I can, and I typically don’t.
I actually paid for VIP for night 2 in Philly so we could chill at a table and eat/drink endlessly. That’s more my style for VIP perks.
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I can, and I typically don’t.
Same. I always look at what it offers and would do it if the price seemed reasonable. But it usually seems like way more money than what you get in return is worth.
I’ve been told the vip program drives the highest profit margins for the band.
Lol that doesn’t help their argument…
As much as we joke about KB and the VIP thing, I don’t really see an issue, especially considering that the VIP sets I see are hardly worth the money just from the finance<->music standpoint. Things like private viewing areas, shorter drink/bathrooms lines etc. are tangible things that can increase your enjoyment of the show, I don’t see anything wrong with that if you’re willing to pay for it. I DO get the annoyance of charging extra money to see a rarity for a jamband, but i think in practice this is kind of fewer-and-far-between.
Why? They are business and not just a band. I don’t blame for offering an additional 30 minutes to make more money.
Because this band used to play 20+ min jams at shows that cost $20 with fees. Now it’s $30 to watch it on my TV lol. They have literally metricized music which is no surprise considering their formulaic setlist writing. As someone said, it’s just the definition of selling out in this scene. Would be even better if the song chosen is Got Your Milk. I want them, their families, crew to be financially stable during these times, but charging to hear a huge jam is just laughable in this genre.
I would laugh my ass off if tDB ever started charging to hear an extended jam. They never will, because they just enjoy exploratory improv and dont GAF about how many songs are in a set.
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And when you’re that good money just falls from the sky.
So glad IDGAF about UM anymore.
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If the VIP packages mean UM makes their money without having $60-70+/ticket like WSP, SCI, and Phish charge, then I’m all for it.
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Lol. If UM could sell out stadiums charging $100 for a standard show like phish you don’t think they would?
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$20 w/fees per person. Invite some friends over and split the cost of the stream. Even one other person and you’re below that $20/night threshold.
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I think they could get away with a lot more than $100-$120 + fees for a 3-night red rocks run. Don’t tell KB.
A lot of UM/Phish tickets are actually pretty damn close in price. In fact, I paid more for some UM shows last year than I paid for lawns/stands for Phish. The crazy thing is I saw Phish play tons of rare songs, and two 30+ minute jams for my regular ticket price.
Edit: oh, and those jams happened organically and weren’t planned.
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People are complaining about the concept of VIP sets in general, so it would seem what is being played is irrelevant
It’s not about the cost. It’s the nickle and diming every chance they get and making you pay more money too see a jamband do what they’re inherently supposed to! Why not just write a 4 song second set with a 30 min jam in there?
Not sure if this is the best analogy, but imagine going to a baseball game and paying $30 more to be guaranteed seeing a homerun.
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Honestly I wouldn’t even be that mad if a real show had a 30 minute one song VIP set. I just hate the idea of VIP anything attached to a fucking webcast.
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Again, part of this comes across as one is replacing the other. As if there will be no improvisation during the In the Round streams because they are giving fans the opportunity to essentially watch a soundcheck jam from the comfort of their couches. I am positive that the band doesn’t view “improvisation” as a “finite amount.” They aren’t going to run out.
To me, this is much more interesting than a meet-and-greet or a waitress at a show.
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If they really don’t view it that way I just find it odd that we never see an unplanned 30+ minute version of anything pop up in a regular set now. They clearly know that is what people want if they are charging extra for it. The Ringo does not count, that was pre-planned.
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The only thing I can think of in a standard show in recent years that has been close to 30 mins is probably a DBK or Fir but both have so much composition the actual improv is still totaling <15 mins probably, plus the improv is across 2 jams. I’d be a little less wtf about this if they played long jams regularly.
Would you try to make more money if there was a demand for it?