VIP ticket scam: "Exclusive"?

Discussion
1

Go to http://www.thirteenthplanet.com/ministry/ and scroll way down to when the C.U. LaTour ticket sales were announced…

Exclusive Special Limited Access VIP tickets are also available for purchase during the pre-sale.

Back in '07, I read this to mean that the VIP tickets were being sold exclusively during the pre-sale; meaning one could order them through the pre-sale or not at all. Of course, that interpretation turned out to be false. Is Ministry guilty of false advertizing on this point as well, or are there other meanings of “exclusive” that are more applicable in this context? Am I illiterate?

Also, the cost of the VIP tickets from the venues are way lower than from Music Today. Look at the Metropolis Concert Hall in Montreal: http://www.montrealmetropolis.ca/Metropolis/accueil_en.aspx

Regular: $37,65
VIP: $39.86
Day of show: $39,49

Compared to the price of $88.59 ($100.00 after taxes) on the pre-sale VIP ticket I am holding right now. I think the ticket-taker at the venue will give me a funny look for this ticket. Maybe the VIP ticket sold by Metropolis refers only to VIP seating access, not the full package with the nearly worthless bag of merchandise and ads from 13th Planet…

Maybe this should go on Piss Army instead, but it would probably just get deleted there. [mad]

Oh, and on nin.com today: “P.S. - purchasing presale tickets from nin.com will generally be less expensive than from public outlets.” NIN is now cooler than Ministry.

2

That’s odd. I have regular tickets for the show in Montreal on Saturday. I’m interested too in seeing what the VIP tickets give you access to.

Didn’t know Metropolis had VIP seating…

3

I read it as the VIP tickets were limited to 100 tickets per tour date. It is my understanding that they later added additional VIP tickets when the first 100 were sold.

VIPs did get in early in both Austin and Orlando. Both shows had meet and greets.

The bag included the signed Cover Up poster, the music downloads card (10 songs), a VIP armband, the VIP sampler cd with the two new RevCo tracks on it (13 songs), and promo cards for Wicked Lake, 13th planet records, and Ascension of the Watchers. -No patches, pins, or stickers. The bag should have had a t-shirt in it. $75, my arse! ($23 for the songs, $7 for the armband, $3.50 for the poster, $2.50 for the rubberstamped gift bag itself, and $0 for the promo cards.) Ticket price with fees and gift bag: $48.00 + $36.00 = $84

HOB - Orlando has VIP seating. However, some VIP tickets did not get reserved seating. It all depended on when the person bought the VIP ticket. Austin does not have seating.

I feel sorry for people who have legitimate reading comprehension issues. I don’t feel sorry for people who can’t put aside their stubbornness or are too lazy to find out the proper information prior to spending their money.

http://www.pissarmy.com/viewtopic.php?t=18661&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=20

http://www.pissarmy.com/viewtopic.php?t=19654&start=0

I assure you all that I do understand. I bought a new printer for my computer and didn’t notice that fax capability was unavailable. Is that my fault or the store’s fault for not telling me before I purchased it? It was printed right there on the box: print, scan, copy.

4

I read it as the VIP tickets were limited to 100 tickets per tour date. It is my understanding that they later added additional VIP tickets when the first 100 were sold.

VIPs did get in early in both Austin and Orlando. Both shows had meet and greets.

The bag included the signed Cover Up poster, the music downloads card (10 songs), a VIP armband, the VIP sampler cd with the two new RevCo tracks on it (13 songs), and promo cards for Wicked Lake, 13th planet records, and Ascension of the Watchers. -No patches, pins, or stickers. The bag should have had a t-shirt in it. $75, my arse! ($23 for the songs, $7 for the armband, $3.50 for the poster, $2.50 for the rubberstamped gift bag itself, and $0 for the promo cards.) Ticket price with fees and gift bag: $48.00 + $36.00 = $84

HOB - Orlando has VIP seating. However, some VIP tickets did not get reserved seating. It all depended on when the person bought the VIP ticket. Austin does not have seating.

I feel sorry for people who have legitimate reading comprehension issues. I don’t feel sorry for people who can’t put aside their stubbornness or are too lazy to find out the proper information prior to spending their money.

http://www.pissarmy.com/viewtopic.php?t=18661&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=20

http://www.pissarmy.com/viewtopic.php?t=19654&start=0

I assure you all that I do understand. I bought a new printer for my computer and didn’t notice that fax capability was unavailable. Is that my fault or the store’s fault for not telling me before I purchased it? It was printed right there on the box: print, scan, copy.

Let me translate all this for most people.
What mooney really means is:
Nobody gives a rats ass about what i have to type over at the PA so it’s time I take my show on the road. I figure If I Pucker on Angie’s ass over here at Prongs she will see what a good pissant I am and schedule me an exclusive hang out session with the man! OR even better. Let me be her personal assistant!!
probably won’t happen but it’s worth a shot! I guess I gotta work my way up to Moderator first but here’s to hoping!

