Posted on 11/20/2022 11:32:11 AM PST by nickcarraway
The Boss's rationale for gouging hardcore fans sounds as tone deaf as possible Photo of Christian Toto Christian Toto Send an email2 days ago
Taylor Swift is only 32, but she’s shrewd enough to take her fans’ side in the latest Ticketmaster imbroglio.
The pop princess raged against the ticketing giant after fans struggled to gobble up passes for her 2023 tour.
“I’m not going to make excuses for anyone because we asked them, multiple times, if they could handle this kind of demand and we were assured they could. It’s truly amazing that 2.4 million people got tickets, but it really pisses me off that a lot of them feel like they went through several bear attacks to get them.”
Bruce Springsteen, a 73-year-old rock legend with decades in the business, had a different reaction when fans balked at the sky-high prices for his upcoming tour.
I consent to receiving emails and personalized ads. I’m worth it. And it took him months to say just that.
The Springsteen kerfuffle kicked off in July when sales for his 2023 tour opened via, what else, Ticketmaster and its “dynamic pricing” model.
[Fans] found tickets going for as much as $4,000-5,000 for mid-range floor seats, and into the four-figures for other, less desirable tickets that remained.
The outrage was real and sustained, but Springsteen remained mum on the matter. The blue-collar bard couldn’t spare a public syllable on the subject, leaving his manager to speak for him.
“We chose prices that are lower than some and on par with others. Regardless of the commentary about a modest number of tickets costing $1,000 or more, our true average ticket price has been in the mid-$200 range. I believe that in today’s environment, that is a fair price to see someone universally regarded as among the very greatest artists of his generation.”
Now, finally, Springsteen addressed the subject directly via Rolling Stone magazine.
The rocker said he generally tries to assess what his peers charge for concerts and lower the rates a bit from there. Now, he’s had a change of heart.
This time I told them, ‘Hey, we’re 73 years old. The guys are there. I want to do what everybody else is doing, my peers.’ So that’s what happened. That’s what they did.
He continued, saying many prices are “totally affordable”
The ticket broker or someone is going to be taking that money. I’m going, ‘Hey, why shouldn’t that money go to the guys that are going to be up there sweating three hours a night for it?’
To soften the blow he’s offering a money-back guarantee.
Springsteen’s populism is well known, at least on paper. His classic tunes have connected with the common man, forging a steel-like bond with his base. It’s been an integral part of his brand for decades.
Now, in his 70s, he’s eager to scoop up as much cash as possible at a time when the average American is pounded by a recession-like economy and soaring inflation rates. He recently peddled his songbook for a whopping $550 million.
Now, he’s looking to cash in anew, but this time it’s his hardcore fans who are picking up the tab. That naked greed may forever taint his legacy, not to mention his progressive bona fides.
Overrated. Always was.
I doubt the concert promoters were worried about things like that. A guaranteed sellout kept their gravy train on the rails.
He was never a Blue Collar Guy, just listen to his hit “The River”
The guy in the song got the girl and ended up with a house, family, and a good Union Job.
So you would think it would be a happy song, but nope, Bruce whines throughout the song on how miserable, horrible his existence as an ordinary shmoe must be.
Living a good but ordinary life? Not Bruce, he would rather jump in the River and commit suicide than live a “sad” blue collar life like that.
Springsteen's "Nebraska" and "Tunnel Of Love" albums are among the best albums ever recorded. But he's no blue collar hero. Pretty much his entire adult life, he's been in the top one percent. He even owns horse farms.
I never got hung up on the blue collar schtick. Even Bob Dylan portrayed himself as some blue collar guy. Just like John Mellencamp, Tom Petty and Bob Seger for other examples. It's all just an act. But if the music is good, the music is good.
Well, in fairness, Dylan probably comes from a school of fold where you take on a different persona in different songs.
“Overrated. Always was.”
I agree 100%.
Not my boss.
He has been a sell-out since, oh, the 1970s.
This is how much he’s charging and he can’t sing and is a mediocre guitar player. Imagine how much he would charge if he actually had talent.
Sounds like the best answer to some of this is just to stay away from the concerts & Ticketmaster. No problem at all for many of us who can’t afford them anyway. It’s not the best answer for those who can go & who really appreciate the talents of the concert performers, but something needs to be done.
Like when has-beens Neil Young and Joni Mitchell exposed themselves for the hypocritical fools they are over the Joe Rogan/Spotify situation. Also, as Dan Bongino correctly calls them, Kiss the Ass of the Machine. They’ve evoked this fake persona of capitalism is evil and “doing your own thing” and “sticking it to the man”. They were full of 💩 then and they’re full of 💩 now.
Here’s to him making as much money as he can.
His ‘stuff was never my cup of tea.
I dated a girl from Pittsburgh. When “The River” came out she said “He understands us.” I said “He’s mocking you.” That was the end of that.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.