Over two years ago I wrote about Ticketmaster being a dick. Things have definitely not changed.
I hate Ticketmaster and their damn monopoly on the event ticket market. I still use them whenever a good concert comes along, but only because I have no other choice. I’m already grumpy today, and after just purchasing two tickets to see alexisonfire this weekend, I’m pretty mad at Ticketmaster and their shenanigans. Check it out:
Tickets were worth $67 even. That leaves $23.50 in service charges. I can understand there being a $1 facility charge per ticket. The $9 “convenience fee” per ticket is pure robbery. And then they tack on the $3.50 “order processing charge”. I can’t think of any other retailer, online or offline, that would charge you $3.50 to buy something, especially after they already ripped you off with other charges.
After all this time, Ticketmaster still sucks balls. But, sometimes they are the only place to buy tickets for an event, so you have no other choice.
While in Nashville a few weeks back, we saw a great band from Philadelphia called Hoots and Hellmouth play at The Basement after my girlfriend Amy LaVere was done her set. These crazy guys play some great music and really entertained the crowd with their harmonies and unique sound.
I’ve heard their lineup changes, depending on when and where they are playing. At this particular show, they had two guitarists, an upright bassist and a guy playing a mandolin. They also brought in these big sheets of plywood with tambourines attached to them, which acted as some really cool stomping platforms. Take a look:
Check out this little video clip I took with my digital camera:
During the Nashville trip last week, we hit up The Basement, which is a cool little club in the basement of a book store. We went on Friday night, and there was a big crowd there to see Amy LaVere play live. She plays bass, and has the cutest voice ever. She is a little sweetie, and I think I’m in love with her.
I only managed to get a couple pictures of her, and they’re not even that good, but you can check her out on her Myspace page.
On Sunday night, my friend Christien and I went to Mississauga to see Daft Punk play live. It was completely off the hook, and one of the best shows I’ve ever been to. Their stage setup was amazing, with the best light show I’ve ever seen. It was loud, robotic, and really entertaining. The crowd was so hyped up, and everybody seemed to be having a great time dancing and jumping around.
Opening for Daft Punk was a cool band from New York called The Rapture. They played a great set, getting the audience in a dancey mood with their funky, electronic rock music. Between bands, SebastiAn and Kavinsky were DJing, playing some sick tracks that really got the crowd in a frenzy. Busy P also made an appearance, playing a few songs.
Overall, it was an amazing show and I’m pretty sure everybody there had the prime time of their lives.
