Brian / Al / Blondie Summer 2015 Tour Thread

[shadownoze]

Hope it's okay to set up a thread for reviews and news about BW's soon-to-begin tour.

I have one bit of news. Six days before the concert, I just got an email that the Austin show has been moved from the Frank Erwin Center to Bass Hall on the University of Texas campus. Since that's a considerably smaller venue, ticket sales must have been less than robust...although I really haven't seen any promotion at all.
Still, Bass Hall is a better place to hear music. I'm just sorry that NPP and L&M did not generate enough interest to fill the larger arena.

[KDS]

I wonder if this will happen to some other shows. 

We're 12 days away from his show at the Mann Center in Philadelphia that I'm attending.  For S&Gs, went on Ticketmaster to see how close I could get, and there were still Orchestra Center seats available. 

Granted I live in Baltimore, but I get emails about concerts in DC, VA, PA, NJ (basically shows within 100 miles), and I've seen very little mention of Brian's show. 

[HeyJude]

Was thinking of starting up a new fresh thread. Thanks for starting. I’m still as of this moment ticketed for opening night, tomorrow night at the Mountain Winery. Hoping we get an interesting setlist and that the set is longer than the 2013 Beck tour (I guess Rodriguez seems to more of an “opening” act rather than a co-headlining thing as was the case with Jeff Beck. No slam on Rodriguez, but I’m hoping the Brian set is a relatively “full-length” show).

I can’t speak too much to ticket sales. The Mountain Winery is an appropriate size venue, seats a couple thousand give or take. The big arena-ish venues he’s doing (moreso on the UK tour) might be more difficult. I tend to not care too much as long as ticket sales aren’t so poor that they cancel shows. No sign of that, so that’s good.

A recent article from the San Diego area talking about Brian and Rodriguez did mention that tickets still being in ample supply may be due in part to the steep ticket price. Indeed, even at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, catering to the upper-income folk, it appears the cheapest “General Admission” tickets sold out before the more expensive, up-front tickets.

[Shady]

Message to promoters, when you book a tour, to make your money back....promote it.

[HeyJude]

I wonder if this will happen to some other shows. 

We're 12 days away from his show at the Mann Center in Philadelphia that I'm attending.  For S&Gs, went on Ticketmaster to see how close I could get, and there were still Orchestra Center seats available. 

Granted I live in Baltimore, but I get emails about concerts in DC, VA, PA, NJ (basically shows within 100 miles), and I've seen very little mention of Brian's show. 

I wouldn’t expect re-booking of venues to be rampant on this tour. Really, seeing him in a smaller venue is infinitely more enjoyable.

It’s most likely a promoter issue, both in terms of who is making the calls, and who is potentially not making money. I doubt Brian loses any money when tickets don’t sell well. I would imagine there’s a guarantee fee, and then obviously more based on more ticket selling. It would be the promoter losing their shirt if they don’t sell enough tickets.

Obviously, there’s a separate issue of poor ticket sales impacting the ability to book future tours, but it’s kind of late in the game for that as far as Brian is concerned; he’s not building the beginning of his career up or anything. In fact, after the poorly-attended 2008 Paramount Theater show in Oakland (which, ironically, I didn’t make it to), where we had reports of only hundreds instead of thousands attending, the balcony being roped off, people being moved up to better seats, etc., he went on to play the venue again in 2013.

[KDS]

As long as shows aren't cancelled, I'm fine with where I see the show.  It would be a shame if the venue is only half full, but I also realize that Brian is a bit of a niche artist.

I just would've thought this would be a hotter ticket with the album and movie. 

[HeyJude]

As long as shows aren't cancelled, I'm fine with where I see the show.  It would be a shame if the venue is only half full, but I also realize that Brian is a bit of a niche artist.

I just would've thought this would be a hotter ticket with the album and movie. 

While ticket prices actually vary from city to city and venue to venue, I think the ticket pricing may be partly the issue, to the degree that there is an issue.

I’m not anywhere near certain there is some vast problem with ticket sales on this tour. I don’t see them over-pumping his Facebook page with ten posts every day about tickets being available. So the tour on the whole could actually be doing as well as a typical Brian tour.

[Shady]

As long as shows aren't cancelled, I'm fine with where I see the show.  It would be a shame if the venue is only half full, but I also realize that Brian is a bit of a niche artist.

I just would've thought this would be a hotter ticket with the album and movie. 

Some of the shows are selling really well, actually most of them are.

[thatjacob]

The Atlanta show is selling poorly, despite being in a fantastic venue. I have front row seats on the balcony (short girlfriend) that I bought during the pre-sale, but I almost wish that I had waited longer. As recently as a week ago, a few row A (behind 5 or 6 vip folding chair rows) seats on the floor level opened up for the same price.

I suspect that tickets will be half price on Groupon any day now, as they have been for the past two Brian concerts in GA.

[Shady]

The funny thing is you can't even buy tickets for that Atlanta show..

