Anyone going to the WASP / WARMACHINE shows?

[Metal_Camden]

Ok, here's the reason:


Explanation on the home page:

An unfortunate incident arose this evening at The Gramercy Theater in NYC that we need to let you know about. It prevented W.A.S.P. from performing this show, and caused us to disappoint many of our NY fans and friends. About 50 VIP tickets were sold to about 50 different fans for $50.00 apiece, twice the normal ticket price for this show. It turned out that part of that VIP ticket price included a meet and greet with W.A.S.P. These tickets were sold to these 50 or so fans without W.A.S.P. having any knowledge of this, let alone agreeing to this. Upon learning of this late in the afternoon of the show day , W.A.S.P. insisted that the promoter of this venue, who sold these VIP tickets to these fans, return the V.I.P. portion of those tickets back to the fans. This meant that the promoter would have had to give each of those VIP ticket holders a refund of $25.00 of each ticket. W.A.S.P. demanded that this $25.00 be returned to each of these ticket holders in cash prior to the meet and greet , which W.A.S.P was still going to do. The promoter refused. W.A.S.P. then informed the promoter unless these monies were refunded to these fans, in cash, that the band would not perform the show. Again, the promoter refused and W.A.S.P. canceled the show.

We are saddened that it had to result in the cancellation of our performance for this evening, but we believe this unfortunate situation amounts to nothing more than our fans being ripped off. We have never changed a fan for an autograph and WILL NEVER charge any fans for an autograph.

To all the fans that came to the show and were turned away, please accept our sincerest apologies. W.A.S.P. CANNOT and WILL NOT ever stand by and watch or be involved in their fans being ripped off... EVER.
Thank you .

Blackie Lawless

Since the Starland doesn't do the V.I.P. thing, the show should be fine tonight.

so did the fans get their money back? If not then..... They still got riped off.

 

[AMBR]

No, they didn't. Blackie said the show was canceled because he would not endorse forcing fans to pay for his signature or photo. Ok, got it, but what of the fans that didn't get to see the show? Not judging one way or another, just contemplating...

 

[Metal_Camden]

No, they didn't. Blackie said the show was canceled because he would not endorse forcing fans to pay for his signature or photo. Ok, got it, but what of the fans that didn't get to see the show? Not judging one way or another, just contemplating...

ya, that whole press release just seems like a big cover up to save his butt. looks like the fans still lost their money and still didnt get to see the band the came to see.... still got ripped off? LOL

the clock still ticks to the orlando show! everyone cross their fingers!

 

[TheGraveDigger]

The Starland show was amazing. This line up of the band is so tight it is ridiculous. Blackie spoke of the NYC incident and said basically the same thing that the press release on Blabbermouth said. As much as it sucks for the fans that came out that night, if what Blackie said is the real story I have to admire the guy for cancelling a show that was close to sold out and would have been the biggest night of the tour all because hes not going to take some promoters shit. Live Nation and these venues get enough of our money when we buy tickets, this VIP thing is just ridiculous. Yeah those 50 people were willing to pay that extra money but I see Blackie's side of it. I am sure that the NYC show was an isolated incident and the rest of the tour will be fine. I hope if they come to your area you get to see this awesome show. Only thing that stunk about Starland is W.A.S.P. didn't take the stage till 11:30 so they were running out of time towards the end and dropped "Heaven Hung In Black" which I would have liked to hear.

I was very pleased to buy one of my first concert tees in almost a year and a half because so many bands do not look out for their chubbier fans and offer 2x t shirts. Some guy asked me on the way out if they played "Animal (Fuck Like A Beast)" and I told him they didn't and Blackie said that he isn't going to play that song anymore and him finding God may have something to do with that. This fan flipped out when I told him that and said "Man fuck that guy". Ehhh whatever, "Animal" is a cool song but we still get treated to great old stuff like "On Your Knees" and "Hellion" so I am cool with that. Blackie also in his interview with MetalAsylum.net said that they practiced "The Torture Never Stops" for this tour but they didnt include it cause they didnt have a video for it to go on the screen behind the stage. I can only hope that means they will play that gem on the next tour.

