Bands you'd spend big bucks to see

[RICHARD]

Here's a little primer on how and why tix get to be so expensive.

Scalpers and demand.

If you go to a ticket broker (scalper) you will pay a bundle.

There are a bunch of ways to get tix.

In the good old days you went to the location tix office, stood in line and got a bracelet with a number on it. You came back later in the day and when they called you # you got back into line and bought your four tix...Four was the limit.

Or you went to a Ticketmaster stall that was set up in a store like Montgomery Wards. You waited until they opened the doors and ran like the wind to get into line. That was a trip but sometimes dangerous. You always got some smart arse that pushed people into displays or racks of clothes.

Brokers would pay kids to stand in line, get the tix, pay the kids an inflate the price.

Now with internet and mobile phones arenas sell out in minutes. No fair to the 'poor' fans.

Way back when, the Forum in Inglewood sold a "Senate Seat" for a few thousand dollars. When you bought that seat you were guaranteed that seat for every event that year. Some people made extra money selling the tix for events that they didn't want.

Needless to say that the outrageous prices some people pay are 'broker fees' and it depends on how close you want to sit.

I saw the Kinks for 7.50 at Cal State Northridge I sat on a stinky canvas cover for the basketball court. I saw Bowie for 175.00. That night I was so close to the stage that I could not see the band.

--------------------------

Three concerts that I would pay big bucks to see again are

Pink FLoyd.
Roger Waters and
YES.

Floyd fans.....
I got to go see The Wall at the L.A. sports arena in 80. IT's too bad that there are no films or tapes of that show.

Check out the Roger Waters DVD-In the Flesh Live. That was one of my top five concerts.

[The Cat Factory]

Pink Floyd, Rogers Waters, Led Zeppelin, Rush, Radiohead...