Years ago I went up to Wembley Empire Pool (I think it became the Arena years later) with my good friend, Jim Penfold, a musician today of 35+ years standing to see Paul McCartney & Wings appear in concert. I remember that it was an amazing gig with Joe English's drumkit projecting the first ever lazer show during the bond theme "Live & Let Die". Afterwards Jim suggested we sneak around the back to see if we could get in amongst the band and their groupies. Jim had jammed on occasions with Denny Lane in deepest Sussex (Rye country) so neither of us didn't really think it'd be a problem. Security though had other ideas and prevented us from getting in so Jim suggested another route via the rear stage entrance where the juggernauts loaded the vast amounts of p-a systems (speakers, stacks, amplifiers, etc) on/off the Wembley stage system. We had got through the high metal fencing and were spotted by someone who looked quite threatening and scarpered (70's slang). I recollect the chap was in his 30s and heavy built wearing a leather jacket, long hair. He sprang into his vehicle, a monster Black & Gold Jeep Cherokee with monster wheels and drove past us with some venom.
I hadn't see him for years until I saw him again on the Andrew Marr Show the other sunday morning. In the 70s he was a rock legend. His name is still known amongst those of us 50+ who loved live music. His name is Harvey Goldsmith and he's probably been the no #1 rock promoter for the last 40 years in the british music scene. On Andrew Marr's show he was reading the sunday papers with General Sir Mike Jackson and someone else who was pretty forgettable. I must say I had to take a second look. The idea of Harvey and Mike together sitting on a settee was curious. When Harvey spoke it was measured and both Marr and Jackson listened intently. Asked what he thought about some subject or other Harvey responded unusually. I will misquote exactly what he said but I think it went like this........"....the trouble with this country is that it is run by THE GREAT, THE GOOD & THE USELESS". I've highlighted the "GGU" bit as he said that 100%. It hit a cord with me and I made a mental note.
Now I imagined that Harvey would simply disappear from our screens forever but can you imagine my surprise when he appeared this week on Sky News commenting on the Rolling Stones concert (?). He was sat next to an american and the body language said it all. Even before he opened his mouth, even before the american spoke, one could detect a vein of animosity between them. The american commented on ticket prices and was questioned by the Sky Presenters about the high prices of tickets ranging from £90 (face value?) to around £1,000 (second-hand value). The yank simply shrugged this off by saying that he ran a TICKET STOCK EXCHANGE. Now this phrase stuck with me too because for years ticket touts have been lamblasted (spelling!) for allegedly spiralling the prices of tickets but here was a ticket impresario suggesting he was running an exchange. Bring on the regulator! I jest of course.
Harvey hadn't really said anything until he commented that he felt that fans were getting robbed here. I took notice at this point. Harvey felt it was immoral to allow this exchange to dictate pricing and to overload the high prices to fans (note the old touts would have gone to jail for this). Harvey's main thrust was that he saw a ticket as a cheap gateway for the fan to enter an arena and reckoned that rock stars like the Stones were getting greedy.
This made me think. Overcharging on the way into a contract ultimately scares off investors. Giving some reward once in is legitimate and if there are more add-ons available that seems to be fair and reasonable.
A few months ago I had the same experience myself at a french antiques fair who wanted to charge all adults Euros 10 entrance. There were 4 of us, I was paying and walked away from the door. I may have spent another Euros 300 but wasn't prepared to get fleeced in this way. Whilst crossing on the ferry the other day the lady from P&O advised me that my £70 ticket one way had expired. She insisted upon charging me another £70 for the crossing whereupon I told her that I would boycott the Duty-Free and Langans Brasserie for the trip. I normally spent £100-150 total on these add-on but P&O lost out due to greed. The lady responded that "the owners of P&O needed the money". Well, they lost out and if Harvey Goldsmith is right then the Rolling Stones may well lose some fans if the current internet practice of online ticket agencies (exchanges) inflating ticket prices is anything to go by.
As Mick Jagger sang that night (I presume)......"You can't always get what you want!"
Anyway I think Harvey should enter politics. His thought process is refreshing.
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