"Cough Up the Bucks"

"Cough Up the Bucks"

Ok, I just spent $225 for VIP Gold Circle seats for Neil Young Show in Spartanburg. I have never spent more than $90 on a ticket in my life. Am I insane? I mean it is Neil and who knows when I will get to see him again, it was 1979 the last time I caught his show.
What artists other than TAB are you willing to "cough up the bucks" for?

Replies for this Board Topic

Van Morrison
Mark Knopfler
Elvis Costello

--
...The Sunday Morning Rehab Show...
.............. on WQFS 90.9 fm..............
It’s more fun than a week at Betty Ford.

i'm not willing to pay that much to see anybody, i'm cheap when it comes to concerts

I just spent $130 for Van Morrison tickets. Almost bought the $350 gold circle tickets, but my boyfriend literally would have killed me. So, no I don't think you are nuts. I bought them for the same reason, who knows if I will ever get the chance again. I also at one time spent $1000 to see Dave Matthews front row center. I justified that because it was a charity auction. I don't think I would spend that much again though.

Sunday, they would all make my shortlist.
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"I like my music with the rinds and the seeds and pulp left in" - Tom Waits

boneva
I saw Neil's 1979 Rust Never Sleeps tour at the Omni in Atlanta. It was amazing. I just scanned a shot from that show.
http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2207530950078693903zEMyZR

--
...The Sunday Morning Rehab Show...
.............. on WQFS 90.9 fm..............
It’s more fun than a week at Betty Ford.

I wouldn't pay a dime to see Van Morrison anymore. Still love his work...drinks too much on stage.

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http://www.tablive.net

The most I ever paid was ~$140 a piece for decent seats to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's reunion tour back in 2000-ish.

It was well worth it but I can't imagine I'd spend that much again.

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Join the Revolution -- http://www.tablive.net

No one. Including TAB. If I would, Neil and U2 would head my list. Bob D is still an amazingly cheap date.

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"Technology to wipe out truth is now available, not everyone can afford it but it's available." B. Dylan

Rejoice always, Mark

I saw Bob Dylan and Van Morrison at the Gorge 11 years ago, to tell you the truth I wasn't terribly impressed. So no, I wouldn't pay that much to see anyone.

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The more I buy the more I'm bought and the more I'm bought the less I cost - Joe Pug

Only if Jerry Garcia came back.

--

It's answering what's asked of you
To give the love you find until it's gone

@ Mao, that is my biggest concern about Van Morrison, I have been waiting my entire life to see him and am worried about what kind of "mood" he will be in. I am half wondering whether or not it will be a great disappointment. I also am, in a way, hoping he cancels, only because then I don't have to go through the agony of him walking off stage or getting too intoxicated to perform. He is a genius, imo, but his attitude and personality leaves little to be desired! In addition, I want to hear songs such as Sweet Thing and Moonshine Whiskey, and I know that will never happen.

the most i've ever paid for one show was when i saw the pixies on my bday this past nov. i think it was around $50? also my mom bought the ticket for my bday present, so i really didn't buy it anyways.

it takes a lot for me to want to see any band for over $20. unless i really love them (TAB), or they retain some legendary status (toots & the maytals), i don't see why a show should ever be that much. then again, most of the bands i'd go see play in smaller venues anyways.

Sunday, nice shot. I saw Neil in Providence that same year. That was the most amazing concert !

Whenever I hear about Van Morrison's moodiness and temperment on stage I remember the story told by Peter Wolf. One night in 1968, J Geils Band invited Van to sing on stage their cover of "Gloria" which Van wrote and was fast becoming a rock classic. The crowd did not know who he was and booed and hissed during the song. Peter Wolf chastised the crowd, but I wonder what effect it had on Morrison, booed covering your own song while you were in the middle of writing and recording one of the best albums of all time in "Astral Weeks".

