Off Topic = "Convenience" Fees

[MasterCylinder]

Just to let everyone know..............

There is actually a lawsuit pending in the State of Arkansas wherein TicketBastard has been sued for excessive fees, antitrust, and monopoly of market structure.

I'll inform the board of any progress.

[ForeverAutumn]

Just to let everyone know..............

There is actually a lawsuit pending in the State of Arkansas wherein TicketBastard has been sued for excessive fees, antitrust, and monopoly of market structure.

I'll inform the board of any progress.

I wish them luck.

When Bruce Springsteen started raising a ruckus about Ticketmaster's practices, the Premier of Ontario said that he was going to investigate TM's business practices in Ontario...but then (as usual) he didn't keep his promise and that was the last we ever heard of it.

[angelicaB]

If you can’t pay on tax day, it is nearly always more cost-effective to use some of the redresses offered by the IRS. Taxpayers who are unable to pay can request a 120 days extension to pay, penalty free.

Beyond that, the IRS offers monthly tax installment payment plans that cut the normal late payment penalty of 0.5 percent to 0.25 percent. There is an application fee for an installment payment plan that varies depending on income and other factors. These fees run from $43 to $105, but even with that, it is generally a better deal than most credit cards will offer.

[MasterCylinder]

if you can’t pay on tax day, it is nearly always more cost-effective to use some of the redresses offered by the irs. Taxpayers who are unable to pay can request a 120 days extension to pay, penalty free.

Beyond that, the irs offers monthly tax installment payment plans that cut the normal late payment penalty of 0.5 percent to 0.25 percent. There is an application fee for an installment payment plan that varies depending on income and other factors. These fees run from $43 to $105, but even with that, it is generally a better deal than most credit cards will offer.

wtf ?

[Hyfi]

The most traffic on this site is spam.

But at least you got a "Pity Click"

I usually only go to shows at a few local small venues where I can drive to the box office on a Saturday and buy my tickets. They charge a Restoration Fee but I am ok with that since the Keswick is somewhere near 100 y/o and an awesome theater.

Like I keep saying, if people just stop paying these outrageous fees on top of the outrageous original prices, something will give. But as long as people keep feeding the problem, it isn't going away.

Just Say No to Shows and see what happens.

[Mr MidFi]

Say what you will about the angelica 'bot... but she is rocking the "sexy librarian" look, if you ask me.

[Jack in Wilmington]

The most traffic on this site is spam.

But at least you got a "Pity Click"

I usually only go to shows at a few local small venues where I can drive to the box office on a Saturday and buy my tickets. They charge a Restoration Fee but I am ok with that since the Keswick is somewhere near 100 y/o and an awesome theater.

Like I keep saying, if people just stop paying these outrageous fees on top of the outrageous original prices, something will give. But as long as people keep feeding the problem, it isn't going away.

Just Say No to Shows and see what happens.


Good point. I get better sound in my own room, I don't have to stand in some drunken a$$holes ( who couldn't hit the urinal ) piss to go to the bathroom. Don't have to sit in traffic jams to get home. Sorry to rant.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Say what you will about the angelica 'bot... but she is rocking the "sexy librarian" look, if you ask me.

Sort of the Uma Thurman look from My Super Ex-Girlfriend.

[Hyfi]

Good point. I get better sound in my own room, I don't have to stand in some drunken a$$holes ( who couldn't hit the urinal ) piss to go to the bathroom. Don't have to sit in traffic jams to get home. Sorry to rant.

Agreed as well. Most venues actually suck for sound. Most bands think they have to play at deafening volume to sound good. Most of the bands I like are now Geezer Bands and the vocals just suck.

For the price of 1 ticket these days, you can buy a bands whole library and listen forever on a good sounding system.

I get that it's fun to go to a live event, and lots of people get off on large crowds and that is fine if thats how they want to spend their money. But, those same people should not be whining about the costs and fees because they are the reason they are what they are.

Lots to be said for a good old fashioned boycott but the sheep just won't comply.

Oh yeah, the BOT is cute and actually has a name that is not just random letters, which should be flagged immediately when an account is created. She also filled out her profile some, which leads me to think it's another Dusty Bieber......Sticks!

