Grateful Dead

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Also post marked 3/2 from SF. Knew it was coming but still. First show Beacon Theater 6/14/'76. 200+ shows. Never been shut out before.

I was of the mind that I would not pay over face or at least much over-- never have and wasn't going to in this case. I got lucky-- we got shut out of mail order, but a friend was able to order tix through the Bears PSL presale. So, I am in all three nights in decent seats, commemorative tickets to boot. The secondary market is like the antiques market-- tickets are worth what people are willing to pay. They list the tickets high right off the bat-- if people order them at that price, that sets the market. Seeing how crazy highly priced tickets are right now, fans are better off waiting it out and letting the price drop, which they certainly will. Easy for me to say as I am already in with a place to lay my head afterwards. Good luck to all! Chicago invaded by Deadheads will be a sight to see-- especially on a major holiday weekend. Going to be a blast.

I, too, received my rejection letter in the mail today -- postmarked 3/3. Not surprised, but as many of us have said, tremendously disappointed and also really confused about how this process went down. I am still going to resist the urge to pay anything higher than a LITTLE bit more than face value. It really does seem logical that the closer we get, prices will come down, although I don't think they'll drop substantially. I sound like a broken record by now...but if anyone is looking for 2 hotel nights for $500 (total) and wants to work out a deal to trade for 2 tickets for 7/3, please PM me. Love reading all the posts...what an amazing group of people.

Hope you're right about the prices coming down... I got my pinky this past Friday, kinda expected it, but it really bummed me out just the same (sigh). As far as the resellers, I've been checking pricing daily on stubhub and vivid and the prices are see-sawing...down and up..up and down...Hey Klangstone: I read your post earlier on coming close to purchasing.. Don't do it! Weren't you the one that told me last week not to cave in? Hang in there! It's soooo hard to resist purchasing now. I personally just want it to be over and get a tix to KNOW I'm going - but Velveteen may be right! Try to hold out as long as possible...I know I am but its HARD to do so! I am going to try Friday for tix for MD show, but I am already so disheartened, I am expecting I will lost out on tix there, too...(trying not to get my hopes up, you know?) Yeah, its tough to feel shut out of all this, especially when you are a true deadhead! I'm hoping that tix prices will come down, and hey..I may even get surprised this Friday and land tix for the MD show! Keepin' the faith...

I play this game a lot with tickets, where I will wait and see and play the market as it unfolds.That is why I LOVE when it rains or is bad weather - then all the ticket prices go way down. Perfect scenario for the buyer. But it's always a tug and play between the buyer and the seller. Same relationship exists in many market-based systems. This event is definitely not your regular show, so different norms may apply. However, it seems highly unlikely that prices will go UP. They seem way too high already. And like I say, new show and festival announcements and the high cost of hotels and flights. as well as people already having 4th of July weekend plans,might work in your favor in getting those costs down.

"2. People will have plans by then and be way less willing or able to travel last minute to Chicago (plus, no Hotels will be available, or at least ones that you can get for a good price)." Any what this says is that it's probably more important to pursue hotel and airfare now rather than tickets. Of course, setting this up without a tix adds to the anxiety. Booked airlines shouldn't be a problem for an aitport such as ORD, but you never know. I'm sure all the nearby hotels are booked by now from both the CID packages and others. I know the hotels I checked in the two plus miles from the event had only a handful of rooms (one handful) right after the TM fiasco. Historically, (if this follows history) aftermarket ticket prices remain fairly flat, with fluctuations up and down, up to two weeks prior to the event. At this point, the prices spike up and then crash down in the last 7 days. Don't think I could wait til the last 7 days. As both GDTSTOO and TM know, this isn't your typical concert so how it plays out probably won't be typical either.

I certainly wouldn't expect the prices to come down to face value. I'm just saying that Deadheads are a bit unique and may have an effect on prices due to their ethics. We all seem to agree that supply and demand is the key issue. Right now, I'm not seeing demand, which is encouraging.

It would be nice to have a Deadhead Ticket exchange system. I know that already exists to an extent on these forums, but maybe something more robust. That way, it's deadhead buyers and deadhead sellers. That roots out all those scammers and scalpers. With 210,000 tickets out there, you can guarantee that people are going to have to cancel for various reasons, etc. Working your immediate friend groups is always the best way to try and grab a ticket as it becomes available. Any way to avoid the scalpers that have absolutely NO IDEA what it even means to be a deadhead and what we are all about.

