Hey Bob-
Millennial here. You couldn't be sharper on these points. I was on Britney's management team while she was in Vegas. Over the course of that residency she sold just under a million tickets. We didn't have any scalping issues that I recall.
As it relates to the super-rich, nowhere is their influence more easily felt than Vegas where they live on an entirely different plane of existence. As Liz Warren often points out, we understand they'll have more shoes or cars or houses, but the environmental dystopia my generation faces is both caused by and fixable with the ultra rich.
It's why you see millennial and gen-z voters gravitating towards Warren and Sanders: we need a wealth tax and aggressive policies to combat the existential threat of climate change. The same can be said for the other problems you mention in income inequality, lack of opportunity, etc... are we to accept that the wealthiest nation in the history of civilization cannot provide its citizens economic opportunity? While Betsy DeVos guts public education and hops on one of her family's 10 yachts to vacation? That's a no for me dawg.
Thanks for continuing to show thought leadership on this and so many other issues.
Matt Zeidman
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From: James Spencer
Subject: Re: Billionaires
Yes, the Vegas shows are quite pricey..But you'd be surprised how often the promoters have to "paper" the room..
No star wants to perform for empty seats..Plus, if word were to get out that a venue was only partially filled, it would NOT look good....
So, to fill the pews, there is a hierarchy of comps...High rollers, hotel guests, upgrades,etc..
Then the locals are called in, via House Seats...For an annual fee, one can get free tickets to undersold shows..If you're into magic, comedy, acrobats, etc., you could go every day..The rock/pop shows are offered, too, mainly on weeknights, or towards the end of the run..Tix become available late in the afternoon, so you have to be ready to pounce..
It's hard enough to speculate on ONE concert..Sometimes acts book too many dates, too large a venue, or come back too often..When you see $100 Tix for $20 on Craigslist, something's up..
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From: Melissa Ward
Subject: Re: Billionaires
Thanks for this. So very important for folks to understand that corporations own all of the mainstream media and that's why they bury Bernie. Went to his rally with AOC on Venice Beach. 14000 people or more showed up and next day couldn't find any coverage in media except for yahoo news and a rag in UK!
You may have seen the Times published some letters from people decrying the fact that they have this event no coverage.
I just watched the video. Excellent.
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Subject: Re: Billionaires
Bob
A week or so before Christmas Def Leppard and Motley Crue (along with Poison and Joan Jett) announced a 2020 Stadium Tour. My Facebook feed was polluted with people complaining about ticket prices and I frequently read, "They are ripping off the fans." Now, I think the ticket prices are insane and Wrigley Field isn't a particularly great venue for a concert at any price, so I opted not to buy a ticket. But someone did. The bands are claiming 9 of the shows are sold out (but they aren't of course telling us who bought the tickets) and they are adding more dates. No one is getting ripped off. It's a choice. You can buy a ticket or not, the artists are not forcing you to. If you bought a ticket to Motley Crue's last tour and believed it was their "Final Tour" that was a choice. You bought a ticket to and attended a concert. You weren't ripped off. There is an arc to a band's or artist's career. And once they are approaching retirement age as the rest of us define it their ticket prices start to sky rocket. They want to live as comfortably as they can once people no longer care to see them perform. If you want to hear Vince Neil sing like he did when he was 25 and pay $25 for the ticket, those days are long gone. And if you think it's all about the money, you are absolutely correct. And it always has been. It was for Elvis, it was for The Beatles, it was and still is for The Rolling Stones and it certainly is for any current band or artist. There's no shame in making money from music. Just ask Taylor Swift.
Neil Johnson
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Re: Billionaires
You nailed it Bob. It's all about emotion, and emotions have been flying on social media. It's funny because in our live concert performance business we see both sides of the partisan political spectrum dancing all together in the front row high-giving and passing joints. And what got them all together in the Golden Circle? Emotional commitment. Music is the great unifier. If only we could all come to agreement in the same way over politics.
Kenny Lee Lewis
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It's freezing rain outside, my walk and driveway is a skating rink. and I can't go anywhere; so I read your post and just sat here and watched the whole thing. Yes, Hasan is funny, and there is humor throughout this video that keeps it entertaining, but it's humor like Jon Stewart or John Oliver. And frankly if you really absorb what he's saying, it's yet another thing in our society to be scared of. Thanks for turning me on to this video. I'm passing it around to my friends. I don't know if they will take the time to watch the whole thing, after all it's a whole 25 minute investment [facepalm], but they should!
