Ticket Scalping (OzzFest, Patti Smith and more)

Occasionally, I'll buy heavily discounted tickets off of eBay to shows I am sort of neutral about and don't care enough about the band(s) to pay for a full price ticket. I can't think of anything (outside of The Jam or At The Gates reuniting) where I would pay scalpers prices.

I get a kick out of looking through eBay to see what tickets are going for:

- OzzFest tickets (at PNC Arts Center) are getting no bidders at .99 cents a pair
- Beastie Boys tickets (at McCarren Pool, Brooklyn) are going for $175+ a pair
- Patti Smith ticket (at Music Hall of Williamsburg) are going for $175+ a pair

I'd love to see the Beasties and Patti Smith but just I can't see paying almost $100 per ticket. OzzFest ticket prices are a bit closer to my speed. I'll have to check out the lineup of bands to see if it is worth driving out to NJ for the show.

Last year, I was sitting in the Brooklyn Brewery on a Saturday afternoon and they were trying to give away a free pair of OzzFest tickets (to the show on Randall's Island that same day) and I don't think they had any takers.

Links:
OzzFest (link)

Never Let Death Get In The Way of Profit (...or Exploiting James Brown)

Anyone who has been to a show at BB King's should recognize the card on the left. These are free giveaway "postcards" that BB King's uses to promote the higher profile shows at the club. These cards have just started turning up on eBay and are selling for $10 (or more) each.

It is pretty sad that the man hasn't been gone more than a few days and the profiters are already out.