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"I like my music with the rinds and the seeds and pulp left in" - Tom Waits

Some of the best times of my life were at J Geils Band shows (in their very early years)

--
...The Sunday Morning Rehab Show...
.............. on WQFS 90.9 fm..............
It’s more fun than a week at Betty Ford.

The most expensive non-festival ticket I ever bought was for Paul McCartney last summer. $90 and I ended up 60 rows back from the stage for one of best concert experiences I've had ever. Would gladly pay double that to do it all over again.

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Give the love you find until it's gone

Maybe if the Beatles got back together. I have done it in the past, Boneva, but just decided I am not going to do it anymore.

I think Van has straightened himself out and is staying together for his shows at least he was on the Astral Weeks tour.
I decided to pass on the tickets that were available because they were $250.
Passed on Neil also for same reasons tho I have seen him many times and he is incredible(except during that Trans tour).
Don't know why they need to charge so much except that people must be paying.

Bob Z. is right in that Bob Dylan still charges reasonable prices even though he sells out immediately multiple nights anytime he plays NYC.
Might pay premium if he was charging that because he is ...the Bard.

--

It's answering what's asked of you
To give the love you find until it's gone

Just saw tickets on e bay for the same row I am in - 4 for $1980.

--
"I like my music with the rinds and the seeds and pulp left in" - Tom Waits

Glad to see the Van Morrison feedback. I have been very torn this week, he was just announced here in Austin. I went on line to pull the trigger when they went on sale and had a dose of sticker price shock. He's one of the legends that I haven't seen, but not sure I am going to spend $100 per on less then great seats...Hoping to win tickets on the locals on the dial.

I'd see Van only because I grew up listening to him through my dad... him and mom are actually going to see him in Atlanta later, but I would not pay over $50 to see him... which is probably impossible these days. My mom saw Paul McCartney recently and was like a fangirl. It was amusing.

I spent the most money I've ever spent on a concert (by far) to take my boyfriend to see Van Morrison last year for his birthday. We were in the 5th row center @ the Beacon in NYC and it was amazing. He did one "regular" set (including his incredible cover of Comfortably Numb followed by "Gloria" to close it out) and then after a short intermission, he did the entirety of Astral Weeks. It was an amazing show and I'm embarrassed to say how much I spent, so I won't. It was a LOT. And it was worth every penny.

Concerts are where I spend the vast majority of my disposable income, so I can't say I have a "limit" per se - If I want to go to a show, can afford the tickets and think the expense is justifiable, I'll probably go.
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Ain't it like most people, I'm no different, we love to talk on things we don't know about.

I would be a lot more likely to "cough up the bucks" for scalped tickets to a sold-out show I really wanted to see at a smaller venue.. arena shows just don't do much for me.

As for Dylan and cheap ticket prices- I guess you get what you pay for. He still reigns as the all time biggest disappointment in all of my live show experiences. The guy took the stage to speed through several half-assed versions of some great songs, making it quite apparent to everyone in attendance that he wasn't too excited about being there. I'm sure there was a time, but as far as performing goes, it has passed.

--Jason, sorry that you didn't 'get ' Dylan. Guess you went there expecting to hear the songs as they sound on the CD.

It's answering what's asked of you
To give the love you find until it's gone

I'd pay more than I care to admit to see The Smith's...

/Hush up haters... Eye-wink

Dyan shows can be hit or miss, but the more recent ones have been big hits for me. At any rate, everytime I see him I feel I am seeing the Shakespear of our time, and his time is limited. I wonder if the bard had off nights.

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"Technology to wipe out truth is now available, not everyone can afford it but it's available." B. Dylan

Rejoice always, Mark

I agree, Dylan on an off night is still Dylan. We will not see his like again.
--
"I like my music with the rinds and the seeds and pulp left in" - Tom Waits

I bought Parker and myself Phish tickets on a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing for this birthday- maybe in 2001? 2002? Anyway, the show had been sold out for months and months. I paid almost a mortgage payment- we'll just say that.

