The promoter is scamming us

USA and Canada (April 1 - June 4, 2009). Special concert for fans in NYC (February 19). Concert reports, set lists, photos, media coverage, multimedia links, recollections...
made an exception
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Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:56 pm

The promoter is scamming us

Post by made an exception »

Excuse me, but do you all see a pattern here? I am from New York. The minute the Beacon show was supposedly on sale I tried to get tickets, and nothing was available—mind you, I didn't know about the pre-sale. But then this morning, the instant of the pre-sale, I tried again for Radio City. Nothing was available at any price—not a single ticket in the wide expanse of Radio City. And I see this is true of other cities. A friend of mine who managed to get a Ticketmaster representative on the phone was told by this person that the promoter had bought up large amounts of tickets to be dealt by brokers. Aside from assembling with burning flambeaux outside some corporate headquarters—and I'm not sure I know where that would be—is there anything that can be done about this?
stillcanring
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Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:38 am

Re: The promoter is scamming us

Post by stillcanring »

Is this the way of the future or is this happening because the demographic for this audience is older and potentially more able and willing to pay outrageous prices?
MuggsMcGuinness
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Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 7:06 pm

Re: The promoter is scamming us

Post by MuggsMcGuinness »

To quote somebody: "I've seen the future, and it is murder," at least when it comes to getting tickets.

I heard that this nonsense started a long time ago, when promoters made a deal with Michael Jackson to give him 105% of the gross - yes, that's right, more than 100%. So the only way to make money was to create a secondary market beyond the "official" gross. I think this is now being taken advantage of and the artist is just receiving a fee, the this scam is allowed to go on as a pretext IMHO.

I had to pay $450 for a balcony ticket at the Beacon, so fire, make your body, cold cause I'm going to give you a Ticketmaster's body to hold. :(
colombo
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Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 7:22 am

Leonard Cohen IS the Promoter

Post by colombo »

And he's scalping his own tickets! Ticketmaster is just the agent -- this would not happen without the express consent of AEG and by extension, the artist himself.

The legal term is "respondeat superior", Let the Master Answer.

Obviously, Leonard's contract with his promoter PERMITS this bullshit, and judging by the prices being asked, it's a very lucrative contract indeed.

So really folks, the shows aren't "sold out" at all. The promoter (read: Leonard Cohen) has only put out a fraction of the available seats and has done it quite cleverly through presales and whatnot to stoke the demand. Now panicky middle-aged affluent fans will be willing to pony up "the big bucks" for whatever seats they can garner.

Don't be a sucker! These marketplace tickets will find their way into general inventory if they remain unsold.

And don't get me wrong: I am no apologist for the evil practices of Ticketmaster. It's just that it takes two to tango, and Leonard has clearly taken this waltz out for a high-speed spin.
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leonardmtl
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Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:57 pm
Location: Cambridge, MA

Re: The promoter is scamming us

Post by leonardmtl »

I am struck that these posters make no connection between the integrity Leonard represents and how that would guide his choice of Bob Hallet. Would LC associate with a scammer? It is ludicrous that conspiracy theories or unethical practices
are alive in Leonard.'s world.. Does Mt Baldy ring a bell?

BTW these tickets, which are limited and never scalped (remember, Leonard is watching) are generally for.friends and family..

Where does Lorca get to sit? Jarkko? How about Esther?

No more need be said.

Leonard from Montreal...same name... Dame town.... no Golden Voice
We're all on one road....we're only passing through....

1967 Montreal / 2008 Toronto/ 2009 New York Beacon /Boston 2x /New York MSG / Chelsea Hotel Plaque Celebration /San Jose / 2010 Las Vegas 2x / 2012 Montreal 2x /Boston 2x
denalynn2001
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2009 11:56 pm

Re: The promoter is scamming us

Post by denalynn2001 »

My reply to that is "Take this waltz and shove it." I understand why this tour is happening and was prepared to spend $100 for a good seat, but I think it's an outrage that the brokers had their hands on so many tickets before the public on-sale date. I saw that and was terribly pessimistic as to my chances for today, and for good reason. Let me just add, as of Friday there had been six separate presales for the Chicago show including two for Amex cardholders. Now, today, there are zero tickets for the public but hundreds available for inflated prices from ticket brokers, including Tickets Now. Yes, I have bought tickets from brokers before but I refuse to for this show, based on the way it has been handled. I'll keep checking Ticketmaster, but I'm quickly getting fed up with the whole rigamarole.
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leonardmtl
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Location: Cambridge, MA

Re: The promoter is scamming us

Post by leonardmtl »

One more thing.

