SATIRE

Satire: Tom Waits Fans Respond to Glitter and Doom Ticket Policy

Written by Eric Whelchel
Published May 21, 2008

The ticket policy utilized for Tom Waits’ upcoming Glitter and Doom concert tour is receiving mixed reviews among the musician’s more vocal fans. This policy, primarily designed to ensure that scalpers do not have an opportunity to acquire and then resell tickets at butt-puckering inflated prices, limits the number of tickets to two per household per show, requires the purchaser to show both the credit card used and government-issued photo identification the night of the show, and ends with a quick, relatively painless blood donation that would seriously go a lot smoother if you’d just stop squirming and crying and remember this needle can very easily go somewhere else but if you’re good you’ll get juice and cookies. 

Many Waits fans feel this is the best way to ensure that his most dedicated and affluent fans have an opportunity to see the musician live, without having to pay exorbitant prices to scalpers that they would willingly pay anyway.

Warner Spencer, a self-confident 45-year old advertising executive who has worked with several high-profile musical legends in co-opting their tunes for commercial use and still uses the word “bro” way too much, stated that he supports the policy. “Just because I like hearing Tom sing about Peoria Johnson, Scarface Ron, and Yodeling Elaine doesn’t mean I want to sit next to those scumbags. This ticketing approach, along with the fact that tickets start at around $70, will keep most of the leeches, mooches, and smelly societal bottom feeders outside the palace gates.”

Spencer added, “I know Tom is vehemently opposed to licensing his songs for commercial use. While that’s very noble – Tom, buddy, pal, homey, bro – you’re missing the boat on this one. "Hoist That Rag" would be perfect for a Lysol commercial. The homely yet still attractive housewife actress has already been cast. We’d just need to clean that song up a bit and get a more conventional voice to sing it. I could have the baksheesh heading you’re way in no time. Call me bro.”

Other fans are far more ambivalent about how tickets were sold for the upcoming tour. Ian Middleton gave a half-smile/half-frown as he expressed what could only be described as a mixture of apathy and confusion: “I easily got tickets for St. Louis but was shut out of Columbus. Now unless I somehow find a sympathetic person with an extra ticket or violently incapacitate someone the night of the show and steal their credit card, tickets, and identity, I’ll only be seeing one show this time around. It sucks, kind of.”

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Eric Whelchel is a music enthusiast/junkie who really needs to ease off the sarcasm sometimes. In his free time he enjoys dodging thunderbolts from angry Skynyrd fans.
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Satire: Tom Waits Fans Respond to Glitter and Doom Ticket Policy
Published: May 21, 2008
Type: Satire
Section: Music
Filed Under: Music: Rock, Music: Live Concerts, Music: Indie Rock, Music: Classic Rock and Oldies, Music: Alternative Rock, Music: Acoustic, Culture: Humor and Satire
Writer: Eric Whelchel
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Comments

#1 — May 22, 2008 @ 12:03PM — Tom Johnson [URL]

Pretty good, man. And, while satire, it definitely reflects the cranky ire I've been seeing among those who didn't get tickets. I ultimately opted not to buy due to the prices, but I wouldn't have even gotten a chance since, as you said, the Phoenix tickets sold out for BOTH shows in (reportedly) one minute. I highly doubt that many Phoenix residents will be at these first two Waits shows, due to the number of people from all over the country (and, actually, world) that are coming here specifically for these two shows.

I'm all for fans getting a chance to see shows by their favorite artists, but I think things need to take a step back. Maybe a solution would be to limit ticketing to locals-only for a period of, say, several hours, and then open it up to outside buyers. Something needs to be done to make this fair again. I really would rather go back to the days when you had no choice but to get up at 4am and stand in line. At least then you knew you stood a chance of getting something decent. Since tickets went online, I've gotten screwed over and over. When I had to stand in line? Usually got good seats, when seats were an option. Ah, the good ol' days, when you stood next to a smelly bum who kept asking, "What are we in line for again?"

#2 — May 26, 2008 @ 18:49PM — dre

I would recommend thinking about standing in line outside the theatre when the temperature in Phoenix has been around 109 degrees fahrenheit during these May days. THat's massively hot...so start thinking about your throw away water bottles and hats now. Also sunscreen, even at 6 p.m. I may contact the theatre to see how they deal with this issue...if they have shade outside or not. Really...109 degrees....we really have no idea what that's like.

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