|
Post by luckyweather on May 17, 2008 10:48:04 GMT -5
I think too that it is the higher ticket prices, the economy and the lack of promotion. When I added it all up, I spent $400 for us to attend the Detroit show. When we first saw them in 2005 in Connecticut in an arena, I spent $160. Smaller venues and less seats mean higher ticket prices so they can still make money.
The economy is pretty bad here in Michigan. There is a higher than normal unemployment rate and food and gas prices are rapidly increasing. People just have less disposable income these days.
I only saw one TV commercial advertising the tour while I was watching A&E one day. I did see the band on one of those entertainment shows in the winter, I believe. I think the whole reunion thing has died down so pretty much just the die hards attend the shows now.
The Detroit venue looked to me to be about 3/4 full. From the sounds of it, I guess that is better than some of the previous shows. People in Detroit and the surrounding areas do like their entertainment - music and otherwise...there isn't much else to do here.
J
|
|
|
Post by tj103 on May 17, 2008 12:03:43 GMT -5
Definitely the economy factor for me. Usually when Duran tours I see them about 3-4 times in the NY metro area, but this time around I could barely afford the one night in Central Park. During the Astronaut tour I saw them in Philly, AC 2x, NYC and L.I. But - I also had only one child then, and rented instead of now owning my home. Wow - a lot has changed in 3 years! I am just grateful I can catch them in the park in 2 weeks...
|
|
duranie
BIG THING
Sexiest Man Alive
Posts: 399
|
Post by duranie on May 17, 2008 13:19:26 GMT -5
I went to the L A show. It was sold out. The Las Vegas shows both sold out.
|
|
donnabella
NOTORIOUS
donnamartines.synthasite.com
Posts: 1,463
|
Post by donnabella on May 17, 2008 14:11:29 GMT -5
I went to the L A show. It was sold out. The Las Vegas shows both sold out. How big were the venues?
|
|
duranie
BIG THING
Sexiest Man Alive
Posts: 399
|
Post by duranie on May 17, 2008 14:41:09 GMT -5
Los Angeles show, capacity about 7,100 and the Las Vegas smaller, 1,400 capacity, so both nites totalling 2,800
|
|
|
Post by sarahb1863 on May 17, 2008 15:08:36 GMT -5
Who's knows the exact reasons, I'm sure it's due to several reasons. I don't believe Andy holds the key, back toward the middle/end of 05 they were struggling to sell out shows then too, when he was in the band... so to say if he was still around things would sell out doesn't jive. The reunion buzz was dwindling long before he left (with the public and with the media) and not enough of the casual fans who attend these shows care 'enough' as to who is playing guitar. For some people that's true, but I do know people who aren't bothering with this tour precisely because Andy isn't there; and there has to be more than, say, 10 of them. And it's true that toward the end of the Reunion Tour seats went unsold, but I feel that was largely because by that point they'd been touring for a long time, played some areas more than once, and most casual fans didn't want to pay twice for basically the same concert. Frantically trying to latch on?? um..Ok. Brandon and company came on the stage for ONE song, they're not touring together and on the same bill. I guess I should have been more clear; I didn't say that was their INTENTION, but that's what it LOOKS like, to people who don't know much about either group. It doesn't help that I got an article in my Google Alerts this morning detailing how Simon Le Bon "desperately begged" Mark Ronson's mother to talk her son into working with them. I want Duran Duran to have a strong, huge, undeniable presence of their own, so Mark Ronson is begging to work with THEM, instead of the other way around. BTW, to answer the "who sells out stadiums" question: the last time Bon Jovi toured, they sold out Giants Stadium (seating capacity: about 80,000) three nights in a row. And their tickets are also freaky expensive.
|
|
dangerousthunder
NOTORIOUS
LIVE WIRE 12
An unworkable gulf could be avoided with good management!
Posts: 965
|
Post by dangerousthunder on May 17, 2008 15:09:41 GMT -5
I think it's a number of factors -- gasoline is expensive, just traveling in general is pricey. Also, American audiences can be fickle when it comes to band lineups. As for the Chicago show I was at, it was not 100% sold out. I would say the venue which seats 4,400 (I believe) was between 90-95% full. There were scattered areas empty seats on floor and more towards the top of the balcony.
|
|
|
Post by La Princess on May 17, 2008 15:31:39 GMT -5
Many things listed. I'm one of those fans who had no interest in going. For me it was the ticket prices. Most bands are charging less. I'd also say it was the economy, the lack of RCM success, and many other factors.
|
|
bloodshift
PAPER GOD
"Be kind, be real, or get out of my face."--Pete Townshend
Posts: 2,319
|
Post by bloodshift on May 17, 2008 15:40:19 GMT -5
I think too that it is the higher ticket prices, the economy and the lack of promotion. When I added it all up, I spent $400 for us to attend the Detroit show. When we first saw them in 2005 in Connecticut in an arena, I spent $160. Smaller venues and less seats mean higher ticket prices so they can still make money. The economy is pretty bad here in Michigan. There is a higher than normal unemployment rate and food and gas prices are rapidly increasing. People just have less disposable income these days. I only saw one TV commercial advertising the tour while I was watching A&E one day. I did see the band on one of those entertainment shows in the winter, I believe. I think the whole reunion thing has died down so pretty much just the die hards attend the shows now. The Detroit venue looked to me to be about 3/4 full. From the sounds of it, I guess that is better than some of the previous shows. People in Detroit and the surrounding areas do like their entertainment - music and otherwise...there isn't much else to do here. J I can't argue with any of the above, but I'd like to add that the Metro Times, the Detroit area's main free entertainment/social affairs publication, didn't list the concert at all in this week's issue. There was a full-page ad announcing the show before tickets went on sale, but after that, I can remember no mention in any subsequent issue. This is usually the case when a show is sold out (no need to spend any further money promoting it, obviously) but this was clearly not the case. The show didn't even appear in the generic listings they have for events on each day of the week.
|
|
|
Post by andre005 on May 17, 2008 15:47:54 GMT -5
Real Detroit did have a nice interview with Nick Rhodes and Thursday's Free Press entertainment section did run that DD article about how cool they are again with pictures of the band and Simon...I think it's tough with not selling more tickets when nothing new from RCM is playing on the radio and the economy is not helping! Especially in Detroit!
Really disappointed about Metro Times no free advertising!
|
|