VIP and Ticket Prices Discussion

[solongfromthestars]

9 hours ago, blueshadows said:

And I don’t necessarily think that only people who queue the earliest should get the best spots. Some people might have situations/conditions that make it impossible for them to queue for hours and hours and paying for VIP allows them the possibility to see a band they love up close.

This. Just as the front row shouldn't be exclusive to people who can afford £250 for a ticket, it shouldn't be exclusive to the able-bodied or those with time to queue either. It's unfortunate that we live in a world where disability is so expensive, but we do and it's not going to change.

They really do need to sell less VIP tickets though, because as it is now (300+ standing) the tickets are of no use to disabled people. The able-bodied people just run past them and the disabled are lucky if they can even get spots in front of the screens. I have heard that some venues forced people to walk, but they didn't at any of my shows (well, they tried and failed in Glasgow), so it's an expensive gamble.

If they absolutely refuse to sell less, there is an option that would be fair to disabled people – let them get headstarts based on their specific needs. I know that would upset the able-bodied VIPs, but there wouldn't be that many disabled people with those specific needs, and given that they're buying these tickets because they actually need them, I think it's fair.

There needs to be more transparency too. For £250 (let alone £475!) people deserve to know exactly what they're buying.

If they sell less, make everything crystal clear and – obviously – deliver the things they promise, I won't actually have any issue with it. It will hardly impact non-VIPs if they only sell 100. There were 200 at every American RevRad show and they never stopped me getting good spots by queuing. I don't think it would be a guaranteed crowd-killer either. It might if you're unlucky, but at the British shows, I can vouch for the first 15+ VIPs in the queues being devoted fans I've known for ages (except that weird woman at Wembley), and the VIPs I didn't know around me were going mad. I wasn't VIP in Lyon, but every VIP I met there was lovely and devoted too. A few told me they bought the tickets because it was their hometown or only show.

Of course, there are options to make everyone happy that don't involve VIP tickets at all: let disabled people in early, have a fan club lottery to guarantee front row spots for a few people who can't queue for whatever reason, and ensure fan safety regardless of what tickets they bought. A friend told me that Take That's staff walk people in single file and if they try to run or push, they're sent straight to the back. I've also heard that Yungblud and My Chemical Romance force people to walk in pairs in split sections. Even Taylor Swift at Wembley was apparently safer than Green Day. Every performer should be doing this whether they sell VIP tickets or not. I'm sure doing these things instead of VIPs is too much to ask, though

[Cris.]

8 minutes ago, solongfromthestars said:

This. Just as the front row shouldn't be exclusive to people who can afford £250 for a ticket, it shouldn't be exclusive to the able-bodied or those with time to queue either. It's unfortunate that we live in a world where disability is so expensive, but we do and it's not going to change.

Totally agree with this! That's why I think if you sell less and put them behind a pre-sales link (from a Green Day news letter for instance) you can still sell VIP tickets that will go to the right people - aka dedicated fans who need them/want them. Otherwise in the end you either still have to queue for many hours to get the barricade, or you cannot get to the barricade, thus defeating the whole purpose of buying a VIP ticket to people with a disability.

And by the way, in the Paris show they did let a person with reduced mobility (how we call them in French) and their companion a good 2 minutes in before the rest of the regular queue. They still went in after the VIPs, but at least they had a head start with regards to regular pit ticket holders. Instead a girl with a hearing disability went in with the normal queue and in her place on the queue, but they did let her companion (who was way further back) go in at the same time as her. I'm sure not all venues would respect that, but I think it's a very sensible solution for people who are not able-bodied not having to spend triple the amount of money.

[solongfromthestars]

12 minutes ago, CristhyneS said:

And by the way, in the Paris show they did let a person with reduced mobility (how we call them in French) and their companion a good 2 minutes in before the rest of the regular queue. They still went in after the VIPs, but at least they had a head start with regards to regular pit ticket holders. Instead a girl with a hearing disability went in with the normal queue and in her place on the queue, but they did let her companion (who was way further back) go in at the same time as her. I'm sure not all venues would respect that, but I think it's a very sensible solution for people who are not able-bodied not having to spend triple the amount of money.

That's great to hear! This would be ideal but unfortunately I don't think most big venues in the UK would even consider it.