Al Hospers
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I read Winners Take All by Anand Giridharadas. That's the book/ author that's mentioned/ interviewed in Hasan's episode. I cannot recommend it enough. Please check it out if you can.
Rishabh Bhavnani
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From: Helanie Olen
Subject: A major thank you.
I am a subscriber (and a fan) and I noticed a certain link! Thanks for the shout-out. Best, Helaine
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Helaine Olen
opinion writer, The Washington Post
author, Pound Foolish
co-author The Index Card
@helaineolen
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Subject: PODCAST
How bigs your podcast audience these days? If it's a solid size I may be able to make a connection to see if Bernie Interview might be possible.
Jared Polin
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Subject: Re: Boris Johnson's Landslide Victory
hi bob,
I am going to be self centred for a second if you don't mind. Re Ireland; there will not be a conflagration, neither from Irish republicans nor from the loyalist paramilitaries who favour the union with Britain if we prepare ourselves for the future. What we have on our sometimes blessed isle is partition, imposed on us almost 100 years ago. This unnatural division has been, undeniably, the root cause of many of the difficulties we have experienced since then. We now have to begin studying and talking about how this island can become one to the benefit of all. We need a forum, a Citizens' Assembly, where one and all, of all different shades and hues, traditionalists and futurists alike, can examine and debate and speculate upon and imagine what our future can be. The majority on the island wants to remain in the EU, with all of its faults and all of its benefits, and yet the north eastern region, known as Northern Ireland, is being forced, by virtue of its link with the UK, to leave the EU. Its crazy; there is an old Irish saying - ni neart go cur le cheile - there is no strength without unity. In general, we are a forward thinking island while still inextricably connected with our deep past. We need to seize control of our future and decide what it will be, what it will 'look' like. If we do not, well, then, yes, there will be confusion and dissension and ultimately maybe even conflagration. In other words, we have no choice, we must talk to each other. An island wide referendum on re-unification is now within sight, the demographics are weighing more and more on the side of those in favour. We need to talk. We can work it out.
As for the UK and its election; boy oh boy, they got what they wished for and its not going to be pretty.
As ever, keep challenging us Bob.
Fachtna O Ceallaigh
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From: Joe Dougan
Subject: Re: Boris Johnson's Landslide Victory
Enjoyed this Bob.
We talked trump in Belfast a few years ago. I'd still take US politics over the U.K. even now. We expected Boris to win - he had no credible opposition, he had a clear message. He was allowed to effortlessly gloss over 10 years of crippling austerity, political turmoil, health care cuts and much more. Corbyns manifesto was admirable but his campaign was pathetic, and yielded the worst labour result since the 1930s.
I don't think there will be a UK in 10 years, certainly not in its current form. That's what Brexit was for a lot of people here - the beginning of the end of the union. I feel were no real winners in this election.
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From: Andrew Lorimer, Jr.
Subject: I worked Bag/coat check at Ariana Grande
Last night.
And I'm doing it again tonight at the Chase Center.
18,000 young women aren't allowed to get in with their wallets/clutches/small purses/anything...that's what was being communicated to security from Ariana's team. All of their belongings that they wanted to keep on them had to be in a ziploc bag...thousands of ziploc bags everywhere with keys, cash, cards and makeup, especially.
Many fans died and were wounded from the explosion in Manchester 2017 when they were leaving her concert, so 99% of the people at Chase were prepared and understood the reasoning.
Eventually, a liaison from Chase security or Grande - idk which -said they could "hide" small wallets in their pockets as if to say if Ariana saw it (and it wasn't made of see-through/clear material) then she'd be very upset.
The lines to coat check/bag check rooms confused many drunks to think that they were at a main entrance to the show.
We charged $5 to store small wallets, $10 for backpacks/purses. Show was delayed a couple hours... on a school night. I think we're calling it a success.
Love reading your letter. I wish you the best of health.
Andrew
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From: WENDY WALDMAN
Subject: Re: Aaron Neville On The Kennedy Center Honors
The glaring omission of Andrew Gold's name and credit for creating that ground breaking version of "You're No Good" renders this film, while interesting, as a historical document, sorely lacking.
