Best Buy is going to be the exclusive retailer for the official live souvenir of The Police's (likely) final tour ever; one more nail in the coffin of consumer choice. This is one more step down the path of destruction as foretold in the Book of Revelations. Good. Let's hit something hard and get it over with.
The package will be released in multiple formats on October 7. The first package will be a traditional 2 DVD/2 CD set. I'm still far more likely to listen to a live album than I am to watch a live DVD. Too many "live albums" are being released on DVD only. It will also be released as a single Blu-ray DVD/2 CD package. A package of three vinyl LPs will also be released and purchasers of this set will be able to download MP3s of the music for portability.
Let's pause here and look at the good and bad, beginning with the good. I very much like the fact the shows will be presented on separate audio and video media. As someone who was a little late to the HD party, I'm also glad to see these shows being made available in an HD format, Blu-ray being the obvious (and in essence only) choice. As someone even later to the vinyl revolution, I'm quite excited to see this coming out as a triple live album.
The Police's Certifiable was filmed and recorded in Buenos Aires, Argentina where the band performed two shows December 1 and 2. It's not clear if the set was cobbled together from both shows or only one of them.
Now, let's get back to that word "choice," as in the absence thereof. God kills a puppy every time (Satan)Best Buy gets another exclusive deal. I don't live in such a black-and-white world where independent stores are automatically virtuous and chain stores are definitively evil, but I sure think more choices rather than fewer (or none at all) is a better situation. Shopping at Best Buy sucks. Sure, I can find things I want or need there, but when is the last time you had fun shopping at Best Buy? Do you know anyone who actually enjoys going in there?
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - El Bicho
Interesting because I know they recorded the Anaheim show I went to.
If you are going to blame anyone for the exclusivity deal, start with The Police. They made available a sponsorship for the tour, so that's likely how Best Buy got the deal. And if you don't want to go into the store, go to their web site.
I don't get music fans, and it's not just you, who want the music industry to accept the technological changes, yet want the parts they like, mom and pop stores, to stay the same. It's not Best Buy's fault they found a business model that works better than the independent stores.
2 - Tom Johnson
The exclusivity is annoying, but I'm more annoyed at their choice of shows. I've got to go home and check my bootlegs, but I'm almost certain I downloaded an HD broadcast of this show. I'm further annoyed because it was obvious Sting was using copious amounts of AutoTune on his voice for this broadcast (I didn't detect this when I saw them live, so it may have only been for the broadcast.) Why release something that was obviously bootlegged? So dumb. And the second leg was a far more interesting performance, from my perspective, at least. But I guess this is the "people pleaser" setlist - our show had no appearance of "Synchronicity II," which everyone thought was strange.
I just pray that Andy isn't wearing his terrible "metal bones" shirt. I caught The Police's set on some charity show on VH1-Classic this weekend and there it was. I fear it's Andy's favorite shirt and I won't be able to watch the DVD without giggling through the whole thing.
3 - Josh Hathaway
Yeah, well, let's all go work for Satan because it's more convenient that way. :D
I did take pains to say I'm sure The Police and Best Buy will make a killing and fans will pay less; from that perspective there are winners and as an unabashed capitalist, I understand how we got to this point. I still don't like it. I also said I don't see all chains as evil and all indies as some sort of nirvana. I don't think at a time when the music industry "claims" they can't get people to pay for music that they should make it more difficult for people to buy music by isolating it to one store only.
What bums me out is being shoehorned into doing business with one and only one outfit or simply doing without. I'm not saying I'd go buy this from an indie store. I might well buy it at a different chain. I'd just like the choice.
As for the selection of which show to release, I didn't catch the tour so I don't have a dog in that fight.
4 - Tom Johnson
Ah, I just read that the show that I have, the bootlegged broadcast, was the Rio de Janeiro show, not Buenos Aires. So I'm at least relieved in that regard. Still worried about the shirt, however.
5 - Mark Saleski
I don't see all chains as evil and all indies as some sort of nirvana
i do.
6 - El Bicho
I don't see how it's more difficult and isolating when you can buy it from any computer with internet access.
"What bums me out..."
Unfortunately, that's your choice, Sophie. Either make a stand and do without or allow your actions and wallet to endorse the practice while your complaints fall on deaf ears. Much like Glen's issue with Neil Young ticket prices right after he buys them. They can handle listening to your complaints as they run to the bank laughing. I am happy with the audio quality of the bootleg I found online, so they won't be getting any more of my money.
As long at they don't include footage from Fictionplane, I don't care what show they choose.
7 - Glen Boyd
"Much like Glen's issue with Neil Young ticket prices right after he buys them..."
Hmm, I didn't realize we were still beating that crazy, but dead horse.
