R.E.M. in Washington, D.C.!?

silentlynx55 said:Honestly, I’ve already accepted that REM probably won't show up. Just look at the math—they need to move 10,000 tickets at $100 per pop, and the show isn't until January. Most people are gonna blow their cash on New Year's Eve or just spend it getting wasted rather than buying a concert ticket. This city (Washington, D.C.) is actually in a killer spot since it's an easy stop for any major US tour, and I was really hoping that after these recent shows being announced, we'd finally see them pull in more big acts. But hey, people's habits speak for themselves, so it likely won't happen.
Luckily, I caught REM live last year, so it would be a massive bummer if they canceled.
The government doesn't do anything to help out with taxes for concerts (or cultural events in general, for that matter).
It’s total nonsense that ticket prices here in America are basically the same as in the rest of the European Union

...I've seen REM live and even met them personally, so on one hand, I'm good... but man, it would suck if the concert got called off... and honestly, the greed from both the government and the promoters deserves its own separate thread...

Kenneth Collins8 said:[I actually met them in person, [/B]

Oh, really? 😍

Where? And how?

shree_kali said:Oh, really? 😍

Where? How?

...back in '99 at the pier...ran into Bucko, chatted about his work on that "Tuatara" project, grabbed a Corona with Mike Mills and Michael Stipe, talked shop for a bit, got my CDs signed, and then headed straight home...

...the show was insane, man. My ears were still ringing so bad the next day I actually ended up napping in a storage closet at the office, hiding behind some filing cabinets like I was hunting down some super important paperwork just to catch some Z's...😁

It isn’t just about the musicians—that’s actually the least of our concerns. When you're looking at concert revenue, you have to account for venue rental, insurance, and paying the entire crew. These "big" bands don't exactly show up in a single van full of gear and decide to waive their fees just to play for free. I suppose you could theoretically organize a show at a loss—essentially forcing the promoter to eat the cost—but a smart organizer would typically offset that by balancing it out with other shows to ensure they at least hit break-even. This particular promoter, however, is already deep in the red from three previous gigs
(The Rolling Stones, Metallica, and Lenny).

Kenneth Collins8 said:...back in '99 at the Copacabana...I actually ran into Peter Buck. We chatted about his involvement in that "Tuatara" project, grabbed a Corona with Mike Mills and Michael Stipe, talked shop for a bit, got my CDs signed, and then headed straight home...

...that concert was absolutely electric. My ears were still ringing so hard the next day that I ended up hiding in an office supply closet among the filing cabinets at work, pretending to hunt for urgent documents just so I could nap...😁

Give me a break! 🎉

Must be nice. 🙂

The closest I’ve ever gotten to fame is meeting members of Azra and a few local celebrities around here... but nothing nearly as sweet as your stories. Honestly, I'm green with envy—just look: 😬

Sandra Wright42 said:I truly believe the concert will go on, even with the impresario standing in the way!

It’s just so typical of our local scene...
Isn't it always just like this here at home?

Can you imagine someone actually organizing a major show, only for the fans to spend all their energy hoping the concert happens IN SPITE of the organizer? Isn't that just a bizarre way for things to work?

😂

I was skimming through the Los Angeles Times earlier today (I don't usually pick up a paper—only grabbed this one because of the local indie scene 😁) and there’s an interview featuring Z. Gall and Bucko. He’s quite the legend 👍

Regarding P2P programs and digital downloads, he mentioned he'd much rather have ten million people listening to his music than have a single million people actually buy it. Isn't that something? 👍

It's true that I own every single original R.E.M. CD, unlike those people who complain so incessantly about everything, but honestly, just hearing the music is enough. Still, I'll be buying the new album on physical media once those folks 🙏

Kenneth Collins8 says:
...well, honestly, I wasn't expecting anything more than just legal arguments from Crnarić’s attorney... but if you're going to make that claim, why don't you give me some actual numbers regarding the amount of unrefunded tickets for the Rolling Stones and Metallica...
_________________________________________

Now, my dear Kenneth Collins8—if you take a look back at the thread regarding the Lenny and Metallica refunds, you'll see my actual position on the matter. Back then, I stated that I believe all money *must*—and I really want to emphasize that word—be returned. If it isn't, then the people in charge absolutely have to be held accountable under the law. Period. And, well, my opinion on that isn't going to change.