We were there, several of us, and it was common knowledge that Andrew, with whom I grew up, and with whom I worked on and off his entire life, recorded all of the parts except the bass (played of course by Kenny Edwards, also deeply uncredited) and drums were Mike Botts. Everything else was Andrew in the course of what for him was a normal night of multi tracking.
It was something not heard before, not only the solo but the entire construction of the piece. Kudos as always to Peter Asher for recognizing that he had no better captains for Linda than Andrew Gold and Kenny Edwards. The film never mentioned Andrew's name, let alone address this particular moment in Linda's history, which caused her to explode.
I love Linda, we are old friends, and I doubt she was much involved here. But I have always, as you know, advocated for Kenny and Andrew, who were my brothers in arms as creators, friends, members of Bryndle, and the absolute creative backbone of those formative years for Linda, stewarded wisely by Peter. I was there, singing on the projects, being a pal, and being amazed and proud of their work. I still am, and I sing their praises to the end. Those two were geniuses, unrecognized, but not unrecognized forever.
(Ps) People do not know that Linda also broke after doing a million miles on the road, a prerequisite back in those days. She already had a deep audience when the big records started coming out, and that's why they were big.
Next, a discussion of the brilliant Aaron Neville, still going strong and proving once again what people in the classical era knew without question: with maturity, your REAL art begins to shine. As I always say, the LATE Beethoven quartets…
Love you, be healthy my friend.
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Subject: Re: Aaron Neville On The Kennedy Center Honors
Bob,
The Linda Ronstadt Post was good. But we all know about Linda. Unless you're 12 years old.
And cool on the shout out to Aaron Neville. I've always been a fan. That fluttery voice of his can at times get a little overwhelming, but he is a terrific artist and certainly you are correct, the Neville Brothers band belongs in the rock 'n' roll Hall of Fame. And a whole lot of other places if they existed.
What really pleased me was your mention of Allen Toussaint. I was always a fan going back to Morher-in-law and working in a coal mine.
I live in South Florida now. no need to discuss the demographics. LOL. My wife and I go out to Snowmass/Aspen with some regularity because she has a little rental condo there that we can use. It's really sweet. I'm looking in the local carbondale paper few years ago and I see this ad for a free concert in the park with Allen Toussaint. I'm figuring, is this real?
So we say the hell with it, get in the car and drive over there about three or four in the afternoon one Saturday. And there's a whole bunch of people in the park and it's free and they're selling beer and barbecue and it looks like there's a band set up on stage. It's a little local town band shell thing, not much.
Then some guy introduces Allen Toussaint. I couldn't believe it. To me, this guy has been a legend my whole life. Sea Saint studios. Oh my God. And here he is.
He comes out in a very conservative tailored suit in a iridescent color, including bowtie, and proceeds to rip through a set where I knew 3/4 of the songs. It was Allen on piano, a drummer, bass player and sax player. That was the whole band. And it was killer.
He did a set and took a break. At the break, we Went around behind the band shell and he's out there hanging out with the band and a few people talking. We wandered up and I did the fanboy thing and told him I loved this stuff forever and he was a legend in my mind blah blah. He smiled and thanked us and seemed genuinely pleased. Nice guy.
Then he came back for the second set, this time dressed in a very elegant looking, all black onesie --for lack of a better word--kinda Vegas looking outfit but cool.
And then he proceeded to hammer a whole bunch More great songs, many of which I Knew. All of which I loved. The band was him on piano and bass, drums n a sax player. It shouldn't work, but it really sounded great. I think mostly because his left hand was so amazing. He made everything sound like an orchestra.
And so he did all the stuff he had written and all the stuff he had produced and so many things you recognized and had no idea he was involved with, although I was, because I was a fan. And the crowd was up dancing and he was smashing it. And then he was gone.
It was just one of those little magical things that happens by accident where you go "holy shit, did I just see Allen Toussaint in a park for free on a summer Saturday afternoon in Colorado and it'll probably never happen again??."
Yup. Somethings are just freaking cool. Thanks for the reminding me of it, bob.