The link on BW.com, ticketmaster and livenation is broke

[MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm]

The Jones Beach show was priced very aggressively, and doing a search on Ticketmaster right now there's a shocking number of seats still left... some sections have barely moved any seats at all. I really wonder if that pricing was the best strategy.

[shadownoze]

I don't mind that the Austin show will be in a smaller, more acoustically-pleasing venue. I'm more concerned that the pricey VIP package I sprung for will still have me in a very good seat. I think I bought the first two tickets and —in the original venue—I was front row, center. Hope that's still the case. I can't imagine that the separate entity that does these packages could be very happy about having to scramble to accommodate a bunch of rabid fans in a completely different seating layout.

[Emdeeh]

Shady, the Fox Theatre isn't using Livenation or Ticketmaster for the Atlanta show. Use this link for the Fox:
https://foxtheatre.org/shows-and-events/

I just don't understand why this show isn't being advertised in Atlanta -- I've seen more pr for Love and Mercy in the ATL than for Brian's (and Al and Blondie's) concert. The AJC newspaper and website have no listings for either upcoming BB-related concert in Atlanta. WGTV, one of the local PBS outlets, did have the Brian & Friends Soundstage show run during a recent pledge -- that's literally the only thing I've seen promoting the Fox show. 

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I have one bit of news. Six days before the concert, I just got an email that the Austin show has been moved from the Frank Erwin Center to Bass Hall on the University of Texas campus. Since that's a considerably smaller venue, ticket sales must have been less than robust...although I really haven't seen any promotion at all.
Still, Bass Hall is a better place to hear music. I'm just sorry that NPP and L&M did not generate enough interest to fill the larger arena.

Whoa...I'm glad I read this thread. a A 4 hour drive to the wrong spot would've sucked for me!

[Shady]

Shady, the Fox Theatre isn't using Livenation or Ticketmaster for the Atlanta show. Use this link for the Fox:
https://foxtheatre.org/shows-and-events/

I just don't understand why this show isn't being advertised in Atlanta -- I've seen more pr for Love and Mercy in the ATL than for Brian's (and Al and Blondie's) concert. The AJC newspaper and website have no listings for either upcoming BB-related concert in Atlanta. WGTV, one of the local PBS outlets, did have the Brian & Friends Soundstage show run during a recent pledge -- that's literally the only thing I've seen promoting the Fox show. 

And the link on that site isn't working 

[drbeachboy]

Shady, the Fox Theatre isn't using Livenation or Ticketmaster for the Atlanta show. Use this link for the Fox:
https://foxtheatre.org/shows-and-events/

I just don't understand why this show isn't being advertised in Atlanta -- I've seen more pr for Love and Mercy in the ATL than for Brian's (and Al and Blondie's) concert. The AJC newspaper and website have no listings for either upcoming BB-related concert in Atlanta. WGTV, one of the local PBS outlets, did have the Brian & Friends Soundstage show run during a recent pledge -- that's literally the only thing I've seen promoting the Fox show. 

And the link on that site isn't working 

Works for me. Tried twice, no problem accessing either time.

[Shady]

Shady, the Fox Theatre isn't using Livenation or Ticketmaster for the Atlanta show. Use this link for the Fox:
https://foxtheatre.org/shows-and-events/

I just don't understand why this show isn't being advertised in Atlanta -- I've seen more pr for Love and Mercy in the ATL than for Brian's (and Al and Blondie's) concert. The AJC newspaper and website have no listings for either upcoming BB-related concert in Atlanta. WGTV, one of the local PBS outlets, did have the Brian & Friends Soundstage show run during a recent pledge -- that's literally the only thing I've seen promoting the Fox show. 

And the link on that site isn't working 

Works for me. Tried twice, no problem accessing either time.

Really, when I hit the "buy now" button it doesn't load.

[drbeachboy]

Shady, the Fox Theatre isn't using Livenation or Ticketmaster for the Atlanta show. Use this link for the Fox:
https://foxtheatre.org/shows-and-events/

I just don't understand why this show isn't being advertised in Atlanta -- I've seen more pr for Love and Mercy in the ATL than for Brian's (and Al and Blondie's) concert. The AJC newspaper and website have no listings for either upcoming BB-related concert in Atlanta. WGTV, one of the local PBS outlets, did have the Brian & Friends Soundstage show run during a recent pledge -- that's literally the only thing I've seen promoting the Fox show. 

And the link on that site isn't working 

Works for me. Tried twice, no problem accessing either time.

Really, when I hit the "buy now" button it doesn't load.

I just walked through it all the way to ADD TO CART. Picked my seat, the whole bit. Maybe clear your cookies on your computer before trying it again.

[bgas]

Shady, the Fox Theatre isn't using Livenation or Ticketmaster for the Atlanta show. Use this link for the Fox:
https://foxtheatre.org/shows-and-events/

I just don't understand why this show isn't being advertised in Atlanta -- I've seen more pr for Love and Mercy in the ATL than for Brian's (and Al and Blondie's) concert. The AJC newspaper and website have no listings for either upcoming BB-related concert in Atlanta. WGTV, one of the local PBS outlets, did have the Brian & Friends Soundstage show run during a recent pledge -- that's literally the only thing I've seen promoting the Fox show. 

