# Tom Waits on sale today



## Brendan Burgess (27 May 2008)

I am waiting for Ticketmaster and I get this message: 

The Tom Waits Tour will be subject to new anti-touting plans. Therefore, the following rules will be in place:

Tickets are strictly limited to two(2) per person.
Please ensure that the credit card used to purchase tickets belongs to the person who is attending the show.
On entry to the venue all patrons MUST present a valid I.D. (Passport or Driving Licence) matching the name on the ticket(s) in order to gain entry to the venue. Failure to provide matching valid I.D will result in you not gaining access to the event.
If you purchase two tickets, both patrons must be present at time of entry to the venue. All tickets will be scanned for validation on entry to the show.
 Any tickets resold will be refused entry to the venue.  No resale allowed under any circumstances.
Only tickets purchased from official Ticketmaster outlets will be valid.
Tickets are non-transferable.
Tickets will not be dispatched until 2 weeks before the event.


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## Brendan Burgess (27 May 2008)

*Re: Tom Waits going on sale in 5 minutes*

It's great, but does that mean that I have to name the person I am going with now? What if they can't make it? 

Brendan


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## Eanair (27 May 2008)

*Re: Tom Waits going on sale in 5 minutes*

No, purchaser's name will appear on both tickets.


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## Eanair (27 May 2008)

*Re: Tom Waits going on sale in 5 minutes*

Woohoo! Got mine!


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## Brendan Burgess (27 May 2008)

*Re: Tom Waits going on sale in 5 minutes*

that was hard work. I had three people ringing and logging on for 15 minutes and we kept getting "These tickets are not available"

Eventually, I got them. 

These new rules are great. 

Brendan


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## sam h (27 May 2008)

*Re: Tom Waits going on sale in 5 minutes*



> These new rules are great.


 
You may not think so when the date swings around and you find it overlaps with some othere commitment.  You won't even be able to swap or give the tickets away to a friend, let alone sell for face value!


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## Eanair (27 May 2008)

*Re: Tom Waits going on sale in 5 minutes*



> These new rules are great


 
Agreed - makes it harder if there's three of you going to a fully seated gig though. However, at least the tickets lasted longer than 5 minutes


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## quinno (27 May 2008)

*Re: Tom Waits going on sale in 5 minutes*

Got mine as well - although I rang Aiken (the promoter) last week to check out the anti-tout thing (which is great, the gig was a prime one for touts to rip off), and they said Ticketmaster would be looking for a passport / driving licence number when booking. To my eyes, it was like booking any other gig, although I got two tickets - my guests name was not asked for, so in thoery you could bring a stand-in?


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## ATgirl (27 May 2008)

*Re: Tom Waits going on sale in 5 minutes*

But what if you're buying tickets as a present for somebody, your name will be on them as you've bought them, but then you might not necessarily be going?  how does this new rule work then?


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## Guest120 (27 May 2008)

*Re: Tom Waits going on sale in 5 minutes*

@08.59am


Eanair said:


> No, purchaser's name will appear on both tickets.



@10.27am


quinno said:


> I got two tickets - my guests name was not asked for, so in thoery you could bring a stand-in?


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## ubiquitous (27 May 2008)

*Re: Tom Waits going on sale in 5 minutes*



Brendan said:


> On entry to the venue all patrons MUST present a valid I.D. (Passport or Driving Licence) matching the name on the ticket(s) in order to gain entry to the venue.



I can see a few problems with this. 

Unless Aiken Promotions are investing massively in extra door staff, the cross-checking of tickets against ID will surely mean delays and queues at the doors of the venue. 

And I'm not sure how wise it is to ask people to routinely bring their passports to concerts, especially if they are having a few refreshments afterwards.



quinno said:


> they said Ticketmaster would be looking for a passport / driving licence number when booking.



Maybe I'm paranoid but I would be quite worried about the privacy implications of giving my passport or driving licence number over the phone to a Ticketmaster operative or anyone else.


