Virgin Festival Roll Call

Sure they do. My wife was gentrified and listened to the Chili Peppers, until she met me and I told her it wasn't allowed.

Originally posted by le sonick:

Originally posted by sweetcell:

Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:
This festival is in Baltimore.

luckily, few of the locals can afford to attend. i'm looking forward to a very gentrified crowd.

"gentrified" people dont listen to the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

have fun tomorrow guys. it'll probably be the first and last virgin festival we ever see, in baltimore at least.

http://baltimore.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2006/09/18/daily37.html

Music festival promoters 'categorically disappointed' in expected turnout
Baltimore Business Journal - 4:26 PM EDT Fridayby Julekha DashStaff
Promoters of Baltimore's Virgin Festival say they are disappointed with ticket sales for Saturday's concert, which will feature some of the biggest rock and alternative acts in the music industry.

So far, 35,000 of the 60,000 available tickets to the concert at Pimlico Race Course have been sold, said Dave Geller, vice president for business development at Bethesda-based concert promoter I.M.P. Concerts Inc.

"We're categorically disappointed but we long ago prepared for the fact that it's not going to sell out," Geller said.

Tickets for the concert, whose lineup includes the Who, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Gnarls Barkley, went on sale for $97.50 on July 22.

Concert promoters will still make money from the event, Geller said.

Geller expects that by Saturday, the concert will draw 40,000, or two-thirds of capacity, with walk-up ticket sales. He blamed the sluggish ticket sales on the fact that the day-long concert falls on the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, and the $100 ticket price.

Baltimore's Virgin Festival is based on billionaire Richard Branson's V Festival, sponsored by Virgin Mobile, which is a wildly popular sellout event in the United Kingdom.

Saturday's concert is the first time the event has taken place in the United States.

Originally posted by andyrichter:
have fun tomorrow guys. it'll probably be the first and last virgin festival we ever see, in baltimore at least.

well, if they look at the history of Lollapalooza, Coachella and probably many other festivals in America and abroad, they will find that ticket sales are always lower and money isnt to be made on a first time gig.

Perhaps not having the Who on the bill would've brought tickets to $60 or so. $100 a day is not cheap, but they are throwing a concert in a city that doesnt get many concerts, at a venue that almost never has one. add to that , i think they had a very poor website that certainly didnt make anyone wanna come to the show. the promotion didnt seem so hot either.

but either way, there are many other cities in the US to try, so you may be right. But i hope Seth realizes that it takes time to establish a marquee event like this, just as i am sure it took him time to make 930 what it is. so as long as Branson wants to come back, hopefullt Seth will be on board.

40,000 out of 60,000 isnt that bad anyway. But i do think that making it one day FULL of "great bands" was not the best move. if they took those bands, added some filler and made it two days for $130, thats like Coachella and although it sounds like a subpar idea, people think "1 day for $100!!! not worth it, but 2 days for $130?? awesome!" silly, but thats what a lot of people think.

in fact, i am only going cause its here. i wouldnt travel too far for a one day festival with this lineup.

i think how well tomorrow goes will have a lot to do with another show next year.

I'm going to be at this one….I'm sure I'll run into a lot of boardies……… ;)

…and with an 11th hour ticket purchase, I'm in. Looking forward to it. My only concern at this point is travel logistics. I think I'm going to regret not getting on the On Tap party bus.

$100 - wipes out college kids, grad students etc., which is probably the sweet spot of festival attendees.

Emphasis on past-their prime artists makes it difficult to create real buzz and will appeal most to an older crowd that doesn't want to go to a festival and spend the day outside w/ 40-60,000 other folks (unless Radiohead is there).

Jewish Holiday.

Roger Waters at Nissan completely overlaps with the demographic that can afford a ticket and give a crap about the Who.

Also, festivals are a summer thing, aren't they? Like a "best day of the summer" event. This wouild make more sense if it occured Labor Day weekend.

It has the makings of a super fun day though. Besides the headliners, bands like STS9 and Theivery and Flaming Lips and New Pornographers etc. should create a great vibe . . . then throw in the big names and it has to be sweet. But . . . the lineup is more sweet than marketable.