Ya know mooney, that guy who said PA is an advertising site maybe onto something…So let’s assume he is correct, so from now on why don’t you leave the comercials over there huh? Pretty please, you sweet thing! Mooney the message to you is over so stop reading and scamper off and play! Everyone else read on!
(tip for the fellas: sweet talk always get’s the least smarter of the women…especially if they’re ugly! catches 'em off guard!..Mooney is already sending me a hallmark card!!see? proof!!)
Late,
grmpysmrf

5

Grmpy,

I am not afraid of you, and I don’t have “feelings.”

Apparently, you haven’t gotten laid this week and feel the need to take your frustrations out elsewhere.

Now run along, and get a grip on yourself.

6

why does everbody keep calling her yoko. the joke name is loco ono.

7

I read it as the VIP tickets were limited to 100 tickets per tour date. It is my understanding that they later added additional VIP tickets when the first 100 were sold.

So some of the information they originally provided was incorrect. Not that I have any reason to care how many VIPs there are, but still…

VIPs did get in early in both Austin and Orlando. Both shows had meet and greets.

I never doubted this.

The bag included the signed Cover Up poster, the music downloads card (10 songs), a VIP armband, the VIP sampler cd with the two new RevCo tracks on it (13 songs), and promo cards for Wicked Lake, 13th planet records, and Ascension of the Watchers. -No patches, pins, or stickers. The bag should have had a t-shirt in it. $75, my arse! ($23 for the songs, $7 for the armband, $3.50 for the poster, $2.50 for the rubberstamped gift bag itself, and $0 for the promo cards.) Ticket price with fees and gift bag: $48.00 + $36.00 = $84

If they charge you that much for it, can it legitimately be called a “gift”? [:P]

I’m a little annoyed with the content of the gift bags, but that is not why I started this topic. Let’s not turn this into another generic gripe thread.

HOB - Orlando has VIP seating. However, some VIP tickets did not get reserved seating. It all depended on when the person bought the VIP ticket. Austin does not have seating.

Yeah, I think they did say right from the start that it would depend on the venue.

I assure you all that I do understand. I bought a new printer for my computer and didn’t notice that fax capability was unavailable. Is that my fault or the store’s fault for not telling me before I purchased it? It was printed right there on the box: print, scan, copy.

Here are my two very specific complaints:

  • The VIP tickets that the presale site said were “exclusive” were actually available later from the venues.

  • If you buy them from the venue instead of the presale, it only costs half as much, at least in the case of Montreal.

Both of those facts were available when the presale was announced? Really? [:/]

8

Here are my two very specific complaints:

  • The VIP tickets that the presale site said were “exclusive” were actually available later from the venues.

  • If you buy them from the venue instead of the presale, it only costs half as much, at least in the case of Montreal.

Both of those facts were available when the presale was announced? Really?

In the case of your first complaint, yes. The 13th Planet notice makes no mention of the Music Today website having an “exclusive contract to sell VIP tickets for the -entire duration of ticket sales-” or that “VIP tickets would only be available during the presale.” However, the notice does say that the presale closes on 1 Dec. and that any remaining tickets will be offered through traditional ticketing services. That includes selling VIP tickets after the pre-sale. Additional dates were added to the tour after the pre-sale had ended on 1 Dec. They also pre-sold these tickets to those who knew about it and then offered the remaining tickets through traditional ticket outlets.

In the case of your second complaint about Monreal VIP ticket prices dropping, no. It is probably safe to say that Monreal was an exception because the VIP tickets sold through House of Blues - Orlando were the same price as the Music Today presale price that I paid. If you want to know for certain what happend with the ticket prices, call the venue and ask them why the VIP tickets are half price of the normal cost of VIP tickets. It may be that they were running a promo or someone made a mistake when they typed in the sale price. It is also possible that they were not selling very many and decided to cut the price just to sell them.

This is from the 13th Plant Site.

Ministry C U LaTouR Ticket Pre-Sales And VIP Packages

Pre-Sale tickets are now available for Ministry’s final tour, “C U LaTouR”, with Special Guests Meshuggah and opening act Hemlock. Exclusive pre-sales are being offered through Music Today and can be purchased now for most confirmed stops on the tour. Pre-sales are available for a limited time (until Dec. 1st). Once pre-sales end any remaining tickets will be available through each specific venue’s traditional ticketing services.

These pre-sales are a great way to ensure entrance into what Ministry has promised will be a blistering and lengthy farewell show featuring a career-spanning set-list. Additionally, when you purchase two or more tickets to any show through pre-sales you receive a FREE download via MusicSeek of an exclusive remix of “No Glory” from Ministry’s final studio album, The Last Sucker. And for those who have not picked it up yet, when ordering pre-sale tickets you can add on The Last Sucker CD for the low price of $9.99!

