VH Chart, Ticket Sales, Tour Success - NOT!

[gslinger]

Question: - Why are current Van Halen single or album Billboard charts numbers not really reflective or accurate of what is going on?

Answer:

1. Bottom line, single and even album chart's are worthless on this type of Tour. Seen too many "mature" bands with crappie single/album chart's make a killing Touring. Why?, because these bands cater to the 30-50's diehard rockers, and that's where the big Tour money is. This fan base doesn’t care much about a new single/album, and idiots like Eddie V that always want to play new and directionally different stuff. etc. All they want to hear is the old hits, played just like the old days, with some of the old vim and vigor. Those types of well managed rock acts are raining money presently.

That's why AC/DC has just killed VH in Tour gross sales and sold 20+ million albums more that VH, while still effectively living off the 1980 Back in Black album/song structure and Angus's stage antics.

Same thing with the #1 Rock Fusion guitarist in the world Joe Satriani. How long is Joe going to live of his brilliant Extremist album. Seen that guy 4 times now. Didn’t even want to go the last time, but got talked into because we again had front row seats right in front of Joe. Ended up glad I went, Joe was “dialed-in/on” that night and just blew the roof off the place playing mostly the same stuff I heard the last 3 concerts. I/my group had an awesome time and Joe playing at a very rare level I had never seen before.

Ozzy same deal, nobody that makes these concerts highly successful, i.e. the 30-50 yo market, cares about the new stuff. They want to see Ozzy & Zakk Wylde rip up the Rhodes era stuff and Ozzy be Ozzy.

I, and many others, including CCC executives, don’t understand why Eddie V can’t get any of this through his thick skull. But he is not alone. The two times I have recently seen Jeff Beck play, he suffered from some of these Eddie problems and hurt his Tour venue promote and sales. Just the opposite, John Melencamp, never had an unsuccessful National Tour. Plays his best oldest stuff, with a little of the new, and bust his arse for two straight hours.

Hopefully, this helps understand better why current single & album sales for “mature” rock bands are not good indicators of success or failure.

[gslinger]

Van Halen 1974 – 2004, RIP

GSlinger’s Review of Van Halen’s 2004 New Tri-Tracks Release – June 7, 2004
------------------------
I am not being critical here or bashing Van Halen for any form of self-serving interest. Being a major fan since ’77, if VH's new material was great, I would be the first one to emphatically state this fact. That said, these three new Van Halen releases, being “It’s About Time”, “Up For Breakfast” and “Learning to See” are some of the worst new material I have ever heard released from a Nationally established rockband in my 35 years in this business. All three of these tracks are poorly thought out, have just atrocious lyrics, are structurally a mess, and are feebly represented by the band’s musicians. They are a total embarrassment to what this band once was.

This small composition of work released by Van Halen, along with my full video review of the Band’s complete June 1, 2004 live Dress Rehearsal at Sony Studios, clearly reflects that the last chapter to this band, in its present form, has been written. Ex-frontman, David Lee Roth should thank the Lord he was not involved in this band’s disgraceful, and frankly disgusting, final chapter. Van Halen 1974 – 2004, RIP

------------------
Photo - Current 2004 VH Promotional Media "Plate"

[gslinger]

Originally posted by fairwrning
jus for kicks i went to the official Halen site..looked up tickets for opening night..and found 4 in sec 106..right beside the fuckin stage..now, this golden circle bullshit means open viewing area i assume..kinda in-the-round..
and they are giving 'em away left and right on the radio station here..
me thinks Van Hagar is a bust...:D

Originally posted by RogueHorseman
A friend of mine who is a big Ebay'er just told me that he pulled up a bunch of prime, floor seats for opening night in Greensboro being unloaded on Ebay... many for BELOW face value.
No $10 food vouchers, however. :p

Originally posted by gslinger
Concur on the Ebay tickets, been watching them for a month. The last two weeks prices and sales have just gone in the dumper. Many ticket scalpers are just hoping VH Tour dates they are holding tickets for get cancelled so they can get face refunds!

Originally posted by Panamark
If tickets are sellling for below face value on ebay, there is some serious problems..

Originally posted by gslinger
Yes, there are many good tickets for Greenboro, but Sec 106 maybe obstructed based on estimated stage setting for that venue. See my pictures from the Dress Rehearsal 6/1/04 and see what you think.

http://www.rotharmy.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5913

PS: Hey fairwrning - The chick is hotttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by fairwrning
great pics...hard to tell but it looks like its pretty open on the sides..amp stacks and walkways are pushed back from the center…..sec 106 is stage left..mikeys side...

