Supertramp
I've got tickets to see them in October at The O2... yipeee!!!
So two threads to this post... the first is about the group and me...
Supertramp were a hugely important band to me. In 1974 I'd just moved from primary school to the large grammar school which was a bus ride away (I was only there a year as then it merged with the school at the bottom of my road and became a very odd bi-lateral comprehensive with both grammar stream and non-selective streams - it is like that now still an oddity in Kent which still has the horribly divisive 11plus system). Anyway I was already pretty music mad and was probably also searching for something different, not in the mainstream which I could identify mnore with than the pop stuff of the time and something different from my siblings I suppose as well. Supertramp were a huge part of that growing process for me. After hearing Dreamer as a single I bought Crime of the Century - which I still rate as one of my favourite ever albums and find myself even now on Spotify playing it. That along with Crisis What Crisis (the followup) were hugely influential on me as a musician and person. They opened me towards heavy rock (along with my brother) but also prog rock, Rush, Yes and of course Marillion. I always thought that later albums weren't as good as the two I mention above, not bad just not as good even though their greatest commercial success came with Breakfast in America. And even though I'd gone punk then rocker I did continue to buy their stuff throughout. I remember a mate seeing Brother Where You Bound in my collection saying "You have stuck with them haven't you". Indeed - my last gig set list opened with "Give a Little Bit" so that influence and love of their music is still there.
I never got to see them live because very few friends had the same affection for them that I had, I nearly went about 10 years ago but didn't. I was recently regretting that as it looked like they'd gone forever off the live stage. So I was over the moon that they are back and now I can see them. Obviously the lineup is the recent touring line up without a couple of classic members - who are moaning on line about not being asked... even thought Roger H had publicly stated recently he wouldn't do a reunion. But to be fair they left the band some years back and so I think that is a silly spat and a shame that it is being aired publicly. It's a shame it isn't the line from the Crime through to Last Words era but whatever I'm ticking off one of my major gaps in the bands I really should've seen live when I had the chance list.
I hate Ticketmaster
Why? Right they are the preferred vendor for O2 tickets. Supertramp tickets went on sale yesterday at 9am - I was busy at work. When I got a chance to log on (I'm lucky my company allow limited personal use) it was about 10am but they were "sold out". My favourite band from a formative time - I was gutted. Then Ticketmaster since I have an account with them suggested I try their "Get me in" site. Brilliant - £175 a ticket! What a rip off!! In the upper tier in a different post code to the stage! Many were over £200. Stuff that I thought.
So I looked at Seetickets.com who I've recently used more than Ticketmaster. Tickets for the show to be on sale the next morning at 9am. I happened to be working at home today (as my car is being repaired from the minor shunt last week) and so I get on the site and buy two tickets in the mid raised tier (my feeling best place in O2) and no problem... they had seats in many other sections too including on the floor.
I think Ticketmaster are just restricting sales and promoting this higher cost service. Stinks to me!
So two threads to this post... the first is about the group and me...
Supertramp were a hugely important band to me. In 1974 I'd just moved from primary school to the large grammar school which was a bus ride away (I was only there a year as then it merged with the school at the bottom of my road and became a very odd bi-lateral comprehensive with both grammar stream and non-selective streams - it is like that now still an oddity in Kent which still has the horribly divisive 11plus system). Anyway I was already pretty music mad and was probably also searching for something different, not in the mainstream which I could identify mnore with than the pop stuff of the time and something different from my siblings I suppose as well. Supertramp were a huge part of that growing process for me. After hearing Dreamer as a single I bought Crime of the Century - which I still rate as one of my favourite ever albums and find myself even now on Spotify playing it. That along with Crisis What Crisis (the followup) were hugely influential on me as a musician and person. They opened me towards heavy rock (along with my brother) but also prog rock, Rush, Yes and of course Marillion. I always thought that later albums weren't as good as the two I mention above, not bad just not as good even though their greatest commercial success came with Breakfast in America. And even though I'd gone punk then rocker I did continue to buy their stuff throughout. I remember a mate seeing Brother Where You Bound in my collection saying "You have stuck with them haven't you". Indeed - my last gig set list opened with "Give a Little Bit" so that influence and love of their music is still there.
I never got to see them live because very few friends had the same affection for them that I had, I nearly went about 10 years ago but didn't. I was recently regretting that as it looked like they'd gone forever off the live stage. So I was over the moon that they are back and now I can see them. Obviously the lineup is the recent touring line up without a couple of classic members - who are moaning on line about not being asked... even thought Roger H had publicly stated recently he wouldn't do a reunion. But to be fair they left the band some years back and so I think that is a silly spat and a shame that it is being aired publicly. It's a shame it isn't the line from the Crime through to Last Words era but whatever I'm ticking off one of my major gaps in the bands I really should've seen live when I had the chance list.
I hate Ticketmaster
Why? Right they are the preferred vendor for O2 tickets. Supertramp tickets went on sale yesterday at 9am - I was busy at work. When I got a chance to log on (I'm lucky my company allow limited personal use) it was about 10am but they were "sold out". My favourite band from a formative time - I was gutted. Then Ticketmaster since I have an account with them suggested I try their "Get me in" site. Brilliant - £175 a ticket! What a rip off!! In the upper tier in a different post code to the stage! Many were over £200. Stuff that I thought.
So I looked at Seetickets.com who I've recently used more than Ticketmaster. Tickets for the show to be on sale the next morning at 9am. I happened to be working at home today (as my car is being repaired from the minor shunt last week) and so I get on the site and buy two tickets in the mid raised tier (my feeling best place in O2) and no problem... they had seats in many other sections too including on the floor.
I think Ticketmaster are just restricting sales and promoting this higher cost service. Stinks to me!
What I hate is that sometimes they only seem to release the bad seats first so that they can fill those up.
ReplyDeleteI just went onto their site and they're showing regular tix available now...
Ticketmaster is the spawn of Satan.
ReplyDeleteIt's like a pathalogical liar, you never know if you're getting the truth.
@ken - You are right I just checked. Well screw them I've gone with another agency so they don't make a penny out of me on this one.
ReplyDelete@candy - as Ken point proves they lie madly. Well I don't think it said "sold out" but that was the inferecnce with the - We have these rip off tickets. Gits!
Not the first issue I've had with them - I actually ended up featured in a consumer magazine moaning about their charges once. Maybe I'm just blacklisted as a result?
Typical tho'
ReplyDeleteI am excited because I have tickets to see Paul Weller in November. I used to see live music loads before I got married and then stopped going to concerts completely. So looking forward to getting back into it.
Loved Supertramp :)
Enjoy!
Have fun...I think the best 2 bands I ever saw live were Queen and The Stones!
ReplyDeleteTickets for the Paul McCartney show in Cardiff were going on sale the following Monday. On the Friday I read on Facebook that somebody had them already; I followed his link to the site and got my tickets. It was a/the Paul McCartney site.
ReplyDelete