 

[AMBR]

Thanks for the review. Wanted to go to that show, but didn't feel like driving out in that crappy weather by myself. Knew it would be a late one. The Starland is notorious for padding the lineup, sometimes with no notice, with crappy little bands. How were the openers for this show?

 

[Perditions Ghost]

The show in Foxboro last week was awesome, though probably the earliest ending show I've ever been to (Got out a little past 9:30!). Not that I was complaining, since I had to be up in the morning.

 

[nomisofsiman]

I don't really care for WASP to be honest, but I have a bit more respect for Blackie for standing up to the promoter like that. That's absolutely ridiculous that the promoter felt no guilt in the overcharge. I find this trend of VIP tickets to be bs anyways, but for a venue to do it on their own accord without letting the band know? That's absurd.

I know some are pissed because the fans got a letdown for it being cancelled, but you gotta realize that if they still went through with it, it sets a bad precedent for future shows and venues.

 

[TheGraveDigger]

Thanks for the review. Wanted to go to that show, but didn't feel like driving out in that crappy weather by myself. Knew it would be a late one. The Starland is notorious for padding the lineup, sometimes with no notice, with crappy little bands. How were the openers for this show?

Skipped out on the openers. I had listened to Warmachine on MySpace a few days earlier and wasn't impressed so being that they were direct support I had no desire to get there earlier. I was checking in with Starland throughout the night and finally left for the show a little after 10. Got in there around 10:50 and they still didn't go on till close to 11:30. When I got there all the other bands had played already.

 

[General Zod]

Thanks for the review. Wanted to go to that show, but didn't feel like driving out in that crappy weather by myself. Knew it would be a late one. The Starland is notorious for padding the lineup, sometimes with no notice, with crappy little bands. How were the openers for this show?

We got there at 10:30. I assumed that would put us there in time for Warmachine... it didn't. Apparently, they had just finished their set.

WASP was tight. The crowd was bigger than I would have thought. As for the set list, I would have opted for two more classics, instead of the two tracks for Dominator. All in all, good show.

 

[MetalSpice]

As much as it sucks for the fans that came out that night, if what Blackie said is the real story I have to admire the guy for cancelling a show that was close to sold out and would have been the biggest night of the tour all because hes not going to take some promoters shit. Live Nation and these venues get enough of our money when we buy tickets, this VIP thing is just ridiculous. Yeah those 50 people were willing to pay that extra money but I see Blackie's side of it.

Exactly. Like I said before, if he has to cancel a show to prove a point, then so be it.
Sometimes you have to be mean, or else you get taken advantage of. If Blackie had gone along with the show, then what would have stopped the next promoter from trying the same thing?
This guy was trying to overcharge the fans and make more money by screwing the band over and making them do something they didn't agree to.

Only thing that stunk about Starland is W.A.S.P. didn't take the stage till 11:30 so they were running out of time towards the end and dropped "Heaven Hung In Black" which I would have liked to hear.

That sucks. That song is so amazing, I'm surprised they opted to axe that one instead of "Blind in Texas" or some other tune we have all heard a million times.

Some guy asked me on the way out if they played "Animal (Fuck Like A Beast)" and I told him they didn't and Blackie said that he isn't going to play that song anymore and him finding God may have something to do with that. This fan flipped out when I told him that and said "Man fuck that guy".

That guy is an idiot. Blackie hasn't played that song in years...even before he "found God" because people are stupid and that's all they cared about listening to. (Not to be a Blackie fangirl, but he has even said this in interviews.) Sure, "Animal" is a good tune and what WASP USED to be known for, but people need to realize that WASP has written more meaningful tunes than some shock rock singalong for drunken frat boys. It's like the generic Maiden fans that only want to hear "Run to the Hills".

 

[DTJeff]

Tonight's show in Allentown was canceled, as I found out when I showed up at 9:30.

I'm not even mad at WASP. Due to my personal and professional history and experiences with the venue, I totally expected this. The venue booked NINE opening bands. Odds are that had a good bit to do with this.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Tonight's show in Allentown was canceled, as I found out when I showed up at 9:30.

I'm not even mad at WASP. Due to my personal and professional history and experiences with the venue, I totally expected this. The venue booked NINE opening bands. Odds are that had a good bit to do with this.

