R.
10 Jul 2005, 18:01
"I paid $150 and all I got was this lousy wrist band."
By absolutely pure coincidence a friend of mine asked me, if I would be interested to join him atttending the Meat Loaf Show in Leeds Castle on July 8. He purchased two Gold Package tickets for $150 each. This Gold Package should include:
* For $150 fans can purchase a Gold Package that includes:
* Ticket for a highest-priced seat in rows 2 - 15
* For General Admission shows - early entry will be arranged
* Collectible laminate - if spotted wearing fan may be upgraded to the meet and greet.
* Online store coupon for $35
So, i took a day off from work, bought Eurostar tickets and booked a hotel room near Leeds Castle. We arrived there on Friday afternoon, a little late, probably due to increased security measures because of the London bombings. We met a few friends in a pub nearby and eventually went through the rain to the venue. We missed the Box Office at first and had to go back again in oder to pick up our Gold Package. The friendly guy at the box office gave us an envelope containing ... tadaa ... two "Unreserved Picnic Area" tickets. After listening to our complaints that these tickets definetly couldn't be worth $150 each, he phoned someone and finally told us that an email was sent out to all Platinum purchasers that they had to be at the venue at 5 pm. These tickets would just be used to get inside the the venue. If we would have got there in time, we would have been picked up by a Fanclub representative, who then would have lead us our seats. We never got that email, probably because we didn't purchase a Platinum package. It's posted on meatloaf.net that an email was sent out to the Platinum Package owners, but what about the people who purchased a different special package?
Anyway, I was given a phone number of a local fanclub representative. I talked to her on the phone and we eventually got our problem sorted. Kelli was very friendly and helful and she did a great job in picking us up in the huge crowd and brining us to our seats. Thanks again, Kelli!
Why did we purchase the Gold Package anyway? Exactly, for the highest priced seats in rows 2-15. Well, I didn't even bother to count the rows, but these seats were actually pretty bad. There is absolutely no way that these seats would be anywhere near row 15. They were on the right side of the stage, probably around row 30. Pretty good deal for $150, eh? Wait, I'm not finished yet ... one of the guys we met in the afternoon had two spare tickets left for row 3, center stage for us to use. These tickets were not bought through the fanclub. Now, what really pissed me off big time is the fact that these center stage row 3 tickets were actually cheaper and definetly better than the fanclub Gold Package tickets we purchased. Afterwards, sitting in row 3, center stage, I had a look around and I actually recognized nobody wearing a laminate (see above) or the blue wrist band. Now, with regard to the stories about people with front rows tickets being pushed back because of fanclub reservations, how is it possible that people (and probably not fanclub members) could actually purchase high class tickets for lower prices than the fanclub could offer?
I am happy to read that some of our visitors enjoyed their Platinum Package and their Meet & Greet, but the piss poor ticket allocation and (re-)distribution, the lack of customer information and the lack of a fall back plan for people who couldn't be there in time left me with a bitter taste in my mouth that nearly spoiled the whole evening for me.
[/rant]
By absolutely pure coincidence a friend of mine asked me, if I would be interested to join him atttending the Meat Loaf Show in Leeds Castle on July 8. He purchased two Gold Package tickets for $150 each. This Gold Package should include:
* For $150 fans can purchase a Gold Package that includes:
* Ticket for a highest-priced seat in rows 2 - 15
* For General Admission shows - early entry will be arranged
* Collectible laminate - if spotted wearing fan may be upgraded to the meet and greet.
* Online store coupon for $35
So, i took a day off from work, bought Eurostar tickets and booked a hotel room near Leeds Castle. We arrived there on Friday afternoon, a little late, probably due to increased security measures because of the London bombings. We met a few friends in a pub nearby and eventually went through the rain to the venue. We missed the Box Office at first and had to go back again in oder to pick up our Gold Package. The friendly guy at the box office gave us an envelope containing ... tadaa ... two "Unreserved Picnic Area" tickets. After listening to our complaints that these tickets definetly couldn't be worth $150 each, he phoned someone and finally told us that an email was sent out to all Platinum purchasers that they had to be at the venue at 5 pm. These tickets would just be used to get inside the the venue. If we would have got there in time, we would have been picked up by a Fanclub representative, who then would have lead us our seats. We never got that email, probably because we didn't purchase a Platinum package. It's posted on meatloaf.net that an email was sent out to the Platinum Package owners, but what about the people who purchased a different special package?
Anyway, I was given a phone number of a local fanclub representative. I talked to her on the phone and we eventually got our problem sorted. Kelli was very friendly and helful and she did a great job in picking us up in the huge crowd and brining us to our seats. Thanks again, Kelli!
Why did we purchase the Gold Package anyway? Exactly, for the highest priced seats in rows 2-15. Well, I didn't even bother to count the rows, but these seats were actually pretty bad. There is absolutely no way that these seats would be anywhere near row 15. They were on the right side of the stage, probably around row 30. Pretty good deal for $150, eh? Wait, I'm not finished yet ... one of the guys we met in the afternoon had two spare tickets left for row 3, center stage for us to use. These tickets were not bought through the fanclub. Now, what really pissed me off big time is the fact that these center stage row 3 tickets were actually cheaper and definetly better than the fanclub Gold Package tickets we purchased. Afterwards, sitting in row 3, center stage, I had a look around and I actually recognized nobody wearing a laminate (see above) or the blue wrist band. Now, with regard to the stories about people with front rows tickets being pushed back because of fanclub reservations, how is it possible that people (and probably not fanclub members) could actually purchase high class tickets for lower prices than the fanclub could offer?
I am happy to read that some of our visitors enjoyed their Platinum Package and their Meet & Greet, but the piss poor ticket allocation and (re-)distribution, the lack of customer information and the lack of a fall back plan for people who couldn't be there in time left me with a bitter taste in my mouth that nearly spoiled the whole evening for me.
[/rant]