[Susi Sour cream]

7 hours ago, solongfromthestars said:

They really do need to sell less VIP tickets though, because as it is now (300+ standing) the tickets are of no use to disabled people. The able-bodied people just run past them and the disabled are lucky if they can even get spots in front of the screens. I have heard that some venues forced people to walk, but they didn't at any of my shows (well, they tried and failed in Glasgow), so it's an expensive gamble.

I think the running is one of the worst things - being disabled or not. I really hate that. It's just stressful and dangerous. The staff should always force people to walk in.

At the venue in Berlin there have been a lot of very steep stairs the way down to the standing area. When we came in and I saw what we would have to go down I was really scared, because I knew if people would start running and pushing there would be lots of falls. Thank god the staff forced everyone to walk down slowly.

[Give_Me_Novacaine90]

Unfortunately we disabled people are never really taken into consideration for these events, or at least that's how it is here in Italy.

The Italian system is fucked up and they left me without any reponse for the disability area for the show in Milan.
I wrote over and over again, but nothing. 
I also called Live Nation and they simply said that I had to send an email with my details and the disability certificate to Francesca.
I got a little angry and told that I've already done this several times and that no one has ever answered me. And they told me that they can't do anything because the show was sold out and that's probably why they don't reply to me.
😠
but the first time I wrote was when they announced the show and it wasn't sold out🤬

then I discovered that even those who managed to get the seat were treated badly by the stewards, they couldn't even go and buy something to drink because they didn't have a normal ticket.
And the absurd thing, with all the space there was and more than 80 thousand people, there were only about thirty disabled seats and they were very far from the stage.

I have no words, I would have loved to see this tour.🥺
I hope this is not the case in other countries too

[Beathe.]

On 7/2/2024 at 4:29 PM, JellyTime said:

It was the case at every show. A lot of people in the front row were just standing, not singing, not dancing. And at the same time dedicated touring fans were in the seconds or third row. Or even far behind, because some of them gave up on queuing because of the VIPs. 

I didn't bother queuing for any of the shows I had standing tickets for. Why bother to be in line all day to get 3rd or 4th row. I'm short so I would end up seeing basically nothing and then being pushed to the back anyways. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[ricardoverde]

All that "Welcome To Paradise", "Calling all the Saviors" It's a scam. Why a band like  Green Day need more money?

Just the fact of dividing the pit seems regrettable to me. The funniest shows are the ones where the pit is one and the people dance all together.

It's crazy how the industry with big artist (arenas and stadium shows) works these days, the tickets are more expensive than ever and and they are sold out more than ever, and this is not the fault of "inflation" as some might believe. Just charging 100 euros for a ticket is unethical.

And of course, the prices were invented by the production companies, not the artists, but the artists could do something about it, but they are not interested.

[Hermione]

3 hours ago, ricardoverde said:

All that "Welcome To Paradise", "Calling all the Saviors" It's a scam. Why a band like  Green Day need more money?

Just the fact of dividing the pit seems regrettable to me. The funniest shows are the ones where the pit is one and the people dance all together.

It's crazy how the industry with big artist (arenas and stadium shows) works these days, the tickets are more expensive than ever and and they are sold out more than ever, and this is not the fault of "inflation" as some might believe. Just charging 100 euros for a ticket is unethical.

And of course, the prices were invented by the production companies, not the artists, but the artists could do something about it, but they are not interested.

I mean, it is because of inflation which has made the price of everything go up but also because bands barely make any money from album sales now. Tours are where they make their money instead of selling records/CDs.

[Cris.]

6 hours ago, ricardoverde said:

Just the fact of dividing the pit seems regrettable to me. The funniest shows are the ones where the pit is one and the people dance all together.

I think dividing the pit might be a venue specific thing, and probably depends on the capacity of the pit and safety concerns. For example, both venues in France were arenas similar in size and the pit was not divided. 

But in a stadium I'd be terrified of being anywhere the near the front if the pit wasn't divided. A big crush in those conditions could leave many people gravely injured. 

[ricardoverde]

On 7/6/2024 at 8:29 AM, Hermione said:

I mean, it is because of inflation which has made the price of everything go up but also because bands barely make any money from album sales now. Tours are where they make their money instead of selling records/CDs.

The more millionaire and popular the band or artist is, the more expensive the ticket is. For artists who play in clubs or theaters it is still worth a lot less (adding inflation, obviously), for example, I saw Descendents in 2016 for like 25 dolars, and now they play again with another "big band", the Circle Jerks for $40, that is rasonable.

