You have to love Trent Reznor. Thirty years into his career as Nine Inch Nails the iconic frontman continues to find new ways to subvert the norm. This time, his rebellious actions come in the form of a (much-needed) jab at the modern ticketing industry. Before being released online, tickets for Nine Inch Nails’ upcoming US tour will only be available at select ticket booths across the country. You can read a brief explanation from the band below:
WHAT? WHY? PHYSICAL WORLD PRESALE?
THE PROMISE OF A WORLD MADE BETTER BY COMPUTERS AND ONLINE CONNECTIVITY HAS FAILED US IN MANY WAYS, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO TICKETING. EVERYTHING ABOUT THE PROCESS SUCKS AND EVERYONE LOSES EXCEPT THE RESELLER. WE’VE DECIDED TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT WILL ALSO LIKELY SUCK, BUT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. WE’RE HOPING MANY OF YOU WILL BE HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS, WHILE SOME MAY DO WHAT THEY ALWAYS DO AND BITCH ABOUT IT.
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:
YOU (AN ACTUAL HUMAN BEING) SHOW UP AT THE BOX OFFICE, INTERACT WITH THE TICKET SELLER (ANOTHER ACTUAL HUMAN BEING) AND PURCHASE UP TO FOUR TICKETS THAT WILL ACTUALLY BE HANDED TO YOU ON THE SPOT. THE TICKETS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE ONLINE OR ANYWHERE ELSE BEFORE OR DURING THAT DAY. ALL SEATS (INCLUDING THE BEST SEATS) WILL BE AVAILABLE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE. YOU MAY ACTUALLY ENCOUNTER OTHER ACTUAL HUMAN BEINGS WITH SIMILAR INTERESTS LIKELY WEARING BLACK CLOTHING DURING THE PROCESS AND POTENTIALLY INTERACT WITH THEM. THE EXPERIENCE HAS THE POTENTIAL* TO BE ENJOYABLE. NINE INCH NAILS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER, LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST AND GOOD TIMES.**
ANY REMAINING TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AT A LATER DATE.
*NOT GUARANTEED
**NOT ENTIRELY TRUE
Fans of music worldwide know the pains of ticket purchasing being referred to above. Knowing the day and time tickets go on sale is no longer enough, nor is it any guarantee you will even be able to purchase them when they’re officially available to the public. Most tours now have presales, and more prominent artists can have several presales that are exclusive to fan clubs or corporations (American Express, Spotify, etc.). Then you have the resurgence of VIP seating, which makes the seats closest to the performers out of reach for man, as well as Platinum Seats, ticketing bots, fees, and a ruthless secondary market that is growing by the week.
In short, ticketing is complicated and expensive. Furthermore, the increased competition for seats has only served to drive a wedge between fans. Concerts are no longer a communal experience, but a challenge to see who can find the quickest way to claim a desirable seat.
You also never see or interact with other fans until the night of, which limits the amount of interaction you’re likely to have with other concertgoers. That may not seem like a big deal, but that is likely because you do not recall any different experience. Previous generations literally camped outside venues for days, even weeks to get tickets. They recognized their shared fandom, and as a result, they found a deeper meaning in the live experience. They were less alone.
Nine Inch Nails’ new campaign may not kickstart a full-on ticketing revolution, but it should renew interest in the conversation around how tickets are acquired. The process of making tickets available to everyone reasonably is a complicated one, but it is necessary one all the same. The current ticketing market pits consumers against one another for the benefit of corporations. Change is needed, but it won’t come easy. If you have ideas, share them with us on Twitter.
For the better part of the past decade Family Force 5 have been known as a genre-defying rock band with a message of positivity too boisterous to be denied. Their music, much like their live show, is a chaotic combination of everything that influences them channeled through a very focused desire to bring joy to the world. That mission is a far greater undertaking than many may suspect, and its one the band has had to work at each and every step of the way. As much as people may claim they want something that makes them feel good, getting music fans to step outside their comfort zone is typically a fairly difficult task. People like what they like, or so they think, and the men of Family Force 5 offer a gateway to new musical horizons.
Recently, the member of Family Force 5 outlined plans for a fall tour that will see them bringing their unique sound and message to fans across the country. This will be the group’s first proper tour since wrapping a stint on Warped Tour over the summer, and the anticipation for their return is palpable in music scenes from coast to coast. To be aware of Family Force 5 is to know there is music that defies classification, and to understand that enables you as an individual to live outside the stereotypes we see everyday. Family Force 5 are a beacon for individuality, and nearly everyone who enjoys their music does so because it serves as a reminder that is okay to be yourself in every situation you encounter. You might not always fit in, of course, but no one fits in all the time. We are all weird in our own ways, but through the music of Family Force 5 we’re encouraged to celebrate those differences rather than attempt to hide them.
