Taylor, which was an epic two hours. My other big front row score was for Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. But I digress...what are your thoughts on the FOCUS?
Most of my favourite bands I don't have to pay ANYTHING extra to sit front row, because you are not sitting. You either just line up early or even easier drink beer before the show and simply elbow your way through the little shits until you are at the security barrier. I found the method also works great on Asian tourists when trying to see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre. I would pay $1000 to see Led Zeppelin front row (but nowhere else), I would pay $300 to see a band like The Police, Tori Amos or AC/DC front row. However, like I said most of the bands I see are standing room, so it's survival of the fittest.
I've paid $400 to see Radiohead, and it wasn't even up close. Damn bands selling all their tickets within seven minutes. I think my peak is around $500 a ticket, but it has to be General Admission (the standing room in front of everyone sitting down)
I'm probably in the vast minority here but "seeing it live" and "being there" mean next to nothing to me. I can't imagine paying more than $50 to see any concert, show or sporting event when I can watch it for free and get a much better view from my big screen at home. I also don't like being in huge, loud, cramped crowds. Then again, I don't do drugs so I've probably never felt the true experience of being at a concert. That said I'd like to see at least one UFC live, I'll probably chalk it up to being worse than seeing it on TV, but it's something I'd like to have under my belt.
When you go to events live it's best to acknowledge the fact that the view will be better seen from your living room, and just immerse yourself in the energy and environment at the event. With the dozens of HD cameras at sporting events nowadays, it's very possible to see a pitcher's facial hair when he's on the mound or a super slow-mo replay of a WR dragging his toe on the sideline right from your couch that you simply can't see in person. At the same time, you'll never be able to match the intensity of a packed stadium chanting "DEFENSE!" for your beloved team on the last drive, when you're in your living room no matter how good your surround sound is. It's not possible to feel the crowd erupt from a chilling silence when Tiger knocks down a long putt to take the lead on Sunday of a major tournament. I've sat in the best of seats and the worst of seats, but at the end of the day it's all about being there. FOCUS: I would pay $1500-$2000 a ticket if I could see Duke play in the Final Four, meaning both the two semi's and the finals, if I had really good seats. I'd also pay $500-$800/ticket to be really close to the field for a Patriots playoff game (especially against the Colts) or for box seats at a Red Sox-Yankees ALCS game at Fenway. Actually add the USA-Canada gold medal hockey game in that same category, at the red line, blonde model sitting next to me. I couldn't really say the same for any concerts though, unless I was VIP and could party with some rockers or rappers afterwards.
With the exception of the original Guns n' Roses and AC/DC I'd never drop more than $50 on a ticket, or go to an assigned seating show. I'd rather catch a decent house band at a bar with 50 or 60 people than get packed into an arena venue. There's too many talented bands I can catch down at the beach, for me to spend a whole show pissed off at the people around me. House of Blues pushes the limits for me these days.
Does it count that I got my Saints' Super Bowl tickets for free? Not front row, but it was alright, I guess: As far as music is concerned, unless they are playing a small venue, such as a bar or something where tickets are like $10 and everything is standing room only, I really don't care to go. For example, this was taken at the last Ryan Bingham concert I went to: This was at a small bar in Baton Rouge about a month after he won his Oscar. And the cool thing was, pretty much everyone in the place had a view similar to mine. You can't get that same kind of feel if you are sitting in the upper deck of the Superdome, only able to see the band with the help of binoculars. That being said, I like listening to live albums much more than studio albums because you can feel the energy of the show through the crowd and the band. I just don't care to pay to be there when they record it.
I paid $1,200 for 2 tickets to sit front row with my fiancee at a Van Morrison concert. She was basically sitting in his lap. Normally I wouldn't spend this much money on a concert, but it was for her birthday and he is one of her favorites. We're dancing to VM at our wedding in...18 DAYS. Holy shit.
I have seen a lot of concerts from the first few rows (got lucky with tickets or had connections), it completely changes the experience, and I won't go to a show unless I have at least decent seats (or it's general admission). The most I would pay though would probably be about $500, and that would be to see Phish from the first row, right in front of Trey Anastasio.
Unfortunately front row at my favorite band's show means dealing with a ton of people who decided that their lawn seat means they need to sneak down to the first section. I'd pay about $200 a pop for ten or fifteen rows back because I'm getting old and grumpy. Also, I like to go out and support local music in the smaller clubs in my city. True story: I once scored what I thought was 28th row a Grateful Dead show because the seats were listed as row "BB". I was amazed when the usher kept going and we landed 2nd row right between Bobby & Jerry. This was before internet seating charts and I wish I had smuggled in a camera.