Merch and touring is where most of the money is, but charging people $200 for a ticket is not a excuse because they "don't sell so many records on this era of the industry", we're talking about artists who make tons of money (Paul McCartney, Coldplay, Green Day etc...) 

At the end it is a matter of "supply and demand" and event producers have no scruples when it comes to very popular artists.

 

[Hermione]

1 hour ago, ricardoverde said:

The more millionaire and popular the band or artist is, the more expensive the ticket is. For artists who play in clubs or theaters it is still worth a lot less (adding inflation, obviously), for example, I saw Descendents in 2016 for like 25 dolars, and now they play again with another "big band", the Circle Jerks for $40, that is rasonable.

Merch and touring is where most of the money is, but charging people $200 for a ticket is not a excuse because they "don't sell so many records on this era of the industry", we're talking about artists who make tons of money (Paul McCartney, Coldplay, Green Day etc...) 

At the end it is a matter of "supply and demand" and event producers have no scruples when it comes to very popular artists.

 

I don't think any other bands their size charge less than them though, from what I can see any other acts their size charge the about same or (in many cases) more. And their show must also cost a lot more to put on than Descendents or Circle Jerks shows would since it's a bigger production. No artists make tons of money from record sales now. If they want to make a profit to pay themselves and all their staff they do it with tours. Green Day's shows aren't as much of a bargain as they used to be but I think they're still reasonable relative to other artists their size and considering where bands make money has shifted from albums to touring.

[DookieLukie]

It’s just crazy how much pricier this is than Hella Mega despite having a less popular lineup. I got on field seats close to the stage for like $130 during Hella Mega. Nosebleeds were more than that at the start of tickets sales for Saviors Tour and still used nosebleeds are about in that range. The inflation for a lesser product (other than Green Day) is nuts.

[Psycho Britney]

On 7/6/2024 at 4:23 PM, CristhyneS said:

I think dividing the pit might be a venue specific thing, and probably depends on the capacity of the pit and safety concerns. For example, both venues in France were arenas similar in size and the pit was not divided. 

But in a stadium I'd be terrified of being anywhere the near the front if the pit wasn't divided. A big crush in those conditions could leave many people gravely injured. 

I think you're right that it depends on the venue. I was at Wembley stadium and the pit was not divided up. It felt completely safe tbf.🤷‍♀️

[Beathe.]

26 minutes ago, Psycho Britney said:

I think you're right that it depends on the venue. I was at Wembley stadium and the pit was not divided up. It felt completely safe tbf.🤷‍♀️

Wembley had golden circle. They sold front pitch standing tickets to several shows on this tour. 

[Tomcat20]

I totally understand the frustration of the fans, I am affected myself and find the developments very worrying. My thoughts on this subject:

- Billie said in an interview that they want to tour "more effectively". I think that includes bigger stadiums. So fewer shows, but bigger shows. I hope they haven't given up on the idea of an arena tour.

- Unfortunately, VIP rip-off tickets are on the rise and common in the whole industry. I don't know if you can turn back the clock here. And whether the band itself has a say in the matter, I have no idea. The record company and the local promoters will continue to drive this development. If only because everything has become more expensive and you can take a few more dollars out of the fan's pocket. 

- I miss the days when you could still win early entry via the Idiot Club (doesn't exist anymore, does it?). That must have been the last time in 2010 or so.

- Another price driver is of course the band's mean of travel. At the most recent leg in Europe, they chartered more or more private airplanes. Something the band had spoken out against in 2009/2010 in order to keep ticket prices moderate for the fans. 

- Because of me, they can leave out all the cheap junk in the merchandise packages and only sell the Early Entry together with Golden Circle

[The Grohl]

Hoo boy a thread about ticket prices...here we go!

I think so many folks brought up great points about VIP sometimes being the only option for folks who are disabled or have medical conditions. I never thought of it that way. And it's really shitty for people to feel like that's the only way for them to get a good spot where they can see and be comfortable and then to learn that's not even the case with how their VIP is playing out. Personally, I cannot and will not support VIP options. It just feels like such a rip off. I don't care if it includes a "Meet and greet." I'd rather try and meet a band without paying a price tag - the old fashioned way! And it's gross to hear what a shit show it's been. VIP means you're paying for perks, but what's the point if you're not even getting those perks?

