There have been many other occasions on which some parts of the fans have been ranting – thinking of the RoxBox in particular, and some other releases as well as of course some tour problems. There is always something to complain about, but this time it seems the hardcore Roxers out there all think the same: This is a rip off and I won’t join in this time. So please, if you want it like this, no fans in the front rows or there at all.
We just collected some of the fans’ reactions that came on Facebook, have been written on the Roxette Official wall or have been posted in a “Roxette Tour Group” on Facebook. And yes, it’s all there: disappointment, anger, frustration, desperation, resignation – and over all the decision not to get on that ship and rather buy no tickets.
Tanja:
it’s gettin’ insane! To pay a fortune just for front row in a standing section, which usually is occupied by hardcore fans, is now sold to snobs and hipsters!
Katja:
Rox in Halmstad was my biggest dream since many years, it never worked but 2015 it should come through. All was checked and planned: Babysitter, Holiday , Money – but now when i think about the reactions after the last shows and the prices for the different tickets, i don’t know if it is that worth i’m very sad and feel helpless at the moment.
Claudia:
With all these developments, I have just lost the interest in going at all. And I am sadly not the only one.
Maria:
I believe this is not really the aim of this Roxxxette 30th Anniversary; many of us hardcore fans have been making many efforts for the last years to follow you almost everywhere possible, we spent tons of money and time because we really enjoy and love being on tour with you but with this situation coming up, it’s becoming more and more difficult or at times impossible to be there for you, just a pity since this should be a tour for everybody but certainly also for all of us who have been there for you for such a long time!
Tina:
Maybe you should consider changing the name of the tour to “$$$ – The Rip-Off Tour”, seems much more fitting! I never thought I could be so disappointed in a band I’ve been a fan of for 20+ years… *sighs*
Marcelo:
This is so very sad. I WOULD pay a fortune to see you if I had the money, but I think it’s unfair to all your fans/supporters throughout the world. We were there for you when Roxette returned. We gladly paid all we had in our wallets to see our Queen and King of Swedish pop music throughout the Neverending Tour, but it was AFFORDABLE. This is NOT affordable, it’s so freaking EXPENSIVE! I humbly ask you to review this issue and reconsider what can be reconsidered. We are always waiting for you, but I’m afraid 90% of us won’t make it this time around.
Neil:
Unfortunately this is the way ticket sales work these days, especially with live nation as a promoter as this is the way they work. They probably didn’t have all these packages last time as they didn’t know how many tickets they would sell, but now they see that Roxette still have great selling power they will chance their luck. I understand peoples frustrations, but in reality moaning to Per will achieve very little, as he will have very little to do with setting ticket prices. They will have a contract with live nation and will be paid a certain amount and it is live nations job to make that money back and make a profit for themselves. Even if Per wasn’t aware and complained to live nation it would be too late to change anything, as as soon as these tickets are sold, you can’t go back and tell these people they can’t be at the front, even though they paid a premium for it. For me personally, it does mean I will go to a few less gigs. If I go abroad for a concert I want to be at the front, and there are only so many early entry tickets I can afford….especially so close to Xmas. Also disappointed that I don’t have tickets to london yet, and I might not be able to get very good tickets, especially since that venue is an hour away from my house…..but that’s life!
Tim:
I laugh at the people who say ” If you don’t like it then don’t buy it” because that’s the easiest way out of the argument. It takes ZERO brain power to come up with that. For me I don’t care to be up front because I miss the ” big picture” of the concert. I love a wide view. Ticket prices are high because we as consumers set them high. Stop buying pricey tickets and the market will go down. It’s that simple. Two examples where I live was when the Rolling Stones played in LA and prices were outrageous! $400.00 got you back of the arena and the nose bleeds cost $200.00. People were pissed didn’t buy and for the first time the Stones didn’t sell out the arena. Weeks before the show they cut the prices from 200.00 to 80.00 and 400.00 to 150.00. That’s when they sold out. The same thing happened to the Who. They over priced their last tour 2 years ago and people didn’t show up. The had to use a discount ticket company to sell tickets at 60% to 75% off face value. For their 50th year tour in 2015 they price tickets at affordable prices and people are back.
Sandra:
Having been to 184 Rox/Per/Marie/GT gigs I have to say I was never as dissapointed as with the actual ticket selling policy.
First lots of presales where the good places couldn’t be bought or people haven’t been informed that other tickets with Early Entrance will pop up later which didn’t gave them a chance to chose because they didn’t knew all terms. And then prices where I choked when I first saw them.
380,-€ for a hot seat (=front of stage) in UK. 200,-€ for one in Paris and in Sweden Early Entrance tix for around 150,-€ and 169,-€ for Amsterdam????
Is that the way to treat the devoted fans for their loyalty and support throughout the years??? And of course the hardcore Roxers are the aim with that policy because no one else than them would be willing to pay a lot of their well saved money for this opportunity: to see their beloved idols as close as possible.
Now I also have to reconsider what concerts I will go to because I simply can’t afford it. And travelling through Europe to go to concerts with rhich people in the front who don’t need to care about money but who also don’t know how to party and sing along is nothing I want to see. That’s why the average ticket to a lower price is useless for me and many other hardcores. Then I also rather skip those concerts and try to find some with normal ticket policy instead.
I planned to go to 24 gigs. 10 are already crossed out now (so far). Unfortunately also Sweden which is a pitty since I love to be there and have vacation combined with some concerts. But 150,-€ x4 plus vacation is nothing I could afford and imo it’s also not worth it. I guess that’s the point where my support ends. I am no gold donkey for anyone. Sad about this development. Really. But I hope you will still have fun at your concerts with some familiar faces in the front.. if there are any left.
J:
I had planned fix 5 shows, with about 5-10 more ‘probably’. I think it will be just 4 in the end, which solves the problem with some ‘conflicts’ I had regarding number of holidays etc.
Usually one celebrates an anniversary with the ones one loves/likes, family and friends who are around for good and bad, this seems to have become a party for VIPs only, well, have fun, without many of us.
I have never seen so MANY angry fans before. Sad but true.Funny how, after the concerts in NY and Boston I had the feeling something had ended, or a book had closed. I remember Per messing up Things will never be the same in Boston, the last I saw, and though that may be a funny sign. Well.