In this specific thread, I was merely explaining what people (who, let's face it, aren't necessarily expected to know every single regulation) are rightfully noticing—that ticket prices in America are higher than they are in the US. And, dear Kenneth Collins8, that has absolutely nothing to do with what you're talking about right now. I laid out the calculation for an individual ticket right in front of you, so if you actually have a valid counterargument—I am here.

As for accusing me of switching topics or throwing low blows—like suggesting I'm defending the withholding of other people's money—I think those kinds of remarks only come from you and people like you when there's a lack of actual facts to lean on.🙂

By the way, everyone who was with me managed to get their money back. It happened directly at the point of sale... so, personally, I'm satisfied.

p.s

And look, I'm certainly not trying to impress you; after all, you seem to be quite friendly with celebrities—it's just lovely how your ego gets to take a little victory lap in the process. 😉

Hannah Patel said:...
Look, I'm clearly not even on your level if you're out here rubbing elbows with A-listers constantly. It’s honestly so sweet how you managed to squeeze in a little ego trip while you were at it. 😉

...Fine, whatever. For your sake, I'll go get a cosmetic brain lobotomy just so I can finally forget all those times I ran into celebrities...😉

Kevin Allen10 said:I’ll pick up an original once these big shots 🙏

Exactly. I ended up with a bootleg Green copy—total disaster—so I headed out to find the real thing. If they actually treat their fans with respect, I'll return the favor...

Kenneth Collins8 says:

Look, I’m basically willing to undergo some kind of mental reset—just for you, really—so I can finally wipe those celebrity encounters from my memory...
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You’re doing it again, though—just sticking to the P.S. instead of actually saying anything meaningful. And hey, don't go calling it an
"aesthetic" lobotomy?! Just sit back and cherish those memories, you celebrity seeker

we love you Kenneth Collins8 😉

So, my wife went out and picked up two tickets for the concert today. It was definitely $100, but honestly, if it’s for REM, I’d say it was worth every penny!

I just really hope we don't run into any cancellations like so many other shows have had this year.

Why are tickets already on sale? I suppose it might have been easier if they waited until just a couple of days before the show to release them, just to be safe... that way we could avoid another situation where everyone ends up asking for refunds... 😁 Not that I’m trying to be the resident pessimist, though... does anyone know where I can actually pick up tickets? 🙂

Just give Crnarić’s interview in The Washington Post a good read today, then we can see how many people actually grab tickets before the absolute last minute. Honestly, I’m not biting, no matter how much I love REM. I’ll be waiting until the final second... just like watching Stipe pick out flowers at Times Square.😎

I’m with you on this—I used to think Crnarić was just some reckless con artist, but after reading this piece in The Washington Post, it’s clear he’s a complete idiot, too. 🙂

So, for those of us who didn't catch the morning news—could someone give me the quick rundown of what he actually said?

It’s like he can’t even pay people back for the Metallica tour because he’d have to file for bankruptcy. He probably has to wait until his next big project actually hits water (😂 😂 😂) just to scrape together enough to cover those debts... so yeah, good luck buying tickets now.

Vespasian said:I just hope they don't end up pulling the plug on this one, too, like they did with most everything else this year.

hmm... what's that song going again? dream on, dreeeaaaam ooon... 😂

Dana Anderson4 said:There is no way he’s refunding people for Metallica. If he did, he’d have to file for bankruptcy immediately. He basically has to wait until his next big project actually pulls in some cash 😂 😂 😂 before he can settle those debts... so yeah, just go ahead and buy tickets now if you want.

By the logic of this alert thread, someone should probably ask Megan Reed to stop talking about things she clearly doesn't understand at a fundamental level...

Dana Anderson4 said:He can't just hand back the money for Metallica because he'd have to file for bankruptcy. He basically has to wait until his next big project hits so he can settle those debts... so yeah, just go ahead and buy more tickets.

Exactly. Just be patient, everyone. It’s all for your own good, really...🙄