Originally posted by fairwrning

http://images.tickets.com/images/venuemaps/GC_end_stage.gif

clearly not the best seats in the house..but damn close to the stage

Hummm, well....
If the aforementioned hot chick had her hands down my baggy pants, causing certain extensive tubular swelling and focal pupil dilation, subsequently sitting on properly inserted shaft and gyrating wildly, resulting in extensive and forceful fluid exchange….yes those seats in 106 would be just fine, thank you……….

[lms]

gslinger, I read a few of your posts, and thought maybe you were the one I had heard the original stuff about CCC and their tactics from several weeks ago. Then a few days ago I believe on the EVH can't play thread, I made a post to the effect that the new fantasy replacing the Dave is gonna be a surprise and save the tour fantasy is that Ed is just purposely fucking this tour off in retaliation to CCC and that the guy can still play just like always. You denied that possiblity. Do you still really think that Ed would give his best to CCC? Do you honestly believe it is over for EVH? Is it your opinion that these three songs are "for real" and the best that Ed can do? I am interested and place a lot of weight on your honest opinion. So don't be messin with my head on this one.

I am still waiting for the gossip re the New York party you were promissing last thursday or friday. Or did I miss it. You post all over the dang place!

[guwapo_rocker]

Sunday's show in Hershey, can still get 4 great seats together.
Section D row 48

[tobinentinc]

No suprise really that this Van Halen reunion isn't fairing well. Kids today don't like Van Halen, let alone Van Halen with a singer old enough to be their grandfather. It's a damn shame should be the new name for the single.

[RogueHorseman]

Originally posted by guwapo_rocker
Sunday's show in Hershey, can still get 4 great seats together.
Section D row 48

That about says it all...

What is capacity for the place with a rock seating set up?

[guwapo_rocker]

Looks to be about 16,000

[RogueHorseman]

Originally posted by guwapo_rocker
Looks to be about 16,000

Seems the makings of a half house...

[guwapo_rocker]

Yep, if that!!!

[dysfunction]

Originally posted by RogueHorseman
Seems the makings of a half house...

Let's say for a minute that they only fill half the house.

8000 x 85(price per ticket)= $680,000 x 80 (shows)= $54,400,000
That is not even counting merchandise so I really don't think they are going to do bad. Plus this all on the DLR ARMY assumption that no venues will be more than half full.

[RogueHorseman]

Originally posted by dysfunction
Let's say for a minute that they only fill half the house.

8000 x 85(price per ticket)= $680,000 x 80 (shows)= $54,400,000
That is not even counting merchandise so I really don't think they are going to do bad. Plus this all on the DLR ARMY assumption that no venues will be more than half full.

Ummm, short bus, there ARE just a "few" expenses involved to be deducted from the gate revenues, you know.

Guess not.

Now, go work on that MBA and get back to us in about 20 years.

Oh, sh*t! Hahahahahahaha!! I just looked closely at the pie-in-the-sky figures you used for your fuzzy math. Damn, you ARE a total riot.

[gslinger]

Originally posted by gslinger
Van Halen Tour arrives in Greensboro last Sunday.

Man.....Nothing like starting early! Eddie's probably driving everyone insane with his typical per show manic episodes.

Sorry had to add my comments.......

-------------------------------------------------------
Van Halen prepares to kick off tour in Greensboro
6-8-04

By Mike Kernels, Staff Writer, News & Record

GREENSBORO -- The first of 12 tractor-trailers rumbled to a halt outside the Greensboro Coliseum around midnight Saturday. Six hours later, it opened its doors to reveal black and silver containers. Lots of them, stacked high and tight. Each one handled as if it were a newborn. And on each, written in magic marker, a household name: Van Halen. (Man, Eddie’s got a thing for these magic markers hunnnn.....after marking up the neck of his guitars, so he could remember where the main chord frets were)

After nine years away from the stage, the band reunites in Greensboro on Friday for a 47-date tour. (already canceled two, three more on chopping block currently) In a nationwide conference call with reporters last week, vocalist Sammy Hagar, the band's on-again, off-again and now on-again frontman, promised: "The set list will kill you." (No f--kstick if just killed Van Halen 1974 - 2004, RIP)

But before that show can begin, another one began to unfold Sunday. The crates came off the trucks and the crew began the massive chore of setting up lights, sound and sets so the band can start rehearsing today or tomorrow.
(WTF, Barnum and Bailey Circus doesn't take 5 days to setup, oh.....it's starting to make sense now.......)

