PRE-$ALES BEGIN TODAY
PRE-$ALES BEGIN TODAY, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20TH, 2008 AT 10AM **LOCAL VENUE TIME
Details available at www.neilyoung.com.
Pre-sale tickets available through Music Today.
Tour dates here.
A news blog for Neil Young fans from Thrasher's Wheat with concert and album updates, reviews, analysis, and other Rock & Roll ramblings. Separating the wheat from the chaff since 1996.
PRE-$ALES BEGIN TODAY, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20TH, 2008 AT 10AM **LOCAL VENUE TIME
Sales look incredibly slow. Seats still available right next to the stage. I love Neil Young, but I think whoever decided he can demand $250 per ticket (granted that is for the lower bowl reserved seating, but still) in our current world economy made a serious error.
I dont see any pre-sale info on the neilyoung.com site ?
I think anything over $ 75-80 is insane and I think there will be many leftover tickets in the $ 100-200 bracket. the $ 100-200 tickets were understandable to some degree when he played small halls, but to pay that kind of $ to see him in a
place like Madison Square Garden is just absurd.you'd think he needs the $$$, but he doesnt ! give something back to the fans Neil ! I think you've lost touch with reality, Neil.
Does it ever occur to the complainers that Neil is splitting the ticket fee with the other bands, their mutual crews and transport?
Get a grip and a does of reality.
-Chicago
How do I buy the MSG New York presale tickets? What site, and what password? I checked neilyoung.com and ticketmaster and failed to find it. I want to keep searching, but I have to work until 8PM with no computer and am afraid I will not be able to buy tickets in time. I wasn't sure which section to ask this on. I would really appreciate any help anyone can give me, thanks a lot!
What site has the pre-sale tickets ? Nothing on neilyoung.com
i bought the tickets for the Air Canada Center in Toronto and the $250 seats were the permanent seating around the floor. Floor was GA and $75. Thought it was too good to be true but the Seating Chart over at Ticketmaster seemed to confirm things. If it turns out not to be true, perhaps I'll trade up.
Got fairly good seats for Vancouver right at 10:00am, 3 tickets $312 delivered. I'm not going to complain at all. It ain't cheap putting on a show like this and the man always delivers.
Doug
This should get you to the site for tix
http://neilyoung.tickets.musictoday.com/NeilYoung/calendar.aspx
if the site of choice isnt listed, does that mean pre sales allottment are gone? There are no listings for Philadelphia or NYC. its 2:22 pm local time
Not gonna pay big bucks becasue there's another band on the bill !
Tired of all the excuses for high prices.If you look at Neils ticket prices in the 70's, 80.s and 90's, and add the appropriate inflation rate, you will understand that Neil has gotten greedy in his old age and is screwing the real fans.
Anyway, $ 250 seats for a big arena is F-ing nuts.and, for example, for the Minn. show, the $ 250 seats available now are shitty seats for that kind of $.Nowhere near the stage ! super crazy !
There are floor seats at every venue on this tour for $75. Why are people still complaining?
BTW, Saw Neil and this band in Amsterdam, London and @ Bospop in Southern Holland. All three shows were worth every penny I paid ($300in A'Dam, $200 in UK and $100 in Bospop.
These shows are dynamite!
If I am back stateside I am going everywhere I can.
picked tickets for the Winnipeg and Regina show! Very excited you know the Winnipeg show will be something special!
Why is everybody complaining this seems to be a reaction to the many price and seating complaints. Noone is making you buy the 200$ tickets. You can get what could be the best ticket available for under 100$.
just got home from work and see NO details on neilyoung.com any help would be great. my email is michaelbills9@gmail.com thanks guys
trying to get msg tix for the fam for xmas. didnt think this was presaled yet. thanks though
The site for tix to venues that went on pre-sale today is:
http://neilyoung.tickets.musictoday.com/NeilYoung/calendar.aspx
There is a link to other tour dates and pre-sale ticket dates at the top of this page.
I would save a link to "musictoday" site for future ticket purchases
READ CAREFULLY the on sale date as posted.
ONLY the west coast/Canada are on pre-sale is today.
Midwest later.
East coast/Eastern Canada is later still.
