Manchester shows

[UrPal]

Ticketmaster sucks and so does e-bay for allowing the tickets to be (illegally?) sold at higher than face value.

It is perfectly legal to resell gig tickets at whatever price you want. Unpleasant, unethical but legal.

It depends what you mean by "legal". It is not a criminal offence to re-sell tickets (why am I reminded of John Travolta in Pulp Fiction here?), but it breaches the contractual condition that tickets bestow a personal entry right to the original buyer and are non-transferable. That makes it illegal in a non-criminal sense. The ticket issuers and agencies could do more to ensure that those entering events are original ticket buyers, but, whilst that might irradicate touting, it would punish those dedicated fans who last resort to buying from a tout and also might increase ticket prices as any additional "policing costs" are passed on to customers.

In my view ticket touting should be a criminal offence if the level of profit made by the re-seller is "extortionate", and controlled through similar legislative measures as apply to "unfair contracts" and "consumer credit agreements" here in the UK. Maybe even a system of licensed re-selling similar to alcohol/tobacco sale controls, so it became unlawful for the general public to trade tickets and regulations controlled what the licensed operators could charge .

Ticket touting seems to me to be a small part of that "incremental gangsterism" mentality afflicting our society, kicked off by Thatcher's absolutist economic liberalisation in the Eighties, under which "each man for himself" principles became normative to all dealings in society and which has been accelerated by the opportunities presented by the internet.

If you asked me to justify Government intervention it would be on the grounds that the exploitative relationship between "music fanatic" and "tout" is analogous to that of "drug addict" and "dealer". Although "music addiction" is not harmful to the afflicted, I wouldn't be surprised to find that the same operators worked the parallel markets. And the "irrational intrinsic need" and limited opportunity which drive extortionate transactions in the ticket re-sale market make it an atypical marketplace.

A recent UK Government commission report came out against any intervention for the time being, so we can't expect a change for the better on this any time soon.

if anyone has any spares for manchester i would really appreciate it. i tried for an hour this morning but ticketmaster just kept booting me out. i am very dissapointed... especially as i looked on ebay and they are asking £500 for two tickets in row q of the circle on the friday night. good to see the majority of you managed to get them.

I'd keep trying occasionally over the coming days, weeks and months as there may be ticket returns, corporate sponsor block releases etc. Best of luck!

[greenfeld69]

I have 2 for Manchester and 2 for Edinburgh. Whatever I decide, 2 will go at face value so watch this space. Just need to decide which gig fits best in the calendar!

[maxstrammer]

I have 2 for Manchester and 2 for Edinburgh. Whatever I decide, 2 will go at face value so watch this space. Just need to decide which gig fits best in the calendar!

greenfeld69 - I'm watching already, please let it be Edinburgh!

[john_warriner]

Thanks for the support! Maybe rodin should think first.. I couldn't "get my arse into gear" because I'm confined to a wheelchair.

[Rmb4hawk]

ptn really came through for us all. I used the priority booking membership to bag myself a ticket in the stalls, row F, Manchester, Weds night...Oh no I didn't. I'll explain.

I tried at 9.54 to get through to priority booking. I was asked if I wanted to choose from two options; 1. Listen to a list of concerts and choose which one I wanted, 2. Be put in a cue to speak to an operator. People, if you are ever in this situation, go for option 2.

I (the dingus I am) went for option 1. I made my selections, Manchester, weds, BRILLIANT MOMENT, ON THE VERGE OF GLORY, UNDERCRACKERS MOIST, THROAT DRY, ADRENALINE FLOWING... Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhh! I've fallen at the first hurdle, 'Tickets will go on sale at 10am, thank you for calling, this message will self destruct in 5 seconds' says the automated voice, in the most patronising and robotic manner.

In an instant I recoup myself and try again, this time I don't make the mistake of the dreaded option 1. With each legal declaration that is read out my heart shouts at me 'YOU IDIOT! So close', I breath. I'm about to be connected to the cue...BANG, I'm in. A voice says 'how can I help you sir'. I have dreamed for the last month (since the early touring whispers) what this experience would be like and it felt pretty, pretty, pretty, good. I said 'I would like a ticket for Leonard Cohen, at the Manchester gig', he said 'okay, bear with me'. PAUSE. Silence screamed! 'Is it...where abouts in Manchester is it?' I screamed 'The mother focking MANCHESTER OPERA HOUSE YOU DOOCHBAG, DID YOU NOT READ THE FOCKING MEMO'. Once my inner monologue had quietened, I said 'The Manchester Opera House Please, if you would be so kind'. 'Okay sir' says the most laid back operator I have ever come across. At this point my inner monologue was so impassioned that I had to wash my mouth out with soap and water. He says 'which evening was it you were after sir? I say, 'If you could find the closest seat on any of the nights, Weds is my no.1 choice' (mistake number 2, somewhere while I'm dilly dallying, some sweaty scalper is stealing all the front row. BASTIARDOS!) PAUSE (again time is suspended). 'I can offer you a place in the stalls', 'Hello Sailor' I think to myself. 'Row L' he says. Inner monologue; 'What, this is 10.01. I wanted to be in underpants throwing distance of Leonard. Not fair. Mummy'. 'Okay' I say, 'Are you sure that there aren't any other seats closer?' (mistake number 3). 'Hold on...there is one just appearing in row F, seat 9'. Hallejuah. I tightenedd up my gut, I thought 'this can't be me it must be my double.' 'Yes F is good, thank you', 'Okay sir, just...ohh (click, click) they have just been taken'. 'Okay, it's okay' I think 'I still have L right?'. 'So there is a ticket in row Q', 'But you said row L before', 'No that has gone'. At this point I nearly had a stroke. But I went for it and made my purchase.

