You know that sinking feeling. The one where you look at a concert calendar and see those two little words that let you know – you’re too late. There it is in big letters – SOLD OUT – mocking you for thinking “I can buy tickets at the door!” or “I can buy tickets later!” or “Surely THAT show won’t sell out.” Although I hesitate a little bit to put out these pieces of advice (as it might come back to bite me in the future) I’m pissed that for maybe the 6th time in the past week a show that I wanted to go to (in this case Yeasayer and MGMT at The Black Cat) has sold out forcing me to resort to one of the tactics mentioned below.
1) Ebay or Craigslist. This is probably the most popular way of picking up sold out tickets although it means potentially paying quite a bit more than face value sometimes (especially if you look within hours of the show time) you can get lucky. This has worked for me with: M.I.A., Pixies.
2) Wait outside of the venue and ask everyone who arrives. Yes – there are the scalpers who will try to rip you off but in my experience if you ask around NICELY there is always someone who will honor your request for a ticket at face value. Don’t be that obnoxious drunk guy. Stupid signs are also unnecessary. Sometimes if you use reverse psychology – ask someone standing around if they’re looking for a ticket – you’ll find someone trying to get rid of theirs. Always look for the person standing idly. This is the most tried and true method on this list. This has worked for: The Dismemberment Plan, Okkervil River, Wolf Parade, The Hives.
3) Make friends with the people at the venue. This is mostly for concert junkies like me who go to an abnormally high amount of shows. But it’s useful to know the people who work the shows and make nice with them because they’re usually more willing to help you out in such a situation by helping you out with the first available ticket or honor favors. This has worked for: Girl Talk (may work for Vampire Weekend.)
4) Start an online movement. Because chances are that you’re not the only one who got screwed. Svetlana at Brightest Young Things is doing her best to take advantage of the fact that many people who want to go to see Yeasayer and MGMT are frustrated by contacting the venue, the band and getting the word out online through any available online outlet. Including this one. And ya know what – sometimes it works. Sometimes a band will move to a larger space or add another date. Here’s hoping it does again. This has worked for: Spoon, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
5) Lie. This isn’t terribly reliable but I’ve said that I was someone’s plus one who wasn’t even on the list to begin with and it’s worked. But only once. This has worked for: Les Savy Fav
While I cross my fingers to see whether the BYT people succeed. I’m going to buy my Walkmen/White Rabbits and St. Vincent tickets now. Because no reason to put yourself through the uncertainty if you don’t have to.
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Umm….guest list? duh!
great post! i consider myself somewhat of an expert in this area too!
you forgot one… sorta bundles up with #5 but not technically a “lie” if you don’t verbalise it… at smaller venues it’s still pretty easy to show up with confidence, a little early just as soundcheck wraps up, and just act like you’re supposed to be there. say hi to everyone without introducing yourself and everyone just assumes you’re SUPPOSED to be there… hell, “is he/she in the band? the publicist? the manager? some interviewer? who knows, not my problem, i’m gonna go get a beer before doors open…” …. SORTED
sure you waste a little time, but if you’re super dorky about seeing your fave bands way back when in the best shows of their lives… then its totally worth it
The online movement for this show is definitely getting picked up now – a bunch of bloggers are writing about it:
http://lesliebradshaw.com/?p=81
http://musicasiseeit.blogspot.com/2008/01/activists-unite.html
http://mindofandre.wordpress.com/2008/01/15/sos-yeasayermanagement-show-in-dc-in-need-of-help/
http://coteriemusicblog.wordpress.com/2008/01/15/yeasayermgmt-at-black-cat-116sold-out-perhaps-not/
http://www.jess3.com/blog/2008/01/yeasayermanagement-show-in-dc-needs.html
and there’s also a facebook group for the online movement too:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=19350380437&ref=share
I say there’s still hope
For some and in fact most of us guest list isn’t an option. Granted, I’ve been doing the music blogging thing for about a year so sometimes I have gotten away with that. Still, I’d rather have a publicist contact me than be a pain in the ass and contact the publicist since that is kind of an abuse of privileges.
Yeah, I hate requesting to be on a guest list, unless it’s offered. I resort to it, only if I must.
One problem we often ran into growing up was being 18 or 19 and going to a 21+ show. There are two good ways around this.
First, get there early, akin to what “su” says in comment #2. Hide in the bathroom if you need to, young ones.
Second, if it is a small band, and you are able to get in contact with a member of the band or know them personally, ask to be the merchandise table girl or boy. They often need it open, at least for a little bit, and then you can party party party all night long. (This one does come with some responsibility, however, and can make the experience less fun.)
Getting to know a ticket tout I can confirm, works a treat. Turn up at gig you know he (or she) is likely to be at and beg them for a favour as you sold them a whole Travis tour tickets at face value as you got Fran to put you on the guest list (book the whole tour, get friendly with the t-shirt seller who is also the support band’s tour manager, get invited backstage, meet the support band, get introduced to headliners, ‘amaze’ said lead singer that you’re doing the whole tour, get put on guest list, sell tickets to tout knowing you might need a favour in the future). Free tour. Easy.
Any of the above, done individually, should work, not just the whole combined.
Holding your nerve also can work. Sold out shows don’t always attract a lot of people without tickets, ’cause they’re sold out so there’s no point in going to the venue. Therefore, more often than not, the touts will have a few they really have trouble shifting. The closer to showtime, the lower the price they’ll want for them. You let them know you’re possibly in the market by wandering around a bit an hour before showtime (when the main act is due on) and sooner or later, they’ll come to you and you can pretty much name your price.
Being the only one who never drinks alcohol: You get to be the nominated driver and bought tickets (to drive 5 drunks back) for any number of Radiohead shows that they, being members of something or other, can always get tickets for.
All the above have ben tried and tested by me.
you can also bribe people. bring lots of cash in small bills and start hustling! this can be particularly effective if you are older and rich and the concert goers are young or if they are hippies! in that case a sign could help..
and of course if you are a lady with less class than some you could always show your tits
Blowjobs, people. It’s not that hard, and only takes a couple of minutes.
Why the reservations about asking for a spot on the guest list? If you’re going to write a review of the show, it’s absolutely appropriate to ask for a spot. Or, is it more that you feel bad for the artist since you’re not paying for your ticket?
val…quit blogging and answer the phones.
Scott: What you’re saying about it being “absolutely appropriate to ask for a spot” may have been true a few years ago, before everyone and their dog started vomiting words out into cyberspace and calling it “journalism.” Today, bands will go broke if they start guestlisting every single person who comes to a show and promises to “write a review” (meaning “blog”) about it.
It’s people like you who give legitimate music lovers like Val (and other writers/reviewers who don’t try to scam tickets based on having one in—literally—a million blogs) a bad name.
Also, I forgot to add that this is a FANTASTIC post, Val!