How very coincidental, in that I actually just saw one my favorite bands..............Rush in Las Vegas a couple weeks ago. I dropped $150-ish for my ticket and was more than happy with that. I mean $150 for what was basically a religious experience...I felt like I should have paid more. I can see the appeal of wanting to be that close the band, but I thought that from my vantage point I enjoyed the show a helluva a lot more being a bit higher up than being in the front row. I doubt the people in the front row could see Neil Peart completely owning his drum kit quite like I could or just enjoy seeing all of the stage in its entirety. Front row seats not worth 9 grand. Not in my opinion. I was considering dropping the extra cash for backstage passes, but my plane was leaving 6 am the next day and I just wouldn't have managed. 2014 will be their 40 year anniversary, I think, so I'll probably drop some extra cash on that one.
A couple years ago I saw Every Time I Die at Warped Tour. Myself and my three larger guy friends weaseled our way to the front (Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals... except the weasel.) and they formed a barrier around me, protecting me from the enormous circle pit. It was unreal being that close to Keith Buckley, screaming out "Hey there, girls, I'm a cunt!" with him. I also almost caught Andy Williams' sweat-soaked shirt; unfortunately, it was snatched out of my grasp by a burly man a couple people behind me. The ETID experience alone was easily worth the $50 or so bucks that Warped costs, let alone all the other awesomeness that went on that day.
Most of the bands I go see play in smaller venues, so it's pretty easy to elbow your way to the front and be right in front of whoever you want to be in front of. Outside of a very select few, I can hardly stand live albums. Unless the mix is super thumping loud and the energy is awesome, I'm probably not going to want to listen to it. Obviously like I said, this doesn't go for everyone, but in general, unless I hear some rave reviews about a certain performance I'm going to avoid it.
I would pay face value to see one of my favorite bands in the front row. I detest the whole reselling tickets for profit. The same goes for sporting events. The fun is trying to score good seats when they become available, not who has the biggest bankroll. I have seen just about anyone I want to. If I go to concerts now it is to take my twin boys to see who they want to go see. They are 13 right now and I am not quite ready to let them go on their own. It also lets me keep somewhat current on new bands. I will second Jenn on the Warped Tour. It was $100 to take four of us to see the bands for an entire day. The kids and I had a great time and we all got exposed to many bands we otherwise might not have ever seen or heard.
The Police is probably the only band I'd pay that much to see. But if I had the chance, I'm so there. NCAA does a lottery for Final Four tickets so if you find tickets that someone is willing to give up, you're going to pay way more for them. (Not saying that 2k wouldn't get them, I wouldn't really know but face values are less than $200) Some family friends have (pretty awesome) reserved seats at Cameron but they give ungodly amounts of money to Duke. They have four seats at the brass rail in the bottom corner of section 8. High seats in section 7 (like Row P) go for $400 plus. Thankfully, they are kind and pass some tickets our way every year. *And no matter if you hate or love Duke, Cameron Indoor is a spectacular place.
FOCUS: I've never been to a rock or metal concert. I've been to a few performances by the Natal Philharmonic Orchestra and hated it (school trips - compulsory attendance and all that shit) - even sitting, it was too cramped. I probably wouldn't even buy tickets - that many people in one place would be claustrophobic for me. I'd buy the DVD if I liked the band. You cannot beat being able to pause the DVD, get up and fetch a drink, and sit back down, having not missed a thing. ALT. FOCUS: I, most likely, wouldn't be in the possession of such tickets. If I was, probably a couple hundred Dollars.
Yes you can... actually seeing them live is no comparison. To say otherwise, while not having attended a live concert to begin with, is just a meagre attempt at self-justification.
I would pay $1000 to see Metallica from the front row, center stage. Make fun of them and call them sell outs all you want. I've seen them 5 times, and each time I have left in aww by how awesome it was. I would also pay $1000 just to be in the building Zeplin is playing in. Other than Zeplin I have seen every band I have wanted to see (most multiple times). And 98% of them I wouldn't pay to see from the front row. 12th row left stage is fine with me.
Fucking this. There is no comparison to seeing something play out on a TV screen and actually feeling the energy from the crowd, the bated breath in the intense moments and the absolute energy when it goes your way. I actually make it a policy with some sports (e.g. hockey) to always see them live if possible, because the experience is so different. I'll agree with this as well. If I'm listening to an album, most of the time I'm listening to it for the song itself, not to live vicariously through the crowd. It just strikes me as sad somehow. Exceptions must be made for live mixes and sets that aren't available on studio albums. Daft Punk's Alive albums come to mind. (I'm actually still looking for Alive 2007). Also, fuck Duke.