Coldplay Presale Purchase Question

Originally posted by vansmack:
And neither is hiding behind the illusion that it's OK to give Chris Martin more money because I should "consider maybe he's using part of his fortune to help out charities."

As I explained to you, that was never my contention. I was trying to diffuse the "third world debt relief" from being an issue in a Coldplay ticket price circle jerk.

Originally posted by sonickteam4:
yeah, we closed last week, moved in already.

funny, I am almost 28 and i am thinking "why didnt i do this 5 years ago!"

That's frickin' fantastic.

You know, I feel like things were different when I was in my mid-20s. I didn't know ANYONE who bought a place or even thought about it, not until pretty close to 30. But now the 22 and 23 year olds in my office are buying places, or thinking about/planning for it.

Great move – 28 is a fine time. I'm a decade behind! (Wondering if there's any of that "I'll wait until I'm married" affect – could be a bit; single women tend to buy later, but still, I'm on the back end of my friends on this one).

One last POV not posted. Every day on this forum there is another former "fan" who bails from supporting their fav. band. This just highlights what a short "shelf life" some of these groups have. What you don't generally think about is how many years they spent sleeping in broken-down, filthy vans while they drive from venue to venue opening for "headliners" often for little more than two or three free beers and gas money.

IF they are lucky enuf to emerge from from the bottom of the pile, they usually have to put their derriere's in overdrive, and tour nonstop. Even if the van/bus is bigger, the food still sucks, no comfy beds/thus no sleep, far away from family/friends/loved ones, no exercise - AND they're NOT making alot of money in the beginning..promoters/labels/management gets first shot at the cash. If you think your new favorite group isn't on tour, just check out their website. They're probably doing the same in Japan, Europe, etc, virtually non-stop. So I think the "short shelf life" panic factor - and the fickleness of fans - combined with a high burn-out rate - also jacks up the ticket prices: Not everyone becomes a U2/Rolling Stones/Bruce Springsteen - with fan bases who now have multiple platinum credit cards and second homes… so tick-tick-tick; 15 minutes of fame is up pretty fast.

Originally posted by Bags:
You know, I feel like things were different when I was in my mid-20s. I didn't know ANYONE who bought a place or even thought about it, not until pretty close to 30. But now the 22 and 23 year olds in my office are buying places, or thinking about/planning for it.

i'm almost 24 and i'm seeing the same phenomenon … i, however, just found a sweet place to rent in kalorama which i could never afford if i wanted to buy :D

Sushi, great points. I'd been thinking the same thing. And actually, it *is* like pro-athletes. As a general rule, you have a few short years to be at the top of your game, so make what you can then. I'm not defending $10 million contracts per se (though sports bring in those kinds of revenues), just that the decision by a band or player may well be "I've got 5 years, this is my chance to make it and live on it largely for the next 40 years."

Originally posted by HoyaParanoia:

Originally posted by Bags:
You know, I feel like things were different when I was in my mid-20s. I didn't know ANYONE who bought a place or even thought about it, not until pretty close to 30. But now the 22 and 23 year olds in my office are buying places, or thinking about/planning for it.

i'm almost 24 and i'm seeing the same phenomenon … i, however, just found a sweet place to rent in kalorama which i could never afford if i wanted to buy :D

It's funny, because TODAY the market is much more skewed toward renting in terms of monthly costs. Real estate was so much cheaper, even in relative terms, back in my mid-20s.

I think some of it comes from the hot market, and how that has resulted in heightened awareness overall over home-ownership, etc. Hmmmm….

Originally posted by BadSushi:
What you don't generally think about is how many years they spent sleeping in broken-down, filthy vans while they drive from venue to venue opening for "headliners" often for little more than two or three free beers and gas money.

someone PLEASE find me an article about Chris Martin and his record label darling bandmates EVER slept in a broken down van.

i mean, even for one night.

ggw, I am counting on you

sushilady, i get your point, i am just picturing chris is a broken down van, perhaps with a keyboard with only 46 keys (explaining why all thier songs sound the same!)

Originally posted by Bags:
It's funny, because TODAY the market is much more skewed toward renting in terms of monthly costs.

it really is unreal. i mean, looking at what we got and what we paid for, it seems like a huge rip-off, but when we sell it in 3-5 years, theres a good chance we'll leave with over $100,000 in our pockets. which will be about the price of 2 Coldplay tickets by then.

Originally posted by sonickteam4:
someone PLEASE find me an article about Chris Martin and his record label darling bandmates EVER slept in a broken down van.

i mean, even for one night.

ggw, I am counting on you

I don't think any such article exists.

Apparently Martin's father is a successful developer. Currently he is trying to build 160 homes on a protected "green land" site in the south of England.

WARNING: This thread is starting to turn rather gay.

I think Chris Martin may be an exception; and - even if he has the bucks - I'm betting he isn't sharing much of it with his fellow bandmates…plus, so sad: he married an extremely wealthy woman who also comes with an inheritance.