Greensboro has seen its share of great acts come through, but seldom do they start here. The last time one did was AC/DC in 1996. Before that, it was The Cars in the late 1980s. (Only 2 National acts in 24 damn years!!!.... no wonder Greensboro is masturbation capital of the world) …. (Now in 2004 it's “Runaway Train Wreak”, formally known as the band named Van Halen)

This tour was originally scheduled to begin in Richmond, Va. -- only multiple days couldn't be secured there for rehearsal. So band organizers looked for another point on the map that was within a day's drive of the tour's second stop, Hershey, Pa. They chose Greensboro, a city where they've always been warmly received. (Righttttt, it's like having to screw the ugly second pic sister!)

"It's always been a great market for us," Alex Van Halen said during last week's teleconference. "We'll go to Greensboro and hang out for a week and get to a know a few -- and make a few new friends." (This guy is more full of shit that Spammy. Should have done a family plan deal on the partial tongue removal operation at MD Anderson. Hell, Alex thinks this trip is National Lampoon Family Vacation or something.)

Putting together their show is a massive undertaking. It takes five tour buses, 12 53-foot tractor-trailers, 3,000 amps of electricity and 92,000 pounds of equipment. (That’s a lot of gear to still sound like shit boys) When it's all assembled, three large video screens will surround a simple stage of two simple letters -- V and H -- that you can see from at least a half block away. (This is almost exactly the Tour specs for the Britney Spears 2004 Tour, who sorry makes sense now.........)

Right now, an electrician is checking outlets. Carpenters are swinging hammers. Riggers are working in the rafters. On the arena floor -- an area off-limits to the uninitiated because of the potential for falling objects (you mean like the Tour dropping out of the sky like the Hindenburg)

Go down the hall. Behind Door No. 1 will be the dressing room for the Van Halen brothers, guitar god Eddie and drummer deity Alex. (Mannnnn this reporter is worse than Spammy & Alex talking out of the same arse like conjoined twins) Behind Door No. 2: Hagar and bassist Michael Anthony. (Got to let the 2 faggots be in each others arms and I have proving pictures!) By contrast, the promoter whose Bishopville, S.C.-based company Van Halen tapped to set things up gets no star treatment. (Welcome to Eddie's dry f--k world pal...)

Shitttt, cannot take anymore of this reporters diarrhea of the mouth. If interested you can read the rest yourself:

http://www.news-record.com/news/local/van_060804.htm

Contact Mike Kernels at 373-7096 or mkernels@news-record.com

[gslinger]

Originally posted by dysfunction
Let's say for a minute that they only fill half the house.

8000 x 85(price per ticket)= $680,000 x 80 (shows)= $54,400,000
That is not even counting merchandise so I really don't think they are going to do bad. Plus this all on the DLR ARMY assumption that no venues will be more than half full.

Dysfuckion:

Very few of even the most successful National Tours earn a profit because of the massive overhead, road expense involved, and promote costs.

The way this VH Tour is front-end structured/fixed per shows guaranteed VH residuals/etc, every venue could be 85% full and this Tour would still lose $millions.

Presently, there is 2.24 days of "slack-time" (down days between events) in this Tour and is should be around 1.5 - 1.7. That difference alone adds $6.1 to $7.8 million direct fixed costs to a Tour that has seen secondard market ticket volumes and prices drop collectively 42.7% in the last two weeks alone.

[dysfunction]

Originally posted by gslinger
Dysfuckion:

Very few of even the most successful National Tours earn a profit because of the massive overhead, road expense involved, and promote costs.

The way this VH Tour is front-end structured/fixed per shows guaranteed VH residuals/etc, every venue could be 85% full and this Tour would still lose $millions.

Presently, there is 2.24 days of "slack-time" (down days between events) in this Tour and is should be around 1.5 - 1.7. That difference alone adds $6.1 to $7.8 million direct fixed costs to a Tour that has seen secondard market ticket volumes and prices drop collectively 42.7% in the last two weeks alone.

So how are bands so fuckin rich? They don't make shit off the records. Where in the hell does there income come from if it doesn't come from the record company or the tour? Because according to my calculations only 0.32615974657854% of the bands would do this shit if they weren't making money. Or am I supposed to believe that there were only like ten bands in history to make money and that people like Robert Plant and Don Henley had to go work at Wal-Mart because every single tour they had didn't sell out.