When 2008 ended, so did Ticketmaster's contract with Live Nation as the concert giant's exclusive ticket-vendor. For its major venues -- which includes Raleigh's city-owned Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek -- Live Nation is taking its ticketing in-house.
So when Walnut Creek starts putting its 2009 shows on-sale, you'll still be able to get tickets at the venue box office just like before. But online orders will go through LiveNation.com rather than Ticketmaster.com. And for phone orders, call 877/598-8698 (a number that covers all Live Nation venues throughout the Southeast: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North/South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee).
Also, some Blockbuster stores will be Live Nation ticket outlets. No word yet on which Triangle-area Blockbuster stores this applies to; but it should be sorted out by next week.
ADDENDUM: Here are the Blockbuster stores that will have outlets, starting sometime in the second half of February:
Raleigh -- 4112 Pleasant Valley Road
Cary -- 2030 Kildaire Farm Road
Durham -- 3438 Hillsborough Road
Durham/Chapel Hill -- 202 NC Highway 54
Comments
fees are ridiculous
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 13:34 — apexfanI was stunned to see all of the additional fees that were being charged! I got online at 10:00 the day tickets went on sale for Dave Matthews. The tickets were advertised as being 60.50 per seat, however by the time all of the additional fees were tacked on it was over $85!! As a result, we are passing. I can't believe that in today's economic climate they will be able to continue to get away with this. The extra PER TICKET charges were:
7.50 parking ($30 for a car of 4 people to park!!)
15.25 ticket fee (HUH???)
2.00 charity (with no indication of WHAT charity this is going to and no way to opt out)
I did some checking around and see that this appears to be a venue specific thing and ours seems to be one of the worst. I also noticed that Dave Matthews tickets are still available weeks after they went on sale. This show usually sells out almost instantly so perhaps others are boycotting this craziness as well.
Live Nation
Thu, 01/08/2009 - 07:06 — pearcemoli= Clear Channel Communications.
Not surprised.
Buy your tickets out front before the show and only offer them face or less. I couldn't tell you how many concerts I've done that at and been successful over the years.
Further comment
Wed, 01/07/2009 - 20:18 — dmenconi (author)From someone I know who works in the concert business and wishes to remain anonymous:
For the record, those ticket fees, convenience fees, facility fees, parking fees, etc., DO NOT make it to the artists' pockets. To put it in very simple terms:
In a typical "Guarantee vs. Percentage"-type show settlement, the first number established is the Gross Revenue, based on total ticket sales. From that, deductions can include (but are not limited to) any and all ticket fees, facility fees, parking fees, etc. Additionally, it is at this point that any city, county or state taxes are deducted. What's left is the Adjusted Gross Revenue, the number from which all expenses related to the show are then deducted, leaving a net amount for distribution between the promoter and artist.
With any luck, the artist will earn additional income beyond their "Performance Guarantee." But at no time will they be the recipient of the various fees charged by the promoters, venues, or ticketing agencies. At least, none of the artists I've ever worked for. ;-)
As with everything else in the world, there's a lot more going on than meets the eye. Because the equation of splits between artist and promoter has done a 180 since the "old days," the promoters are desperate to guarantee their own income stream. I'm not defending them here, as I think they're mostly a bunch of crooks and liars. The extortion of promoters by agents makes me sick, too. All in the name of getting the most money for the artists. Yeah, right. It's an ugly business. I try to ignore it and have a good time.
Don't suppose it would actually mean cheaper purchases
Wed, 01/07/2009 - 17:09 — jreesncThe 'convenience' fees per ticket they were charging were exorbitant . I don't suppose this could lead to us not paying as much as $12 or more PER ticket for the privilege of obtaining tickets for concerts, would it?
Don't suppose it would actually mean cheaper purchases
Wed, 01/07/2009 - 17:19 — dmenconi (author)Oh, I wouldn't count on it. You'll probably still be paying that $12, but more of it will be in the face price -- because venues & acts & promoters were getting a cut of the service-charge action. Here's the semi-official word about that, from a Live Nation spokesperson:
"What we're trying to do with the service fee is create more transparency so the fan can make the decision whether the total amount is worth it. By handling our own ticketing we now have the flexibility to work with artists to present pricing in a way that works for them, rather than as a series of fees."
Of course, the fan has always had the capacity to "make the decision whether the total amount is worth it." But now you'll know the total price earlier in the process. So buying a ticket will be less like buying a car, in terms of the added-on fees at the end. But I do not expect anybody's out-of-pocket price to get cheaper.