See Leonard Cohen for $253

Subject: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: Cool Beans
Date: 21 Feb 09 - 05:42 PM

Leonard Cohen is playing Detroit for the first time in 16 years. Although many tickets are priced lower, the top tickets are $253. This is in a great big theater, the Fox, not some cozy club. Wonder if he'll get a lot of takers at that price.

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 21 Feb 09 - 06:49 PM

You can see me for half that...BR

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: bankley
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 09:24 AM

there were front row seats at PDA in Montreal, last year for $700, proceeds for that section going to charity, and you could meet David Suzuki.... if I had the resources I would have bought 5 or 6, in case I got sleepy, then I'd be able to stretch out and snooze...

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: Musket
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 11:07 AM

No, you'd have to pay me a bit more than that to sit and watch him..

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: Jayto
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 11:30 AM

God I would love to see him. I have to admit though I wouldn't pay that much to watch anyone perform. I have all kinds of colorful things that I would not pay that much to see running through my head lol. I know supply an demand and cost to him and all the arguments that people will give. I think it is an insult to fans to charge this much though. I see it alot and it upsets me to no end. I know there are some that may actually deserve it and more if you want to equate ticket price with fan appreciation. I just think more established artists should show more appreciation to fans by charging a decent price for tickets. The fans are what kept the artist from hanging sheet rock or whatever they would have done other wise. Not saying they are not appreciative but I think alot have lost touch with their fan base living on regular worker wages they don't realize how much this is fir them. If you can get thousands of people to shell out $300 each just tp see and hear you how can you view $300 as very much money? You would forget that alot of those people sacrificed something else to come see you. Like everything else you would soon take it for granted and would not hesitate to charge more. I think it is an insult to the fans.
cya
JT

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: bankley
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 12:19 PM

I thought it was expensive when I bought 2 tickets @ $125 each to see Dylan in late 2006... we left after 3 songs which worked out to $80 a song.... I didn't buy a T-shirt...

In Leonard's case, it was the 1st time he had played Montreal in ages. He still has an apt.there. So his 3 sold-out shows kicked off the Mtl.Int.Jazz Fest... which later dedicated the huge free Tues. nite outdoor show to his work.... well over 100,000 people showed up for that.... various artists playing Cohen songs.. I believe he did one as well...

Leonard's a cool guy... he had almost his entire life savings ripped-off by his longtime manager... and wasn't going to bother pursuing it until he found out that the IRS would come after him anyway.. so he mortaged his LA apt. and hired a lawyer...

"Beautiful Loser" dept.. My buddy Yanko and him were close in the early days... and I got to chat with him one night at a show I was in with his friend Lewis Furey.. it was a 3 week run in a nice theater... the 1st Sat. night the box office was held-up, so we knew the show was a hit !... 'that was back before interact'

Now I tend to avoid exorbitant gate prices more out of principle.. A lot of Festivals are still a good deal... eg. I saw a fine concert with Steve Earle/Allison Moorer last summer close to home for $20.... that worked out to be 75 cents a song... and he wasn't floggin' T-shirts ... heh, heh...   R.

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: Jayto
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 12:41 PM

Cohen is great and if I was to shell out that kind of cash it would be someone like him. I just have a hard time justifying it in my mind.

I went and saw Steve Earle in Nashville in 2004. It was a great show Southern Culture on the Skids (Scots) opened up so it was a great show all the way around. It was a free show that wound up costing me $50 lol (not counting tshirt cost). After the show I went to my car and realized I locked my keys in the car. I ended up calling a wrecker service because metro (nashville pd) wouldn't open it for me. They took forever to get there.I am not joking I fell asleep in an alley waiting for them. When they arrived the guy opened my door and charged me $50. I got in my car and the keys were not there. I flipped out then because I had to be at work in Ky in about 3 hrs lol. I walked back down to the stage area and looked around. I didn't see anything so I turned to leave. Just as I did something caught my eye under the stage. I knelt down and looked under the stage and believe it or not I found my keys. lol It was a really chilly night in October so I was more than happy to get on the road. The venue was an outdoor series they have in Nashville all through the summer and fall.
I think normally anything above $100 is an insult to fans for a regular concert. Festivals are a different story though there is so much that goes into the whole experience of a festival I can see paying more.
JT

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: Beer
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 01:46 PM

I have a Tee Shirt of Bob Dylan never worn. It was from a concert in the 70ies. The shirt reads;
                                 BOB DYLAN
                      "Anyday now, I shall be released"

Any idea what year to be precise it would have been?
Beer (adrien)

I have a few pictures of Leonard and a few others sharing a drink after a concert at the hospital I worked at.

