This is normal folks. :talk
TBF is only a population of roughly 10,000 Festivarians, as apposed to… let’s say Bonnaroo, at 60,000 plus on a slow year. Selling out is quite common about this time of year.
Auntie Hope :festivarian2 :green
Just curious, Brian - If you’re willing to let us know, what is approximate ratio of 4 day passes vs. single day tickets sold most years?
Well, the past two years I bought my ticket in mid-April. This year, had to get in in mid-March … so … there has obviously been an increase in interest … word has been getting out, I suppose.
Ok then, we’re about three weeks above average! Go Planet Bluegrass!!! :woohoo
I believe you may be overstating average sales:
That’s talking about four day passes. As far as single day passes, I know last year they were available the day of the festival for at least some of the days.
There’s a reason they’ve been saying passes are selling at a “historic” pace.
:lol :lol :lol :lol OK - how about this…
Get your tickets now or stay home! :lol :lol :lol
This is definitely not typical of the past few years … but historically going back furthur in time, it is probably more on target. I can’t recall the TBF engaging in “negative advertising” (i.e. stay home if you don’t have a ticket) for a LONG time!
I have been able to get 4-day passes the thursday morning for the past few years for an ave. of about $125 … something’s changed.
If this becomes a trend for the future, wouldn’t mind seeing the same sort of swipe your card to get your wristband which Phish used last year in Telluride … as much as can be a PITA, I think they’re on to something in terms of mitigating scalping. Maybe another spin/twist on this would be for Planet Bluegrass to keep track of festivarians who make a ticket purchase, present positive ID upon receiving wristband(s), then get a “point” for matching – which is logged into a database for future purchases … providing more “credibility” to the festivarian who might then be afforded the opportunity to bypass having to swipe their credit cards & get their tix in advance in subsequent years. Or, maybe there’s an app which planet bluegrass can detect via geo positioning that you spend at least X amount of time inside the festival & match with tix purchased. Could be difficult logistically, but might be easy.
I know hit hasn’t been a big issue recently, but unfortunately I think scalpers are going to be out in greater numbers this summer .
Or, maybe there’s an app which planet bluegrass can detect via geo positioning that you spend at least X amount of time inside the festival & match with tix purchased. Could be difficult logistically, but might be easy.
I’m not sure this would be a good option, there are a lot of us that stay in Townpark and don’t spend all day in the festival grounds. I like to wander about, visit camps and watch part of the shows from townhall.
I don’t think there’s been a bluegrass where I haven’t taken at least one short hike up Tomboy and checked out the scene from above!
Maybe all it would take is an hour of time inside the fences (or campground) to get credited for having “attended” the event … just an idea I’ve had re: the larger market of events/ticketing. I think Live Nation, Ticket Horse, Front Gate, etc. could adopt a “program” in the same way some frequent flyers are “pre screened” on security & get to go in the fast line. There’s clearly a marketing gain for Live Nation to have a ticket purchaser turn on their proprietary app at some point while they’re attending the event … if things move in that direction, and geopositioning is already integrated on many devices, then it wouldn’t be all to difficult to build a “credibility database”. As to how it could be used in the future, I’m sure there are all sorts pros/cons … hopefully the mitigation of scalping is one of the pros.
I have no idea if the scalpers are to blame but I think there is a simpler reason why tickets are practically sold out - we only have one group to blame and it’s PLANET BLUEGRASS for putting together one of the sickest lineups in recent memory. :pickin :rock
I moved to Boulder last year from DC. Last year only 4 of my DC friends attended. This year 8 of them are coming. Why? Because once they heard who was in the lineup they had to come! I’m sure there are many, many other people out there who have more friends coming this year than in prior years for the same reason.
I mean seriously, Robert Plant in the boxed canyon? Pretty easy to sell those tickets just with that one band.
e. There’s clearly a marketing gain for Live Nation to have a ticket purchaser turn on their proprietary app at some point while they’re attending the event … if things move in that direction, and geopositioning is already integrated on many devices, then it wouldn’
BUT, then we would have to pay attention to our gadgets and we couldnt forget the “real world” for that week… don’t like…
I’m with you Debbie, part of festival is the ticket hunt,the communication With others that keeps us in touch pre fest. Lets keep it simple.
No fancy tickets. If you need a souvenier buy a cd or t-shirt
No new fangled nylon geotracking wrist bands. Plastic has worked just fine for a long time with little environmental impact.
And if you want a ticket enter the lottery.
Scalpers are not the problem here that they are elsewhere, we tend to be an alert group and let them know these tickets are not the ones your looking for!
I really didn’t mean to offend anyone here (hence the laughing smilies :lol) and if I did I am very sorry that has happened. I thought this was just banter between friends. Evidently not.
In early March of 2007 I facilitated the sale of a Warner Ticket because they were SOLD OUT. We have “scrambled” for Town Park and Warner tickets each and every year since, early in the Spring… get it… SPRING!!!
Folks, between many of us that have had a very long Winter, that we are not used to having, and bursting at the seams to be free of it, and the STELLAR line up, tickets have sold at… what did someone say, “this historic rate”.
Personally, I’m THRILLED that Planet Bluegrass is having amazing success with ticket sales this year. Couldn’t happen to a better promoter in my book! :thumbsup
Question: Anyone ready to get back to “Packin’ for Telluride”?
Auntie Hope :festivarian2 :green
I mean REALLY, how long did you all think we could keep this beautiful Fest a secret. Hands down the BEST Fests I have ever been to .
PBG knows what to do to get er done right.
So no suprize the tickets are sellin like Flank Steaks and next year, get yer butts in gear and belly up to the box office early, cowboys and girls… :medal
Go get em PBG!!! :medal
I’m already in line for next year, sleepers :flower
Definitely not saying that scalpers caused the sell out (although it’s still somewhat mysterious to me), but that they’re now a bigger part of the equation … from this point forward … where they’ve kind of flown on under the radar in years past. My suspicion is they will be out in numbers on the corner by the post office.
I’ve personally have a flip phone that I bring to shows only to locate others who might be at the same venue. They are undboubtedly distractions for the most part, but do come in handy if you use them like walkie talkies. I will often find myself closing my eyes when surrounded by too many people pecking away in the immediate vicity (especially at night).
Not discounting any of the other bands but for the 20 something set, Mumford & Sons really took off after last year’s fest. I mentioned, somewhere, that my 23 year old called me 7 months after we left last year to “turn me on to a new band”, and they’re on the festi-circuit big time this year, being followed like The Dead.
I just love that PB gets us ahead of the crowd! Perhaps the crowd found us this year. Just another take on the ticket rush.
Auntie Hope :festivarian2 :green
Plus, a Robert Plant and Band of Joy concert ticket usually goes for over $100 (and those are the cheap seats. The expensive ones cost about as much as a 4-day pass). I’d assume when people saw that he’d be coming this year, they saw a good deal to see him and lots of other fabulous musicians.
I believe there’s a rush of Heartlanders looking too come out for TbT on the main stage, and PNS in the band contest. Maybe? Been seeing quite a few Mn/Wi/Ia new festiforumposters…
And yes, I’ll go along with the Mumford effect too. :cheers (I saw them FOUR times last year :thumbsup)
Hummmmm… “The Mumford Effect”… I like it! :thumbsup
I agree with you too Swander. There are quite a few great regional bands that have branched out and many of their fans are right in tow to TBF. This is going to be a wonderful year at…
FESTIVVVAAALLL!!!
Auntie Hope :festivarian2 :green
I’ve heard about telluride fests for a long time, but seeing that Trampled had it lined up got the ball rolling. I from South Dakota and get to see them a few times a year.