It was a great show, and we ran into more friends than I ever thought we would. I went out to dinner last night with a couple of them, and that weekend still comes up regularly in conversation. It was a fabulous early-marriage-pre-baby-even-pre-dogs experience.

We loved it.

The last few times I have seen Dylan have been exceptional. The one bad one was Convention Hall in Asbury but that was more due to the piss poor sound system in that place. Bruce Springsteen and his wife were sitting back stage but didn't play because I think they realized the sound was echoing all over the place.

Shakespeare off nights--funny. Sure even the best had them.

I have not paid high amounts for a show in a long time but my wife charged some handsome priced tickets from StubHub to the Springsteen shows in MSG in November when he did the River and Wild, Innocent and E Street Shuffle albums in their entirety. I reluctantly went griping about how much she paid but had to admit the shows were so great that it was worth the mortgage payment.

--

It's answering what's asked of you
To give the love you find until it's gone

I have seen Dylan a dozen or so times since 1992. When I caught him in 06 in Vegas, I thought he had lost a step and I think it's primarily due to the band not being as tight and missing crucial energy with the loss of Charlie Sexton from the tourning band. However I caught the Bobby/Willie/John Cougar show last summer here in Texas and Charlie came on stage for 3/4 of the show and you could see the sparkle in his eye and the pep in his step. In a nutshell, I will always see Dylan when the show comes round, but will be very happy if Mr. Sexton makes an appearance as well

Docmike- Your "guess" concerning my expectations of the show is inaccurate and unfounded. And if by "getting" Dylan, you mean enjoying someone hurry through a set with little to no emotion while being completely overpowered by a very lould back-up band; then, no, I guess I just didn't "get" Dylan.

Maybe it was just an off night, however, and I should try again. It HAS been over 10 yrs.

I agree that Dylan is hit and miss. I may have seen him 8 or more times and it's like every other show was brilliant.
He was great when I saw him with The Band. He was great doing his Saved/Slow Train week long stint at the Warfield in San Francisco. And, like LittleMan said, it was killer when he had Sexton with the band. But there were some shows that just plain sucked. The same could be said for the 20+ Dead shows I have seen since 1972. Half were GREAT the rest went from OK to pretty bad.

--
...The Sunday Morning Rehab Show...
.............. on WQFS 90.9 fm..............
It’s more fun than a week at Betty Ford.

James Taylor at the Ryman was worth the bucks

--
We are the music makers and we are the dreamers of dreams.
~Willy Wonka

I've seen DMB 26 times in 4 different countries, with 3 front rows (seeing them in Europe is the only way to go!), so I guess you could say I've shelled out the big bucks on them over the years. Wasted money on Bob Dylan! Worst show I've ever been to, although I love his music. Ben Harper is always worth the asking price. Widespread Panic, Ray LaMontagne and James Taylor are always amazing! We recently checked into Crosby, Stills, and Nash tickets in London and they were outrageously priced so we had to pass. Lookiing forward to seeing TAB again on June 24th! I was pleasantly surprised at TAB's ticket prices for the recent and upcoming show in London. Their tickets are worth far more than £12.50! But who's complaining!

I spent $1,000+ on 3 nights of Phish when they came back from there 1st hiatus. Would i do it again, no. But it was the last run of shows i did with someone who was very close to me that is no longer with us so i'm very glad i did, even though looking back at the shows they where not so good. Hell the 3rd night Trey totally started YEM over again after they flubbed it so bad.good times....
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"Time is Art, You are Love, Peace is Now."

Jason---of course that is not what I meant about 'getting' Dylan. I do see your sarcasm though.Didn't mean any offense whatsoever.
Maybe you should give him another try or maybe you shouldn't.
That band 10 years ago with Larry Campbell and Charlie Sexton was one of the finest.Guess you just got a bad night.
As he describes in his autobiography, Chronicles, during this era he changed the timing and tempo of his songs.
Even the best fans couldn't tell what a lot of the songs were , they sounded nothing like the records but had an East Texas Swing sound influenced by Sexton and Campbell.

