This is hardly an original idea, but I thought I’d share. I just bought tickets to Aimee Mann at the Commodore (sweet, eh?). They were a mere $27.50. Then Ticketmaster came by for its pound of flesh:
That’s 35% of the ticket in service charges and extra fees. Coincidentally, I recently joined a committee that oversees Festival Box Office, a local, low-cost alternative to Ticketmaster. In truth, I don’t know what the service charges are for Festival, but we’re a non-profit, so you can be certain that they’ll be cheaper than Ticketmaster’s.
DarrenBarefoot.com 
The Commodore has Ivana Santilli playing on Canada day. She put on a great show here. Go see her if you have an opportunity. 🙂
Jeff: I went to her site (http://www.ivanasantilli.net/) and said, out loud, “Yowza.” Now to see about her music. I also like her Austin Powersesque name–it seems to imply that ‘santilli’ is a verb.
Huh. Bummer. The site hasn’t actually launched yet.
I did find a vapid interview here: http://umbrellamusic.com/umbtv.php?id=47.
And one short audio sample here: http://www.juno.co.uk/IP/IF141539-01.htm.
“Yowza”
My sentiments exactly.
I downloaded some of her music before going to the performance and was anticipating a night of smooth jazz, melodic vocals, and a generally laid back good time.
Her current show is based on her upcoming album however, and it was much more of a high energy performance. The crowd was dancing the entire time Her cover of ‘Do the Hustle’ as part of the intro was compelling – She’s amazing with that trumpet.
I saw her play a set years back (on the heels of her first solo release after that daft hip hop lite trio she was in) in the basement of the Hotel Georgia (think intimate) and she played a stunning set. Not sure how she’d be in a bigger space, but I’m glad she’s still keepin’ on.
35%!?!
That’s just fucked, my friend, fucked. This is exactly why I never buy tickets from that evil organisation.
I can get tickets for most of the shows I go to from smaller record stores for cash, with no “Building Facility” or “Convenience” charges, and certainly no “Order Processing Fee.”
Wow. I feel your pain.
I bought tickets for Alicia Keys through TicketB@astard last night. The ticket was $19. The facility and convenience charges added another $11. Obscene.
Ticketmaster can and will charge up to $10 per ticket as a convenience charge.
We have a local Performing Arts Centre – and they charge $2.50 tops, always. However, they have the last say – if the performance is there we must use their services.
Ticketmaster has an imagined monopoly, with a ton of convenience… but there are other ways to sell tickets.
I’m assuming Aimee (why do people buy tickets for my show?) Mann played at the legendary Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver. From their website comes, “Tickets can be purchased at the Commodore Ballroom Box Office” Don’t support Ticketmaster. Hop on a bus, bike, car bumper and head down there. And if it’s not open until immediately before the show….stand in line. Don’t hate a corporation, their goal is to make money, and the corporation will fight your paying hate with higher fees. This may in turn make you hate the corporation more however, you’ll see, corporations don’t have feelings, but corporations like to make money for their stakeholders. I’m sure that House of Blues gets a little peice of that convenience charge as well, do you hate them? Aimee Mann, or her management company, is also getting a little peice of that as well. Do you hate her, or the company that manages her 20 year over the hill career?
So if you must attend concerts that are felt that only Ticketmaster can handle the huge volume of tickets which will be sold, don’t. Go to the local coffee house, or all-ages club and throw $4 into a donation bin.
Just a thought. Whiny Whiner.
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