It’s probably clear at this point that we’re big fans of Family Force 5, which is why we jumped at the opportunity to speak to the member known as Fatty about the group’s history, as well as their plans for the new tour. It’s a far more serious interview than most of the coverage you will find on the band, but it’s littered with moments of lightheartedness that remind you to never take life any more seriously than you have to because it’s simply not worth the stress. You can find highlights from our conversation below.
H: Hey there, Joshua. Or do you prefer I call you Fatty? I don’t really know what the social norm is in this situation?
FF5: Fatty is awesome..I’ve been going by it for so long that it’s more like my God-Given name.
H: As we conduct this interview there is less than two weeks to go until your next US headlining tour begins. How are you feeling headed into the fall run?
FF5: I’m super excited for this Fall run: 1. I love to play live music. 2. We’re going to be playing a mix of both old and new music!
H: Fun and high energy stage antics are a staple of the Family Force 5 stage show. What kind of training and/or preparation goes into preparing for a run such as ‘Tour Stands Still.’
FF5: Well, that’s a great question! We’ve definitely gotten a routine down by now; while still trying to keep each tour and set unique to the last show our fans have seen. That being said, it usually starts by brainstorming production, IE: Lighting, Backdrops, Music Interludes, stage props, etc. Then, the final touches of our stage clothes really help polish the look and feel of the tour. We try to keep it different every time
H: Many fans likely last caught you live during your time on Warped Tour over the summer. How was that experience?
FF5: We had a really great turn out at Warped Tour! Being on Main Stage was definitely an honor. Not only did our long time fans come out and fill up our signing line, but we also were able to pick up some new FF5 fans and are very grateful for the experience!
H: How does being on a tour like Warped help with marketing versus spending the summer on the road with two or three other artists? Do you find those festival runs help bring in more new fans than smaller tours, or is it a pretty even mix?
FF5: Warped Tour is a great place to be put in front of fans that would have never seen or heard of our band. On other tours we do it’s usually just the people that have heard of us that come out to see us. But, it really is great to see new faces and win new people over.
H: We’re less than six months from the 10-year anniversary of your label debut, Business Up Front/Party In The Back, arriving in stores. You had already been a band for over a decade when that album dropped, but it’s a special date nonetheless. Have you put any thought into how you might celebrate the occasion?
FF5: Yes, I’m going to buy my wife another dog. We already have two.
H: So much about the alternative music scene has changed since 2006. The number of bands who were popular then and are still going today are very few, and even less have managed to make it this far without a significant hiatus at one point or another. With the exception of your brother Solomon (Soul Glow) departing, FF5 has remained in tact and active through it all. To what do you attribute your continued success?
FF5: Hard work, and the LOVE of music! Plain and simple!
H: With all the fun had, both on stage and through interviews, do you ever worry about whether or not people take what you’re doing seriously? I’ve always found that listeners believe there is a fine line between music that is pure fun and music they write off as cheesy or for lack of a better word, silly.
FF5: For us, people are either Hot or Cold. You either love us, or you don’t love us. But I hope you love us. 😉
H: I’ve been fortunate enough to interview members of the band before, and I’ve read quite a few interviews with you and other members over the years, but for whatever reason I never see people talk about your father, Jerome Olds. I’m only 28, but I have loved his music for a long time. “I’d Rather Be Flying” is a personal favorite. Did you spend much time with him on the road as a child?
FF5: Yes
H: The kind of music you’ve created through Family Force 5 is so distant from the music your father made, but I have always been curious if you’ve considered covering him? I think it might be crazy enough to work.
FF5: we have we just have not done it yet
H: Speaking of potential new music, when will the world hear more original creations from Family Force 5?
FF5:we will be playing new music on the tour we are on right now until the new album comes out
H: What is the creative process like for you? Is songwriting a constant process, or something you specifically set aside time to address?
FF5: It’s a little bit of both. We’re always bouncing ideas off of one another; but we definitely set aside specific writing times through out the entire year.
H: I understand every career is different, but I believe there is something everyone in music can learn from a group currently celebrating two-plus decades together. What comprises the ties that have kept the bond between members of FF5 strong all this time?
FF5: Haha, we haven’t been together for two-plus decades…it’s just coming up on one. But, our friendship, family, and faith definitely helps keep us all together.
H: Looking ahead to the future, what are the biggest goals you have for the group? Continued success is the obvious choice, but I’m looking for specifics.