-----"I'm sure there was a time, but as far as performing goes, it has passed."

I am sure you could find a lot of people to agree with you on that statement. My wife is at times one of them.
People were saying that in 1966 when he went electric and , oh the multitudes who had a hatefest with the Christian tours.

Sunday---Agree with you fully on the Dead shows. I kept going because "once in awhile you get shown the light." So many brilliant shows but there were some clunkers though they were less in ' 72 than in ' 92.

--" they sounded nothing like the records but had an East Texas Swing sound influenced by Sexton and Campbell."

I think I could have really enjoyed some of that in the right setting. To be completely fair; it was at an outside festival, and so it all seemed to translate into one big wall of sound. I just wasn't moved, and I'm pretty sure he wasn't too thrilled about being there either. I guess it just left a bad taste in my mouth and I never thought twice to purchase tickets for another show. Of course, in retrospect, I don't think I would have been nearly as excited about the Avett's live shows had I seen them first at an outdoor, or even larger venue. I like to hear it resonate:)

sorry, first double post

I also have a general hatred of outdoor venues. Worst Avett show I have been to was outdoors. Won't mention which one. But saw Dylan in a minor league park a few years back and it was great.

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"Technology to wipe out truth is now available, not everyone can afford it but it's available." B. Dylan

Rejoice always, Mark

Lovewritesaletter
POSTED: TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2010 - 22:36
I'd pay more than I care to admit to see The Smith's...

/Hush up haters...

I COMPLETELY CONCUR - WOULD SHELL THAT OUT IN A HEARTBEAT....AND THEY STILL CAN!! I believe they could sell out a stadium tour, no prob. i rank them right up there with the Beatles, Zeppelin, Sublime and TAB in terms of importance and best music ever written. Noel Gallegar of Oasis said it best...to paraphrase ....."Johnny Marr is so good, so f***in brilliant.....even Johnny Marr can't play what he wrote":

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Team Avett #74

www.youtube.com/michinspirado
www.facebook.com/chrisvant

@chrisvant Indeed sir! Perhaps they will play in Detroit and we can share the experience!!!! I know they ain't coming to Charlotte!!! Smiling

agreed Chris ( but you know that my co-Smith's fan). Seeing Morrissey is fun, but the Smiths together again would be epic

--
We are the music makers and we are the dreamers of dreams.
~Willy Wonka

Interesting review of a new Van book by Griel Marcus.

http://www.muddywatermagazine.com/When-That-Rough-God-Goes-Riding-Review...

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It's answering what's asked of you
To give the love you find until it's gone

I read the initial question, and skipped past everything else. Not because I dislike you all, but I figured that, a true and honest question deserves, a true and honest answer. Sorry about the awkward commas.

Neil Young is definitely worth $225 for a ticket, if you can afford it. He is phenomenal talent. Not only has he written some of the most impassioned and demanding pleas for mercy, that I have ever heard, he has played his instruments masterfully.

I once had a choice between a CSNY concert in St. Louis, and my job. There is not a single day that goes by, that I don't regret keeping that s***ty job. God, I pray, that you have fun, and that you take in the whole experience, because there are a lot of people who would love to be in your shoes. Eye-wink

Rolling Stones, no question.

I've never seen Dylan, but from what I hear I won't think I'd want to - my mom went to see him last year and didn't enjoy it at all. I think he played mostly a lot of new stuff and just wasn't good. But he is in his late 60s, I'm sure he was amazing before.

"Ok, I just spent $225 for VIP Gold Circle seats for Neil Young Show in Spartanburg. I have never spent more than $90 on a ticket in my life. "

I really considered getting tickets to this show, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Please give us a review after the show and let us know if it was worth it!

Docmike
That brings to mind Van’s song “New Biography.”
check out the lyrics @ http://www.lyricstime.com/van-morrison-new-biography-lyrics.html
It's a great tune.