[nobody]

Live shows aren't about sound quality. If they were, no one would ever show up to listen to a band just crank the hell out of a cheap PA. Then again, that is probably the result of my pretty much exclusively seeing small venue shows where TicketBastard isn't a factor anyway. I will go to a bigger show now and then if I have the cash and the venue isn't horrible and I really love the band, but that perfect storm of conditions hasn't happened in a few years now.

What does suck though is people have become so used to these fees even small venues can tack on a couple bucks when you try to buy in advance. Then they raise day of by a couple bucks to get those extra bucks for people who just pay at the door. I'd rather they just tell me the ticket is $12 instead of claiming it is $10 but with a service charge. Because really a $10 item that requires you to pay $2 to purchase it is just a $12 item. I have no idea why they can't just call it such.

Still, I do love live music. Its fun to have that communal music experience and there is a different energy that gets transmitted when you're seeing a band in person even if the technical aspects aren't as polished as on record. Plus you get different versions of songs, covers, surprise new songs, a bit of interaction with the bands if the venue's not big. So yeah, no boycott gonna happen here. I'll just keep finding smaller and cheaper venues to get my fix. Also...local bands. Get to know who plays around your town. If you live in a city, there's probably someone you'd enjoy playing most weekends for a pittance and they could really use your support.

[Swish]

Live shows aren't about sound quality. If they were, no one would ever show up to listen to a band just crank the hell out of a cheap PA. Then again, that is probably the result of my pretty much exclusively seeing small venue shows where TicketBastard isn't a factor anyway. I will go to a bigger show now and then if I have the cash and the venue isn't horrible and I really love the band, but that perfect storm of conditions hasn't happened in a few years now.

What does suck though is people have become so used to these fees even small venues can tack on a couple bucks when you try to buy in advance. Then they raise day of by a couple bucks to get those extra bucks for people who just pay at the door. I'd rather they just tell me the ticket is $12 instead of claiming it is $10 but with a service charge. Because really a $10 item that requires you to pay $2 to purchase it is just a $12 item. I have no idea why they can't just call it such.

Still, I do love live music. Its fun to have that communal music experience and there is a different energy that gets transmitted when you're seeing a band in person even if the technical aspects aren't as polished as on record. Plus you get different versions of songs, covers, surprise new songs, a bit of interaction with the bands if the venue's not big. So yeah, no boycott gonna happen here. I'll just keep finding smaller and cheaper venues to get my fix. Also...local bands. Get to know who plays around your town. If you live in a city, there's probably someone you'd enjoy playing most weekends for a pittance and they could really use your support.

Not sure what kind of shows Jack is used to, but I find most of the venues I frequent to be clean and the crowds friendly.

I also hate the convenience fees and such, but if I have to pay it to get the tickets, then that's what I'll do. I just saw Swervedriver one night and The Joy Formidable the following night, and neither show was more than $20. One the schedule are Graham Parker, Andrew Bird, Destroyer and Built to Spill.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Not sure what kind of shows Jack is used to, but I find most of the venues I frequent to be clean and the crowds friendly.

I also hate the convenience fees and such, but if I have to pay it to get the tickets, then that's what I'll do. I just saw Swervedriver one night and The Joy Formidable the following night, and neither show was more than $20. One the schedule are Graham Parker, Andrew Bird, Destroyer and Built to Spill.

I'm mainly talking about the big venues like the Wells Fargo and the old Spectrum and the outdoor Sony Center in Camden. We went to an Elton John concert a couple of years back at the Sony Center and we had to break up at least four fights out on the lawn. It was all these young kids flexing their beer muscles. Sure most of the people are friendly, but it only takes a few to ruin it. Like the one and only time I saw the Stones. The guy in front of me must have gotten 6 cell phone calls. Appeared that he went to the concert and his girlfriend didn't so she had to keep calling him. They're the kind of people that ruin concerts

[Swish]

I'm mainly talking about the big venues like the Wells Fargo and the old Spectrum and the outdoor Sony Center in Camden. We went to an Elton John concert a couple of years back at the Sony Center and we had to break up at least four fights out on the lawn. It was all these young kids flexing their beer muscles. Sure most of the people are friendly, but it only takes a few to ruin it. Like the one and only time I saw the Stones. The guy in front of me must have gotten 6 cell phone calls. Appeared that he went to the concert and his girlfriend didn't so she had to keep calling him. They're the kind of people that ruin concerts

So I guess that's why we have differing views on live shows. The biggest show I've been to in the last 20+ years was probably Arcade Fire at the Merriweather.