Nothing wrong with Phish. I have no idea how many times I've seen them. I was around during the beginning at Nectar's, The Front, etc. I recall getting a bit sick of seeing them as every time I went out, they were playing. So I ended up not seeking them out for a while. Then I kinda got into them again, but then dropped back out when they started filling stadiums. I like small shows. One of the more disappointing shows I've seen was when Phish opened for Santana in Stowe. It was a huge let down because Carlos let them (and Trey) be the show. I really wanted to see Santana, but instead got Phish. Last time I saw them was at the Irene benefit in VT. It was a good show. Going into this was a bunch of fear for another show like Santana, but I'm fairly certain that won't happen.

Prices are a lot cheaper on Ebay and a number of them don't even hit the reserve bid and get re-listed. This tells me that us true Dead Heads are NOT succumbing to these scalper pricks.

did not even get a bid which started at $5000. Cheapest on Stubhub right now is $6000, next is $7310. The pricks are not getting their prices!!!

Good advice, I didn't do it but I was tempted. Just sat there looking at the screen for about 5 minutes and in the end I said to myself, "NO WAY, F#CK THE SCALPERS!"

Update to the group, FWIW: Received my rejection today- in New Orleans, postmarked March 4th.

by Pink Slipd

Wow! Wouldn't it be great to have some sort of "private" way to buy/sell tickets to each other and avoid the secondary market altogether? I know we have this forum to talk to each other but I agree, something more robust, as you said, makes a ton of sense. Anyone have thoughts on that?

sank into the deep sea of love, i guess. what is the next Dave's pix? This FTW stuff is OLD. sad and old. Come on, well come on no fun (without Dave's pix) no fun WELL COME ON!

I just received my rejection letter in the mailbox. It was postmarked 3/3

If you were lucky to get tickets from GDTSTOO. Why are they sending them out in June?????Don't they know how long it to for some people to get there pink slips ect ect.If you were the lucky ones to get your tickets don't want to get them in the last min.if I was going I was going 5 weeks before the show to see people on the way and also see some of the sights on the way.This way you don't have much time or any.Does any one out there want to comment?

Hey. to all you good people thinking how it would be great if there were a private marketplace where heads could buy, sell, and trade face value tickets, it already exists. It is called cashortrade.org and it is fantastic. Check it out. I will not promise that you are going to find your Chicago tickets there because the demand simply outstrips the supply. However, when people do buy/sell/trade on the site, it is done for face value.

Hi Blakesmith007 - the sad truth here is that no one has any of the answers. All we can do is intelligently guess and speculate. Lots of smart and experienced Heads on this blog and it's been therapeutic for someone like me to read them daily. I was shut-out of all viable ticket chances. We need to help each other. E-bay I simply don't "trust" to get tickets. StubHub will guarantee the validity of your purchase. But fact is, no tickets are physically in the marketplace yet. And finding out one version of the truth on how this ticketing process works and where and to whom these 210K seats have been allocated is impossible. The band has clammed-up and TM will never disclose anything. Hang in there all and whatever you do - DO NOT PATRONIZE THE SCALPERS. Wait them out - we have just under four months to show time. This landscape will radically change in 8-10 weeks.

Back in the day when it was printed tickets without barcodes the waiting to send out tickets would help deter counterfeit ticket printers. I would think that some of that would still apply. It used to suck to buy a ticket in the lot and then be turned down at the gate due to the ticket being counterfeit. If I buy a ticket on the lot, I am taking a photo of a driver's license with my cell phone, so if they are fake I can track down the individual. If they are not fake and the price is face value, then I will have the address to send the person a christmas card, every year, forever.

i wanna hook up

I am definitely having trouble waiting it out! But like you, I read this blog daily and yes, I too was shut out from obtaining any viable tix...its depressing but -- it is what it is -- just trying to hang in and keep the faith that something will give! As a last resort, the reseller market is my only option, except what Velveteen suggested as far as an internal market. You mentioned stubhub but I did notice Vivid has cheaper tickets by far. And they say they guarantee tix too. Do you know if vivid is reputable? I know they all are crappers, but if it's my only choice in 8-10 weeks, I'll have to take the dive...

I've never dealt with Vivid so I honestly have no opinion of them. StubHub pretty much pioneered the space into a pretty big business model and for years, I've bought tickets from them for all sorts of events (concerts & sporting). SeatGeek is another good site by the way...

