From: dahoov2@cox.net   
      
   after calculations for the cost of the trip, we know it'll be over a   
   grand to go (just over) so we're still considering it.  I have nothing   
   scheduled for that weekend but it may be my grandbaby week...or the   
   Billy Joel concert I just bought damned expensive tickets for.   
      
   Anyway, speaking of tickets, I get so mad every time I get tickets.   
   But each time it seems to get WORSE than the previous time.   
      
   So like Saturday morning at 10 am I am poised at my keyboard waiting   
   to buy tickets.  All my attempts to get presale tickets fail.  At 10   
   exactly I hit BUY and it loads real quick (shocking, usually clogged   
   and takes a couple tries). I immediately hit 2 tickets and best   
   available is the choice default so all I gotta do is hit buy and the   
   tickets are mine right?!  So I hit buy and shockingly I get two "best   
   available" tickets at tickemaster!  woo hoo right?!  WRONG. I wasn't   
   on there 3 seconds max and boom.  Second section, which is actually   
   third section.  WHAT?????? ALL the Orchestra and first level seat were   
   gone.  That's thousands?  In three seconds?  Give me a damned break.   
      
   Then I see what is called "auction" on ticketmaster, where you can bid   
   on Orchestra seats.  To disguise their deceptive practice of being   
   unable to do this, they add "plastic laminate badge" (which allows you   
   NOTHING; it's just a laminate badge to make you look important... you   
   don't get discounts, you don't get to meet the band, you don't get   
   free parking, you don't get ANYTHING) and you get one piece of   
   "official merchandise).  So what is essentially a ticket price and a   
   Tshirt price or program or CD price, you are paying 4 times the   
   price... WHAT A SCAM.  No charity either.  NOTHING I could see... just   
   a complete way of using tickets so others can't have good seats.   
      
   Every year it's worse and worse. Started with almost all the orchestra   
   seats being taken by radio, family, and other VIPS.  Then moved to   
   "corporate" world absconding with the rest of those and some first   
   level seating.  Then went into these people who buy presale tickets   
   and buy dozens to resell at double the price.  They have pretty much   
   taken up all the rest of the remaining good seats (including 200 level   
   too) and now this auction for the last remaining seats.  Next year, my   
   guess is you'll be lucky to get SRO/Grass passes.   They'll probably   
   start doing tailgate parties in the parking lot.   
      
   Oh, and my 99 dollar tickets?  Two of them ended up costing me 249   
   when it was over.   49 bucks in fees!  And no, that doesn't include   
   parking or 8 dollar cups of beer.  When will the madness end!   
      
   On Sat, 8 Mar 2008 22:50:25 -0500, "pe2"  wrote:   
      
   >Hey Gang-   
   >   
   >Check out the entrance page on Duke Fest.com. I have both autographs from   
   >Rick Hurst and John Schneider, but not on a lunch box!!!!!   
   >   
   >http://www.dukesfest.com/   
   >   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)