--
...The Sunday Morning Rehab Show...
.............. on WQFS 90.9 fm..............
It’s more fun than a week at Betty Ford.

Sunday,

Great lyrics. The ascerbic Van at his finest answering his critics.
I have never heard this song. Is this new?

--

It's answering what's asked of you
To give the love you find until it's gone

Kneedeep and lilybear, I will definately come back and give you my impressions after the show.

--
"I like my music with the rinds and the seeds and pulp left in" - Tom Waits

It is from the 1999 release "Back On Top"
it is a fine LP
--
...The Sunday Morning Rehab Show...
.............. on WQFS 90.9 fm..............
It’s more fun than a week at Betty Ford.

Okay, it's been a week and here is my take on the show. I had been reading reviews leading up to the concert with a lot of positive and negative reaction. Some of the negativity - "there are too many new songs, the sound was too loud, the show was too short, he's only doing one encore". The positive - "Neil's voice is in great shape, he's playing electric, the new songs are good".
Our seats were great and the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium is quite a nice venue. Bert Jansch was the opener and he is a fantastic guiter player. My sons were amazed by his fingerstying.
Then Neil came out and I was in heaven as he play My My, Hey Hey, Tell Me Why, and Helpless all on acoustic guitar. He made a crack about being in SC, the only place you will find two Krispy Kremes across the street from each other. He was in a good mood and I was ready for a great experience.
He then picked up an acoustic w/pickup and played 3 new songs, You Never Call (about the death of his friend LA Johnson), Peaceful Valley, and Love and War. YNC was so so. PV and LAW were excellent and really sounded good with the pick up.
He then pick up the Les Paul Old Black and played Down By The River, which sounded fantastic enough until the next song which was Hitchhiker an unreleased song from1992. This song was incredible rattled the entire auditorium!
He grabbed his Gretsch white falcon and knocked out Ohio and Sign of Love (New Song was OK)
The audience was respectful during the new songs and only called out requests in between songs but this is not a greatest hits tour, neil stated at one point " I have so many new songs I can't keep them all straight".
He then went to the keyboard and played another new song - Leia (rumered to be about granddaughter but denied by Neil Young camp). It sounded like a thowaway ditty that you would use as album filler. Then it was After The Goldrush (on organ) and I Believe In You (on piano).
Back to Old Black and it was another new song - Rumblin' which really rocked, and lead into great renditions of Cortez and Cinnamon Girl.
After Cinnamon Girl he walked off the stage and I was prepared for the one song encore. When Neil came out with his acoustic I knew we were in for something special. He pointed to one girl who had yelled out Heart Of Gold all night and said this is for you. We were then treated to Heart of Gold and Old Man which turned into a massive sing- a- long. He finished with Walk With Me on the White falcon, a great sounding new song. he left his Gretsch ringing in the guitar stand as he left the stage.
This concert was really something special and as a performer neil delivers the goods. I'm glad I coughed up the bucks. For other reactions to the show go to
http://neilyoungnews.thrasherswheat.org/2010/05/neil-young-concert-revie...
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"I like my music with the rinds and the seeds and pulp left in" - Tom Waits

Great thread!

I have been through multiple generations of music, and the Avett Brothers are up there with the best.

I saw Van Morrison years ago, and despite the fact that Madame George and Cyprus Avenue are two of my favorite songs, the only time I saw him live was disappointing and his concert was abominable. (And I forced a date there, promising glory and inspiration).
He may be erractic and irresponsible, but he is still brilliant.

I also saw Elvis Costello. A very short set, but he proved, in that short bit, that he loves music. And yet, I know he gets critisism for some of his gigs. Still, brilliance is brilliance.

And this summer, I finally get to see the Avett Brothers, live.
Seriously, I do not mind if this concert/gig is the world's greatest or not. Seeing them is reward enough.

And has anyone heard 'Jackie Wilson Said' by Van Morrison? Pure brilliance.

And, no offense to Van The Man, but so is Paranoia In B Major.

God Bless Music.