OT...but not quite

[*Laura]

I get Bob Lefsetz Letters through email everyday.Today`s one is too interesting so I thought of posting it here.
This is in fact an email Lefsetz got from one of his readers.

"That Elton John thing you wrote last week about Carnegie got to me for
some reason and i havent been able to put it into words until now.

If Elton John were at that phase in his career now he would be booked
at big general admission clubs, which would be in my opinion the undoing
of his career.

What the fuck is it with these artists who could have been monsters
that somehow between them and their management still think they are 19 years old and so are their fans? grown ups don't want to show up at the bullshit door time printed on a ticket and stand around drinking beer
wearing wristbands as some lousy opening act and exaggerated changeover times pass them by, they are falling asleep and have knee pain by the time the headliner comes on.

Iv`e never met you Bob, but im sure that I`m younger then you. I've seen everyone worth seeing on their farewell or reunion tours. they probably never had such a thing as a reunion tour when you were my age. I've stood in the front row of a club to see a shit band, i've been to see the Stones almost 100 times, and i've seen Neil Sedaka whip the gerries into a coma in Vegas.. my point, i have seen plenty.

Let me throw some names at you here -

Toad The Wet Sprocket
The Cardigans
Bright Eyes
The New Pornographers
Juliana Hatfield

Here are five acts that could have or would be about a million times
more popular had they just played proper theaters as opposed to
nightclubs at one point or another in their careers. Bob Dylan couldn't sell out the Channel in Boston, but he packed the Orpheum. i mean what the fuck was Joe Jackson band reunion doing playing these shit club gigs? they could have charged 20 bucks more and sold more tickets playing reserved seat theaters.

You had that moment at that Elton show because it was quiet and you
could enjoy it and people were paying attention. all this bullshit make
more drink money and all that crap is older then 8 tracks at this point. Promoters can bitch and moan that their new cars tour aint selling but do
something about itbe progressive. progressive does not mean MORE ENDORSEMENT DEALS.Progressive means MAKE A BETTER PRODUCT.When was the last time you really had a better experience at a live event? you know at the Apollo they still have a greeter? can't cost more then 100 bucks a night, wow what a difference it makes to the audience. Quit hiring idiot teenagers to do work they dont really want to do. Being an usher, a ticket taker, a concession stand worker, a security guard, these are real jobs that need to be taken seriously, all of those people are interacting with your customers and they hire the cheapest laziest motherfuckers they can find. I still remember the night at Roseland i saw a security guard in the pit singing along to the pre-show recorded music, he looked like one of the
customers, i walked out and have barely been back since.

Hire some box office staff who don't roll their fucking eyes and act
snotty at every request! you're trying to sell some tickets for fucks
sake! That's why people go to brokers bob, because a broker will bullshit with them for an hour about whatever band they are buying tickets to see. Tamika and T'shawna in Virginia Beach don't even know how to pronounce the names of the bands they are selling tickets for.

I mean its just a lot of common sense but that eludes men who made a
hundred thousand dollars on an Allmans show in 1979 and somehow think business will just continue as usual forever.


My point Bob is this - back when you saw Elton at carnegie hall, there was some common sense. People don't want to stand in a club for four hours waiting to see a man play piano for 90 minutes. the advertisement for the show im sure told you:

1) Where and when elton was playing
2) why he was on tour (album release)
3) How to get tickets (not just "visit livenation.com")

and most important

4) HOW MUCH THE TICKET PRICES WERE!?!? something which seemed to
dissapear around 1999 and has never returned!

And because Elton's fans knew all these important details they were
lined up and ready with their money to buy their tickets, and they arrived
at the concert hall excited and interested in what he was going to do,
and they paid attention, they were moved and motivated, and they have
not forgotten that show ever since. elton made a few bucks, the promoter
made a few bucks, the house made a few bucks, and everyone went home happy, and that's what it's supposed to be.

Artists, promoters, managers, and venue operators you are in the
business of putting on a show and hopefully the show is good and will touch people but you can not always control the later, however your job is to PUT ON A SHOW and most of you have been doing a shitty job for a long time and blaming the customers instead of yourselves."

--
The LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1

[Rockindeano]

I could of sworn I wrote that letter myself.

Fuckin thief.

[*Laura]

I could of sworn I wrote that letter myself.

Me too.