I used them once before. Got the seats advertised. That's all I have to say about that. *Gump voice. Got my reject today. Never so depressed to get an envelope full of money.

although i am not suggesting buying from scalpers, vivid is just as legit as stub hub. i delt with them both many times in cases like this. never for this kind of $$$. but they are one and the same if it helps u. good luck

Thanks for the input guys...I appreciate it. I never heard of SeatGeeks. Will be checking that one daily now as well... I chuckled when I read your post MadSwanDisease!! That's exactly how I felt...I was never so depressed to open up an envelope full of money (lol)! I got lucky on my first run to the PO office. They were able to cash the MOs right away. I've read here that some had trouble. Well, I guess I have SOME luck, but not particularly where it counts... but hey, gotta be grateful! (smile)

No pinky and no email yet. So I paid the $6.10 at USPS on Friday and called the MO tracking line. According to Cosmic C over there, who prefaced the update with, "you ready to be happy", that particular MO (friday, 2 pit tix single MO for total of $231) was cashed. I sent in on the 20th, some medium artwork on envelope courtesy of my 12 old daughter, to whom I gave some concepts to work with (what can I say, she's the artist, I ain't). Sent in for 2 pit on friday, and 1 of any on Saturday, ($115.50 and $100 MOs), plus a $9 for postage. Cosmic verified all 4 were cashed on Feb 17th. Just sharing for what it's worth for all those in limbo...you may try doing this alos, $6.10 is worth it at this point vs. the anxiety, and if you sent in a single env. this will tell you what you need to know.. My brief "dead" and incomplete bio, as there seems to be some type of "hey you are brand new on this forum, what are your creds?" thingy here; frankly because I wasn't sure what is cool on this dead.net, all the music is on archive.org. anyway have lurked here, only since they announced the 50 shows. 1st show was Dec 31st, 1988, from...parking lot of Oak Coliseum, (road trip with my buddy from Madison, in a rusty Chevette that barely made it over the Sierras). 1st real one at Rosemont Horizon in 1989, then about a 100 shows mostly in midwest, including the very last one. MSG w/B. Marsalis was my favorite show, it was Halloween circa early 90's. Live in SF now. I could go on, but it its not about me, its about relaying a small useful tidbit in para 1, to those in limbo. Peace and love to you, we are one tribe!

Hey Klangstone, check your private messages.

Hey Klangstone, check your private messages.

I've used Stubhub with good success. One time for a Merriweather show the print out tickets I had purchased were already scanned at the gate. I called. They got me new tickets, and gave me a large credit for the inconvenience. I've bought tickets off of Ebay before with no problems. Check the seller's feedback. People with good feedback and whom sell items often aren't going to ruin their Ebay account for a one time fake sale of tickets. You're also protected by Paypal. That being said, unless you don't mind spending the money, WAIT. When people get tickets in June cheaper seats will become available. I have no problem with the June mail out. I'm sure tickets will be at people's houses well before the show unless you're going three weeks early. The June roll out hurts the sales of professional scalpers and it prevents the "one off scalpers", basically fans who are going to sell tickets to help pay for their trip, from having a lot of time to sell their tickets. It again decreases after market sales since everyone is skeptical of buying tickets when their not in hand. *see this thread for skepticism* As far as hearing from the band or TM as to the "where have all the seats gone conspiracy"... you're not going to hear a thing. I've never heard from bands, TM, or promoters on seat allocations after the on sale. Why would this be any different? There is nothing to see and nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, there are less tickets available on the aftermarket than usually available for such an event. There are half the number of tickets available for all three days of the Fare Thee Well for a single day of baseball at Wrigley Field, and the dead show has 170000 more seats in those three days. The system worked. Fans have an overwhelming majority of the tickets. If not, there wouldn't be such a small percentage on the aftermarket. The reason it feels like so few people have gotten tickets is due to the fact it broke the record for demand. Furthermore, a majority of fans don't use message boards and many older heads probably don't even use fakebook.

Thumps up!!! Enjoy the shows!!

I too am still in deep space, awaiting an imminent interstellar e-mail or conversely, terrestrial death blow. I've avoided the money order oracles in vain hopes that ignorance winds up delivering bliss. Where's the dog star? No word here. No tix, no m.o.s back. Thought the hammer would fall today. As a Chicagoan i'll be there regardless, but it sure would be nice to have some tix in hand. Each day that passes is going to make the death knell all the more stark. As the scalpers laugh and shake their bones.

'All this machinery making modern music can still be open hearted, Not so coldly charted, it's really just a question of your honesty, ya your honesty, One likes to believe in the freedom of music, but glittering prizes and endless compromises, shatter the illusions of Integrity.' - Spirit of Radio - Rush

.