Since all of the posters have joined within the past two weeks, I encourage them to spend time understanding LC

They would quickly see they are not buying tickets to a hockey game.

In this world, there is no guarantee of a seat.

Leonard from Montreal......same name...same town......no Golden Voice
We're all on one road....we're only passing through....

1967 Montreal / 2008 Toronto/ 2009 New York Beacon /Boston 2x /New York MSG / Chelsea Hotel Plaque Celebration /San Jose / 2010 Las Vegas 2x / 2012 Montreal 2x /Boston 2x
denalynn2001
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2009 11:56 pm

Re: The promoter is scamming us

Post by denalynn2001 »

This poster joined today specifically in my response to the frustrating ticketing situation, but I have been understanding LC since I became drawn to his music and ethos in 1992. I have chosen not to participate in this fan community because there are only so many of these things that one has time for, but that has nothing whatsoever to do with my relationship with Leonard Cohen and his music. I was lucky enough to see him at the Park West that year, and "lucky" is the word I always use. I am not so spoiled as to feel entitled, but I do feel it is wrong that there were umpteen million presales for this show and now hundreds of tickets with brokers and none for the fans. Let's not confuse our issues, because this very new forum poster and longtime fan has no hesitation calling bullshit when I see it.
da2008
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Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:01 pm

Re: The promoter is scamming us

Post by da2008 »

And let the conspiracy theories begin...
MaryB
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Location: Columbus, Ohio USA

Re: The promoter is scamming us

Post by MaryB »

da2008 wrote:And let the conspiracy theories begin...
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: - right on :!: :!: :!: :!:
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
denalynn2001
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Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2009 11:56 pm

Re: The promoter is scamming us

Post by denalynn2001 »

Aint' no conspiracy, just good, old-fashioned greed. For now I'm attributing that to Ticketmaster, Amex, and the venue(s).
da2008
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Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:01 pm

Re: The promoter is scamming us

Post by da2008 »

You must not be going to a lot of concerts I reckon. This is par for the course, unfortunately - nothing to do with greed, conspiracies, etc. Ticketmaster are thugs, but everybody knows it.
Reno
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Re: The promoter is scamming us

Post by Reno »

denalynn2001 wrote:Aint' no conspiracy, just good, old-fashioned greed. For now I'm attributing that to Ticketmaster, Amex, and the venue(s).
I agree absolutely. It's dismaying to see folks suggest that the criticism of ticket distribution is equivalent to delusions of those whom they refer to as the "conspiracy theorists," i.e. deluded crazies. The hierarchical ticket distribution of Cohen's concert tickets is motivated by nothing other than a money grab. It's implausible that Cohen isn't aware of this vulgar scheme, too To quote Brecht, "Grub first, ethics later." Is that so, Mr. Cohen? I'm one of the schmucks that believed in the sincerity of your life as a monk and the religiousness of your lyrics. All a scam, all a scam....
denalynn2001
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Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2009 11:56 pm

Re: The promoter is scamming us

Post by denalynn2001 »

Well, you are definitely right about my not going to a lot of concerts recently. And with this rigamarole, it's no wonder. For what it's worth, I do go to SOME concerts and I've never encountered anything like this. However, I am certainly not prepared to disrespect LC or his beliefs at this point.
sharney55
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Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2009 4:45 pm

Re: The promoter is scamming us

Post by sharney55 »

Leonard lost his life savings to a scammer named Kelley Lynch. He may not be as attentive to these things as we'd like him to be. It would be interesting to see if we could confirm this allegation about the promoter.
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