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: Acorn4
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 02:49 PM

Jayto -if that had happened at a Leonard Cohen concert, you may have decided to end it all.

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 04:17 PM

are these prices the face value of the ticket or the scalping prices being charged by agencies to "fans" who weren't savvy enough to get their tickets early ?

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: GUEST,Bill Kennedy
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 05:04 PM

this is for the top end orchestra or box seats. the price range for the show begins at $45.50 and range up to $253, which is much less than the scalpers prices being asked for other shows, (like the BEACON THEATER in NYC last weekend, some tickets up to $1200). I can think of no one else I would spend $253 to see, but I'd spend it for close up Leonard Cohen, here is a performer who really works and cares about how his material is presented. And think of the band, and the back up singers, and the lighting, and everything else involved in a show of this quality, and you see what you are paying for. He also deserves to get something for his appearance as well as for writing some of the best songs of any era.

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: Ron Davies
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 05:58 PM

Back up singers? Is this a choral arrangement? Why should attendees pay for that?

Performers should get back to basics.   Cohen can make it on just him and his guitar--or possibly piano. I would hope. And he should.

Randy Newman did exactly that at a concert I saw recently. And the concert was spectacular.

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: open mike
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 06:06 PM

i heard he (leonard cohen) was near bankruptcy
last year, so perhaps he is trying to build his
holdings back up...

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: Ron Davies
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 06:12 PM

So he can charge a sizable amount. And if it were just Leonard and piano or guitar, he'd keep a much bigger part of it.

Again, he shouldn't need backup.   His songs are strong enough--and besides, with only one voice, you stand a much better chance of understanding all the words.

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: Beer
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 06:33 PM

You forget one important part. Leonard doesn't get close to what is asked in the ticket sales. Don't forget the Agent's share.
Beer (adrien)

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 03:50 PM

If that's how much it costs to 'see' him - how much does it cost to hear him?

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: Clontarf83
Date: 24 Feb 09 - 01:00 AM

Last time Leonard played Victoria BC, it was in a theatre with seating capacity of 1500 or so, at a moderate price. Sheer magic.

This time he is appearing in our hockey arena, with prices as high as $250. Very disappointing--sheer greed by someone..don't know how the profits get shared...ticket master are involved.

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: Ron Davies
Date: 24 Feb 09 - 11:26 PM

So the agent gets a cut. He gets that regardless--so it's not germane to the question of cost. But Leonard need not pay for backup singers--unless he's the Leonard Cohen Chorale. Perhaps somebody thinks his music is a requiem.

Otherwise just him and his guitar or piano should be fine.

In folk, often less is more--particularly if the lyrics are crucial.

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: GUEST,Michael S
Date: 25 Feb 09 - 02:35 PM

An article in today's NY Times suggests that Cohen's financial concerns are at least a part of the reason for the ticket prices. However, since most well-known musicians tour for money, I don't mean to suggest that he's somehow less of an artist because of the pricing.

Me, I like the songs but could never listen too long to the delivery. For those unfamiliar, I strongly recommend Famous Blue Raincoat, the Jennifer Warnes CD mentioned in the article.

--Michael Scully
--Austin, TX

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: GUEST,Greycap
Date: 25 Feb 09 - 06:21 PM

I am notoriously mean, I like Leonard Cohen but wouldn't pay $253 or the British equivalent for the second coming of Jesus Christ, let alone a music act.For that money, I'd expect a luxurious chair in leather, champagne served by topless blond dancing girls, and an Indian meal afterwards.
It's a ripoff.

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 25 Feb 09 - 09:08 PM

If i had the money and was closer to Detroit, I would pay it and (I hope) consider it money well spent -- I have loved LC since I WAS 21..

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Feb 09 - 06:39 PM

More brass than sense?

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: maire-aine
Date: 26 Feb 09 - 07:49 PM

Hi. Thanks for the info. I may just go ahead and spring for a single ticket up in the cheap seats. Love LC.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 28 Feb 09 - 07:51 PM

Trust me -- certainly not more brass than sense but to me, seeing Cohen would be a really defining moment.......thus wotht $253 (if I had it to spare which i do not)

Subject: RE: See Leonard Cohen for $253
From: gnu
Date: 28 Feb 09 - 08:20 PM

Leo is giving out $253 to people that go see him? I must give him a call. Maybe he can spare me a dime?