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## ClubMan (27 May 2008)

*Re: Tom Waits going on sale in 5 minutes*

My problem would be much more basic - €100+ for a bloody ticket! No thanks...


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## quinno (27 May 2008)

*Re: Tom Waits going on sale in 5 minutes*



ClubMan said:


> My problem would be much more basic - €100+ for a bloody ticket! No thanks...


 
Yeah, agreed, only €55 to see him State side. But all concerts in Ireland seem to attract a huge premium - overheads, insurance, cost of fish, bla bla or whatever excuse promoters seem to come up with. 

But then again it is Tom Waits....


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## ubiquitous (27 May 2008)

*Re: Tom Waits going on sale in 5 minutes*



quinno said:


> But all concerts in Ireland seem to attract a huge premium - overheads, insurance, cost of fish, bla bla or whatever excuse promoters seem to come up with.



VAT is the newest one


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## Brendan Burgess (27 May 2008)

I think that Askaboutmoney might become a lot more sociable as a result of this change. 

Instead of the message "Two tickets for sale...". It will be "I have a spare ticket for Concert X - would anyone like to go with me? ". 

There are downsides to the anti-touting rule, but the upsides outweigh them. 

Brendan


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## ClubMan (27 May 2008)

Brendan said:


> "I have a spare ticket for Concert X - would anyone like to go with me? ".


Sorry - I think I'm washing my hair that night.


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## Lauren (27 May 2008)

Ummm who is Tom Waits?


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## ClubMan (27 May 2008)

Lauren said:


> Ummm who is Tom Waits?


Haven't a clue. _Google _doesn't find anything about him.


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## Purple (27 May 2008)

ClubMan said:


> Haven't a clue. _Google _doesn't find anything about him.


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## ClubMan (27 May 2008)

Oh sorry - I didn't actually bother searching. I just thought if I posted here somebody else would do it for me. Thanks.


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## Purple (27 May 2008)

ClubMan said:


> Oh sorry - I didn't actually bother searching. I just thought if I posted here somebody else would do it for me. Thanks.





Now you know how the other 98% live.


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## Brianne (27 May 2008)

Maybe ,while he's here, he should go to the Mater Private and get those vocal polyps removed!!!! Sorry!!!


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## quinno (27 May 2008)

Blasphemer!!


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## Jock04 (27 May 2008)

ClubMan said:


> Oh sorry - I didn't actually bother searching. I just thought if I posted here somebody else would do it for me. Thanks.


 
Quite simply,


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## PM1234 (27 May 2008)

Isn't this the first event that Ticketmaster is using this policy for? I thought it was a trial run to see how it goes  (with Tom Waits consent - genuine fans only need apply etc) and if successful, it will then be rolled out in the next 12-18 months?   

Personally I think its advantages outweigh its disadvantages, the first being that the tickets were far easier to get this morning!  Than again  sam h has a very valid point of losing both tickets (ie if you have two) if the purchaser is unable to go. I suppose you can always give your passport and credit card to someone you know and trust if the same gender


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## Carpenter (28 May 2008)

I picked up my 2 tickets for Thursday night, although I've have had pangs of "guilt" over paying so much for a gig!


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## ClubMan (28 May 2008)

Carpenter said:


> I picked up my 2 tickets for Thursday night, although I've have had pangs of "guilt" over paying so much for a gig!


Why not do what most people do and salve such pangs by moaning about being ripped off?


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## Purple (29 May 2008)

ClubMan said:


> Why not do what most people do and salve such pangs by moaning about being ripped off?


Because there'd be another circular argument, which would get moved to LOS, go on for 16 pages and get closed when you guys got sick of moderating out the personal insults?