And the link on that site isn't working 

Works for me. Tried twice, no problem accessing either time.

Really, when I hit the "buy now" button it doesn't load.

I just walked through it all the way to ADD TO CART. Picked my seat, the whole bit. Maybe clear your cookies on your computer before trying it again.

Me too. I even did add to cart, selected parking, then went to checkout. But I didn't register or buy the last two tickets in the pit( only decent seats left imo )
$20/ticket for "fees" is ridiculous

[Custom Machine]

Tickets have been selling slowly for BW summer '15 concert tour stop #2 this Friday at 1400 seat Humphreys in San Diego.  At $125 for all seats (plus about $20/ticket in fees), the BW/Rodriguez concert is priced at the top end of what Humphreys charges for tickets.  (For example the M&B Beach Boys are priced at $78, which is less than BB's tixs at Humphreys normally go for, but unfortunately the guys are doing two shows that night, hence the lower price per show.)

Due to the slow ticket sales, it appears that over 250 tickets have been removed from the Select-a-Seat map in the farthest back seating areas.  Not sure if tixs for those seats will remain unavailable, or if they're being offered elsewhere at a discount, although I don't recall that happening for Humphreys tickets in the past.

With a couple of days to go and Love and Mercy currently showing in theaters, hopefully the remaining tickets will sell out before show time.

[bgas]

Not certain what it costs to advertise in movie theaters, but it seems it'd be a good place to advertise the concerts in cities that have them upcoming

[Eric Aniversario]

The Toronto show was moved to a smaller venue as well.

[donald]

Was thinking of starting up a new fresh thread. Thanks for starting. I’m still as of this moment ticketed for opening night, tomorrow night at the Mountain Winery. Hoping we get an interesting setlist and that the set is longer than the 2013 Beck tour (I guess Rodriguez seems to more of an “opening” act rather than a co-headlining thing as was the case with Jeff Beck. No slam on Rodriguez, but I’m hoping the Brian set is a relatively “full-length” show).

I can’t speak too much to ticket sales. The Mountain Winery is an appropriate size venue, seats a couple thousand give or take. The big arena-ish venues he’s doing (moreso on the UK tour) might be more difficult. I tend to not care too much as long as ticket sales aren’t so poor that they cancel shows. No sign of that, so that’s good.

A recent article from the San Diego area talking about Brian and Rodriguez did mention that tickets still being in ample supply may be due in part to the steep ticket price. Indeed, even at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, catering to the upper-income folk, it appears the cheapest “General Admission” tickets sold out before the more expensive, up-front tickets.

That is one great Venue!   I' ve seen Mike and company play there twice to very enthusiastic crowds .    A beautiful place to see any native CA act.    Take a bottle of wine and enjoy on the hillside overlooking San Jose before the show as the locals do.    Enjoy!

[HeyJude]

Was thinking of starting up a new fresh thread. Thanks for starting. I’m still as of this moment ticketed for opening night, tomorrow night at the Mountain Winery. Hoping we get an interesting setlist and that the set is longer than the 2013 Beck tour (I guess Rodriguez seems to more of an “opening” act rather than a co-headlining thing as was the case with Jeff Beck. No slam on Rodriguez, but I’m hoping the Brian set is a relatively “full-length” show).

I can’t speak too much to ticket sales. The Mountain Winery is an appropriate size venue, seats a couple thousand give or take. The big arena-ish venues he’s doing (moreso on the UK tour) might be more difficult. I tend to not care too much as long as ticket sales aren’t so poor that they cancel shows. No sign of that, so that’s good.

A recent article from the San Diego area talking about Brian and Rodriguez did mention that tickets still being in ample supply may be due in part to the steep ticket price. Indeed, even at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, catering to the upper-income folk, it appears the cheapest “General Admission” tickets sold out before the more expensive, up-front tickets.

That is one great Venue!   I' ve seen Mike and company play there twice to very enthusiastic crowds .    A beautiful place to see any native CA act.    Take a bottle of wine and enjoy on the hillside overlooking San Jose before the show as the locals do.    Enjoy!

Yes, been to a number of shows at the Winery. Saw Brian in 2000 (PS tour) and 2007 (with Al). Caught Ringo a few times as well as Frampton as well.

I've only been there once since they remodeled. It's certainly nicer *looking*, but I kind of dug the old format which felt more intimate. But I get it, they want to cram more seats and high priced suites in there and whatnot.

[Tony S]

Saw where the PNC Bank Center in NJ, had tons of seats, good and bad, available. I wish I could go, but will be out of town unfortunately. But when I saw how many seats were left, with just 2 weeks to go, I must say I also thought about a possible cancellation. There were just sooooo many seats left....sad....and I can't be there! Damn!