After an hour had passed the adrenaline had left my body. I thought about what a spoilt brat I had been. To get row L and then gamble it. I was like that Nazi at the end of 'Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade', when he chooses the brightest everlasting cup to drink from and pays with his life.

I have a ticket, just be grateful stupid. Don't think of the could have been. Anyway, to cut a long story short...whoops, too late.

Thank you to everybody on here who offered advice and support. I couldn't have got there without you. I'm returning back to the normal life, one that doesn't involve checking the forum daily for presales, only to discover a mirage. Condolences to those who weren't so lucky. And lucky is the operative word. No gig related pun intended.

All the best

[secretchord]

phew...that was tense wasn't it?

the good news is I have my 2 tickets for the friday night show at the Opera House which I got through the ticketmaster website

I would've gone to the Palace but I had a meeting at 10am (wouldntcha know it!!) with my locality manager (that I'd arranged myself, so I couldn't really cancel it) so there I was on the computer at work when he arrived (I got someone to stall him in another office) swearing at the screen as I also fell foul of the code word scenario until I actually looked more closely and realised that you didn't actually need one then suddenly I'm on the purchase page and realising that I'm getting the tickets then when I clicked pay I was re-directed to my bank's website as my card has this security verification arrangement on it but since I hardly ever buy anything online I'd forgotten the password..!!!!!!!!!!!!!....so I had to change the password which fortunately didn't take very long and then I was home...and until someone proves to me I'm not as far as I'm concerned I'm the owner of 2 tickets in the gallery on friday 20th June. I might have got better tickets if I hadn't been confused by the password thingy but hey, I'm in, that's what counts.

[annie blue]

rmb4hawk and secretchord - both your postings made me smile. my last look at the forum today as i was up so early checking, floor pacing, running back and forth to leeds, ticket buying and now i'm really shattered - nervous exhaustion! i need to find something to do other than forum checking every hour on the hour. congrats at getting tickets. wouldn't it be funny if we all wore forum name badges at the concerts it's been a strange old day, goodnight and god bless everyone

[Lorelei]

Just wanted to say THANK YOU VERY MUCH PTN for all your help.

For Manchester I took your advice and went to my local Ticketmaster agent...the Tourist Information Office at my local library. I rung them up beforehand just to check they were selling the tickets. They said they had opened early to sell Leonard Cohen tickets. I thought by that they meant for all the venues, but it was only for O2 Arena tickets. I was there at about 9.50am and met a friend and fellow LC fan there. We were the only 2 waiting. 10am came and off we went, but horror even they kept getting thrown off and the system seemed slow. Also there only seemed to be tickets available for the Wednesday. After 10 tense minutes they came up trumps and I got 2 Row H tickets in the Gallery/Upper Circle. Not as close as I would have liked, but at least I got them.

I've also got 2 tickets for O2.

[windy]

Tickets for Thursday June 18th are being advertised in tonights Wigan Evening Post, page23.

Reader Holidays
Leonard Cohen
Manchester Opera House
Thursday June 18
£89

To book call 01772 838080
Lines open Mon Fri 9:00am to 5:30pm
Website: http://www.post-travel.co.uk

[windy]

Just checked the link and there is no concert listed

http://www.holidaytoday.co.uk/newsfront ... readerhols

[unsongs]

this is my first post - after laying awake the night before and deciding it was all too expensive, woke up and called my girlfriend to tell her the ugly truth, and then we turned it all on its head and booked Manchester! The LiveCard thing was a nightmare - couldn't get past it. Thank god for advice on the forum to be on the phone at same time. WE GOT GREAT SEATS! - STALLS M17-18 Tuesday!. More blind luck than skill. We're coming from Brighton - O2 Arena looked like soulless Mammon.......

[unsongs]

Rmb4hawk - Great posting - what a shame you lost your golden tickets for row L - Q stalls still good though. don't want to rub it in but we were offered stalls M and took them straight off!

[unsongs]

LIVECARD - it's a manchester resident priority card, where residents can get discounts and offers for local events - friend of a friend works for manchester arts...maybe it was all about giving mancunians the first dibs....

[roubiliac]

What Utter tosh!!

Livecard is a card that you purchase for £30 a year and it gets you preferable deals at a 'family' of theatres nationwide including the opera house and the palace.

[fuzza]

I know this is a long shot but if anyone has ONE spare ticket for Manchester on the Wednesday or the Friday I'd be happy to join someone else's party! I tried and failed to buy tickets on Ticketmaster. And I'm very good company!

Fuchsia D