Rik Shafer
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Subject: Re: The Wall Street Journal Article
As an independent event promoter for over 35 years, I never owned a venue or had the good fortune to be offered a buyout by the SFXs of the world in the 1990s, because I worked with artists in multiple markets and my "fifedom" was difficult to quantify. Along the way, the smaller PACs I inevitably worked with wised up and started creating their own ticketing software. Most of it is now on a par with or superior to Ticketmaster. The PACs I work with generally charge the patron an average "service" fee of $3 to $4 for a $50-$75 ticket. For doing EXACTLY the same "service" Ticketmaster offers by charging anywhere from $9 to $15 - yes, $15 - for the same priced ticket. I try and avoid promoting in Ticketmaster venues whenever I can, but sometimes I can't. Those fees are high because they rebate much of it - sometimes as high as 50% - to the venues, who are under no obligation to disclose this to promoters who sign contracts to rent their buildings and don't always share in this rebate.
Do the math. Currently I work with an artist whose nightly fee averages $30k. Venue and advertising line-item expenses generally another $40k, putting break-even at $70k, or roughly 1000 tickets. By the time $70k in tickets have been sold, the patrons have actually paid $85k. At a point when the promoter has only reached break-even, Ticketmaster has already earned a risk-free $15,000 - or almost 20% of the true gross - when the industry standard has the promoter paying the venue 10% of the gross for rent. On my 85-15 deal (if I'm lucky) with the artist, I don't even get to a sniff of a promoter profit of $15k - and I put up 100% of the risk. And you ask why promoters go broke?
I don't have an issue with the groups who have earned the clout to ask for 85-15 deals - they're the ones who sell the tickets, not the promoters. It's not "Bill Graham Presents in San Francisco" anymore, nobody's buying a ticket to a show because "so and so" is the presenter. But the days of allowing a ticketing agency to make a risk-free 20% of the gross - on shows the promoters might even be losing money on - should have been over a long time ago. Nobody's going to shows because Ticketmaster is the ticketing company.
The future for independents like me, most of whom are now roadkill in this business (including a good portion of my own journey), are to align with the acts and promote all of their own shows in-house, bypass the agents and buyers altogether. But I still have too many friends in the agency business to propose this model. After all, they have families to feed, too.
Brian Martin
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From: Mac Clark
Subject: Re: The Chainsmokers At The Forum
Hey Bob,
Finally made it out of the Thanksgiving vortex and was able to give this the time it deserved. We all really appreciate the review, especially after the 6+ years of work leading into this, what many may not know is this is their second arena headline run in North America. As this tour comes to a close Friday in Vancouver, they will have headlined 131 arenas globally in the last 36 months covering Europe, Australia, Asia, North & South America. Something we're all especially proud of. Further to that is the unique nature in which this tour was rehearsed in large part, it was during their third Asian arena headlining run which finished only 11 days prior to the start of this tour! The tour which was originally scheduled for the spring, moved back to the fall, to allow the records with 5SOS & Lennon to materialize fully, and with the stars aligning we were able to bring them all together for this run. Glad you were able to attend the show, thanks again. mc
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Subject: RE: Marriage Story
Dear Bob –
One of your emails, winter of 2015 (?) temporarily saved my marriage years ago. You were talking about a song, recorded by Casting Crowns, "Broken Together." The song is beautiful. My husband and I both read your email, went to counseling and decided to try a hard restart. This was mostly for the sake of our young son, but also in the hopes that we might resurrect a love that was deeper than what had lapsed in friend who were roommates. We were ultimately unsuccessful.
And while I recognize that your letter today is as much about art and film and performance; I do wish our society and your intelligent audience would take a longer look at why divorce is so horrible, and why divorce attorneys are all bloodsuckers, no matter how well-intentioned.
And the answer is marriage. The way marriage is constructed. A master-slave relationship that costs little to enter and everything to leave. Why does it cost ridiculous amounts of money to end a marriage? Why are $$$Billions of dollars spent each year on legally severing this tie? No matter how amicable or little the joint assets? It's ridiculous. It's criminal. It's extortion. It's preying on people when they are most broken.
Who was one of the most zealous advocacy groups for gay marriage? The "Family Law," i.e. divorce bar. Why? Because marriage has a statistically significant failure rate. People shouldn't own each other. People shouldn't belong to each other. People should only belong to themselves. Community is important. Relationships are important. But when you introduce ownership, the relationship is doomed from the start. Relationships only work when they are consensually entered into with the only enforcement mechanism being free will. Once there's a legal ownership status attached to it, and make no mistake, that is EXACTLY what marriage codifies, it's corrupted from the beginning.
