An evening with Guy Garvey!

hilaryg wrote:

It sounds sacrilege to us, but there are probably folk out there who are fans of the band, but for whom the temptation of an easy £500 profit is just too much.

£500 is an awful lot of money. If someone offered me £500 for my pair now I'd probably be inclined to take the money and run.

Misspelt Yoof wrote:

hilaryg wrote:

It sounds sacrilege to us, but there are probably folk out there who are fans of the band, but for whom the temptation of an easy £500 profit is just too much.

£500 is an awful lot of money. If someone offered me £500 for my pair now I'd probably be inclined to take the money and run.

Did you read my post, above?

The fact is somebody that is stupid enough, has money to throw away on £500 for tickets isn't 0FFERING you that money they are being cornered into that situation with no alternative. its called STEALING, and if they had the choice of courSe they would rather pay you the FACE VALUE than give away £500.

I don't condone it one little bit, but I can see why some might sell their tickets if money is tight.

Not everyone feels the same sense of community or loyalty to fellow fans.

lucky with disease wrote:

Misspelt Yoof wrote:

hilaryg wrote:

It sounds sacrilege to us, but there are probably folk out there who are fans of the band, but for whom the temptation of an easy £500 profit is just too much.

£500 is an awful lot of money. If someone offered me £500 for my pair now I'd probably be inclined to take the money and run.

Did you read my post, above?

The fact is somebody that is stupid enough, has money to throw away on £500 for tickets isn't 0FFERING you that money they are being cornered into that situation with no alternative. its called STEALING, and if they had the choice of courSe they would rather pay you the FACE VALUE than give away £500.

No one is holding a gun to their head, they missed out and have £500 to burn, yes i know they're only feeding the monster that meant they missed out on tickets in the first place, but i have no money, if i'd brought tickets, and seeing the prices now... i'd be tempted to sell them, it would buy me a new gearbox, and i need my car to work.

It sickens me that some people have to be so greedy. I might end up with a couple of spare tickets (not sure yet) if I do I had already planned to do a lucky dip type giveaway on this site (as Mrs Woman did with her Wembly tickets), at the end of the day I've only payed £3 each for them and I couldn't and don't want to make money out of genuine fans. A lucky dip seems like the fairest thing to do.

I have friends who sell things on ebay - even buy extra tix for some gigs and then sell a couple there for a bit of a profit - a bit. Wanting to make a little extra cash, especially in these tough times, isn't a crime, not even really wrong. But what really bothers me is the rampant greed of these people. It's one thing to post some tix up and start the bidding and see how high someone will go. But to start the bidding off at an absolutely outrageous price to begin with...especially a couple of tix that have a face value of £3... I don't think that's right. That's just filthy greed to me.

It was just plane dumb luck that I got any of these tix; being at my computer and checking my emails at work, even though I'm not really supposed to...
I feel so bad that some others didn't have that luck and are now missing out.

sundaygirl wrote:

ebay - even buy extra tix for some gigs and then sell a couple there for a bit of a profit - a bit.

It IS wrong to buy concert tickets that are known to be sought after, that one has no intention for using for onesself or friends, purely for the purpose of selling on to make money, it is ripping off fellow gig goers, and does feel like stealing something that someone else didn't get.

Ebay - to sell stuff you genuinely have no use for anymore but that someone else has, is entirely different, the bidding aspect works in that something that has not much value to you, might attract interest by multiple bidders and thats when the good fortune of a bit of money comes into it.

If one ends up with spare tickets, then face value at http://www.scarletmist.com/ or offer on the band forum or return to box office, they might refund on a soldout event.

The excuse of hard times is irrelevent, real hard times means no gig going at all for many people...and eventually if the ebay ticket monsters are fed more, it will only be the rich and famous that get to concerts like this.

Fair point.

lucky with disease wrote:

The excuse of hard times is irrelevent, real hard times means no gig going at all for many people...and eventually if the ebay ticket monsters are fed more, it will only be the rich and famous that get to concerts like this.

Why is the excuse of hard times irrelevent? I bought tickets for all three nights as soon as I heard about them going on sale. At that point, and to some degree even now, I am unsure whether I can afford the shows. Not the ticket price, but the cost of a hotel for the week/a week off work/travel etc etc. If for any reason I decide that I can't go then I'd rather get £500 off eBay for them rather than £80 from a fan. Does that make me a bad person? If you knew you could get £500 would you really do otherwise?

I'm with LWD on this one - I'm a keen Bayer with some things, but 'd always try and sell spare tickets at face value to a fan - especially for bands like Elbow where the fans are a real community. We've seen recently, with the BBC and the Bridgewater Hall gigs what it's like for tickets to sell out, partly because of touts, and then having to pay the touts' ridiculous prices if you didn't happen to hear in time and want to go. As they're now more famous I imagine it will continue like this, so, while it's a personal decision and I wouldn't judge someone, personally I'd feel uncomfortable selling at a mad profit. I've sold spare tickets for sold-out gigs at face value myself, and have also been on the receiving end of others' generosity the other way round. I think it's wonderful that fans support each other like this.