-Chicago
Don't miss this concert because you are pissed about the ticket price, $77 is not overly priced for a concert these days. Take a breath. Do you really want to be sitting at home on the night of the concert because you missed out on the $77 dollar ticket? Thats $93.30 delivered to your door (in canada). Theres two months before the concert. Squirl $1.50 away a day and you are there. This Neil Young for petes sake. I think the pricing is very accomodating.
Doug
There are no more GA floors left in the pre sale for the Toronto show.
As for the whiners, you get what you pay for. Break out the credit card and STFU. It's only money. You can always earn more.
Are these comments cut and pasted from the last time Neil went on tour?
aaaargh, I just heard about this and there are no GA tix listed for Tornoto,
did anybody get GA or did they pffert only reerved on presale
I am old but am tired of paying big $ to sit down all night, and yeah here comes the sit/ stand debate from last go round :-))
GA and WIlco/ Neil show is a dream for peeps like me, hope there will be GA tomorrow, or the next day
aw man...
all that's left for the Halifax show are the VIP seats...
d'you guys think my luck is out for seeing this show?
i wanted floor tickets...
-Marc C
Guess I am too stupid to figure out the ticketing site. I have signed up and validated but no luck. Want to be ready for the omaha show.
I just shelled out $520- plus bucks, have a three hour drive to look forward to, and a hotel to book, but I won't be complaining. This is my first time seeing Neil and his first swing through these parts in 15 years. Be it money isn't anything, but the man is a living, touring, ragged glory legend. If people complain, will I see Mickey Dolenz is having a concert here on Saturday. Tickets are 10 bucks.
To all those not complaining about prices, but rather SUPPORT IT , EXCUSE IT, JUSTIFY IT.... you folks go out on a limb to make some silly argument......" I'm happy to pay $ 500"..... you dont understand the cost of touring...... Neils a legend, worth every penny.......use your credit card.....it's only money......you MORONS are eating the shit right out of Neils bag of tricks.You are like cult followers,political supporters and the like. You simply cant ever realize your HERO is fucked up in some way ! You dont want to accept it, deal with it or hear it.You are acting exactly as your cult hero hopes you act.You do the work for him.Nil doesnt have to say a damn thing......his stupid fans say it for him. you folks all act and sound so stupid.
Neil young fan here for almost 40 years.Have seen the man live over 100 times and closer to 200, and yes I have shelled out alot of bucks, but I am drawing the line with this tour.I dont want to sit 5 miles away ( I didnt care when I was 20 yo, but now I either sit fairly close or I dont go).I paid alot of $ for first row seats for the last "small theater tour"......
but Neil charging $ 250 for arena seats half way across the stadium in a place guaranteed to have poor acoustics, is just Neils way of saying " HOW STUPID ARE THESE PEOPLE...LET ME SEE HOW FAR I CAN PUSH THE ENVELOPE"... and some of you are not only buying, but excusing it and feeling "HAPPY" to spend it. Yeah, sure, you feel real happy.....
I can afford first row seats for every ahow on the tour if I choose, but thats not the point or issue.I choose to draw the line and pass on this tour.$ 100 to sit in the last row of a 20,000 seat stadium or $ 250 to sit half way across the arena on a lower level, is just GREED NEIL.Disapointing Neil.The GREEDY HAND strikes again.How much do you need ? Treat your fans like intelligent people and appreciate the fan base you have, and you will have sold out shows forever.
Do this and you will see the end result when you start playig to half empty arenas.......and once you start playing to half empty arenas, its all downnhill from there.
I am not saying "dont make $".I'm not saying " dont make good $".....I am saying "dont be so greedy and put your hands so deep in the pockets of your true fan base.I have 5-6 close local friends who also see every Neil tour over the years.They are all passing on this one.
Neil is a music legend, great songwritter, singer, guitar player etc.2nd only to Dylan in talent.But that doesnt mean I am a mental zombie willing to spend whatever Neil tells me to spend just becasue it's Neil.One day he's gonna write a song about all of you folks who are Happy to PAY $ 500...........and it'll tell you how stupid you are, and you'll eat it up and feel axcited becasue Neil wrote a song about you !
$250 is high considering it's pretty much only for the ability to sit rather than stand. If you want to be close you're going to buy GA for $75 and fight your way to the front. Which in my mind is a pretty sweet deal. The one thing that occured to me is that some of the profits from these tours are going into things like Linc-Volt. It may only be a fraction, but if Neil's work in the devlopment of energy efficient cars is recognized. We'll all have contributed to that.