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## Carpenter (29 May 2008)

Or alternatively I could have said the following: "Although I feel the tickets were overpriced I cannot complain about there being any "rip-off" given that I paid the asking price, freely and without compulsion or coercion of any kind.  I wanted to go to the concert so I paid the asking price for the tickets".  Still what a bloody rip-off though, I'm still hurting; if I'd paid by credit card I would have had to pay another 5%, Dick Turpin how are ye!  As for that tent..... ; )


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## DrMoriarty (30 May 2008)

That's what clinched it for me. I'd have paid that money to see His Waitness play somewhere like Whelans or Vicar Street. Not to stand in a bloody tent in the Phoenix Park!


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## extopia (30 May 2008)

The bottom line, as Clubman said, is the price. I like Tom, but 116 per person? To stand in a field? (oh sorry, that's not a field, that's the "ratcellar theatre")/

I predict this one won't sell out. Like the recent Springsteen gigs, tickets may well be ten a penny on the night.


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## quinno (30 May 2008)

Well, there was plenty of items on fan sites about the possibily of an Irish visit, so I held off on other gigs. People were saying tickets were likely to be in the order of €150, so I had myself prepared and raisded the piggy bank well in davance. I got €116 tickets (It's in Block B at the back - apparentlyl the "best available seats" at 9.02, two minutes after the tickets went on sale - I couldn't access the seating chart when booking. I felt €136 was too much (I know it's only an extra €20, but the price was steep at €116). Yet again, Irish ticket fans are being creamed - average price to see himn in main lan Europe seemed to be €60 - €70. So why so expensive here? Are promoters here just greedy, or are artists tipped off that we'll pay ridiculous prices? Had considered going to see hiom in Europe (PAris, Prague) and making a weekend out of it....

From the numbers, it looks like well over 6000 seats per nite, so not the intimate gig that I thought it was going to be. Still looking forward to it on the Friday night though.


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## quinno (30 May 2008)

Having just done quick check on European prices, Milan tickets are €103 - €139, Paris €69, €103 & 139. So not too late for a weekend break with Mr. Waits thrown in!!


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## ClubMan (30 May 2008)

> *Tom Waits on sale today*


How much did they get for him in the end?


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## Purple (30 May 2008)

extopia said:


> I predict this one won't sell out. Like the recent Springsteen gigs, tickets may well be ten a penny on the night.


 I think this might have as much to do with the promoters releasing tickets on the day in order to outmanoeuvre the touts.


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## Complainer (30 May 2008)

extopia said:


> The bottom line, as Clubman said, is the price. I like Tom, but 116 per person? To stand in a field? (oh sorry, that's not a field, that's the "ratcellar theatre")/
> 
> I predict this one won't sell out.


It had already sold out at the time that you posted this.


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## Petal (31 May 2008)

I think Ticketmaster should have some sort of return policy in place. With all these rules and regulations they are imposing on the purchaser you really do take a risk in buying these. 
I also think that they seem to have adopted a new policy to outwit touts. I'm trying to sell two unwanted Leonard Cohen tickets, but Ticketmaster keeps releasing extra tickets for all 3 shows on an on and off basis, so no chance in getting rid of them. And they were really expensive and I bought them as special treat for the other half, not knowing that a friend of his had already organised a lad's night out. No way I'm going myself - the music is way too depressing for my liking....


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## Complainer (31 May 2008)

Petal said:


> I'm trying to sell two unwanted Leonard Cohen tickets, but Ticketmaster keeps releasing extra tickets for all 3 shows on an on and off basis, so no chance in getting rid of them. And they were really expensive and I bought them as special treat for the other half, not knowing that a friend of his had already organised a lad's night out. No way I'm going myself - the music is way too depressing for my liking....



You might get to sell them (possibly at less than face value) via Seatwave.com - they will take a 10% commission as well.

I agree that a returns policy is needed if they are going to be restrictive on who turns up with the tickets.


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## dereko1969 (1 Jun 2008)

you could try and sell them for face value or less at


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## extopia (1 Jun 2008)

Complainer said:


> It had already sold out at the time that you posted this.



Probably not sold out - it's just that the first batch of tickets have sold out. More will probably be released in the day or two before the show. Just like the recent Springsteen  and Celine Dion shows.