I also think points about GD's tickets overall being a bit cheaper than what bands of similar size are charging are right. I still think their tickets are too damn high, but when you look at what bands like Blink are charging for their shows it's so much better by comparison. It's embarrassing that Blink-182 remains my most expensive concert. That's just fucking stupid. That being said I still found tickets for this tour to be way too high. For a *decent* spot it would've been about $400 for two tickets. That's insane especially considering they're playing in stadiums. Maybe if they were in a theater or good old fashion arenas, I would cave (I miss seeing the boys live), but I cannot shell out that price for a venue with shitty acoustics and band views that will force me to look at screens. If I want to watch Green Day on screen I'll stay at home. Luckily, Green Day did not opt for dynamic pricing, which was great because that really screws up everything about buying concert tickets (looking at you Blink, Depeche Mode, Mitski). (And on a side rant, I really hate it when fans act like the artists are helpless in dynamic pricing. It's been reported time and again artists do have a say. They can opt out.) If they ever do give in to dynamic pricing, I will be so disappointed in the band. 

I'm still pretty disappointed with their ticket prices and their VIP packages, which never seem worth it (wasn't there a year where VIP included a subway sandwich??) I understand they need to make money, everything is more expensive now, and some of it is out of their control. I know the days of seeing Green Day for $20 are far gone, but I shouldn't have to think about if I want to see my favorite band or make rent this month. And that's the point we're getting to. The Cure really showed how much bands can step up and say this isn't right. Robert Smith refused VIP tickets and opted out of dynamic pricing. Cure tickets were insanely cheap and their merch was so well priced! With Green Day not only am I'm paying high prices for a ticket, I have to pay to get there and then plunk down $40 for a shirt? Yeesh. If I'd never seen Green Day before, sure I probably would've ponied up. But I've seen them 3 times. I have refused to see them the last 3 times they came to Chicago because of the venue and the prices. And sadly, I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever see them again. With inflation, I really can't afford these shows anymore. I've sat out so many concerts this year because of the high cost. What can be done about it? I have no idea. There were talks about Ticketmaster finally being sued, but I think that was struck down sadly. 

Overall, I think Green Day is on two sides of the fight: yes they want to support fans and clearly want fans to come out and see them. They probably would be happy to have cheap tickets.  On the other side, Green Day is a business. They need to make money. It's a tough spot to be in and you're not always going to make people happy with your choices. I don't know if I would call the band greedy, but I will say they've made some business decisions that I really haven't been happy with in the last few years. And it's disappointing to see as a fan from their high ass tickets to their high ass coffee.  I still love and support Green Day. I just have to be more frugal with supporting them with my money. 

 

[Susi Sour cream]

What I don't get is, why are tickets in the US so much more expensive than in Europe? 

Plus it looks like those VIP packages for the US shows don't even include early entry? The description only says "VIP Entrance to the venue", not "Early" or "First" entrance 

[Beathe.]

16 hours ago, Tomcat20 said:

Because of me, they can leave out all the cheap junk in the merchandise packages and only sell the Early Entry together with Golden Circle

This! And that goes for so many bands. I'm not interested in paying for half the stuff they add in those packages to try to justify the price. A ticket, early entry and golden circle is all 🙌. 

[Thatsername]

I think VIP tickets might be the only way to make a tour still profitable these days. Sad, but true in capitalism I guess. And as long as people are willing to pay for it, they will do it. And it looks like they are selling crazy amounts of those tickets. In Hamburg, we were camping in front of the venue (no VIP tickets, only Golden Circle) and heard that at least 300 VIP tickets had been sold and they had early entry. So we kind of already knew we wouldn't have a chance to get barrier. I ran for my life once the doors opened and I got a pretty good spot in the 2nd row (middle, near catwalk) behind some VIPs , then during the show somehow ended up in the front row. But that was just good luck. Many people who queued early with me ended up way further back.

I'm not a fan of the concept and I also had the impression that many people in the first few rows weren't that much into it. Maybe just casual fans with money. But not all of them of course. I talked to some who had VIP tickets and they were long-time, devoted fans (And to be honest, the stage tour did sound pretty cool). Green Day is a band that loves and lives from crowd interaction. So maybe they'll notice one day that a growing amount of people in the first few rows are not the most devoted fans and things will change. Unlikely, but not impossible.