Neils LincVolt is already paid for.
And it cost less than the $ he makes from 1 show !
More justification.........
RE HALIFAX PRE-SALE: DID THEY OFFER ANY "B" PRICE TIX -$95 AT ALL? OR JUST THE $250 TICKETS. DOES ANYBODY KNOW?
"He was ripping off the people, skimming the top when there's no one around"
Let me say that, like all of you, I worship Neil Young, and $75 for GA floor tickets isn't bad, but I have a 6 yr old little boy that's been singing Neil songs for 3 yrs now and has been waiting to see Neil live ever since. I made a promise that we would share this moment when and if the chance ever arose. When Neil played Massey Hall last year I tried so hard but was only able to get ticket for $200, but at a small venue like that it was well worth it.
However, $250 for seats in the stands at a hockey arena is LUDICROUS. Neil you are a god and I love you but this goes against everything you say that you stand for. Not really looking out for the "Ordinary People" on this one are you?
As you probably guessed, I still bought two $100 tickets to sit a mile away but at least I'll fulfill that promise I made to my little boy, and we can share that special moment together, albeit probably through a set of binoculars.
Man you're setlist better not be sub par. I'm sure it won't be, and I feel blasphemous just writing these words, but coming from a guy who has a wife and 3 kids, and a blue collar job, it's how I feel right now.
Great comments about the high pricing folks...I really hope Neil's camp hears these remarks...
The Greedy hand is once again at work!
$75 for tickets and everyone is still upset about prices? I don't get it...
Lets clarify..... thats $ 75 for standing room, in a crowded setting guaranteed to be full of pushing and showing towards the front area, in an arena with shitty sound.And some of you will be standing near the other side of the arena !!! Bring bonoculars ! No bargain there.
All you "cultists" will never say anything wrong about Neil, even if he charges $ 2000 a ticket, comes out drunk, plays "yonder stands the sinner" twice and leaves.You'll have an excuse .You'll justify it before Neil does. I have come to realize that some of Neils fan base arent connected to reasonable realities.
Just look at what some other artists are charging, such as Jackson Browne..... and somehow they are living well on $ 35, 45 and $60 tickets. dont misunderstand...I love Neils music and like many of you , I think he's great.....but as a person, I think he has definately sold out his fans to greed as HE KNOWS he can get away with it becasue of all the "cultist" type fans.
Hey, for the cost of somewhat decent seats for me and my wife, plus parking, plus gas,plus a few sodas or beers, ......... for the same price I can spend 4 days on vacation in the caribean or mexico at a beautiful beach, including airfare,hotel,food.......
now not that i prefer vacation over seeing Neil, but when they both cost the same, there is something SERIOUSLY wrong with the ticket prices. No comparison in value.
My tickets (seats not standing)worked out to $104 a piece delivered. Thats what concerts cost nowadays. Put down the dope and smell reality. I'm suprised you people complaining about the prices can even afford the internet. Thats like a bag of weed to see Neil. Go on the wagon for a week and the concert pays for itself.
If everyone refused to pay the insane prices for this arena tour,
the next tour you'd be paying $ 35, $50 & $ 60.........instead of $ 250 !
Neil fans have the power but dont seem to use it. Bent on convincing everyone $ 250 tickets are ok.
Sorry Neil,I'll pass on the arena tour since me and my partner would have to shell out over $ 500 to sit in seats that we can see the action from !
DOES ANYBODY KNOW IF THE HALIFAX PRE-SALE OFFERED ANY $99 TICKETS, OR JUST THE $250 TICKETS?
To the person who posted " At 8/21/2008 01:52:00 PM," ticket prices may be ridiculous, but I don't know how much of that is on Neil, and neither do you. But I would bet it has way more to do with concert promoters, venues, and ticketmaster than it does with Neil setting his own prices. And judging somebody you've never met "as a person" is pretty ridiculous.
Although to be fair, I would kill to hear Neil play Yonder Stands the Sinner drunk. 1973 tour anyone?