I personally don't have a problem with people selling their spare ticket at a profit.
What bugs me are the professional touts who just buy dozens of tickets for everything indiscriminately, like drift-net fishing and not giving genuine fans the chance to get their hands on tickets legitimately.
These guys, I think, are a completely different beast...

It is a slippery slope though Jones, and if venues see what some people are prepared to shell out in desperation to get their hands on a ticket to a concert they really, really, want to go to, then prices will go up all round. Then the vast majority of normal folks just won't be able to afford go to gigs anymore.

We have seen the requests on here on 'wanted' and 'snookered' thread. Have these fans managed to get tickets yet? and if they have, have they been ripped off, to pay what they cannot really afford?
I know that there is no way I could have afforded the prices that have been on ebay, I was fortunate to buy from the venue in time, and am now struggling to afford the travel and accom for July. Of course I could have ripped a fellow fan off in the anonimity of the internet, and used the money to pay for the rest of the trip, but would not do that.

What I have a problem with, is venues admitting they sell on to third party ticket agencies. Secondary ticketing may help fund them, but gives the audience buying public mixed messages.
I got frustrated with the secondary ticketing for Wembley Arena seating, did you manage to get seats close enough to the stage, Jones? I know i didn't because the best seats had been taken to sell on at much higher prices than advertised.
The buy it now option on ebay at silly prices for Bridgewater Hall, is, at a shrewd guess the 'third party', only of benefit to rich celebrities who decide they want to attend last minute, and hey presto, there is front row centre seats all reserved for them for whom money is no object.
Hopefully if there is no take up on the 'buy it nows' at £999 etc, snookered Jools, who cant afford ebay prices, might be in with a chance to get 2 good seats when he/she makes the effort to turn up on the night because those tickets have been returned to the boxoffice unsold.

The professional touts do it as a job to earn a living, all be it an exploitation. Why should other people who are gig goers themselves, then see it as ok to do it too. By being greedy themselves it makes concert going just a richman's pastime.
Sorry, I think I've finished on this subject now...phew

Yeah, I do agree. I think concert prices are pretty high already. Tickets shouldn't just be available for those who, as you say, money is no object. I mean, having scuples can suck. We'd all be rolling in it if we couldn't care less about others and put the money above the band. I guess greed is a terrible thing but that's what motivates these people, and not the prospect of a magical nigh with loads of like-minded elbowies enjoying the rapturous sounds of a top band like Elbow. I wouldn't sell my tix for ANY amount of money. A night like that is priceless.

But let's not give way to synicism just yet Lucky. As we have seen we are not the only ones who feel this way. Hilary has an exrtra Guy garvey tix, and she's not flogging it on ebay, though she could probably make a tasty profit. All hope is not lost yet.

I'm curious what the band think of all this. Must be flattering in a way.

sundaygirl wrote:

Hilary has an exrtra Guy garvey tix,

Hey, hang on. I could get lucky between now and July, don't write me off just yet!

Ooops...sorry.

I meant that Hilary MIGHT have an extra ticket. Might, nothing in stone.....just possibly, maybe, maybe not....

Just had a look at eBay - some touts have sold pairs of tickets for this at £60 and £100!!!!!! Good GRIEF!!

That is just greed pure and simple. The tix have a face value of £3 for God's sake!

OK folks; as hinted in the ElbowFans thread, here's a chance to win a pair of tickets to see 'Audience with Guy'.

To enter, you'll need to know some Guy trivia and message me with your answer and mobile phone number at the EF site. Winners will be notified after the closing date of 30th June and the tix sent to arrive very shortly before the event. Good luck!

Guess what everyone-Elbow week starts in EIGHT WEEKS!!!

Is it sad that I already know what I'm going to wear to the first Halle gig?

I couldn't wait any longer and have just bought two tickets for this evening off Ebay for £60. They were on for £75 but made an offer of 60 which was accepted. I'm gutted that I haven't got anything to look forward to so went for it. This seemed the cheapest option - was looking at going to the Bestival in Isle of Wight in September as Elbow are closing that one but that was a no-no. The other half is pleased too.

Looking forward to the "Marry me" question? Sundaygirl!

OH JOY! EXCELLENT!

Do yuo think he'll say yes???

Well done Lynne - Really hope to meet up with you and all the others there!

Fingers crossed Sundaygirl!

I wonder if his other half will be there? I'm surprised he hasn't popped the question to her yet - you always hear him mention his girlfriend, Emma.

So looking forward to it - it's a bit of a trek for us in the one night but hey will be worth every mile.

The other half thinks I'm crazy but didn't see him complaining!!! I've now got to find some more funds for his birthday treat to see Simple Minds. I'm really showing my age now!

Theres at least 14 made known from here going to be at this "evening" now... we really should attempt a group photo there with Guy and Sundaygirl in the middle