What is wrong with these venues? So many of these venues nowadays do this with an absurd amount of opening local acts.

 

[DTJeff]

What is wrong with these venues? So many of these venues nowadays do this with an absurd amount of opening local acts.

I wish I had a better answer, but I guess it's just money. Most of these venues just allow X number of local bands to buy onto a show by pre-buying like 30 or 50 (or in some cases, 100) tickets, and then having them sell them - in order to make as much extra cash as they can. It's horrible and obviously financially-driven because it results in absolutely horrible, unprofessional bands opening for quality national acts, just because they (or the kids' parents) have money.

It's hard for me to completely hit the process - because without it I wouldn't have had the opportunity to share a stage with Jon Oliva's Pain, Circle II Circle, Overkill, Doro, Chris Caffery (though I played IN his band anyway), Raven, Manticora, George lynch, Attacker, and Sacred Oath. I mean, given a screening process for quality, my band still would've gotten all of these opportunities over all the other local support on any of the shows, but still, we were allowed to take advantage of quite a few cool opportunities - however we missed a whole bunch once they started wanting tons of cash up front, and we couldn't afford to shell it out.

But yeah, as a musician it pisses me off because even though I played in a band that 1) didn't suck, and 2) played an appropriate style of music, I shared the stage with dime-a-dozen horrible kiddie bands who bought their way onto that bill when they couldn't play their way out of their parents' garage. And as a fan it infuriates me because I like to go early and be up front for shows, but I can't tolerate sitting/standing through countless horrible bands.

 

[General Zod]

I wish I had a better answer, but I guess it's just money. Most of these venues just allow X number of local bands to buy onto a show by pre-buying like 30 or 50 (or in some cases, 100) tickets, and then having them sell them - in order to make as much extra cash as they can. It's horrible and obviously financially-driven because it results in absolutely horrible, unprofessional bands opening for quality national acts, just because they (or the kids' parents) have money.

I don't take issues bands buying on, I only take issue with allowing 9 bands to buy on.

 

[MetalSpice]

NINE OPENING BANDS?
Is that venue out of their mind?
I agree, it was most likely about money, but that is the craziest thing I've ever heard. It's not a friggin' festival.
Damn....sorry that happened.

 

[Metal_Camden]

yes, orlando has 4 openers that sold over 250+ tickets... lets just pray that blackie is in a good mood that night and dosent piss off the person that is in charge of his next few shows and his transportation.

 

[nomisofsiman]

I don't take issues bands buying on, I only take issue with allowing 9 bands to buy on.

I don't have an issue with this, but I have an issue if it happens the week or worse, day of. If something is advertised, I want the bands that are playing advertised. I was beyond pissed a couple of years ago when Candlemass hit Chicago and there were like 3 openers that weren't even mentioned either online or through the flyer. Also, like others have said when it's an absurd amount of bands that do this, I have an issue. If it's one or two I can take it.

 

[Metal_Camden]

I don't have an issue with this, but I have an issue if it happens the week or worse, day of. If something is advertised, I want the bands that are playing advertised. I was beyond pissed a couple of years ago when Candlemass hit Chicago and there were like 3 openers that weren't even mentioned either online or through the flyer. Also, like others have said when it's an absurd amount of bands that do this, I have an issue. If it's one or two I can take it.

sometimes (most) its the venues fault, the firestone show that we are playing friday has a poster with ONLY a giant picture of blackie on it.

I had to make a flyer and spam the interwebs and streets of orlando with all the bands logos and stuff on it. Kinda pisses me off that promoters never really give the time of day to the opener when (at least in this case) is responsible for over 2/3 of the presale tickets sales.

 

[nomisofsiman]

sometimes (most) its the venues fault, the firestone show that we are playing friday has a poster with ONLY a giant picture of blackie on it.

I had to make a flyer and spam the interwebs and streets of orlando with all the bands logos and stuff on it. Kinda pisses me off that promoters never really give the time of day to the opener when (at least in this case) is responsible for over 2/3 of the presale tickets sales.

Oh I'm sure it's the venues fault, as is most things usually.

 

[Metal_Camden]

Haha ya for sure, almost all of the promoters here in Florida are total money mongers. Oh well lol just glad were on