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## Complainer (1 Jun 2008)

extopia said:


> Probably not sold out - it's just that the first batch of tickets have sold out. More will probably be released in the day or two before the show. Just like the recent Springsteen  and Celine Dion shows.


I'd have thought that it is unlikely they will be releasing further tickets for Tom, given the unique anti-touting measures that applied to purchases, which make it effectively impossible to sell a ticket (unless you prepared to sit beside the person who scalped you for the ticket). The comparison to Sprinsteen and Celine Dion doesn't hold.


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## extopia (2 Jun 2008)

I guess we'll have to wait and see.


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## Complainer (8 Jun 2008)

extopia said:


> I guess we'll have to wait and see.


Some interesting developments re US tickets at http://www.antilabelblog.com/?p=325#more-325


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## Petal (8 Jun 2008)

Another thing that is bugging me is that releasing tickets in stages means that if you're buying them in the first round and you're not the very first one in line you naturally select "best availalbe", but you might get somewhere not so great (if it's a seated concert only that is), then 3-4 weeks later Ticketmaster releases a further bach and low and behold much better tickets become available than the ones you purchased... I've noticed this with Leonard Cohen - thankfully I sold mine through toutless in the end - at the third release round you could purchase tickets in the centre block for the 5th row or so. So how can they get away with offering "best available", when better seats become available at a later stage (but obviously had to have been available at the time you purchased, only they weren't released for sale yet).


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## PM1234 (22 Jun 2008)

I got this over on boards - hope its ok to post it here (if not please remove). Its listed as the playlist for the current tour so it might be of interest to those going.

Lucinda
Hoist That Rag
Come On Up to the House
This post will be deleted if not edited immediately Gonna Be Here
November
Black Market Baby
Rain Dogs
Trampled Rose
Goin’ Out West
Murder in the Red Barn
Anywhere I Lay My Head
Cemetery Polka
Get Behind the Mule
Eyeball Kid
Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis [TW on piano]
Picture in a Frame [TW on piano]
Invitation to the Blues [TW on piano]
Innocent When You Dream [TW on piano]
Lie To Me
Chocolate This post will be deleted if not edited immediately
Make It Rain

Way Down in the Hole
God’s Away On Business
Time


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## Complainer (22 Jun 2008)

PM1234 said:


> I got this over on boards - hope its ok to post it here (if not please remove). Its listed as the playlist for the current tour so it might be of interest to those going.


He seems to be varying the set list a bit from night to night. I read that they have rehearsed 65 songs for the tour. There are some live clips up on Youtube. Personally, I'll be hoping for a bit more of the older stuff (Closing Time, Heart of Saturday Night).


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## PM1234 (22 Jun 2008)

Complainer said:


> Personally, I'll be hoping for a bit more of the older stuff (Closing Time, Heart of Saturday Night).



Me too complainer. They're my two favourite albums plus Raindogs. Still though will be delighted with whatever he chooses to sing/recite


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## PM1234 (1 Aug 2008)

Well I'm back from an absolutely mesmerising performance by The Man himself. Rain Dogs, November and Innocent When You Dream were my highlights although its hard to single out the winners! (the set changes every evening so I don't think I'm spoiling it for those going tomorrow night). I think I was lucky to have good seats as the back of the tent seemed quite far and I'm unsure how well the sound travelled.

The ticket system worked extraordinarily well. Lets hope Ticketmaster adopt this policy for big events in the future.


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## Carpenter (1 Aug 2008)

My wife and I went to see Mr Waits last night (Thursday).  In short we were very disappointed; I'm a long time fan having first started buying his music 15 years ago.   He's a great performer in terms of charisma, stage presence and drama but to my ears his voice is completely shot;he growled and shouted through pretty much every number.  It was difficult enough to make out most of the lyrics (even the ones I knew so well).  We had pretty good seats, Row A, Block B so I can't blame that.  Maybe I'd have been more impressed if I were right up near the stage, I don't know.  This was one performer that I'd promised myself I'd get to see, no matter what; they say you should never meet your heros, well I did and boy was I disappointed.

