Thursday, July 1, 2010

Feeding my wallet to Jon Bon Jovi

I've got something on my mind... I'm just a little bit depressed...

Well, not really depressed. Happy even. Just a little bit uneasy.

You see, I bought my Bon Jovi ticket for Perth yesterday during the stadium members' pre-sale (one of the things my beloved West Coast Eagles have been good for this season, because winning football games hasn't been one of them LOL).

My original plan when the Australian tour was first announced was to also attend a show in Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane but ticket prices soon put an end to that! Tickets for Perth (not including packages or the pit) ranged from AU $101.90 to $306.50 this time around, up from AU $99 to $199 back in 2008. I spent about $140 for Gold seating in 2008, so ended up forking out over double that for Diamond Seating this time around.

I was happy to have secured my ticket for what would be my second Bon Jovi show and to not be up in the nosebleeds, but considering my attacks on ticket prices both on this blog and elsewhere, what was I doing feeding the machine? Australians are already conditioned to think being ripped off is "normal"; we have grossly inflated prices for lots of things. I was helping to make it worse. Talk about hypocrisy of the highest order.

Another part of me was more defensive. Up until 2008, Bon Jovi hadn't done an actual tour in Australia since 1995 and hadn't been to Perth since 1992 (They cancelled their 1995 show due to Tico's elbow injury). It's not like I live in or near a city that Bon Jovi visits every tour and will certainly continue to visit every tour until they retire. Even when I knew they were returning to Australia, I wasn't sure they would come back to Perth until the date was announced. Maybe this will be the last time. I love music but no other other artist has ever had quite this profound a grip on me, and so I splashed out a little. After all, I'm living at home so I don't have a mortgage or rent to pay, I don't have to worry about basic household bills (e.g. water, electricity) or where the next meal is coming from, and I don't really have to look after anyone but myself.

But who's the bigger fool? The fool who doesn't know they're being ripped off, or the fool who does and lets it happen anyway?

Hopefully this fool gets Something to Believe In on December 8.

4 comments:

  1. I feel for you, I used to be the biggest Bon Jovi fan, but am disgusted that yet again Jon has turned his back on us again in Adelaide. Even his Destination Anywhere tour was a no show, yet Richie Sambora had no trouble coming here for his tour. Over the years I truly believe that Jon (the body corporate machine) has slowly sucked the heart and soul out of everything that made Bon Jovi so iconic and stand alone from their peers. Even their songs are a parody of their earlier career - just how many times can he sing Livin' On A Prayer again? I'ts My Life, Everday, Have A Nice Day - GOOD DAY! When We Were Beautiful sounds like Springsteen's Gypsy Biker, and even their Born To Follow chorus is a dead ringer for Born To Be My Baby - a great song they released 20 years earlier! Their last best album was These Days and what a Grand Prix it was THAT year!). I wonder just how much longer his trade mark looks and whiter than white smile will continue to make him money? (and those ticket prices ARE a scam!). Jon, get back to basics and do what you used to be fantastic at - or at least be honest like Gene Simmons and just say that you want all our money. All I can say is Richie and the band (who are still NOT equal members to this day-Jon owns the band 100%) are all still aces in my book. I just want Jon to return to form and be true to his real fans so that I can believe again. He's made a career writing about how the local blue collar guy is doing it tough, then how can he honestly expect this 'blue collar' guy to be able to afford the flights, accomodation AND ticket (a good one, like the Faith tour $75, and These Days $120 to be up front - not $1995 like on this retirement fund tour). Please Richie, tour again.

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  2. I support the earlier comment in regard to bypassing Adelaide - I am going to have to fly from Adelaide to Melbourne to see the guys, but it is going to be a bloody expensive trip when you take into account airfares, accommodation and concert tickets.

    Also to earlier Anonymous... I think we must share a taste in music, because there aren't too many who would know Springsteen's Gypsy Biker. "Magic" Now that is a great album!

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  3. Well, we paid $140 for tickets in Tampa that were good seats, but were not anywhere near the pit or the Gold Circle or whatever you call it.

    I don't think you should beat yourself up about this- Just go and enjoy the concert! Like you said, they don't come your way very often. Whether or not you are being "ripped-off"-- you will have a blast and a great memory. What good is feeling guilty anyway? Just enjoy!

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  4. Thanks :) I'm not losing sleep with guilt but prices have gone up at all levels, not just the highest end, since they were last here and I shudder to think what it might be next time.

    Regarding Adelaide, there is a push atm to get them to add AAMI Stadium to the tour... I don't know why they've skipped Adelaide twice in a row, especially since Perth is further out of the way (Maybe I shouldn't say that in case they don't come back :P).

    And I've actually got the Magic album, might need to listen to it again though. :)

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Thanks for giving me your time.