[Psycho Britney]

On 7/7/2024 at 5:27 PM, Psycho Britney said:

I think you're right that it depends on the venue. I was at Wembley stadium and the pit was not divided up. It felt completely safe tbf.🤷‍♀️

 

On 7/7/2024 at 5:54 PM, Beathe. said:

Wembley had golden circle. They sold front pitch standing tickets to several shows on this tour. 

Sorry, I think you must have mis-understood my comment. When I said "the pit", I meant the front pitch standing or golden circle if you will. The actual front pitch/ golden circle was one section and not sub-divided into different pens.

[Cris.]

On 7/8/2024 at 8:37 PM, The Grohl said:

Hoo boy a thread about ticket prices...here we go!

I think so many folks brought up great points about VIP sometimes being the only option for folks who are disabled or have medical conditions. I never thought of it that way. And it's really shitty for people to feel like that's the only way for them to get a good spot where they can see and be comfortable and then to learn that's not even the case with how their VIP is playing out. Personally, I cannot and will not support VIP options. It just feels like such a rip off. I don't care if it includes a "Meet and greet." I'd rather try and meet a band without paying a price tag - the old fashioned way! And it's gross to hear what a shit show it's been. VIP means you're paying for perks, but what's the point if you're not even getting those perks?

I also think points about GD's tickets overall being a bit cheaper than what bands of similar size are charging are right. I still think their tickets are too damn high, but when you look at what bands like Blink are charging for their shows it's so much better by comparison. It's embarrassing that Blink-182 remains my most expensive concert. That's just fucking stupid. That being said I still found tickets for this tour to be way too high. For a *decent* spot it would've been about $400 for two tickets. That's insane especially considering they're playing in stadiums. Maybe if they were in a theater or good old fashion arenas, I would cave (I miss seeing the boys live), but I cannot shell out that price for a venue with shitty acoustics and band views that will force me to look at screens. If I want to watch Green Day on screen I'll stay at home. Luckily, Green Day did not opt for dynamic pricing, which was great because that really screws up everything about buying concert tickets (looking at you Blink, Depeche Mode, Mitski). (And on a side rant, I really hate it when fans act like the artists are helpless in dynamic pricing. It's been reported time and again artists do have a say. They can opt out.) If they ever do give in to dynamic pricing, I will be so disappointed in the band. 

I'm still pretty disappointed with their ticket prices and their VIP packages, which never seem worth it (wasn't there a year where VIP included a subway sandwich??) I understand they need to make money, everything is more expensive now, and some of it is out of their control. I know the days of seeing Green Day for $20 are far gone, but I shouldn't have to think about if I want to see my favorite band or make rent this month. And that's the point we're getting to. The Cure really showed how much bands can step up and say this isn't right. Robert Smith refused VIP tickets and opted out of dynamic pricing. Cure tickets were insanely cheap and their merch was so well priced! With Green Day not only am I'm paying high prices for a ticket, I have to pay to get there and then plunk down $40 for a shirt? Yeesh. If I'd never seen Green Day before, sure I probably would've ponied up. But I've seen them 3 times. I have refused to see them the last 3 times they came to Chicago because of the venue and the prices. And sadly, I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever see them again. With inflation, I really can't afford these shows anymore. I've sat out so many concerts this year because of the high cost. What can be done about it? I have no idea. There were talks about Ticketmaster finally being sued, but I think that was struck down sadly. 

Overall, I think Green Day is on two sides of the fight: yes they want to support fans and clearly want fans to come out and see them. They probably would be happy to have cheap tickets.  On the other side, Green Day is a business. They need to make money. It's a tough spot to be in and you're not always going to make people happy with your choices. I don't know if I would call the band greedy, but I will say they've made some business decisions that I really haven't been happy with in the last few years. And it's disappointing to see as a fan from their high ass tickets to their high ass coffee.  I still love and support Green Day. I just have to be more frugal with supporting them with my money. 

 

Am I the only one who doesn't care one bit how expensive the merch is, or if they sell an expensive coffee or not?

If they want to sell overpriced merch or coffee, please, be my guest. In fact, overprice it more if that's what it takes to be able to significantly cut down the number of VIP tickets you sell - or even lower ticket prices. Why? Because these are not things that you need to enjoy the concert and their music and make it an unforgettable experience. I say this as someone who accumulated a lot of merch in my first Green Day concerts and had to leave it all behind when I emigrated and had to pack my life in a 23 kg suitcase. I don't have my old Green Day t-shirts anymore from the previous tours, but I still remember all those shows and how I felt. If you want a t-shirt and can afford it, great! if you can't afford it, you will still have the time of your life at the show, doesn't matter what you are wearing. No one is into Green Day because of their awesome t-shirt designs, it's not the essence of the band. (And I liked the idea of the city badges - something small and affordable and even more special because it's specific to the show you went to). 

