Buying Concert Tickets in the Computer Age

By Ian Sawyer

I can still remember my first parent-free concert experience which occurred in 1990, when I was 17. I went with a handful of friends to see Canadian prog-rockers Rush at the Worcester Centrum in Massachusetts. I remember sleeping in my friend's beat up Toyota Tercel in front of the Centrum in the early hours of the morning the tickets went on sale. Back then we didn't have cell phones with speed dial, and we certainly didn't have online access to ticket websites.

Slowly the sun rose, we stumbled out of the car and took our place in a small line that was forming outside the box office. We stood, bleary-eyed, in line for hours and waited for the tickets to go on sale, excited by the prospect of getting front row seats to our favorite band. At 10 a.m., when the box office opened, a grouchy older woman reluctantly and slowly began accepting cash-only for tickets. Back then, $20 was a fortune to a high school kid, but one that was well worth it. Needless to say, we didn't get front row seats. In fact, we ended up in 'nose bleed' balcony seats. But the show-the sound, the lights, and the songs-were incredible.

As time went on, I would go on to wait in line for other concert tickets as a young adult, but clearly things have changed in the last 18 years in regards to how tickets are bought and sold. Technology has made it possible to purchase great seats for great concerts without even leaving the house. However, with ticket prices skyrocketing to as much as hundreds of dollars per ticket, there is obviously a price to pay for such convenience.

Now, the modern days, the easiest way to go about obtaining concert tickets is to get online the moment they go on sale, which is usually at 10:00 a.m. on a Friday or Saturday. Repetitious clicking of your browser's refresh button starting at 9:59 should secure your place in the digital queue no matter where you are, or what you're wearing.

Smart ways are, having a plan and communicating with other concert-going friends at their own computers further ensures that at least one person will have access to great seats. Registering and establishing account information with ticket websites beforehand can speed up the process and prevent the possibility of being 'dropped' from the queue for taking too much time entering credit card information. Believe me, there's nothing more frustrating than being offered fantastic seats to your favorite band, only to lose them because you couldn't type fast enough.

With the growing trend in the world of online concert ticket sales is the option to buy during a 'presale.' More and more bands are offering memberships to fan clubs that announce pseudo-secret presales that occur a day or two before the actual public sale. Some people believe that this is just another way to fleece music fans as it usually costs around $40 just to join the fan club. And there's no guarantee that you'll get the best seats anyway. However, some online fan clubs (one for a huge Irish band comes to mind) offer other incentives, such as a 'free' t-shirt or a 'free' CD of rarities. So, online club memberships just might be worth it for rabid fans with plenty of disposable income.

You as a smart concert ticket buyer keeping with the theme of Internet-based concert ticket purchasing, getting on ticket website email lists will keep you informed of any show in your area that may be of interest. It used to be that you would hear of an upcoming concert from a radio ad or from fan-base word of mouth. Being the first to learn of an impending Rolling Stones concert, for instance, was a source of pride and power that would impress others. On the other hand, missing a concert of great importance was also a possibility. These days, registering with major ticket agency websites or with your local event venues will keep you in the know, and make sure you never miss seeing your favorite band in concert ever again.

On those occasions where you have missed the presale and the public sale, and find out that the only tickets left are behind a giant pole, you do have other options. Post-sale ticket agencies have decent tickets to just about anything. However, they sometimes tack on considerable fees and mark ups. If you have the money, this is usually the last ditch option to get concert tickets to popular shows. You can also try auction websites, as they have become a haven for scalpers to get rid of tickets for high prices. Either way, the price some people will pay for their tickets reflects the true power of a live performance and the effect it has on music fans.

Taking the technological advances of the Internet age out of the equation, some people still prefer to get their tickets the old fashioned way-by standing in line at the venue or other local ticket agency location. There's an excitement and electricity when standing in line next to other hardcore fans, and camaraderie and new friendships are often forged. This is a more organic and hands-on approach to buying tickets. If you choose this route, be sure to wear a vintage concert t-shirt and have your cash handy. Those friends you've made in line will quickly become enemies if you hold up the queue by trying to pay by check or credit card. In the end, maybe it's better to remain in the comfort of your own home or office, jump on the computer, and login to a site that house various concert ticket sales in one location. - 18418

About the Author:

Ian Sawyer is a Freelance Writer for YouMusic.com, The Social Networking Site for Musicians, Featuring a vibrant Music Community has Music Chat Rooms, Real-Time Music Forums, Blogs, Instant Messaging, Music Groups and Concert Tickets Outlets to be able to Buy Concert Tickets Online

Live band bookings B

By Roc Selly

These days live band bookings are becoming an increasingly popular choice of entertainment at personal parties and work events. If the band is live, the audience is usually captivated. Live band bookings are a surefire way to boost your event and make it one to remember.

Live band bookings put money back into your local music industry and give your local bands the exposure that they deserve.

When booking a live band, always be sure to source premier booking agents so that you can rest assured that your band is being effectively supervised. Live bands can be somewhat demanding outside of the fees that they charge so a live band booking requires management to ensure that your live band is on time and given the attention they are accustomed to. Live band booking management should also take care of payments and deal with the burdens of any other related issues.

If you are planning on booking a live band for your event, begin by deciding what type of music and from which decade would best suit your event. Tribute and cover bands are best for performing a wide variety of classic hits from yesteryear and with golden oldies cranking out at your event, everyone's bound to have a sing and dance. If you're looking for a current live band, be prepared for higher costs but look forward to wowing your guests. You could always opt for an iconic live band which is a great choice for nostalgic homegrown music that all your guests will know.

