Unless you were away somewhere on a desert island or on a distant planet — or of course, you simply don't follow these things — then you are probably aware that Bruce Springsteen released a new album, played the Super Bowl, and announced yet another tour with the E Street Band this week.
Speaking of which, is there anyone besides me out there who remembers when Springsteen tours with the E Street Band used to be rare and special events? These days, the guy trots out the boys for another worldwide juggernaut nearly as often as Dylan does. Oh, right — his tours used to be pretty rare too.
Not that I'm complaining or anything...
So, as we Springsteen fans tend to be a somewhat fussy lot, it goes without saying that not everyone was going to be happy with those damned capitalists at TicketBastard this week.
Personally, I'm just pissed that Bruce apparently isn't getting anywhere near the Northwest part of the country this time around. He probably still holds it against us that we didn't sell out the Tacoma Dome back in the Nineties on the Human Touch/Lucky Town tour — to which I say, get over it, Bruce, okay? Nobody else sold that one out either.
But back to TicketBastard. When big-time tours like Bruce, U2, and the like go on sale, everybody pretty much knows that these guys are a necessary evil. As such, fans have come to expect the usual outrageous service fees, system overloads, and computer glitches. It's just part of the deal we have all come to expect.
We either don't get the tickets, or we get shitty seats — even though we had fifteen windows open at 10 AM. When by 10:01, the only seats left in the house are the nosebleeds, we also suspect the usual hanky-panky with scalpers and ticket-brokers. We then complain about it, and in the case of Springsteen, go to BTX for a decent ticket, then forget about it, and start making plans for the big show.
At least, that's how it usually works. Not so this time.
When Springsteen tickets went on sale this past Monday, TicketBastard did all of the usual things it can always be counted on to do. The system froze, credit cards and accounts weren't recognized, and those damn security code-words couldn't be read without industrial-grade bifocals. But then, there was a most interesting new wrinkle...
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Article comments
1 - Pico
CNN has Lou Dobbs and Blogcritics has Glen Boyd.
Glen Boyd > Lou Dobbs
2 - Glen Boyd
Lou Dobbs?
3 - Glen Boyd
I don't even look like Lou Dobbs.
4 - El Bicho
Our ticket-buying sleepover was at Music Plus.
5 - Mat Brewster
You guys are old.
6 - Glen Boyd
But at least were still cool. I mean, we are still cool, right?
-Glen