Same with the coffee. If you love coffee and love Green Day and want to spend a lot of money on Green Day coffee, all the power to you! But you can opt out of that and still enjoy Green Day to their fullest. Drinking their coffee will not make the album or the concert sound or feel different. I for one prefer to buy regular coffee and save that money for the next tour, and I don't feel I'm missing out on a Green Day experience because of it.

They know they cannot be touring like this forever, and want to keep some business going once they retire from touring. And as other have pointed out, tours is where the biggest chunk of the profits come from, since people don't buy albums anymore.

 

[The Grohl]

5 hours ago, CristhyneS said:

Am I the only one who doesn't care one bit how expensive the merch is, or if they sell an expensive coffee or not?

If they want to sell overpriced merch or coffee, please, be my guest. In fact, overprice it more if that's what it takes to be able to significantly cut down the number of VIP tickets you sell - or even lower ticket prices. Why? Because these are not things that you need to enjoy the concert and their music and make it an unforgettable experience. I say this as someone who accumulated a lot of merch in my first Green Day concerts and had to leave it all behind when I emigrated and had to pack my life in a 23 kg suitcase. I don't have my old Green Day t-shirts anymore from the previous tours, but I still remember all those shows and how I felt. If you want a t-shirt and can afford it, great! if you can't afford it, you will still have the time of your life at the show, doesn't matter what you are wearing. No one is into Green Day because of their awesome t-shirt designs, it's not the essence of the band. (And I liked the idea of the city badges - something small and affordable and even more special because it's specific to the show you went to). 

Same with the coffee. If you love coffee and love Green Day and want to spend a lot of money on Green Day coffee, all the power to you! But you can opt out of that and still enjoy Green Day to their fullest. Drinking their coffee will not make the album or the concert sound or feel different. I for one prefer to buy regular coffee and save that money for the next tour, and I don't feel I'm missing out on a Green Day experience because of it.

They know they cannot be touring like this forever, and want to keep some business going once they retire from touring. And as other have pointed out, tours is where the biggest chunk of the profits come from, since people don't buy albums anymore.

 

No merch and coffee aren't requirements to enjoy Green Day, but they are touted as ways to support the band, so it's not unreasonable for some folks to be put off by those prices. Green Day aren't the only ones guilty of this. And yeah of course I don't have to buy it, but I do care about it. Other people don't, that's fine. Everyone is different. But because I do like their merch and would like to support them, it makes sense that I would want to buy it. So when I see their shirts are $40 bucks and I've already paid too much for a ticket? Yeah, it bothers me. It's a bummer. It doesn't take away from the experience of seeing Green Day live, but it does suck. Does it mean I hate the band? No of course not! It's just a shame because it's an issue with merch in general. It's too damn high, especially knowing that it can be cheaper. I've been to plenty of big shows with reasonable merch prices, so it's doable. Me saying their merch and coffee is too high does not take away from my Green Day experience. That's just stupid. But that doesn't change the fact that I find it too expensive. 

[Lenny]

On 7/2/2024 at 9:52 AM, solongfromthestars said:

I completely agree that a band like Green Day shouldn't be selling overpriced VIP tickets and that it's unfair to price out fans who just can't afford to pay £250+ for a single ticket. It should be about devotion, not money, and there were definitely some rich, casual fans who bought VIPs and annoyed everyone filming at some shows (I didn't experience this but others have described it).

However, I think it's important to say that not everyone who bought them was rich. I'm certainly not – I know people assume I must be because I've been to lots of shows (although it's 52, not hundreds as some assume) but I barely earn minimum wage as a freelance photographer and I often pay for my mum to go, not the other way around I used my savings to buy our Wembley tickets and Klarna to buy my Glasgow one because I hadn't been to any concerts other than the Coverups since 2019, so I wanted to be up front. Everyone I queued with in Glasgow and at Wembley was the same – devoted, working-class fans who saved up or took out loans to go to a few Green Day shows with VIP tickets instead of lots of concerts with GA tickets.