Exclusive Special Limited Access VIP tickets are also available for purchase during the pre-sale. A VIP ticket offers advance entrance to the venue before the general public, velvet rope area or Loge seating (where available), souvenir 13th Planet gift bags filled with a poster autographed by the entire band, 13th Planet CD, commerative C U LaTouR card from eMusic good for 50 FREE downloads, buttons, stickers, patches and other goodies. In certain cities your VIP ticket will also grant you entry to a meet and greet with Ministry. We are unable to offer meet and greets at every show due to tour routing, drive times, show scheduling and venue accomodations. The cities where meet and greets will take place are San Francisco, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Denver, CO, Orlando, FL, New York, NY, Toronto, ON Canada, and Chicago, IL. Please be aware that there are a very limited amount of VIP spots available for each show.

9

Grmpy,

I am not afraid of you, …"[/quote]

Why should you be? I’m sure you catch your reflection from time to time, that ought to be terrifying enough!

Apparently, you haven’t gotten laid this week and feel the need to take your frustrations out elsewhere.

Aww you’re thinking about my cock! Aren’t you a sweet little cupcake! Complete with frosting on your face!

[quote]Now run along, and get a grip on yourself.

I’m not touching myself for you! although If you really want to see that just wait for Jizzy’s and Maggit tooths porno to come out BUT YOU’LL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, like everyone else, but don’t worry I’m sure we’ll sell a VIP cut of the Flick! It comes out on*Blu-Ray (I was told they’re going the Blu Ray so the crispness of picture won’t be lost) Due to Lisencing rights these won’t even be available on Ebay!
Late,
grmpysmrf

*You’ll get every steamy detail! The DVD will be sold exclusive through Jizzy’s site only, AND what comes with your fuzzy little vhs copy Is worth every penny. SO don’t delay, get your pre order today! other wise when they’re gone, they are gone! save yourself the hassle of having to buy your beta max copy on EBAY at crazy prices!

10

[quote]I’m not touching myself for you! although If you really want to see that just wait for Jizzy’s and Maggit tooths porno to come out BUT YOU’LL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, like everyone else, but don’t worry I’m sure we’ll sell a VIP cut of the Flick! It comes out on*Blu-Ray (I was told they’re going the Blu Ray so the crispness of picture won’t be lost) Due to Lisencing rights these won’t even be available on Ebay!
Late,
grmpysmrf

*You’ll get every steamy detail! The DVD will be sold exclusive through Jizzy’s site only, AND what comes with your fuzzy little vhs copy Is worth every penny. SO don’t delay, get your pre order today! other wise when they’re gone, they are gone! save yourself the hassle of having to buy your beta max copy on EBAY at crazy prices!

You certainly do think you are the prongs pimp/stud muffin! MaggitTooth and jizzy are capable of selling themselves without your help. You don’t deserve a cut of their hard-erned cash.

How disappointing that the rest of us don’t get to see male super model grmpysmrf at his finest moment. He should be willing to share his finest talents with the rest of us.

Why do you think it is so degrading for a chick to get her face covered in cream? Do you guys not get covered from at least your nose to your chin in honey?

12

If you want to know for certain what happend with the ticket prices, call the venue and ask them why the VIP tickets are half price of the normal cost of VIP tickets. It may be that they were running a promo or someone made a mistake when they typed in the sale price. It is also possible that they were not selling very many and decided to cut the price just to sell them.

I’d tend to go in that direction. As I have said in the past, on the Ministry/Revco tour a year ago, the venue was empty. The scalpers were basically giving the tickets away. I had an extra ticket and the scalper told me he could give me 5$ for it. Although, I’m sure this time it will be quite full due to Meshuggah.

-al

13

The 13th Planet notice makes no mention of the Music Today website having an “exclusive contract to sell VIP tickets for the -entire duration of ticket sales-” or that “VIP tickets would only be available during the presale.”

So when they refer to the VIP tickets as “exclusive,” what do they mean?

14

Atlanta was sold out.

And Ed is quite right - “Loco Ono” is much funnier than just “Yoko”.

15

You certainly do think you are the prongs pimp/stud muffin! [/quote]

Really? do I? Tell me more about myself! You should be thankful for me. I’m the only one keeping you here. Everyone else is just ignoring your dumb ass! So, because I point out your stupidity I’m the “pimp/stud muffin” of prongs??? I’d say you’re a masochist, if you think that’s "stud"ly.

MaggitTooth and jizzy are capable of selling themselves without your help. You don’t deserve a cut of their hard-erned cash.