Lifelong resident here again. In a previous missive, I recommended the Art Institute, A Wendella boat ride, and Oak Street Beach as great things to do in Chicago. I'm trying to give you stuff you can do within walking distance of most downtown or Near North hotels. So, I thought I mention one of Chicago's favorite pass-times, restaurants! Here's some 'classic' Chicago joints I enjoy, you may as well. You should be able to find reviews, addresses, and opening times online. These are all 'workingman's' places. I'll put together a list of splurge spots later. Mr. Beef - Cheep, communal seating at picnic tables, and IMO, the BEST Italian beef sammiches in town. Greek Islands - On Halsted in Greektown. No better whole grilled fish anywhere, even the coasts. Italian Village - Red sauce heaven. Cool, whimsical room. It's the restaurant on the top floor. There are three in the building. Heartland Cafe - This one is at the far north end of the city. Fresh, local, organic foods, great bar, and an atmosphere closest to 'the old days' for Deadheads. Tell 'em Wild Bill sent you!

I was Patient and have held back from making or responding to Negative comments throughout this process.But today, 3/9/15 = 10 Days after the presale, I received my "Sorry Sucker" letter which was post dated the 4th. Like many, I stupidly believed, No returned money and no Email stating I either Was or Wasn't getting tickets before the on sale date was good news. Or, still left me a chance. Silly me (us). To say that this whole process was Amateur hour would be an insult to amateurs everywhere! One mistake after another, An amateur promoter, clearly incapable of "properly" organizing an event of this scale, Horrible venue choice, Greed and other bad judgement left only the fans Phucked over. If I read again that it was the venue of the Deads last performance, as if that is any more significant than their First, Biggest, Most Played, Worst etcc) I am going to be sick. Soldier Fields (Torn Down and rebuilt) relevancy in 2015 is the same as The Archaic GDTSTOO with it's 3x5 postcard is = Why ask for our emails and Phone Numbers if you are incapable of using them to notify EVERYBODY? Both are Free in 2015 so they can't even use the cost excuse. They postponed the on sale date once, why not twice? What difference would it have made? Theres no way they should have sold one single ticket online, until EVERY mail order envelope was either returned or the people were notified as to their order status. At the very least their Lame "you may want to consider on line ticket sales to increase your chances" - should have simply read - IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN NOTIFIED BEFORE THE 2/28 ON SALE DATE - YOU ARE - NOT GETTING TICKETS - Now go Beg Borrow or Steal the money you need to try and get them through ticketmaster. And we will eventually send you your money back. What would have happened if they postponed the onsale date another week or two? The Scumbags at TicketMaster and CID would have 14 weeks instead of 16 to sell their tickets that EVERYBODY after the Mail order inundation, knew would sell out in minutes - Genius Move! They could have postponed the TM onsale date for months, it wouldn't have made one bit of difference. Would notifying me and the others that we were NOT getting mail order tickets changed anything? - No! Would it have Improved our chances of getting Tickets on TM? - No! Would it have, in any way, made the ultimate disappointment any less inevitable or hard to swallow? - No! But sometimes you just have to do what is right. I know several people who got their "Congratulations" emails well before the 28th. Maybe the better move would have been to: notify ALL the people who WEREN'T getting Tickets instead of those who were! With that said; All the Ticket issues, Venue / Guitarist choice arguments, Lack of Guests - Special or Not. And the absence of any acknowledgement to all the "OTHER" X Band members aside. What makes this whole fiasco really painful is the simple reality that Bob and Phil or some other combination of the "Core Four" Don't like each other. Or more simply put, they don't want to perform together anymore. Which is fine, I get it. But why perform at all then? Knowing, Weeks before the onsale date, the absolutely HUGE demand the Celebration generated. How difficult would it have been to add another night or two? Couldn't you four bury the hatchet for another night or two? The arguments they (Shapiro) used saying the three shows were billed as the last and people would get upset if they added more. Is as lame as every other EXCUSE floated before and since. Adding a show or two before or after the 3-5 dates at the same venue would have been welcomed by Everybody involved (the Fans) All the expenses. Logistics, planning etc were already done. Adding another show or two was the ONLY "Right" thing to do. Pay per view or Simulcasting is worthless, People want to be there and are willing to pay for it. The Only obstacle in the addition of dates, were the Band themselves. Like I said, If you can't bury the hatchet for another 3 or 6 hours together why bother in the first place! Soldiers Field is Vacant 330+/- Days a year so thats not an issue, As luck would have it is vacant almost the entire Month before and for a few days after the 3-5 dates. No Excuses!

