From the "you've got to be kidding me" vault

[ForeverAutumn]

I noticed on Ticketbastard that there is a Poison VIP package for the Def Leppard/Poison/Cheap Trick concert. The Poison VIP package includes the following:

* One reserved seated ticket located in the first 10 rows of the stage
* Exclusive Velvet Rope Side Stage Seating during Poison’s performance
* Preshow Poison Backstage tour
* Official Poison VIP Laminate
* Autographed 8X10 photo of the band
* Exclusive Poison Shirt
* Exclusive Poison Bandana
* Collectible Poison Coloring Book & Markers
* Set of official Poison Guitar Picks & Drum Sticks
* $25 voucher to the official Poison on-line store
* Early access to the Poison merchandise booth

Kind of a neat package, I guess, if you're a Poison fan. Great seats for the whole show. Some official swag. $25 back if you buy something from the Poison store. Yeah okay, not for me, but maybe someone will buy this.

The cost of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? $625/pp! $1250 a couple! So I could see people spending this for The Stones, or Bob Dylan or even Bruce Springsteen. But Poison? Really? There must be a market for this, but I just don't see it.

[GMichael]

Does it come with any real poison?

[Finch Platte]

Does it come with any real poison?

Took da words rat outta my mouf.

[Auricauricle]

Knee-jerk reaction: I read yesterday, in the NY Times, that Ticketmaster and other such companies are marking ticket prices way up, making it pert near impossible for regular folks to attend concerts. Consumers should boycott CD buying, attending concerts and what not and give these entitled buttheads a real kick in the asphalt!

More reasonable response: Give these entitled creeps a real kick in the butt! (Kicking asphalt hurts, you know.)

[nightflier]

If you consider that Ticketbastard keeps 80-90% of the cost of the ticket in some cases, the anger shouldn't necessarily be directed at the band(s). But Poison for $600+ a seat is a bit of a stretch - I can't even think of a single one of their "hits" anymore. Literally, pass the cool-aid...

[ForeverAutumn]

The seats for this package are guaranteed to be in the first 10 rows (as of today you could still get first row!). The top ticket price is $125. So you pay $500 for for rest of the stuff. The swag is probably worth about $100. So, that's $400 for the priviledge of sitting on the stage while the band plays. That's side stage. If I'm in the first 10 rows, I'd rather be in my seat and see them head on. I'll bet that they'll be picking people from the audience to sit on stage and fill the seats. I'd be very surprised if they sold enough of these packages, at that price, to fill the section.

[ForeverAutumn]

If you consider that Ticketbastard keeps 80-90% of the cost of the ticket in some cases, the anger shouldn't necessarily be directed at the band(s). But Poison for $600+ a seat is a bit of a stretch - I can't even think of a single one of their "hits" anymore. Literally, pass the cool-aid...

I'm not angry at the price...just amazed that anyone would pay it.

[Swish]

Knee-jerk reaction: I read yesterday, in the NY Times, that Ticketmaster and other such companies are marking ticket prices way up, making it pert near impossible for regular folks to attend concerts. Consumers should boycott CD buying, attending concerts and what not and give these entitled buttheads a real kick in the asphalt!

More reasonable response: Give these entitled creeps a real kick in the butt! (Kicking asphalt hurts, you know.)

My $35 Shins tickets ended up at $45 with their 'convenience' and mailing fees. I understand the mail charge, but if I buy on line, which required ZERO manpower, whose convenience is it? Sounds like theirs, not mine, so why am I paying for it. Fokkers.

[MasterCylinder]

I bought a pair of these packages for the Chicago date of the Systematic Chaos tour of Dream Theater a couple of years ago............guaranteed seats in the first five rows was really nice...........official laminate and $25 off in the online store were worthless.
The price I paid was more like $100 per seat...........I wouldn't pay $20 for the same seats for Poison.

[nightflier]

Maybe the problem is that Ticketbastard doesn't have any competition....

[BradH]

Maybe the problem is that Ticketbastard doesn't have any competition....

I don't see how competition would change anything unless you had multiple ticket sellers competing for seats at a specific performance. I'm not sure how that would work. Otherwise you'd be stuck with multiple ticket sellers doing the same thing as always because they each have full access to limited seats at a performance. Each show is a monopoly for them.

[3-LockBox]

depends...is Brett Michaels with them?