Anyway, you can read my take on all of this by going here.
-Glen
8 - Josh Hathaway
You're right, El B. I'm not a victim. I do have the option to forgo the whole thing and I actually might. It's a shame that it comes down to that and it's completely unnecessary.
I will say this: I don't think it's hypocritical to decry a process while participating in it. It may do no good and it may be counterproductive but it's not wrong to say, "I think it stinks that these are my only options" and choose to participate.
9 - Glen Boyd
Agreed. Sometimes you gotta use the outhouse despite the stink.
-Glen
10 - El Bicho
But choosing to participate and handing over your $24.99 to the Best Buy cashier ultimately tells them that you are happy with the system as is. How is that going to change anything? If you want to see it stop, a stand must be taken, good sir.
I an throwing down the gauntlet and issuing a challenge to all who pass through here that take issue with the practice to stop buying these exclusive products (I don't want to make it to hard and suggest you stop shopping at those locations altogether). Who's with me? To quote RvTM, "What better place than here? What better time than now?"
Otherwise just bend over and grab your ankles because it's only going to get worse.
11 - Glen Boyd
I haven't bought one of these yet. Though I will freely admit to purchasing Neil Young tickets and accepting a review copy of the Genesis DVD.
-Glen
12 - Donald Gibson
If we refused everything we despise, none of us would attend concerts like we do. The very rare occasions when Ticketmaster doesn't monopolize sales excluded, buying a concert ticket nowadays (no matter who it is) includes exorbitant "service fees" that are non-negotiable. You can't tell TM, "I want two tickets to the U2 concert, but hold the fees" like you're at Burger King.
13 - El Bicho
The challenge is from here forward, Glen. All past sins will be absolved. Anything you get free from the man is a bonus for the good guys.
I haven't seen you decry concert fees, Gibson, but, thanks for letting us know where you stand in regards to the movement. We'll make sure you are the first against the wall when the revolution comes.
14 - Jordan Richardson
I'm in. I never miss a good revolution.
15 - Donald Gibson
I can wage my own battles in my own way, Bicho.
16 - Glen Boyd
If Springsteen, God forbid, ever does one of these deals though, all bets are off. I like to think of myself as a man of integrity, but at the end of the day I'm still pretty much just another junkie in need of a fix when it comes to some things....
-Glen
17 - El Bicho
Welcome, Comrade Jordan.
Gibson, you're either with us or against us. "This individuality stuff is a bunch of crap. The bilious bastards who wrote that stuff about individuality for the 'Saturday Evening Post' don’t know anything more about real battle than they do about fornicating."
Glen, you just made the list.
18 - Josh Hathaway
Curse the darkness or light a candle? You're with us or you're against us. Axis of Evil. 1,000 Points of Light. Some people set fires just because they like to see the world burn. Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke.
Come to think of it... I got one of the Stones' boxes and the Petty box for free from contacts. Interesting.
19 - Tom Johnson
The revolution should have happened long ago if it was going to have an effect, guys. It's far, FAR too late for it to mean anything for 6 of us here to boycott the big Blue And Yellow. You want to hurt them? Go in and buy only these exclusives. That will hurt them. They're expecting you to go in and buy this and a DVD player, or something else. They're banking on it. We all know that - it's why we complain about them using CDs as loss leaders. So why not use their loss leaders against them by hurting them with them?
20 - Tom Johnson
Andy wore his terrible shirt again at last night's "final" show, by the way. Very concerned it's the only shirt he took on tour.
21 - Mat Brewster
Am I joining the revolution if I wasn't going to buy this set in the first place?
22 - Tom Johnson
Mat, you're going to have to announce an intention to buy, then renounce the whole deal before it will count.
Who wants to place bets on when the "final" show DVD/CDs will be available? Spring of next year? I can't believe they can wait until Xmas 2009. You know they're not going to let this Best Buy exclusive deal be the only way they milk this tour for some product.
23 - El Bicho
Good grief, Tom, you just want to give up? "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!"
Mat, it's not just this set. It's any exclusive deal. You can either fight the good fight or just take it the shorts like the rest of these weak-kneed hippies. Glad they weren't around during the founding of this country. I can just imagine the pamphlets being passed around by these fellows. "I hate that the British tax us, but I like tea, so what can I do?"
Sic semper proprie!
24 - Glen Boyd
Speaking of hippies, wheres our good friend Mr. Saleski on this thread?
Vive La err, whatever it is we're supposed to be Viva-ing...
-Glen
25 - Mat Brewster
I don't think I actually have ever bought one of these exclusive deals. They are usually either crappy bands or way too expensive megasets.
As for the police, why buy this when you can get most of the tour on torrent?