I could not have said it any better.this whole thing is a complete and utter disgrace!! Well said!

Ebay / Paypal do NOT cover Concert TicketsRead the Fine Print!

Thanks for the suggestions! How efficient is the public transit in Chicago? Can you get to where you need with a 3-day pass? I'm not presently planning to go without show tickets, but I still have a plane ticket so you never know. Cheers.

PLEASE... Since they sold the extra tickets beside and behind the stage in Chicago, please keep the stage design simple and not hang banners everywhere to block all the views. People have paid lots of money to get these extra seats and will be very upset if there is no view at all! Thanks so much!!!

Check this out.... http://youtu.be/FTBZuulCoPo Insanity!!

Well brother (assuming you are a guy - and sorry if you are not), all I can say is that it gets better. That letter really stings and in fact was my avatar for a while after getting it. Take a deep breath and try to calm down a little. A lot of us (myself included) went through a lot of sadness (utter sadness to be honest) and hurt about the way things went down. I totally wish that TM, stubhub and ebay would all rot in hell as would all of the "heads" that are paying for their trips with their extra mail orders, but that is what happened. After the TM craziness, I was in a sadness tempered with mild anger for several days after. Guys like Klangstone and rgergelis were great at talking with. Vent away, but understand that there is really no one to blame for this - it happened and there are a lot of happy people on this site too who DID get lucky. There was no question word could have gotten out sooner, but the reality is there were 60k+ letters. Yes email is faster than mail, but we all knew the rules - some didn't abide by them by sending in multiple letters, but again, you cannot possibly fault GDTS for not immediately excluding the multiples, it simply would have been impossible. Based on the shear numbers too, it still was impossible for everyone who mailed in to go - over 300k requests for only 210k possible seats. Now as a mail order, would you be happy if they gave all the tickets to mail order, but you got stuck behind the stage w/out a view? I wouldn't. I mean I would be glad to be in, but seriously? No view at all? That would totally blow. Basically get pissed, do what you gotta do, but know that acceptance is going to come sooner than later - we all have gone through it and now that the mail is getting through, a lot more people are seeing that they got their pink slips too - we're here for you and hang in there. This family is tight one and we (try to) stick together - that is what the Dead were about, doing good as a society. Peace

Hello, finally got my rejection letter and money orders back today. Does anyone on here know how to turn these back into cash? The only thing I can figure out so far is that you have to request a refund for each money order and pay a $15 fee per money order. Man, really adds insult to injury. Hoping someone can confirm the refund process is the one to use, or is there an easier way?

lono sorry to hear. it can go back to your own bank account, just write "not used for intended purpose" on the back of the check where you endorse it, sign below that, & deposit

i took a chance and crossed off GDTSTOO, initialed it, then write my own name in and deposited my returned MOs and it worked, but jambo's approach sounds more legit. Either way don't pay the post office for the privelege.

Keep the info coming. I'm staying in the South Loop neighborhood of downtown. .7 miles from Soldier Field. Any recommendations for the South Loop? I can't wait. It's going to be a great weekend in Chicago.

here's a bit of info...2 of my very good friends were asked to help out @ the 'sorting house' here in NorCal... they were privy to lotsa info, which continues to trickle in, so i&i hope this helps some of the "still in limbo" group... 1st & most importantly, u still have hope!! one of those 2 friends got their email TONIGHT @ 9:30pm confirming their order had been filled (containing a 3-day Pit Pass for yours truly, btw, THANK YOU, u know who u are... ANYWAY, the important aspect of this is THIS person was one of the OVER 1000 PEOPLE to have their emails entered incorrectly, thus one of those elusive 'bounce back emails' the tix were part of Batch 121, of over 430 is what i'm told... i'm truly blessed to have friends like these folks whom i've known well since my 1st shows in 1992 (55 shows between 92-95 BEST TIME OF MY LIFE!!!) & they clearly remain great friends... the only other thing i'll say is there were copious amounts of volcano hits during sorting, make of that what u will, lord knows i'd be volcanoed if that was me involved in that madness... hope this helps, not trying to toot my own horn, just wanted to give a few people out there some renewed hope... 'some folks would be happy just to have one dream come true...' may the force be with u... ♤

BollocksO Bollocks Lots of Bollocks Lots of Bollocks O Bollocks C all the Bollocks Kick out the Bollocks So much Bollocks

I love this idea by the band and these boys here simply nailed Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo. Four dudes, in-tune, and so well done fellas !! Hope you all enjoy as I did. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0Wu4sHHo9o