FF5: Consistently creating inspiring music.
H: I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me. As I mentioned before, I’ve been following you for a while and love to see your continued success. Alternative music needs more artists that believe in the power of simply having a good time, which is one thing I believe FF5 promotes, and I’ve always wanted the chance to take a slightly more serious look at the inner workings of it all. So again, thanks. Before we depart, do you have anything else you would like to share?
FF5: Keep comin’ out to shows!! We love the support! And keep livin’ the dream!
For the second time in just three years, Kid Rock has announced plans to embark on a multi-month summer tour with tickets priced no higher than $20. There are fees included for those who buy online of course, but thanks to a deal with WAL-MART fans can also purchase tickets free of service fees at participating stores across the country. That means a true $20 ticket to a show at a venue with a capacity somewhere between fifteen and thirty thousand is possible in 2015, and for whatever it is Kid Rock who is leading the low cost revolution.
But why?
This probably won’t come as a surprise to anyone, but the last time Kid Rock promoted a tour with a $20 price tag he played to sold out crowds across the country. In fact, many point to the success of his 2013 tour as one of the main reasons his career has received so much more attention in recent years than those prior. The tickets for his 2015 dates went on sale this week, and many cities across the country are already sold out, or at the very least well over halfway towards being at capacity. Rock has a single out right now (“First Kiss”), as well as a new album in stores this week, but neither can take credit for drawing fans to this tour. It’s the price.
You see, Kid Rock knows his audience, and he’s catered his live experience to mirror the buying habits of his fans. Rock knows a good portion of his audience shops at WAL-MART, which makes his decision to partner with them an obvious choice. He also knows that if they shop at WAL-MART they likely don’t have, or would prefer not to spend $60-200 per ticket to attend a concert. If they do, they won’t spend money on merchandise or food, as many will have blown their entertainment budget for the month simply getting in the gate. That in turn makes them view the live experience in a negative light and, over time, will likely lead them to stop seeking out Kid Rock concerts. If that happens, Rock’s career will hit a wall.
With the launch of his $20 ticket tour in 2013 Kid Rock also instituted a new contract for live events. Instead of keeping his cut of ticket money and whatever merch sales he could earn, Rock now splits every sale at his shows with the corresponding venue 50/50. This includes ticket sales, merchandise, food, and beer. The $20 ticket is priced low to get people in the door. Rock knows if he can get them in the gate without feeling gouged by prices that they will be more likely to buy alcohol, eat overpriced fried food, and even buy merchandise. His fans might not be willing to spend $100 to get a ticket, but they will buy $20 tickets in February for a show in June, and then when the show arrives proceed to spend $80 or more once at the gig.
What Kid Rock understands and so many others do not is that creating a sense of value not only encourages people to spend more, but also makes them feel good about spending their hard earned cash on live music. Many artists try and squeeze every cent they can from people on ticket prices alone as they don’t want to risk merchandise not selling, or at least selling under their expectations. There is security in knowing you’ve made X amount of money before you have even hit the stage, but the truth is that not every band’s audience is willing to accept steep ticket prices. By keeping cost of entry low, more people are able to afford live music, which in theory makes it easier for more people to be exposed to an artist’s work. Kid Rock may have spent over a decade in the spotlight as is, but if he wants to continue his career he needs to keep bringing new people into his world. Low prices encourage people to bring friends and family who otherwise would never consider seeing Kid Rock to his shows. Once they’re in the door, all Rock has to do is perform to the best of his abilities, and that may be the easiest part of all.
As I write this, Kid Rock tickets on sites like StubHub have already broken the $100 mark. There is an argument to be made about how low cost tickets for high demand events only further incentivizes the work of scalpers, but that is a very negative way to spin what Rock is trying to accomplish. This is an artist who is so in tune with his fans and their spending habits that he has found a way to keep his career afloat despite not having chart-topping hits. It’s as if he’s managed to bring the excitement of small room shows and the promise anything could happen as long as you made it in before capacity to venues that usually host artists with global appeal. If you want to party with a live band who has more than proven their ability to work crowds of any size without feeling like you have to save your pennies there is no better ticket this summer than Kid Rock. There may be more talented artists on tour, as well as musicians with far larger fan bases, but as costs for those shows rise the disconnect between performer and audience widens. It may still be a party, but it’s one only a small portion of any artist’s fans could ever attend. There is an appeal to the exclusivity of something like that, but I would rather party with the diehard fans of a performer than the ones with enough money to afford their high priced shows any day of the week. Wouldn’t you agree?