This is so beyond stupid I don’t even know where to begin… Did you really type that or did your cat just walk across the keyboard?

How disappointing that the rest of us don’t get to see male super model grmpysmrf at his finest moment. He should be willing to share his finest talents with the rest of us.

The cat again I assume?

[quote]Why do you think it is so degrading for a chick to get her face covered in cream? Do you guys not get covered from at least your nose to your chin in honey?

Who said I did? Just 'cause I’m sticking something in your mouth doesn’t mean you get to put words in mine. Just go back to the PA…those of us who care to keep up with that nonsense will lurk over there! saying again, you don’t need to bring your advertisements over here!
Gooday

16

“Exclusive Special Limited Access VIP tickets are also available for purchase during the pre-sale.” -This means that a limited number of a special ticket class (VIP) are available during the pre-sale. It does not mean that VIP tickets will be offered only during the pre-sale. If the sentence were reworded to read, “Special Limited Access VIP tickets are exclusively available for purchase during the pre-sale.” or “Special Limited Access VIP tickets are available for purchase only during the pre-sale.” I would be on your side.

Buying a ticket gets you in the door and doesn’t usually require reading the fine print. Apparently, very few people who purchased VIP tickets took the time to read the fine print and now they feel have been lied to, ripped off, misled, or taken advantage of. Does bitching about it change anything? No. Does explaining it change anything? Maybe. The next time someone buys an “exclusive ticket,” they may take the time to read the fine print to know exactly what they are buying so that they don’t feel they have been lied to, ripped off, misled, or taken advantage of. The theory is that people would learn from other people’s mistakes.

This thread was going along fine until grmpy hijacked it with his pollution. Now that I think about it, grmpy hijacks almost every thread with babble-drama, tells me to stop voicing my opinion, and to go away. I consider him an attention whore, and I’m starting to wonder if he feels threatened by me. At least I know that there isn’t a need to post in every single thread!

prologue_67, why do you think that I am on loco ono’s team? Is it because I have a dissenting opinion from the majority of prongers and/or because I post on the PA? I thought I made it pretty clear last time that I am an independent agent. industwetrust had a legit question; I provided a legit answer. Since industwetrust also mentioned Montreal, French Canadian may be he/she’s first language and English may be secondary.

In a certain respect, I happen to parse words for a living. Grmpy reads about my life and has seen all my pictures; I’m sure he can tell you everything about me.

What is your real issue? I’m not shoving anything down anyone’s throat. I believe in freedom of thought, tolerance, and expression of opinion. Why don’t you? If I have something to add to a thread, I’m going to add it, rather grmpy or whoever else wants me to or not. If you don’t want to see it, don’t read and/or reply to it.

17

No, I’m not obsessed with the smurf. I said that Grmpy keeps telling me to go away.

The ‘fine print’ is contained in the last paragraph of the notice.

"Exclusive Special Limited Access VIP tickets are also available for purchase during the pre-sale. A VIP ticket offers advance entrance to the venue before the general public, velvet rope area or Loge seating (where available), souvenir 13th Planet gift bags filled with a poster autographed by the entire band, 13th Planet CD, commerative C U LaTouR card from eMusic good for 50 FREE downloads, buttons, stickers, patches and other goodies. In certain cities your VIP ticket will also grant you entry to a meet and greet with Ministry. We are unable to offer meet and greets at every show due to tour routing, drive times, show scheduling and venue accomodations. The cities where meet and greets will take place are San Francisco, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Denver, CO, Orlando, FL, New York, NY, Toronto, ON Canada, and Chicago, IL. Please be aware that there are a very limited amount of VIP spots available for each show. "

The Denver show did not have a meet and greet.

I can accept that a certain amount of people feel ripped off. I agree with you that the Denver people should feel pissed off. I would have been pissed if I had a VIP ticket for the Denver show.

I don’t feel sorry for the people who neglected to read the entire paragraph and/or assumed that every show had a meet and greet that went along with the VIP ticket. If someone bought their VIP ticket prior to any information on what the VIP included, they purchased the tickets at their own risk -Buyer beware or caveat emptor.

May the people who feel they have been lied to, ripped off, misled, or taken advantage of continue to experience disappointment in their lives! Salute’!

18

I did read the fine print, and the more I look at it, the more lies I see.

souvenir 13th Planet gift bags filled with a poster autographed by the entire band, 13th Planet CD, commerative C U LaTouR card from eMusic good for 50 FREE downloads, buttons, stickers, patches and other goodies.

Nobody got the buttons, stickers or patches. I wanted patches. [:(]

19

Just make sure you drink alot before the show. (and during, and after) That usually makes things better. [:)]

20

…and speaking from experience, two pints isn’t enough to numb the pain from hearing “The Dick Song”. Have at least four rounds.

1002

22

That’ll do ya.