Solution – tell your kids, your students, your friends, this audience – anyone who will listen, that marriage is a capitalist institution created for the perpetuation of misogynistic servitude and wealth. If you love someone, tell them, and be kind to them – help them develop and progress as humans. Don't marry them.
Carrie Archie Russell, JD, PhD
Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Education
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Subject: Joe Smith
I had known that Joe Smith was not in "good shape" for sometime, but the news of his passing hit me like a member of my family was gone. I had the honor of working with Joe at Elektra Asylum in the 70's as he supplied the energy, knowledge and belief in the future of the company. To the point: HE SAVED ALL OUR LIVES @ 962 North LaCienega and put "care" back on the daily menu and made us the place to be! He was "one of a kind", my mentor, my coach, my leader and my friend! He had "no act to follow" at E/A and proceeded to guide us HIS WAY. He believed in artist development and made that a priority for the hottest label in the business! Thru the SMITH YEARS we got "a history of making stars of nobody's and millionaires of many!" Working at E/A at that time was like being in the cast of WEST SIDE STORY or CHORUS LINE & every day deserved an encore! It was big time fun and because of Joe, many of us went on to great gigs at other record companies & management firms. There will never be another JOE SMITH…that's for damn sure!! And you can bet your ass, I cried when writing this. Jerry Sharell 12/3/2019
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Subject: Re: Mailbag
So sorry to hear about the great Joe Smith. Growing up in Boston, he was my very favorite deejay, and 4 decades later he
hired me as VP of A&R at Elektra Records. In 1982 we both agreed that Elektra's roster needed revitalizing, but he was kicked upstairs shortly after I arrived.
I spent some special time with Joe at his Beverly Hills home, at Hillcrest CC, and too briefly at the Elektra hq on La Cienega.
Joe was a rarity in the record industry -- an honest, friendly, compassionate man of integrity.
He will always be remembered as a truly creative beacon of light in the glory days of the music biz.
Sadly,
Tom Werman
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Subject: Movie Theaters
Bob,
I am fortunate to live in Colorado where there are several Alamo Drafthouse theaters, a chain out of Austin clearly run by hardcore cinephiles. My teenage daughter and I even went there on Thanksgiving to see "Knives Out" (we loved it). The theater was serving a full Thanksgiving dinner!
I don't think I'd bother with movie theaters if Alamo wasn't around. I always arrive 30 minutes early to see the curated clips they run before the trailers (where do they find these things?). If you arrive late, you can't go in and they are serious about ejecting anyone talking or texting. The food ain't bad and is brought to your seat (where there is a small table) and they have a good draft beer selection. The popcorn comes in a metal bowl with real butter.
I also saw "The Irishman" at Alamo. I was enthralled and will watch it again on Netflix. Pacino has never been better.
Bill Hein
PS: Just reading about Joe Smith. RIP, a real mensch.
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I have developed an "old man" problem with seated shows. I am lucky and my wife has come to love live music but she will not go to clubs and stand (which I still love) and so I spring for a seated show at a grand old venue and...people talk through the opener and then for the headliner, the whole fucking place stands...for the whole show. I don't get it. So I am done with them unless I am upfront or in a box. I would rather see newer acts and less popular acts at clubs anyway but...WTF?
Michael A. Becker
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From: Toby Mamis
Subject: Re: Buttigieg
Much as I loved Rob Tyner, and miss him, here's the info:
Eldridge Cleaver said it first: The correct (full) quote is: 'There is no more neutrality in the world. You either have to be part of the solution, or you're going to be part of the problem.'
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Subject: Re: The Kaepernick Shoe
Bob,
Love your work and attitude and writing.
I agree that it is not business as usual and I also agree that this time it will take fire to fight fire. As in 'we need to get a better billionaire than they have'. Which, true, is setting the bar pretty low.
But there is one besides Oprah, who would be great and might be able to win. FWIIW, I think Oprah would have a chance to win too.
The best candidate for the dems to run next year is......George Clooney. He's rich, smart, educated, a lefty, well connected and an outsider. You said that the TV stuff made people think they knew Trump. Well George's TV and movie career makes people think they know him too.
Anyway, I don't have your platform but wanted to send you the thought.....grass roots starts somewhere!
Happy Hanukkah
Ken Goldfine
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