For all the anonymous complainers out there - just sit this one out ... as Neil said when people complained about prices on the last tour, " this isn't mandatory" ... For the record I shelled out top dollar for the theatre tour, have seen him in venues big and small including him and the horse for something like $20 at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz in '97 in front of a couple hundred people but I'll be at the Madison Square Garden show and glad to pay top dollar to enjoy the show with 20,000 fans ... what would Dead fans pay today if Jerry would come back and play one more show? Look, these are priceless experiences ... a vacation for 4 days ain't going away ... Neil might not be around forever ... and I've NEVER left a Neil show dissapointed .... whatever the rational for prices, I'm paying for them and I realize that having a choice to see NEIL for $250 is better than not having a choice to see him ... its unfortunate that some people can't afford it but after 40 years of playing and touring and now he's 62 he's just as entitled to earning money as you and I are. Remember this isn't communist Russia.
I'd sell my mother to hear Neil sing "Yonder Stands the Sinner" live!
Marian M.
You people who think the price is expensive are probably right, but to us who get certain karma (growing up with it) from his music don’t think so. The guy is more than likely thinking that he is reaching his end of days and he just trying to hang on to the threads of time like any of us when we get to a certain age. I stopped following Neil music (fanatically) mid to late 80s mainly because I had different priorities (family, 3 children) and never really got back into it till the Massey Hall CD. I read Shakey and went to one his shows November 2007. It blew my mind and I regretted not following his music (some great music) for a couple of Decades. Neil’s music is woven into the threads that have made me. For example a Parent, Friend, Teacher, Movie, Pet etc. He like most parents with dependents think of their future and this might be driving up the price. Anyway I thank the stars that I can afford and have the time to see the show.
Regards,
P.S. Time too roll another number "on the beach"
I saw Neil in Minneapolis last November with great seats in a small venue for a fair price. The 2008 leg of his North American tour seems out of line with the ticket prices last Fall. I'm speculating that each of the high-end $250 tickets come with the Blu-Ray DVD Archives packaged with a Sony Playstation and maybe Neil coming over to your home to personally set it up. Way to go Neil!!!
just got two floor tickets for the halifax show!!!
can't wait!!!
-Marc C
I'm sitting out this tour, Neil. I'd rather donate the amount I would have spent on one ticket to the Republican Party - and you know what, I will for that matter. I could care less to "see" him play anymore - his new songs are sub-par anyways. Anyone who can tell me "Sea Change" is on the same level as the monumental "Driveby" ain't hearing the same song I am.
Amen, ranters, amen. I mostly avoid Neil sites these days because the fan base HAS turned over into some weird yuppified cult. Sick, man. My Neil balloon deflated several years ago, in no small part due to his unbridled greed and his stupid endlessly justifying cult followers feeding each other in a continuous loop (nevermind bringing minimally talented wifey onstage and charging us to listen to her. Ugh.). It all spun off into some gut-churningly repulsive alternate universe. It's been an insult all around. I have no regrets not seeing last year's tour. Wanted to check in on this tour. I have no regrets not seeing this tour, either. Neil's become an artist I refuse to support financially. Weird.
I WANT MY $$$ BACK! I had no clue and it was not mentioned when I purchased my GA floor ticket for the Ecel Center,Mpls. concert that there is NO seating! If I would have known that, I would have spent more and at least been able to sit down. COME ON NEIL......so many of us dedicated and OLDER fans simply cannot fight the crowds on the floor, nor stand for the length of your concert anymore. Please give us chairs! I will not physically be able to stand (as many will not)and now have to miss the concert and am stuck with tickets. This is just plain sad and I am so very disappointed in you.
I just posted a comment about NO CHAIRS for Excel Center concert. Is the same "plan" for all the GA floor tickets on this tour? Was anyone else mis-led when they bought tickets?
Also.I want to know.......has or Neil Young ever really actually read any of these posting......I HOPE SO!
I don't know why you assumed there would be seats in a general admission area but you certainly weren't swindled.
any clue as to when the Omaha tickets go on sale????
Ah, more ticket price angst. Brings to mind this little band called the Moody Blues. They had a song called, "The Story in your Eyes". There is a line in that song that goes, " We've been thinking about our fortune and we've decided that we're really not to blame. For the love that's deep inside of us is still the same."
We've all got choices. Look at the economy. It ain't cheap out there, especially is you're a touring artist. Neil must look in the mirror and ask himself, " How long can I do this?" The time is now folks. If you can't buy a seat, close your eyes and put on Massey Hall.
Does anybody know what's going on with Trasher?