[Jack in Wilmington]

So I guess that's why we have differing views on live shows. The biggest show I've been to in the last 20+ years was probably Arcade Fire at the Merriweather.

Back in the 70's that was pretty much all you had if you wanted to see the big name acts. The shows were great and cheap, but you did have the people that came just to party. When I went to Nearfest a couple of years back, everyone was well behaved. This year, I don't care for half the bands playing. We wanted to get tickets to the Capital Jazz Fest at the Merriweather but the dates conflicked with our cruise. Like Hyfi said, with the price of tickets and fees, I can take that money and buy something new to add to my system and enjoy it every day.

[ForeverAutumn]

I love big venue shows! Being in a small crowd can be great too. I also love a nice, small, intimate show. But I just don't feel the same energy coming off a crowd of 2,000 as I do a crowd of 20,000. So, I will continue to go to big venue shows that I want to go to and I will continue to pay the prices as well as all the ****ty fees. I will also continue to exercise my right to free speech and complain about the fees. :)

[Hyfi]

I love big venue shows! Being in a small crowd can be great too. I also love a nice, small, intimate show. But I just don't feel the same energy coming off a crowd of 2,000 as I do a crowd of 20,000. So, I will continue to go to big venue shows that I want to go to and I will continue to pay the prices as well as all the ****ty fees. I will also continue to exercise my right to free speech and complain about the fees. :)

I know that was directed at me....but Action speaks louder than Words and you are part of the problem.

And it's my free speech right to point that out.

[bobsticks]

Oh yeah, the BOT is cute and actually has a name that is not just random letters, which should be flagged immediately when an account is created. She also filled out her profile some, which leads me to think it's another Dusty Bieber......Sticks!


What's a Beiberstick?

[Hyfi]

What's a Beiberstick?

LOL.....took you long enough but I guess you were busy deleting BOT accounts:prrr:

[bobsticks]

LOL.....took you long enough but I guess you were busy deleting BOT accounts:prrr:

:dita::dita::dita::p

[Swish]

Back in the 70's that was pretty much all you had if you wanted to see the big name acts. The shows were great and cheap, but you did have the people that came just to party. When I went to Nearfest a couple of years back, everyone was well behaved. This year, I don't care for half the bands playing. We wanted to get tickets to the Capital Jazz Fest at the Merriweather but the dates conflicked with our cruise. Like Hyfi said, with the price of tickets and fees, I can take that money and buy something new to add to my system and enjoy it every day.

...although I haven't been to it since 2004, which was the year before Katrina. There were probably 100,000 or more on the big days, a little less on the others, although there are a bunch of different stages and tents, meaning there were shows going on simultaneously and you would never have everyone at the same stage.

The Job Johnnies would get a bit disgusting but the people were generally well-behaved and friendly...except the New Yorkers.

[MasterCylinder]

Just to let everyone know..............

There is actually a lawsuit pending in the State of Arkansas wherein TicketBastard has been sued for excessive fees, antitrust, and monopoly of market structure.

I'll inform the board of any progress.

In the business section of the paper today (you can see it in the Arkansas Democrat - Gazette online), the State Supreme Court has found that TicketBastard is GUILTY of violating the law under the SCALPING code.

HA !

[ForeverAutumn]

I know that was directed at me....but Action speaks louder than Words and you are part of the problem.

And it's my free speech right to point that out.

I'll make a deal with you. I'll stop complaining about fees when you stop complaining about this web site. Just sayin...

[Hyfi]

I'll make a deal with you. I'll stop complaining about fees when you stop complaining about this web site. Just sayin...

Guess that ain't gonna happen......:prrr:

Sorry my complaints are effecting your disposition.

People wonder why this place is dead and admins/mods have asked for suggestions in the past as to how to attract more traffic. I had no idea that the Admins idea of more traffic was a daily onslaught of BOT posts. Shows what I know.

[ForeverAutumn]

Guess that ain't gonna happen......:prrr:

I had no idea that the Admins idea of more traffic was a daily onslaught of BOT posts. Shows what I know.

LMAO! :lol: