Ticket Analyst

Archive for July, 2009

How to Buy Concert Tickets-Step 7-Finding the Right Price for a Sold Out Show

In How To buy concert tickets, Ticket Releases on July 31, 2009 at 8:09 am

So the show is sold out and everyone knows it, what now? The first thing you need to do is bookmark the web page for the event at the primary ticket provider. Occasionally they have tickets held back for the artist, media, labels, or other luminaries. If those people do not want the tickets they will often be released back to the primary ticketing provider. Sometimes you may find one ticket other times you may find 8 or more. Grab what you need and alert other people on Craigslist or message boards who have posted wanted messages to increase your karma.

Simultaneously with checking your bookmarks multiple times a day you need to be on Craigslist, eBay, and your preferred ticket broker website. With these three website at your disposal you need to gauge the supply against the amount of bidders on eBay, amount of wanted postings on Craigslist and the supply on the broker site of choice. Be aware that inventory may overlap between all three sales venues.

Now that you have an idea of what the market is doing you have to gauge the market. Here it is often just economics 101, supply and demand. If the band is getting hotter and hotter with more and more press and blogs covering the band the prices are soon to go up, so you should figure out what price you are willing to pay and buy. If there is not much buzz and the ticket market is stagnant hold off. I have seen people struggle to sell tickets under face for sold out club shows before.

Ticket Analysis for No Doubt Tickets at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine CA

In Ticket Analysis on July 30, 2009 at 4:56 pm

The following are the going prices for No Doubt tickets for the next week at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine:

Friday Night Tickets:

$100 for a decent Loge Ticket

$150 for a good Loge Ticket

$200 for an Orchestra Ticket

$500 for a Pit Ticket

Saturday Night Tickets:

$90 for a Terrace Ticket

$150 for a decent Loge Ticket

$200 for an Orchestra Ticket

$400 for a Pit Ticket

$600 for a Great Orchestra Ticket

Sunday Night Tickets:

$90 for a Loge Ticket

$140 for an Orchestra Ticket

$200 for a Pit Ticket

$350 for a great Orchestra Ticket

Wednesday Night Tickets:

$100 for a Loge Ticket

$175 for an Orchestra Ticket

$250 for a Pit Ticket

$350 for a good Orchestra Ticket

Ticket Analyst Recommendation for No Doubt Tickets: If you just want to see No Doubt Wednesday should be the cheapest day for decent seats.  Right now Loges are $90-$100 each.  You should be able to pick up tickets for somewhere in the range of $70-$90 next week.  Lawn tickets should run you no more than $40 also if you are just dying to go.  If you are looking for a better seat or willing to spend around $200 a ticket Sunday night should get you something worth your money.  If Saturday night is the only night you can go out, you are going to pay for the privilege.  I recommend going on Wednesday if you can take Katy Perry or only want to see No Doubt.  If you want to see Paramore too, then Sunday is your best bet.

Once again remember to only buy seats from people that have their tickets in hand.  Most of these tickets are in the hands of brokers pretty close to the venue.  When calling around to brokers ask if they have them in hand and can pick them up in the next 30 minutes even if you don’t plan on doing so.  A lot of the broker tickets will also end up on Craigslist.  Use these numbers as a guide for the most you should pay for tickets on Craigslist.  Don’t hesitate to ask if they are a broker as you wanted to pay by credit card if you are concerned about authenticity on Craigslist.  While these prices will generally trend down it is a free market so buy at a price you feel comfortable as conceivably the market can go up also.

These are your recommendations for buying No Doubt tickets for Irvine.  Enjoy the show!!

Los Angeles Ticket On Sales Analysis for the Week of July 27th with Presale Passwords

In Ticket Analysis, Ticket Onsales on July 30, 2009 at 7:40 am

Bren Event Center Concert Tickets



The Killers Tickets

TICKET ANALYST RECOMENDATION: A lot of shows for The Killers.  If you are interest in going it is one of the smaller venues they are playing in the area.   Floor Tickets shouldn’t be more than $20 over face by the time the show gets here.  If you want a seat try hard but the closest seats will probably in the $200-$300 range and falling dramatically a section or two over.  As of Wednesday night there were still floor tickets for the fan club if you are willing to pay $7.50 over per ticket go join the fan club.

The Killers Presale Tickets Password: kroqdustland


Club Nokia Concert Tickets



Shaq’s Comedy Jam Tickets

TICKET ANALYST RECOMENDATION: Does Shaq still have any pull around here?

The Faint Tickets

TICKET ANALYST RECOMENDATION: A great live band.  Too bad their career trajectory has been downward instead of upwards.  Two shows at the Fonda with Ladytron were not sold out I doubt they can sell out this Club on their own.

The Faint Presale Tickets Password: MACABRE

El Rey Theatre Concert Tickets


Esperanza Spalding Tickets
http://ticketsus.at/ticketanalyst?CTY=37&DURL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/090042FBE7DF8C4E?artistid=1128661&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=4
Fresh Air Tour-Brother Ali Tickets


Fox Theater-Pomona Concert Tickets



Sonic Youth Tickets

TICKET ANALYST RECOMENDATION: No need to buy in advance here unless at the Glass House record store.  Not close to selling the Wiltern and this is the same size venue.

Sonic Youth Presale Tickets Password: Eternal

Glass House Concert Tickets



Thursday Tickets

TICKET ANALYST RECOMENDATION: Long time since we’ve seen these guys.  If you want to go I’d buy ASAP but I can’t gurantee that it will even sell out.  If it does sell out I wouldn’t expect to pay more than $50-$60 a ticket if you are still dying to go.

Trivium Tickets

AP Tour Tickets

TICKET ANALYST RECOMENDATION: With Mayday Parade and The Academy Is…. I would buy tickets early, If you miss out they are also playing in Los Angeles.

Greek Theatre Los Angeles Concert Tickets



Regina Spektor Tickets

TICKET ANALYST RECOMENDATION: Very hot at the El Rey, made people wonder if there were even tickets in Ticketmaster.  People we not willing to pay more than $70-$80 in general at the El Rey which makes me doubt you should have to pay more than $100-$120 on the secondary maket for the best seats, closer to the show. Buy quickly or from her fan club if you want decent seats for “face value.”

Regina Spektor Presale Tickets Password: FAR

Monsters of Folk Tickets

TICKET ANALYST RECOMENDATION: Not as Strong of a seller as The Yeah Yeah Yeahs last week.  I wouldn’t expect a huge mark up come show time for the best seats.  All bets are off if Pitchfork rates the CD highly though.

Monsters of Folk Presale Tickets Password: SAYPLEASE

Honda Center Tickets



Los Fabulosos Cadillacs Tickets

Star Wars In Concert 10/1 Tickets

Star Wars in Concert 10/2 Tickets

TICKET ANALYST RECOMENDATION: Buy looks like few seats on the secondary market.  Great seats for Thursday still available on the Amex presale.  If you want to go, buy now, if you wait there will be few tickets on the secondary market driving prices up if the show turns popular.

House Of Blues Anaheim Concert Tickets



Family Force 5 Tickets

TICKET ANALYST RECOMENDATION: A band on the rise could be good.  Will update if it is.

Family Force 5 Presale Tickets Password: 546616

Ryan Cabrera Tickets

Ryan Cabrera Presale Tickets Password: 546616

Colbie Callait Tickets

TICKET ANALYST RECOMENDATION: I’d say buy sooner than later. Had a popular song not too long ago.  If she doesn’t have another one this will be the last time there is demand for her tickets.

Colbie Callait Presale Tickets Password: Colbie or 546616


House Of Blues Sunset Concert Tickets



Dolores O’Riordan Tickets

Dolores O’Riordan Presale Tickets Password: SEARCH AND 546616


Mayan Theatre Concert Tickets



The Dead Weather Tickets

TICKET ANALYST RECOMENDATION: If you wanted Floor seats for the Wiltern here’s your opportunity to pay “face value”

The Dead Weather Presale Tickets Password: HORE

Music Box at The Henry Fonda Theatre Concert Tickets

Daniel Johnston Tickets

Daniel Johnston Presale Tickets Passoword: Devil

Nokia Theatre LA Live Concert Tickets



Star Wars in Concert Tickets

TICKET ANALYST RECOMENDATION: Buy now if you want to go, may get expensive if it’s popular and no tickets on the secondary market.

Santa Barbara Bowl Concert Tickets



The Mars Volta Tickets

TICKET ANALYST RECOMENDATION: Sell Out? Maybe? Try to get floors on the onsale otherwise enjoy the beautiful intimate venue from a seat.

How to Buy Concert Tickets-Step 6-Sold Out Concert Tickets

In How To buy concert tickets, Ticket Releases on July 28, 2009 at 2:22 pm

So you had another engagement or just didn’t know the show was going on sale and now the show you want to go to is sold out, but you still want to go. What is the next step?

For small to midsize club shows the steps below will help you out. First you need to look at the market. Is it a small club show? Did it just sell out, but weeks after the on sale? Quick call the club that the show is at. Some clubs hold back tickets to sell out of the box office with little or no service fee. If the club is sold out too or doesn’t hold tickets you need to hit eBay and Craigslist hard before others realize the show is sold out. If you can find the right person who has an extra ticket or two before everyone is hounding them for a ticket you are likely to pay “face” value or less.

How to Buy Concert Tickets-Step 5 Do Your Homework, Practice Buying Concert Tickets

In How To buy concert tickets on July 27, 2009 at 8:56 am

Do your Homework
Once you’ve determined where and when the tickets go on sale it’s time to do your home work. Homework?? To buy tickets? Yes, one reason brokers and scalpers get tickets is they know the ticket purchasing process. They buy tickets every week so they know how the process works. So go and practice, open your account at the website and have your credit card ready! You can lose tickets if you take too much time to purchase them. Just because the tickets are in your cart doesn’t mean the deal is done! Go through all the purchasing steps for different shows. When you get to the end just don’t click the purchase button.

This Concludes the Concert Ticket buying guide. If you missed out on tickets all is not lost. Often times tickets are available at or below face value close to the shows. Read my guide on how to buy concert tickets from brokers.

How To Buy Concert Tickets Step 1
How To Buy Concert Tickets Step 2
How To Buy Concert Tickets Step 3
How To Buy Concert Tickets Step 4

How to Buy Concert Tickets-Step 4 Find Out Where to Buy the Concert Tickets

In How To buy concert tickets on July 24, 2009 at 9:12 am

Determine Ticket Vendor
It’s hard to buy tickets if you don’t know where they are being sold and when. When the concert dates and venues are announced, determine where the tickets will be sold. Do they sell through Ticketmaster? Ticketweb? LiveNation.com? Check the website of the venue to see where to buy them. What time will the tickets go on sale? How much they will they cost? Can you afford them?

How to Buy Concert Tickets Step 1
How to Buy Concert Tickets Step 2-Have the Concert Ticket News Delivered to You
How to Buy Concert Tickets Step 3-Have Money to Buy the Concert Tickets

So You Think You Can Dance Ticket Analysis for Nokia Theatre LA Live

In Ticket Analysis, Ticket Onsales on July 23, 2009 at 1:14 pm

So You Think You Can Dance Tickets At Nokia Theatre LA Live

TICKET ANALYST RECOMMENDATION: If you want to go to this show, buy your tickets.  It has been a good seller every year it has come to town.  It is hard to get good seats at Nokia Theatre LA Live except way off to the side in the front Orchestra. If you know anyone with Premier Seats at Staples Center ask them to order for you as this is the best way to get good seats at Nokia. If you are looking for good seats and don’t have Premier tickets connections expect to spend $200-$400 for good seats. There will also be an auction starting on Saturday. This may be your best chance to get the best seats for the less than the secondary market pricing. Make sure you keep an eye on both and if the auction goes higher than the broker market stop bidding.

So You Think You Can Dance Presale Password: GETTIX or FOXTV

How to Buy Concert Tickets-Have Money to Buy The Tickets

In How To buy concert tickets on July 23, 2009 at 9:30 am

Save your Money
Are you always short on cash? If your favorite artist is coming out with new music, its time to start saving for that ticket and new CD. Don’t be that fan who goes to Craigslist, days before the concert, begging people to sell you a ticket at “face value”. If the show sells out and you didn’t have the money when it went on sale you aren’t as big as a fan as the person who does have money saved. If you insist on buying tickets for “face value” the on sale is your opportunity to purchase tickets for “face value”.

How to Buy Concert Tickets Step 1
How to Buy Concert Tickets Step 2-Have the Concert Ticket News Delivered to You

Los Angeles Ticket On Sales Analysis for the Week of July 20th with Presale Passwords

In Uncategorized on July 23, 2009 at 8:07 am

Club Nokia Tickets

Hanson Tickets

-Playing with Hello Goodbye who had a little popularity a few years ago and played the Wiltern on their own. Hanson has been unable to sell out the House of Blues on their own lately and Club Nokia is 2x the size.

Hanson Tickets Presale Password: SOLE2009 and SATURDAY

El Rey Theatre Tickets

Chuck Ragan and Jim Ward

Datarock Tickets

The Duke Spirit Tickets

-Good buzz here I’d buy sooner than later

World Party Tickets

-Going Old School here, played Spaceland on one of their more recent tours. Buy at the door to avoid service fees.

Greek Theatre Tickets

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Tickets

-Yeah Yeah Yeahs Ticket Analysis HERE

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Presale Passwords: KROQBLITZ or ZERO

Gibson Ampitheatre Tickets

Alejandro Fernández Tickets

-not a huge seller buy now if you get something good otherwise buy on the secondary market the week of the show

Alejandro Fernández Tickets Presale Password: DANCE Citi password: 546616

Fox Theater Pomona Tickets

Marilyn Manson Tickets

-You shouldn’t have any problem picking up these tickets especially with two shows in the IE and OC. With Slayer he barely sold enough tickets to fill both places combined last week at San Manuel

Glass House Tickets

Billy Talent Tickets

Raveonettes Tickets

Raveonettes Tickets Presale Password: ravescontrol

Grove of Anaheim Tickets

Bill Maher Tickets

-Want a good seat try the presale if you don’t get it try the onsale. Take what you can get never a HOT ticket.

Bill Maher Tickets Presale Password: REALTIME

Marilyn Manson Tickets

-You shouldn’t have any problem picking up these tickets especially with two shows in the IE and OC. With Slayer he barely sold enough tickets to fill both places combined last week at San Manuel

Marilyn Manson Tickets Presale Password: HIGHENDLOW

Hollywood Palldium Tickets

The Mars Volta Tickets

-This show will likely sell out eventually, get to the Palladium box office sooner than later.

House of Blues Anaheim Tickets

Hanson Tickets

-Playing with Hello Goodbye should make this a decent show. Will update if tickets sell quickly

Hanson Tickets Presale Password: SOLE2009

Music Box @ Fonda Tickets

CocoRosie Tickets

Joshua Radin Tickets

Joshua Radin Tickets Presale Password: TREES

Raveonettes Tickets

Raveonettes Tickets Presale Password: ravescontrol

David Cook Tickets

David Cook Tickets Presale Password: COMEBACKTOME

Billy Talent Tickets

Nokia Theatre LA Live Tickets

Anita Baker Tickets

-Been an OK seller at the Bowl in years past. Prices will be high to start on the secondary market. It is tough to get good tickets at Nokia Theatre LA Live. Wait out the high prices at the beginning on the secondary market if you must have the best.

Echo & the Bunnymen Tickets

-Seems quite a large place for them. Same advice as Anita Baker.

Echo & the Bunnymen Tickets Presale Password: OCEANRAIN

So You Think You Can Dance Tickets

-So You Think You Can Dance ticket Analysis HERE

So You Think You Can Dance Presale Passwords: GETTIX and FOXTV

San Manuel Ampitheater Tickets

The Art Laboe Show Live Tickets with Zapp

Spaceland Tickets

Benji Hughes Tickets

Nebula Tickets

Telefon Tel Aviv Tickets

Amy Millan Tickets

The Wiltern

Tiger Army Tickets

http://ticketsus.at/ticketanalyst?CTY=37&DURL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/Tiger-Army-tickets/artist/712366

-The first show is a SLOW seller and now a second show means tickets should be EASY to come by up until at least a week before the show if not at the show. Go to the Palladium to buy with no service fees

Laura Pausini Tickets

Billy Squier Tickets

Don’t miss my continuing series on How to Buy Concert Tickets.

How To Buy Concert Tickets Part 1

How To Buy Concert Tickets Part 2

How To Buy Concert Tickets Part 3

Ticket Analysis for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs Tickets at the Greek Theatre Los Angeles with Presale Passwords

In Ticket Analysis, Ticket Onsales on July 22, 2009 at 4:31 pm

Yeah Yeah Yeahs at the Greek Theatre

TICKET ANALYST RECOMMENDATION: It feels like it has been forever since the Yeah Yeah Yeahs played their own headlining show in Los Angeles. If you can get Yeah Yeah Yeahs tickets in Section A or the pit you should definitely buy them. If you are able to spend a few extra dollars for good seats you will most like be able to buy A sides or maybe even A centers for around $30 or less over face by the time the show gets here. Expect to spend around $100 a ticket for pit tickets in the week after the on sale. If you desperately want Yeah Yeah Yeahs pit tickets and don’t get them on the on sale I recommend watching Stubhub next Tuesday and Wednesday when all the flippers who haven’t sold their seats yet compete to get their money back first. Otherwise I recommend waiting till a few weeks before the show and looking to the brokers for their season seats in Section A Center.


Yeah Yeah Yeahs Presale password: KROQBLITZ
Yeah Yeah Yeahs Presale password: ZERO

How to Buy Concert Tickets Step 2-Have the Concert Ticket News Delivered to You

In How To buy concert tickets on July 22, 2009 at 9:18 am

Set up an Alert on Google News
Go to Google News and set an alert for “your favorite artist” tour. This will serve as a “lookout” for any touring news from your favorite artist. Some artists announce their tours piecemeal, 5-10 dates at a time. If the dates are announced piecemeal don’t despair your town will most likely be announced in the coming weeks. This is just the first sign that you need to be prepared.

How To Buy Concert Tickets Step 1

How to Buy Concert Tickets

In How To buy concert tickets on July 21, 2009 at 8:10 pm

This starts my series about how to buy concert tickets and make sure you are the person with the great seats for face value. The whole series will be posted over the next week.

The first rule of buying concert tickets is PLAN AHEAD!!

1. Join your favorite artists mailing list and fan club.
You will learn their tour dates. Some artists even have presales for members of their fan club before tour dates and ticket sales are announced to the general public go to the artists’ website and sign up for their mailing list. Generally the fan club presales have the best seats that are available to the general public. Fan clubs generally cost $20-$40. If you factor that into the cost of the ticket, that is just $10-$20 extra per ticket. That same ticket may cost $100 more on the secondary ticket market.

No Doubt Tickets at Gibson Amphitheatre Ticket Analyst-Ticket Analysis

In Ticket Analysis on July 21, 2009 at 2:52 pm

No Doubt Tickets at Gibson Amphitheatre Purchasing Options Analysis:

Update: prices are falling for the Wednesday show tickets are $10-$20 less a ticket than yesterday’s analysis.

Once again, No Doubt makes their triumphant return to Southern California starting on Wednesday with 7 shows over the next two weeks. No Doubt has sold over 75000 tickets at close to $90 each for these concerts. Kind of makes you wonder why they would even go on tour anywhere else.

These No Doubt tickets were hard to acquire. If you were in on the fan club “tour club” presales there were basically no good seats available that are not a pain in the ass to use (meet someone in a back alley and have them walk you in the venue hoping they’ll get both of you into the show).

Prices have not start falling quite as much for the 2nd and 3rd Gibson Amphitheatre shows and the first show has. There are still several good deals and tickets at, close to, or below face value for those who care what the $numbers say on the ticket. They are more tickets on the secondary market for the 7/27 No Doubt show which means that if you don’t care which day you go, take a closer look at the 7/27 show.

No Doubt Tickets for 7/27 at Gibson Amphitheatre start at $95 for decent Loge seats on the secondary market. To move up to an okay orchestra seat will set you back around $165 a ticket. Good Orchestra tickets start at $225 a ticket. No Doubt tickets for the Pit start at $250 a ticket.

If you want to see No doubt I would buy the tickets in a decent Loge location. I would wait a few days and hope to pay $80-$90 each. If you have plenty of money or are the Biggest No Doubt fan a great Orchestra seat for just over $200 would call my name or you would have the option to go two nights in decent Loge seats.

The No Doubt ticket market on their 7/28 show is a little tighter but close to the same as the 7/27 show. Decent Loge seats start at $75 each. Pits will set you back around $300 a ticket.

Tickets for the last show of a series of concerts tend to be slow until the very end when generally they pick up. If you are looking for tickets for the 7/28 show I would purchase now. For the 7/27 show I would wait till Friday. Remember to always only buy from people who have tickets in hand or their office. This is the way to avoid the markup that makes broker tickets expensive. If you need help finding who owns the tickets hit me up on twitter @ticketanalyst.

Ticket Market Analysis of the No Doubt at Gibson Ampitheatre

In Ticket Analysis, Ticket Releases on July 21, 2009 at 1:39 am

No Doubt makes their triumphant return to Southern California starting on Wednesday with 7 shows over the next two weeks.  No Doubt has sold over 75000 tickets at close to $90 each for these concerts.  Kind of makes you wonder why they would even go on tour anywhere else.

These No Doubt tickets were hard to acquire.  If you were in on the fan club “tour club” presales there were basically no good seats available that are not a pain in the ass to use.

No Doubt tickets at Gibson Amphitheatre have been hot since they sold out almost as soon as they went on sale.  Lately the shows have become unexpectedly lukewarm.  The box office is virtually sold out for all the Gibson shows so if you are thinking of catching a release, it is doubtful they will release more than 10 tickets for any of the shows.  The first show Wednesday night has tickets available on the secondary market stating at about $75 each in the Loge but quickly jumping up to $95 each.  Good Loge No Doubt tickets, which I define as in the first 5-7 rows and not all the way off to the side run $110-$125 each.  Finally the best Orchestra tickets for No Doubts’ first show at Gibson are running in the $200 range.  There are no No Doubt pit tickets available on the broker market for their first show.  If you are dying to go see every No Doubt show in Los Angeles and don’t have tickets for every show yet, tickets for the first show at Gibson are not obscenely priced.

Come back tomorrow for an analysis of No Doubt tickets for their 2nd and 3rd nights at Gibson Amphitheatre.  I will finish the week with my analysis of No Doubt tickets for their concerts next week at Verizon Wireless in Irvine.  I will give one nugget on the Verizon Irvine tickets now.  If you want No Doubt pit tickets in Irvine, Sunday night has the least expensive pit tickets for their seven Los Angeles area shows.

How, When and Why of Buying Tickets from Ticket Brokers

In Ticket Analysis, Ticket Brokers, Ticket Releases on July 20, 2009 at 9:54 pm

HOW DO TICKET BROKERS GET THEIR TICKETS ?

Most tickets that brokers sell are never available to the general public. At large venues, most of the orchestra seats are sold to season ticket holders. They are much more expensive than if someone purchased them for an individual event. That is the “cost” for that guarantee of better seats.
Unsold season tickets are then made available to the individual artist. Believe it or not, it is the artist who decides how many of the unsold PRIME SEATS are allocated. They may choose to:
  • Distribute to their fan club for resale.
  • Use them to promote the concert.
  • Give them to business associates and friends.

A good example of this is the recent Springsteen debacle. Springsteen alleged that Ticketmaster attempted to defraud his fans of the best seats in the house. In reality, Springsteen held the 2000 BEST SEATS in the arena for people he knew or politicians and other public figures who needed to be “seen” at a
his concert .  The only way to get the best seats was from a broker whom had been sold tickets by those insiders. The people making the most money were the INSIDERS WHO WERE ALLOWED TO PURCHASE TICKETS.
In most cases, ticket brokers make only 10 to 20 % of face value but the insider may make 500%!

WHEN IS A GOOD TIME TO USE A TICKET BROKER?

TICKET PRICES ARE GOING DOWN.  For example, tickets for a certain engagement are not selling and prices are coming down. Keep an eye on the show on ticket websites for the month leading up to the event.  Get an idea for how many tickets are listed and note that 2 or 3 times a week.  If supply is staying the same or just barely moving down, wait to purchase.  If there 5-10 sets of tickets gone each time you check back, it’s time to purchase before prices start going up.  What do you do? Go to ticketliquidator.com check out the price and pick out the seats you want. You go to ticketliquidator.com because they are the cheapest website for tickets.  This will allow you to find out the top price you should pay from a broker.  Once you find out the price from Ticket Liquidator, call your local brokers to find out who owns them and buy from the person that owns them.  This way you avoid the service fee that Ticket Liquidator charges on top of the price shown on their website. Buying locally from the ticket owner generally allows you to avoid the shipping charges, as you can go and pick up the tickets.

WHY USE A TICKET BROKER ?

  • Time is money. Your time is worth something Think of the time one spends in the attempt to buy tickets through the
    various presales and verifying time and dates for ticket releases.
  • Personal Service. If you “like the best of the best,” developing a personal relationship
    with a broker is going to get you the best advice:

    • Where are the best seats in that venue?
    • When is the best time to buy?
    • Ticket trends. The broker knows the trends and will help you determine when it is the right time to buy.  Many times I have helped clients who were willing to spend $500 a ticket to be front row center, but knowing tickets were not really moving and there were multiple sets of tickets, allowed me to tell that person to wait to buy.  This allowed them to buy the same seats for $250 each.
  • If you go to 3-4 shows a year, it’s advantageous to develop a relationship with a ticket broker. Think of them as you do your stockbroker.

Advice on How to purchase Nine Inch Nails tickets for the final Live NIN shows

In Ticket Analysis, Ticket Onsales on July 17, 2009 at 6:03 pm

TICKET ANALYST RECOMENDATION: These four shows are the shows that youcannot afford to miss on the fan club presale. Conducting every presale at the same time will limit the ability to buy tickets for all of the shows.  If you have money to burn in your attempt to see all four shows, your best bet will be to try and buy tickets for the Henry Fonda and the Echoplex.  These shows will be infinitely harder to get tickets on the secondary market due to the fact that they’ll be will call only.  To get in to each show you will have to be escorted in with the original purchaser.  To make scalping impossible the ticket limit should be one for these two shows.

The Wiltern and Palladium shows should be easier to purchase tickets for. Being larger venues there are more tickets that will be held and be potentially sold out the “back door”. Live Nation also has a VIP program at the Palladium where you can purchase a season (from now till the end of the year) for about $5,000-$6,000. The $5,000-$6,000 includes 4 tickets that are will call only for every show from now till the end of the year.  If you like Grizzly Bear, The Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, Brand New, certain Boston band touring on the 20th anniversary of one of their most popular records, and a couple of bigger bands this might be the way to guarantee yourself tickets for the NIN show.  If you are interested in that program I can get you contact information. I must stress that this not a one show package and you must purchase the whole season.

If you want to go to one show and don’t care which of the four it is, then I recommend you trying for tickets for the Hollywood Palladium. The show being on a weeknight after school starts and at the largest
venue should make it the easiest to purchase tickets for, even though it likely won’t be easy.

If you have not signed up for NIN fan club, now is the time to do so. Make sure you practice logging in and buying tickets ahead of time. Know exactly how the system works if you want a chance of getting
tickets for these shows.

Los Angeles Ticket Update for the week of July 13th

In Ticket Analysis, Ticket Onsales on July 16, 2009 at 5:34 am

Saturday


Fox Theater Pomona Tickets

Flaming Lips Tickets

This is one of the smaller venues on the tour and holds around 2000 people. Definitely be a hot indoor show compared to a cool evening show at the Greek.

TICKET ANALYST RECOMENDATION: Given that they are playing with the popular Ghostland Observatory and a lower face ($40) than at the Greek Theatre I would get these tickets as soon as possible. Try the Glass House record store to see if they will have any to sell with no service charges.

Flaming Lips tickets presale password: MARS (Friday 10am)


Gibson Ampitheatre Tickets

Pearl Jam Tickets 9/30 at Gibson Amphitheatre

Pearl Jam Tickets 10/1 at Gibson Amphitheatre

Pearl Jam Tickets 10/6 at Gibson Amphitheatre

Pearl Jam Tickets 10/7 at Gibson Amphitheatre

Pearl Jam Tickets 10/9 at Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl

So Pearl Jam is playing a lot of “smaller” shows around Los Angeles. This is GREAT news for anyone who has been a Ten Club member and got their order in this past week. Everyone else is going to be attempting to purchase tickets in the Orchestra and getting tickets in the Loge, if you’re lucky. I would be willing to bet that every ticket reseller in the country is going to try and buy tickets for this show.

TICKET ANALYST RECOMMENDATION: If you HAVE to go try to buy right away and buy whatever you can get. If you WANT to go, wait it out give it a month and start checking Ticketmaster every day. They are most likely going to release seats and more likely than not they will be better than the tickets you will get during the on sale. If you really want to chance it wait till a week or two before the show and start checking ticket brokers. Mezzanine tickets could easily end up below face value. The face value is high for the amount of shows, close to $90 after service charges, so only buy front Loges close to the center if you are looking to make some quick cash.

Citizen Cope tickets at House of Blues Sunset Strip

Citizen Cope tickets at House of Blues Anaheim

TICKET ANALYST RECOMMENDATION: Try to buy the $5 Citi (546616 most likely password) tickets as soon as possible, otherwise try to get the box office to buy the tickets within a week or two of the on sale. The presale has not sold out but Citizen Cope shows have sold out at venues twice the size of the House of Blues. Be careful at the House of Blues Anaheim box office though as they have told me a show was sold out and only VIP tickets at 3x the price were available when they were still available on Ticketmaster.

Ani DiFranco tickets at The Grove of Anaheim

TICKET ANALYST RECOMMENDATION: Buy a good seat if you can get it on the on sale otherwise expect to spend $25-$50 over face for a decent ticket between now and the event.

Beastie Boys tickets 9/19 at Santa Barbara Bowl

Beastie Boys tickets 9/20 at Santa Barbara Bowl

TICKET ANALYST RECOMMENDATION: I’m not a huge fan of these shows. Other people I have spoken to in the ticketing community are. The past few times they have played locally the shows were not very popular such as their shows at the Long Beach Arena and Gibson Amp. If you can get GA pit tickets I’d take them and go if not I’d wait and try to buy under face later. There are also very good Tickets available for their Hollywood Bowl Shows in Ticketmaster currently.

Rob Thomas Tickets at Gibson Amphitheatre

TICKET ANALYST RECOMMENDATION: Not huge fan of this show. Good seats will be hard to come by as the fan club and packages took most of the good seats. If you want good seats for this show you will have to buy from brokers who own season seats or way overspend for the Gold and Silver packages. Currently tickets good seats are $80 over face for decent seats. Those prices are sure to drop as more tickets come onto the market this weekend. If you can get a decent Orchestra 1-5 ticket in rows A-M for face, buy it. Otherwise, you should wait a month or two and a lot of good seats will come on the market. I would not expect to pay much over $125 a ticket for a good seat for this show.

Other On sales this week:
Friday:
Elephant tickets at The Glass House

Saturday:
G. Love and Special Sauce Tickets at the House of Blues Anaheim

Note there is a Citi $5 ticket offer-546616 will most likely work as the password.

The Killers of Comedy at the Grove of Anaheim

Jonas Brothers Tickets Analysis for Staples Center

In Ticket Analysis on July 9, 2009 at 8:55 am

So let’s talk about Jonas Brothers tickets at Staples Center. The hottest band around!! Every other tweet on twitter is about how the tickets are sold out for the Jonas Brothers. Let’s debunk that myth. Let’s talk about what happens when you over saturate the market also. This is the show that everyone wants to see, yet there are no public outcries about how all the brokers bought tickets and the kids couldn’t get any this year as there were on their first tour with Miley. Why is that? By adding a third show the promoters were able to kill the secondary market for all the ticket except the best of the best. While there are less than 30 tickets unaccounted for for each of the first two nights there are still almost 2,000 available for the third and final night.

By satiating all the demand, prices on the secondary market have fallen below face value for seats in the lower bowl for their Saturday night concert. Currently you can buy 2 tickets for Saturday night from Ticketmaster for $89+$12×2 +$5 +$0-$20=around $210. If you were to get advice on which broker to call you can buy the same 2 seats or better for around $160. You can buy seats in the 100’s level for even less with a little know how. Jonas Brothers tickets in the 100’s could even be had for as little as $115 for two tickets with a little legwork. To get into the arena on Saturday night tickets start at just $30 each, less than the price on the ticket after Ticketmaster fees. There are currently 1500-2000 Saturday night Jonas Brothers tickets on the secondary market. If you don’t need the best seats in the house, it’s time to surprise your kids and take advantage of those who gambled and lost that they’d be able to make money on the Jonas Brothers at Staples Center.

Follow me and message me on Twitter to get advice on which brokers to call to buy tickets at these prices.

Jonas Brothers Tickets at Ticketmaster

Los Angeles Ticket Update for the week of July 6th

In Ticket Analysis, Ticket Onsales on July 8, 2009 at 8:19 am

This weeks’ Los Angeles ticket on sales:

Wednesday

Power 106 FM’s Powerhouse ‘09 with Jay-Z tickets@ The Honda Center

This show has never been a good seller in the past and been near face value or below every year for the best seats.  Jay-Z and Mary J Blige were also a weak outing last year.

Ticket Analyst recommendation: If you want to go hold off on purchasing and keep an eye on Ticketmaster for a release of good seats and the secondary market for dropping prices.

Cobra Starship Tickets @The Troubadour

Cobra Starship is going on a little tour to promote their upcoming album.  With a single featuring Gossip Girl Leighton Meister they appear to have their 15 minutes of fame coming up.  They are underplaying their popularity which should make for quick sell outs across the country.

Ticket Analyst recommendation: If you want go buy on Wednesday Well this one is Sold Out in less than an hour. I wonder if Gabe called Pete to thank him.

Friday

Franz Ferdinand Tickets @ The Hollywood Palladium

Not too sure about this show.  It has been a while since they have had a hit song, landing just a little airplay here in the States with the single from their last album.  This show MAY sell out, eventually.  I will update later with how the show is selling.

Ticket Analyst recommendation: Wait till Saturday and buy at the Palladium with no Service fees if you are dying to go. Fan Club presale going on now password is “fanclub”

Grizzly Bear Tickets @ The Hollywood Palladium

This show will most likely sell out, though not in the first few weeks.  They were able to sell 2800 tickets a few weekends ago between the Wiltern and Troubadour.

Ticket Analyst recomendation: Definitely buy before the show but you can wait and buy one of the next few Saturdays at the Palladium to save $10 a ticket.

Placebo tickets @ Club Nokia

Ticket Analyst recommendation: Should be a good show buy your Placebo tickets quick.  Unfortunately this is one of the last venues you can’t get around service charges, your $26 ticket is going to cost $40 pretty quick. There is currently an Amex presale happening.  Promoter presale on Thursday will update with password later.

Motorhead tickets@ Club Nokia

Ticket Analyst recommendation: Wait and hope to buy with no service charges

Black Crowes tickets @ Club Nokia

They’ve been weak and oversaturated in the secondary market the past few times they’ve played

Ticket Analyst recommendation: Wait and hope to buy with no service charges

The Sounds tickets @ The Key Club

New album out, special Spin Magazine show.  Not many tickets likely available to the public.  Last time they played was at Avalon Hollywood and it was definitely sold out.

Ticket Analyst recommendation: Buy early. Presale password is 546616 good till Thursday at 10 PM

Saturday

The Killers tickets @ The Hollywood Bowl

This is one of the hardest venues to get good seats for.  If you are looking for Pool seats it is doubtful you will get them on the on sale, only on a release.  Center Garden and Terrace boxes will most likely only be available on the secondary market.

Ticket Analyst recomendation: If you want to go for sure buy something in the first three tiers.  If you want the best check Ticketmaster every day for a release of great seats. Friday’s presale password is KROQFAIRYTALE

N*E*R*D tickets @ Avalon Hollywood

It’s been a long time since this was a $200 ticket on the corner of Wilshire and Western.  Last time their Wiltern Tickets were not big sellers.

Ticket Analyst recommendation: Hope you can buy at the Palladium to avoid service charges. Being a smaller venue it may sell out but you will have a few weeks to buy before it does.

Heart tickets @ The Greek Theatre

Another band from the 70’s doing the summer tour. Playing this weekend at the OC Fair with poor sales ( Heart Tickets @ The OC Fair/Pac Amp )

Ticket Analyst recommendation: Wait and buy tickets on the secondary market, tickets for A Center should be $20 above or below face when the show gets here. Presale is Thursday morning, passowrd is BARRACUDA.

Regina Spektor Tickets @ The El Rey

Last time she was in town she sold out the Wiltern

Ticket Analyst recommendation: Buy quickly,SOLD OUT immediately. If her new single has any traction it could be $100 to get in the door. Friday’s presale password is “laughing“

Daughtry tickets @ The Music Box at the Fonda

Market was way oversaturated when they played the Orpheum last time around. That may reduce tickets on the secondary market and limit below face value transactions.

Ticket Analyst recommendation: Want to go? Buy from the nice girl at the Fonda Box office to reduce the service charge you need to pay.

Demetri Martin tickets @ The Grove of Anaheim

Demetri Martin was a big hit in March at the Fonda, now increasing capacity by 600-700 tickets.  He should be able to take it to the next level.

Ticket Analyst recommendation: Likely to sell out sooner than later.

Coldplay tickets in Los Angeles

In Ticket Analysis, Ticket Releases on July 8, 2009 at 3:16 am

If you are looking to go see Coldplay in Los Angeles the weekend of July 17-18 you have two options.  Coldplay tickets are available for Verizon Wireless Amphitheater and the Home Depot Center.  The show at the Home Depot Center is less popular and for good reason.  If you have never been to the Home Depot Center it is just like most other stadiums.  The seats are FAR away from the stage.  As of this writing there are decent seats in section 110 in Ticketmaster.  http://bit.ly/47nbg This is the second best section in the stadium though will still leave you a ways away from the stage but will end up running you $230-$240 for two tickets.  Okay orchestra Verizon Wireless tickets will set you back about $165 each on the secondary market.  If you can afford the prices, these tickets will give you a much better experience.

Those of you who do not mind standing up for the whole show can find some good Coldplay tickets for a great price.  The front “pit” tickets are general admission for the Coldplay tour.  GA pit Coldplay tickets will set you back around $175 each at Verizon Wireless in Irvine.  This will get you as close as possible for this Coldplay show.  The pit at Irvine Meadows is pretty small and restricted to 250-300 people.  The GA Coldplay tickets for the front area at the Home Depot Center will set you back $120-$130 a ticket on the secondary market. Definitely a better buy than most other tickets but still a tough place to watch the whole show.  The Home Depot Center pit tickets will put you in the company of 2,000-3,000 other people.

My recommendation: If you want to go to the Coldplay Home Depot Center show buy good seats from Ticketmaster now- http://bit.ly/47nbg or wait a little while longer to pick up tickets below face value for worse seats.  If you want the best experience go to the Irvine show and pick up GA pit tickets or upper Orchestras now on the secondary market.  Also note that parking is included at Irvine Meadows and will set you back $20 at the Home Depot Center.