First thoughts came up that he sold his computer to get money for more NY tickets and therefore was not able to do updates anymore. Now I am getting worried since there are still no updates... Kind of strange...
Hope you are okay Thrasher. Best. B.S.M.
$75 to see Neil Young and Wilco - two of the best live bands I have ever seen. I think that is a bargain, and if didnt have to pay another 2 or 3k for an airfare from Aust to the USA I would be there.
Cheers,
Mick
Well .......SOMEBODY'S buying tickets. I'm told the Halifax show is completely sold out, including all the $250 Gold seats........
does anyone know if neil ever addresses this topic (of high ticket prices).
i also have seen him every chance i get and am pretty disappointed. i think he's losing his fan base at the concerts or they are sacrificing alot to see his shows.
it's disappointing to go to his shows (like in LA last year) and have a bunch of young yuppies in the front rows with their ipods text messaging their friends all nite.
i love you neil, but what are you thinking? you always say you have done very well financially - so what's up?
well i just did it. bought 2 sets actually one at 89 each the other GA at 79 each. so, except for the $250 price seats, which i'm not sure where they are (san diego) the other tickets are very reasonable.
i hate to admit this, but i think it would be fun to stand... all dancing all night... rockin in the free world GO NEIL
I'm a huge Neil fan, and have been for years.
But, I'm not sure why all you people are justifying these ticket prices? To pay for Link Volt and Neil's energy initiative? Ludicrous.
Neil charging $200+ for seats is sad, and just pure greedy. He obviously doesn't need to charge this much, and he's simply charging as much as he possibly can, just as like the Stones, just like the Eagles - and no argument can be made against this. It's the artist's choice how much they charge and want to profit on tour, and Neil just wants to guage his fans and rake in as much as humanly possible. A sin? No. Exploiting his fans? Absolutely.
Anyone justifying Neil charging these prices, and saying they're happy to pay these prices because he's a legend, etc. is silly. Call a spade a spade - Neil's as greedy as the rest of them. You just don't want to admit it. There are lots of legends who charge reasonable amounts for tickets. I've never seen a Bob Dylan ticket come even close to this. He chooses not to go there.
It's definitely disappointing to see an idol turn to this, but we've got to face the facts and not just justify anything that our hero does.
Now, let's all look forward to some amazing and memorable shows on this tour.
- Dale G from Toronto
link volt, family, ranch etc. what ever is pumping the price of tickets is irrelevant. As soon as one person buys that ticket, the price is justified. So buddy if his shows are selling out,which they are it seems your venting is falling on deaf ears .
Let me ask a question,
Who out there is in the same league that is putting on a show like his who has not sold out to comercialism or is doing a reuion and what are they charging?
Geez, Neil should just sell his soul to commercial interests, get those big corporate backers to subsidize a tour of this size to save the fans $50 less the cost (or whatever).
Quick Elliot! Get GM, American Express, and Budweiser on the phone. Easy to do a cross promotion--lease a few seconds to a song! That should shave another $25 per ticket across the board!
Dylan can't get those prices because he can barely sing anymore. RS, Police, U2, Clapton in major cities all have upper end prices.
You can bet after 65, Neil will tour far less, and/or on a smaller scale. May hang up Ol' Black...and the complainers will all be moaning how he should tour.
WAKE THE F*CK UP and be glad you have the option. Go or don't go; sit or stand. Enjoy he has a gift he continues to share with us.
-Chicago
p.s. I'm no wealthy yuppie. I get buy--it's called a budgeting.
By charging $250 for some tickets he/you do not have to worry about scalpers buying them up. This way, if you really want to go you can. Anywho Vancover tix ranged from $48to $250, I don't see what the problem is.
Hey, Neil sings about himself in his new song:
"...sing about change
while you're making you're own"
that's Neil's new gig...talk about change while he makes his own...
Hey all you deep pocketed Neil fans, how about checking out some new music by a fan of Neil's whose music many say bears the spirit of Neil.
Please check out www.willthecircle.ca
Try 'Orchid' for the quiet side, and 'Pebble' for the cosmic, electric side.
If you like it, maybe spare a mere $15.00 for a CD with HAND-MADE 1-of-a-kind artwork, and help support a guy who will be out on the streets of Toronto singing 'Southern Pacific' on the sad day Neil leaves us with our ears ringing and our hearts crying.
Peace - Gerry