Bags: I know you've met - and if I recall shared a few cocktails - with Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol. I saw him dragging out of the 930 the other night. He looked SO tired, bedraggled, wearing an old grey hoodie and carrying an ancient knapsack, heading for the tour bus…Atlanta last night. Even rock gods get weary.

The biggest mystery to me is: How does Seth keep ticket prices so low - for some extraordinary headliners - while paying for so many 930 employees - (the nightly staffing headcount is amazing) and maintaining that huge space? I can't believe it's on alcohol sales 'cause at an all ages venue, probably a large percentage aren't even drinking…and how much profit is really in a $25.00 t-shirt? Hmmmm…probably if he tell us, he'd have to kill us. :D

Originally posted by BadSushi:
How does Seth keep ticket prices so low - for some extraordinary headliners - while paying for so many 930 employees - (the nightly staffing headcount is amazing) and maintaining that huge space? I can't believe it's on alcohol sales 'cause at an all ages venue, probably a large percentage aren't even drinking…and how much profit is really in a $25.00 t-shirt? Hmmmm…probably if he tell us, he'd have to kill us. :D

Ever bought a can of Boddies in the 930?

Back to original topic…anyone who pays $70 go so see some tool that calls his kid "APPLE" needs their arse kicking. But that's just me……….

Originally posted by O'Mankie:
anyone who pays $70 go so see some tool that calls his kid "APPLE" needs their arse kicking. But that's just me……….

I wanna be just like Mankie when i grow up! (get old)

Originally posted by BadSushi:
Bags: I know you've met - and if I recall shared a few cocktails - with Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol. I saw him dragging out of the 930 the other night. He looked SO tired, bedraggled, wearing an old grey hoodie and carrying an ancient knapsack, heading for the tour bus…Atlanta last night. Even rock gods get weary.

I met him only briefly at the DC9 'official' Snow Patrol after party last time they came through town. I'm not good at talking to bands; don't want to be a bother, but I figured I couldn't leave without telling him I loved both of the band's 9:30 Club shows, etc., etc. They agreed to the publicly announced after party, right (and NO one was bothering them at all, not while I was there…)

I can only imagine, with all that jumping around, he'd be tired. Don't you think he looks like he'd be a sweetie??

not to beat a dead horse, but i couldn't resist chiming in here. aren't ticket prices set by the label and management, not necessarily by the artist? assuming chris martin is honest in his alturistic sentiments, how can a band charge $70 for tickets, play at ampitheatres like nissan and then not feel like a fool? yes, it's market forces at work here; prices and venues are based on what the label thinks the market will bear. while we can wile away the day arguing about chris martin (which it looks like people have done), at the end of the day, it just makes coldplay look like more of a tool of the Man more than anything.

Originally posted by Venerable Bede:
assuming chris martin is honest in his alturistic sentiments, how can a band charge $70 for tickets, play at ampitheatres like nissan and then not feel like a fool?

According to this Entetainment Weekly article I just read:

<img src="http://i.timeinc.net/ew/covers/ew_90w.jpg" alt=" - " />

He's worried about going to debters prison because the stage lighting set-up is too outlandish:

"We're going top play venues with this giant thing that looks like something out of Waterworld? Then we'll half sell all the tickets and end up in debtors prison." - Chris Martin

Score one for GGW.

Originally posted by Bags:

I met him only briefly at the DC9 'official' Snow Patrol after party last time they came through town. I'm not good at talking to bands; don't want to be a bother, but I figured I couldn't leave without telling him I loved both of the band's 9:30 Club shows, etc., etc. They agreed to the publicly announced after party, right (and NO one was bothering them at all, not while I was there…)

I can only imagine, with all that jumping around, he'd be tired. Don't you think he looks like he'd be a sweetie?? [/QB]

Yep, I agree. As you pointed out elsewhere, Gary Lightbody seems so genuinely surprised at their success, and determined to give everyone a good show. I think he might be equally as gracious with fans one-on-one over a "pint". I was amazed at how seamlessly the new bass player fit in. I listen to Final Straw almost daily, and every bass-line was perfect…someone did their homework - and I think somewhere a clock is ticking was perfection. I didn't notice ear monitors either, which usually assists in a "studio perfect" rendition. It may show that Final Straw was NOT over-produced with studio tricks.

If I ever turned around at the bar and bumped into Chris Cornell, I'd have a heartattack - I'm star struck by him. I think the nicest most sociable, accessible band lately was Dave McCabe and the Zutons (backbar) and TSOOL; the worst - too uptight (or maybe too shy) : The Kings of Leon. They didn't even smile when some fans told 'em how awesome the show was…Go figure!
;) (maybe bad teeth, heheheheh).

just an fyi that lawn tickets for these coldplay shows are in the 35 dollar range. warrants mentioning.