STRATOVARIUS: North American tour dates announced!

[longshot9]

I will never understand why a band would come over for the first time and not bring a semi-solid opener to help boost the sales.

I was shocked when Sonata toured the US earlier this year and had all local openers. The Chicago show was a near sellout on a weekday. I guess you never know how the turnouts will be.

Sonata was packed when I saw them in SF, way better attendance than Stratovarius had. Another band i'm shocked is selling so well without a solid opening band is Dragonforce. I guess they're bigger than I thought. I'm really getting into them and can't wait, and am very excited for them that they are selling well.

 

[Rick Pierpont]

Yeah, but think about it: For most, catching the weeknight shows means eating out, in addition to driving time, beer, and merch. I've noticed that "kids" (under 21s) generally spend either nothing or about as much in merch as I spend in beer ( ), so all four shows could end up being over $200. That drives people to pick and choose. Even going cheap - and not having to pay for at least one of them - that week's going to hurt for me, and is preventing my wife from coming to see you guys on Saturday, since we can only afford one night of sitter, and she's an Evergrey freak.

Yes, very true. And all that is affecting my indecision @ attending the Evergrey show. As much as you spend in beer?!?!?! WOW!!

That's a shame she can't make it but totally understood. These days, so am I! I do want to come, but I don't know about driving home LATE Saturday night after the Spock's Beard show (Almost a two hour drive each way), and then turn around and come back down Sunday for that show. A hotel would be cool, but adds to the expense.

 

[wayland smithers]

Ok I'm looking foward to them coming back but this time a different setlist. The last time was very good and payed attention to their best albums but now how about some variety....like this

I Walk to My Own Song
Reign of Terror or Dreamscape
Break the Ice or Twilight Time
Future Shock
Phoenix
Before the Winter
Season of Change again because its that good
Eternity
Hunting, Diamond, Forever and Destiny are givens
Gypsy in Me
We Hold the Key definately
Anthem of the World

Thoughts anyone?

 

[eaeolian]

Yes, very true. And all that is affecting my indecision @ attending the Evergrey show. As much as you spend in beer?!?!?! WOW!!

Hey, who do you think I am, Matt?

That's a shame she can't make it but totally understood. These days, so am I! I do want to come, but I don't know about driving home LATE Saturday night after the Spock's Beard show (Almost a two hour drive each way), and then turn around and come back down Sunday for that show. A hotel would be cool, but adds to the expense.

I'd invite you to stay at my house, but something tells me you don't want to be awakened by a noisy toddler at 7AM...

 

[eaeolian]

Sonata was packed when I saw them in SF, way better attendance than Stratovarius had. Another band i'm shocked is selling so well without a solid opening band is Dragonforce. I guess they're bigger than I thought. I'm really getting into them and can't wait, and am very excited for them that they are selling well.

Openers rarely do much to help the bill - death metal can be the exception to this, where the ultra-huge seven-band tours actually can work. Sonata sold out here, and Dragonforce sold out very quickly - and it looks like Nevermore/Evergrey is going just as fast. Meanwhile, Gamma Ray sails along, being a tough sell...

 

[Rick Pierpont]

Hey, who do you think I am, Matt?




I'd invite you to stay at my house, but something tells me you don't want to be awakened by a noisy toddler at 7AM...

Hahahaha!!! No, not as much as Crooks, but WAY more than Brookins

Thanks, but something tells me you're right. Hell, we played in Leesburg last weekend and my sister is literally like 3 miles from the place. My other sister had brought down her two kids so that the babysitter could watch all 4 of my nephews (all under age of 9) while they came to the show. I took the 1 hour, 45 minute drive home @ close to 2:30 in the morning rather than endure the next morning there! 7AM, that's only 30 minutes later than when I went to bed after the DVD shoot!

 

[kamelotica]

Openers rarely do much to help the bill - death metal can be the exception to this, where the ultra-huge seven-band tours actually can work. Sonata sold out here, and Dragonforce sold out very quickly - and it looks like Nevermore/Evergrey is going just as fast. Meanwhile, Gamma Ray sails along, being a tough sell...

What are the tickets prices for DF compared to Gamma Ray, I notice that Dragonforce is charging a lot less in general and I guess this helps getting more people on the fence.

