Newsworthy!

[trinityvixen]

Ozzfest for $0

As a concert-goer that's excellent news. Sort of. I mean, I am sure that Ozzy's a big enough name that you'll be able to find loads of good hard core metal bands to fill a billing that charges the customers nothing. Right? ::cough::

Disregarding the quality of the music, I wonder about the overall quality of the experience for bands and fans alike. SOAD asking for $300,000 doesn't, bizarrely, seem that strange to me. I mean, that's what they ask for one show, and that is a little ridiculous since they have (aside from drugs) like no expenses when they're at a venue. That's what ticket prices cost--catering! I guess compared to huge pop stars that doens't seem like an inordinate amount of money though it clearly is. Beyond that, I must say that I stand opposed to anything that threatens to place more ads, more opportunities for conspicuous consumption, and more chances for marketing departments to foist off crappy goods/services upon a captive audience.

Last night, moonlightalice told me a wonderful story about how ads once weren't allowed in subways because the commuters were the dictionary definition of a captive audience. Alas, how things have changed. We both agreed, however, that there is a dirty sense of naughty satisfaction in ripping off the outer covering of a Netflix envelope and throwing away that piece of it because they print ads even there. This is why, with few exceptions in mine own wardrobe, I despise wearing logos on my clothing. A litle Polo pony or something to let you know where it's from is pushing it, far as I'm concerned. If you buy an overpriced, anemic materialed hooded sweatshirt from American Eagle or fucking Hollister, just for the privilege of wearing their name on your tits, you are a tool. I love my sisters, but they are tools for these clothes (fucking hate Hollister; American Eagle makes okay things, but you won't see me wearing their brand on my boobs).

Enough ranting. Have a video of people dressed like Ms. Pac-Man and the ghosts from the game running all over New York City. Yes, they really are running around New York in costumes that a third grader might make better, and, yes, no one seems to notice or care. We should just be thankful that San Francisco does us one better when it comes to not giving a shit about the crazy stunts people pull (my sister informs me that it's a common method of protest to have naked bicyclers; I dunno why, nor does she, as it seems that the fact that many people no one requested go nude and do so most uncomfortably would distract from any message they hoped to send).

Comments

[edgehopper.livejournal.com]

1. Naked male bicyclers are a frightening concept. Ow.
2. The video reminds me a little bit of walking around Chelsea around Christmas, and seeing a large crowd of Santas on the sidewalk while a Chabad "Mitzvah Tank" was slowly driving down 6th Ave. And I thought, "That's about normal for New York."
3. To quote X-Play: "Ads are how you pay for things without really paying for them." The real problem is ads without discounts.

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

Last night, moonlightalice told me a wonderful story about how ads once weren't allowed in subways

That must have been a long time ago, because some of the old trains at the Transit Museum had vintage ads in them.

[chuckro.livejournal.com]

Naked male bicyclers are a frightening concept. Ow.

And by frightening, I think you mean painful. I know I do.

[fairest.livejournal.com]

Hee! I was actually sent information about participating in a similar NY Pac-Man thing, and was seriously tempted to join in. I decided against it, though, since I suck at running for long periods of time (and sprinting, come to think of it). But now I'm jealous; it looks like fun. :)

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

To paraphrase P.J. O'Rourke on visiting Warsaw in the eighties: if you think billboards are ugly, you should like at a city without them.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

I dunno, it may be an urban legend. The first pleasant one I've ever heard.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

See, that's what I imagined, and glad to have that surmise proven correct. Why on earth they do it = mystery.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

It does :)

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't mind replacing billboards with work of public art. Even graffiti.

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

And again I am undone by accidentally typing a homonym. *sigh*

P.J.'s point was that in Warsaw it's just concrete. Lots and lots of concrete.

[cbreakr.livejournal.com]

300K isn't that absurd for a big-name band. Concerts are where every band (that's still touring, at least) makes most of their money, and Ozzfest is a big event with a lot of cash (read: ridiculous cash) moving through. If a band is touring, then they can get a cut of everything, but for a single show they'd just be a hired gun. I know Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen charge 1-mil plus for single shows, so 300K for SOAD seems reasonable.

Expecting a bunch of bands to show up and get paid nothing but publicity is going to be tough, though it might bring more new faces to the scene (which might be part of the idea, in addition to sounding a little bit cheap on the Osbourne's part). I get the impression that maybe they're just tired of being responsible for running the event every year and this is a way for them to ditch a lot of that work.

Oh, and at least Hollister isn't American Apparel.

Parsing that naked bicyclers sentence was fun! :)

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Still better than ads, you ask me.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

I do know about the concert thing being how most bands make their money. I forgot to add that to the list of reasons to be ambivalent, but I do appreciate that that's a legit concern. Like I said, it doesn't seem crazy to give a band with name recognition on the order of SOAD that much money, it's just I can also understand how, at a festival of music, you can't make any money giving everyone that much.

It does seem a scouch lazy/cheap encouraging no-name acts, but I don't think that all the bands will be unpaid. I think just that they won't be paid as much. The bands they want there, they will find a way to pay, and their vendor fair (ugh) will pay for an obscene amount besides.

American Apparel means nothing to me, but I shake my fist mightily at them on your behalf.

That sentence was terrible, I know.

[moonlightalice.livejournal.com]

1. That pac-woman thing is kind of awesome. The best part is totally when Mrs. PacMan looks behind her to see if the ghosts are still chasing her. Hahaha. Also, it looked like all of them were played by women, yeah? Weird.

2. I like Ozzfest! And like someone else previously said, bands make almost nothing from their albums. A huge chunk of revenue comes from touring (and merch, which is part of touring). So yeah, it's no surprise they'd want a lot of money for it. As far as the free thing is concerned, that's awesome. I am so fucking sick of crazy concert prices. I rarely pay less than $65 for a big name concert (big name here meaning Beck, Tori Amos, Radiohead, etc.) and that's just sick. It's why I don't go to concerts anymore.

3. I meant when the subways were first built.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the only concert I paid less than about $70 for was the too-short A Perfect Circle concert that was about as long as their opening set for NIN. Booo.

[wellgull.livejournal.com]

Philadelphia does nice murals and mosaics.