On a plus I thought the event was well managed and there was a nice crowd at it and a good vibe about the whole evening.  Anyway Tom has his money now, hope he enjoys it!


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## Brendan Burgess (1 Aug 2008)

Hi Carpenter 

I agree. All the songs sounded the same to me. I don't know them as well as you. Some sounded vaguely familiar. As for his joke about all the Chinese jumping up and down at the same time? What was he thinking of? 

I met a guy in Ryan's of Parkgate Street afterwards and he told me he had "left" after about three songs.  

But I think we are in a minority - the crowd did go mad. 

The organization was great and it's so nice not to be annoyed by touts before the concert. 

I thought I had bought the most expensive tickets, but I was over on the tiered seating to the side. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. 

Brendan


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## PM1234 (1 Aug 2008)

Ah Carpenter what a shame. I was very excited at even the thought of it and I guess I had the 'vibe'  I'm still smiling!!! I'm a fan and thought I had an idea of what to expect but I am in awe! I couldn't believe what he could do with his voice  live - that distinguished sound that only Tom Waits can make. Totally amazing.  I loved it and would have gone like a shot again tonight. What I absolutely loved was the surreal feeling of the past in the present. I can just imagine what it must have been like to see him live in a smokey, dark, New York bar.  

But a big problem is the behaviour of some old folk at gigs. While sorry for those who got bad seats, one (quite elderly) guy wandered up one of the aisles to stand wherever he felt like it despite that place being in front of people. He even had the audacity to look indignant when an usher moved him back. I know some people might not go to gigs very often but I honestly think they should be shown a short video on how to behave when they're at one. I'm simply stunned he thought people paid €260+ to look at his back  Anyway another thread for another day.  

As for those fairweather fans who left early, they really should have stuck to their one favourite album and just listened to it at home. The Chinese quip didn't bother me.  Political correctness has gone mad when we are afraid to be ourselves. The quip came from Tom Waits. An explanation of his thoughts isn't necessary.  He also made a joke about the Irish not working. I'm sure if Tom tours in China we'll be the butt of his jokes  but so what! Its Tom Waits


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## dem_syhp (2 Aug 2008)

Slightly OT, but for all you Tom Waits fans you can down load his gig from July 5th in Atlanta from NPR.org.  Go on to the site and do a search for this and other shows.  

You can listen to it streaming, or just download it and listen to it when it suits you.  Quite large, over the 2 hours.  

*All completely legal, above board, legit - NPR have lots of gig's posted up.  I have to admit a huge fan of many of their music programmes.  NPR is the National Public Radio in the US.


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## Complainer (2 Aug 2008)

Thanks for the link, dem_syph. I loved the show on Friday night, with the highlight being the 'old stuff' at the piano, including Heart of Saturday Night and Tom Trauberts Blues.
 Of course, it would have been heaven to get more of the old stuff, like Ruby's Arms or even back to the Closing Time material, but the musicianship on the new stuff was exquisite.


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## bradfield (2 Aug 2008)

Complainer,

I so agree, I would have loved to hear some of closing time and the oldies on the piano were fantastic but the thing that really made the night for me was the purity of the musianship and I include Tom Waits voice in that. The volume was just at the right level, the balance in the mix was perfect you could hear every instrument clearly nothing overpowered anything else, it was a master class on how music should be played and how sound engineers should create live mixes! The double bass was to die for, bass guitars should all be replaced by double bass IMO, the sound from them is magic! All in all it was worth every single penny and more! A magical treat for people who just simply love music! 

Way to go Tom!

B


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## Carpenter (4 Aug 2008)

I must have been at a different gig altogether.....I'm still trying to figure out where it all went wrong!


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## REMFAN (5 Aug 2008)

What is the attraction of Tom Waits? He has an aweful vocal


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