J

 

[eaeolian]

What are the tickets prices for DF compared to Gamma Ray, I notice that Dragonforce is charging a lot less in general and I guess this helps getting more people on the fence.

Yeah, DF is $16 here. It's making those $25 Gamma Ray tickets two days earlier harder to move...

 

[SeaStorm]

Since Sonata's tour has been mentioned a few times, THANK YOU to everyone who went to their last tour. You basically made it a lock that they will return to the US on their next tour (for the next ablum). Every show that I've heard about was amazingly well attended.

I'm honestly shocked that Strato is coming back at all given the attendance last time.

Re the band's part of ticket sales: bands generally get a set dollar amount to play, and sometimes a percentage of ticket sales on top of that. If a venue is empty, the band got paid...the promoters took the bath. However, the low attendance likely either means that they won't be back, or that they will have to accept less money to play next time. The price they charge is supply and demand based previous attendance and projected attendance.

 

[ragingsaxmachine]

Sonata's tour was definately a shocker. I mean, I knew they had a good fanbase here, but I myself was amazed that they kicked Stratovarius' (not so surprised with Therion) ass in attendence. Then again, at the show I went to I saw a whole bunch of non-metalheads at the show...namely, regular ol highschool boys and girls. The traditional power metal freaks are drawn to like Strato and Gamma Ray, which is sadly a very small fanbase on a city to city basis. However, you can expect to see Sonata Arctica and Children of Bodom become bigger hits in the US as their music has a far greater appeal to the US market. As for Dragonforce's US popularity...I just don't fucking get it.

But, us power metal fans can like all of them, can't we.

 

[7thSaviour]

Will Strato add ATL to the tour this Fall?

 

[Tess]

I'd invite you to stay at my house, but something tells me you don't want to be awakened by a noisy toddler at 7AM...

What? Noisy toddlers build character. I'll babysit!

I still can't believe Strato is coming back. What in the heck?

 

[eaeolian]

What? Noisy toddlers build character. I'll babysit!

Yes. Lots of it. Especially when you get in from a gig in Baltimore at 4AM and she gets up at 5:30 AM...

 

[AngraRULES]

Perfect! Now bring Brainstorm as an opener!

 

[Diabolik]

Nope.

it was pretty empty....for a band that is as popular as Stratovarius is....that show was pretty much empty. I dont think the late start time on a weekday helped either. Ticket price never turns me off for a show. If it is someone I want to see...no price is too high.

If Strato skips Chicago...not a big deal. I wasnt that happy with the set list last time. I guess you can please everyone.

 

[4acidbath4]

Yeah, DF is $16 here. It's making those $25 Gamma Ray tickets two days earlier harder to move...

It will be a night to remember seeing both bands one after another!!!

 

[Mosquito]

Sonata's tour was definately a shocker. I mean, I knew they had a good fanbase here, but I myself was amazed that they kicked Stratovarius' (not so surprised with Therion) ass in attendence.

I don't understand what you meant here. Did you mean that you're not surprised SA had a bigger crowd than Therion? Or that you weren't surprised that they were better than Therion?

 

[eaeolian]

I don't understand what you meant here. Did you mean that you're not surprised SA had a bigger crowd than Therion? Or that you weren't surprised that they were better than Therion?

Actually, I think it's that Sonata outdrew both Strat and Therion, from reading the original post.

They did the same at Jaxx, although Therion was pretty close, from what I'm told.

 

[7thSaviour]

I should think they'd love to play ATL again, considering the overwhelming approval they received last visit!

 

[Jasonic]

it was pretty empty....for a band that is as popular as Stratovarius is....that show was pretty much empty. I dont think the late start time on a weekday helped either. Ticket price never turns me off for a show. If it is someone I want to see...no price is too high.

I agree about the ticket price thing.
How can someone complain about $25 for Gamma Ray, for example?
You need to consider the fact that the band is flying in for the shows.
This further supports my opinions that bands should stay long.
They are coming over anyhow. I can't imagine hiring a tour bus driver is a big deal.

Helloween did it right a couple years back. No big stage show. Hell, I think they wore the same clothes at EVERY show!! (At least the pictures depict this).

I don't see how coming just for 5 dates would be a good test of how you would do in the states.

A better test would be to pair up with another band to help the draw. This seemed to work well for HammerFall's first headlining tour (they brought Edguy).