A lot of people also bought these tickets because they're physically disabled or severely anxious, and they can't queue or run like others can, so this was their only chance to have a stress-free experience of getting front row. That was why I bought VIPs for my mum and me at Wembley – because she's disabled and can stand, but only if she can lean on the barrier. Ideally, disabled fans shouldn't have to pay £250 to access the same opportunities as more fortunate people, but we live in an ableist world and we just have to accept that, so my biggest issue isn't actually the sale of VIP tickets. It's what rip-offs they are. People bought them thinking they wouldn't have to queue, only to find out they would have to queue (or even camp out) because hundreds were sold and the Welcome to Paradise VIPs go in first. We were not given any information about numbers or who would go in first before buying them.

And then there's how it all played out in reality. The merch was tacky garbage that very few people actually wanted. I've heard it all went well in Manchester, so we had high hopes about Glasgow, but... well. The VIP host arrived late and shrugged and snickered at our concerns about entry. We weren't exactly let in early. We were just let in before GA on our side of the park which meant they were right behind us, and when we got inside, Pen One (Jason's side) was already full of GA people from the other side of the park. Those people got early entry, not the VIPs, and the GA people behind us who ran faster got better spots in Pen Two. I was very, very fortunate that I got the exact spot I wanted and enjoyed the show, but I was one of the only VIPs who did. There was a disabled mum with her very anxious daughter who arrived before me and they must have been far out, because I never even saw where they ended up. This whole thing was also shit for the GA people behind the VIPs because they had us ahead of them and the other side didn't.

I thought that was bad, but Wembley made it look organised. The VIP host didn't even show up. The venue staff were clueless about everything from how to scan tickets to where the stage was. Our information email clearly stated we'd be getting first entry:

But we didn't because 60 Welcome to Paradise people went in first. Nothing happened at the time it was supposed to happen. Once we were led inside, some people never even received their merch packages. In Manchester the VIP host apparently arranged a calm, fair entrance with the venue staff, but the staff at Wembley did nothing whatsoever to ensure our safety and obviously there was no VIP host to help. We were all pushed on our way down the stairs, my mum had her walking stick knocked out of her hand by another VIP who arrived a long time after us, and a friend had a man stamping on her feet to get past her. I seriously doubt my mum would have had to leave after Dookie if she'd been treated better on the way in, but all she got was outright discrimination from the venue staff.

I'm not posting any of this to get sympathy. I just want people to be aware of how badly all the VIPs (not just me) were let down at those two shows, and that in these particular cases, none of us were rich, casual fans who bought the tickets just because we could. For us, devotion looked like spending £250 of our hard-earned money to get up front (and we also camped out at Wembley, so yeah). Obviously being up front isn't guaranteed, but we hardly got any of the things that were guaranteed. There's a cost of living crisis in the UK right now and devoted British fans deserve better.

tl;dr Even if you pay for these packages, they're rip-offs. There's no guarantee you'll even get any of the perks.

I was considering VIPs as well due to my physical disability. However, I also thought it would include meeting the band. When I had VIPs for Rush I got to meet the band and be backstage for a period of time. 
 

i didnt find the value to match the $ amount for Green Day in all honesty. I dont value position in the queue too much myself. Ive seen them first row and Billie literally sweat on me lol. For me to buy Id need to get to meet them and get a pic with them. Mind you it literally goes by in a second but just to say thanks, shake their hands and strike a pose with them would be cool. I dont care about extra merch and some coffee thrown in. I got tons of Gd stuff im already storing across 2 properties and I have more than enough coffee to get through the end of the year.

[Susi Sour cream]

It doesn't matter if you have much money. It doesn't matter if you buy the most expensive VIP tickets or the cheapest ones. It doesn't matter if or how many merch you buy, how many shows you're going to, for how long you've been a fan etc.. If you can or want to afford any of that - go for it. If not - totally fine.

Being a fan is about your heart, not your bank account ❤️

At least that's my opinion

Edited July 10 by Susi Sour cream

[Cris.]

On 7/9/2024 at 10:23 AM, Susi Sour cream said:

What I don't get is, why are tickets in the US so much more expensive than in Europe? 

Plus it looks like those VIP packages for the US shows don't even include early entry? The description only says "VIP Entrance to the venue", not "Early" or "First" entrance 

I wonder if they really don't include early entry, or if it's just vague wording. In the queues this year I did hear stories about issues with VIPs having early entry and taking all the good spots in previous US concerts.

Does anyone have any idea regarding this?