Booking a live band need not be difficult. Start off by sourcing a premier booking agent. Doing this online is more than adequate. Your other option is to make contact directly with the band who will forward you on to their management. They will more than likely pass you on to their booking agent to avoid the hassle of dealing directly with a client as their management will be used to dealing with them and will use the advantage of this relationship to organise your event better.

Corporations often have larger budgets for coordinating events which makes it possible for them to hook up a live band for their do but if you're fortunate enough to have the budget for a live band booking at your personal event, go ahead and get one!

A live band booking brings with it that x-factor that turns any event into an unforgettable night out. - 18418

About the Author:

If you are looking for live band bookings on the internet, follow these links for iconic Kiwi and Australian live bands under premier booking agent management.

Signed Guitar / Memorabilia / Autographed Guitar

By Mark Turgeon

Getting a signed guitar is a big deal for die hard fans. What could be better than having your very own signed guitar by your favorite artist or band? The only problem is that it's actually one of the hardest collectibles to come by.

Autographed memorabilia such as albums, photos, and other collectibles are much easier to obtain than a signed guitar from your favorite band or artist.

Signed guitars are worth far more than any other music memorabilia item because they are hard to obtain and get a hold of.

All you have to do is search for a memorabilia collectibles dealer, and look at their prices for an autographed guitar. Most of the guitars sell less than $5,000 dollars, but there are those one of a kind signed guitars like Jimmy Hendrix, that can easily fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars. It all depends who signed the guitar and the quality of the signature and guitar itself and of course the authenticity.

While most collectors look for a autographed guitar that is in mint condition, you might be surprised to learn that they're not worth the most in this state. Guitars are instruments, and ones that have actually been used by the artist(s) who signed them are worth way more than brand new guitars that were just signed by someone famous. Ultimately, it's because of the wow factor.

Sure, an autographed guitar is cool to have, but one that was actually played, sweat on, and worn in by the artist is way cooler. Would you rather have a mint condition Fender acoustic signed by all the Beatles, or one that was played by John Lennon in their last tour, and then signed by everyone?

You need to have your signed guitar authenticated before you can sell them, because most people want proof of the signing process. With so many forgeries and fakes out there, it's no wonder that people are skeptical, though.

If you did not get a candid proof photograph of the artist or band for your signed guitar, then contact a memorabilia collectibles dealer so they can try to prove the legitimacy of your guitar signed. You should always do your research on memorabilia dealers to see if they are authentic. A good way to tell if they are genuine is the prices of their feedback, prices of items, and if they have nothing to hide. - 18418

About the Author:

Before you decide to purchase a signedguitars or other signedmemorabilia besure to check out Mark's website on signedguitars, and signedguitars

Check out this Great New CD

By Patrick Daniels

The Super Furry Animals always have something new up their sleeves. The SFA has quite the reputation with 9 full length albums under their belt. They have a great sense of humor and also love to experiment with instruments and new sounds. They can definitely keep the audiences attention and their newest two albums have a different, slower feeling to them. However their Dark Days Light Years touches back to their more playful aspects.

SFA is always looking for a great time it seems like. Dark Days Light Years makes you want to dance. Their music has been through everything it seems like from a range of dance themes to slower ballads and even to folk songs. This new album is more like a collection of singles than a uniform theme but is amazing none the less.

The first song on the CD is Crazy Naked Girls, a psychedelic acid trip that uses the whammy bar as well as it could. The whole album has an interesting mix match of folk and glam songs that don't exactly seem uniform but definitely work for the band. They even use the erhu, which is a two stringed Chinese instrument that is played with a bow and is really cool.

The next track, Moped Eyes, is pure pop. Following this track, SFA gives us a track that lets us know exactly what it feels like to go skiing in Switzerland in the late eighties while wearing bright neon ski bibs. Nick McCarthy, the guitarist from the band Franz Ferdinand, is a guest singer on this track and performs a rap in German! What can we say? SFA never fails to surprise and astound.

Dark Days Light Years is the most dance worthy that SFA has had in a long time. They have a great mix of humor and playfulness that would be a great addition to anyone's collection. Take some time out to experience this band and you won't be sorry! - 18418

About the Author:

Dark Nights Light Years- Super Furry Animals is full of a cool mix of songs for their fans. The great great Super Furry Animals CD is a cool present for a fan and can be bought at CDWow.

A Great Bob Dylan Album

By Patrick Daniels

Bob Dylan is a through the roof amazing. He has been around for 68 years and come out with 45 albums for his fans to enjoy. However lately he has been talked about as a was or a has been.

His 46 album 'Together Through Life' is coming out soon and he definitely has a lot to say on it. It has been said to be the most interesting of his albums since his 1997's 'Time Out of Mind.'

This is also a Dylan we haven't heard from nearly enough - many of the tracks are wry, sometimes comic slices of American life, where heartbreak, struggle, laughter, and beauty always come together. "Highlands" manages to be both epic and playful, while "If You Ever Go to Houston" will have you up and grooving before you know what's happened.

He does an amazing job telling his stories through his music with his natural croak. It has a pleasing mood that is also comfortable and spontaneous and has potential to be great when it hits stores.

When this album hits stores you should run right to it and buy. Sit back relax and enjoy with friends as Dylan takes you through his life and career through his music and lyrics. - 18418

About the Author:

BOB DYLAN-Together at Life sets the tone of his life and work at his songs. The New BOB DYLAN CD is a great one to relax to and listen with friends and can be bought at CDWow.