Grateful Dead

I have the same feeling in my stomach. As others have mentioned, I hope they expand the GA seating. I went all or nothing for GA with mail order; no second choice. I couldn't get myself to send in multiple money orders. With that feeling in my stomach I am tempted to buy another four online when they come out as insurance. I don't want to miss this but, wow, this is potentially an expensive weekend coming from VA. I don't want to keep sinking cash when mail order could show up in the mail in March after they disappear from the online brokers. Anyway, good luck to others. This surely will be epic.

Sir Dire, I agree, there will always be an ethical conundrum, and there will always be have and have-nots. I do not begrudge those who live in Marin County with million dollar homes...many have paid their dues and have worked hard for it.I feel for those living in the economically depressed areas, with debt, dead-end jobs, and need a ray of sunshine to brighten their day. Money does make life easier, and I agree, it is not always easy to come by. Everywhere you look, you can upgrade by paying more for something, from a good bottle of wine, to early entry on an airplane, heck, even the seat choices now come with a premium price. Organic food cost more, exclusive hotels cost more, that nice car comes at a price. VIP tickets may very well be $1000, who knows? I guess on Tuesday, we will all find out. We didn't create this system, and yes, greed comes in to play at the promoters end.Bill Graham was part of that back in the '60s, and he was both loved and vilified for his stance. Will the core 4 make money to showcase their music? You bet. Would they play for free, who knows. My first show in '72 was free, but I imagine the band got paid. Now they'll get paid more, even with the economic in-equality present in our society. Do we let people in for free or at a reduced cost because "They've paid their dues" over someone who is paying their dues now? No, that wouldn't be fair...Is it always fair? No. Does that suck? Yes. I am happy that the boys are doing this one more time, and a celebration of life and love is what we need...money grab issues, ethical considerations over costs or fairness not with-standing. Let's embrace the family, rich and poor, think globally, act locally, and do our best to support the music. In my twenties, no way could I afford to fly, much less upgrade. While I've worked in the same trade for over 40 years, I'm no where near the top. Back in the day, I had to sacrifice to pay for tickets and go to a show...18 bucks? times three days? Yikes! Man, this is such great music...listening to Sugar Magnolia this morning...So Direwulf I agree, there will always be ethical considerations, and that's where we each have to make our own decision. There is a limit, too, for each of us. I do not begrudge yours, and it will certainly be different from mine. I will not pay a grand for a ticket, but would I pay $500? That would hurt. Maybe, but dang...sure hope the mail order comes thru. Got a wad of cash invested in that endeavor, like many of us. The proof might boil down to a tough choice; we who invest in the travel and accommodations, and don't have tickets. I detest scalpers, who don't care about the family or the scene. But somewhere along the line, I might have to pay a higher price to someone who also paid a high price. I would choose that over a greedy grab for money..but there is a limit. I dislike anything I can't afford...but that "cost" is a moving target...that ain't gonna change. So I works, I saves, and I spends...like many of us...got debt, got life, got love, like many of us...and got plane tickets, got hotel confirmed, and I waits patiently. With peace and love and all good thoughts for all of us...have an awesome day! G

a person can pay their dues, but it still does not solve the ethical conundrum of buying their way into "exclusive" places because they have a wad of cash and other people don't. Yeah I get it, it's your money you can do what you want, but with increasing income equality in the temple of capitalism that is our country having sentiments such as this can seem off base and out of touch with the current reality for many in this country. Rationalize it, but it still doesn't change the fact that they are stepping in front of everyone else with a fistful of cash and saying I deserve to be here because now I can afford it an those people can not. Just because they used to not be able to afford it does not beget special privilege. Scalpers and the a secondary market are to blame for ticket prices the methods they employ to get tickets and distribute tickets is dubious at best. Anyone person says they paid their dues in the prosperous earlier years of this country obviously doesn't know what it's like to pay their dues in a time of the shrinking middle class, income inequality, student loan debt, no jobs, monocropping, big business, housing market crash, government default, republican anti-environment Koch brothers oligarchy. Rant over. And why is the phrase that says you've "put in your time" really just saying "I've paid enough" let me in. I will be buying tickets as well but I'm not spending 4000$ for two tickets just because I can. "I hate anything I cant afford" - Henry Rollins