Ticket Update

Unemployment is 8.1% now... it could be 10-12% by September for all we know. Plus, a lot of people base their wealth on their home value. A market correction in housing is long overdue. In an uncertain economic climate, all of us are more protective of our assets and cash. I'm much less enthusiastic about charging expenses to my credit card. Plus, I'm confident there'll be people gladly willing to sell their tickets even if it sells out. While I'm definately planning on going -- I'm in no hurry to procure tickets this year. Why pay over 200 dollars for two tickets or rack the bill up on my credit card for a concert many months in the future? That all said, I'm pretty sure this event is going to sell out -- it's just going to take longer for reasons Glenn has already mentioned.

Nice Mike, just nice.
 
Why pay over 200 dollars for two tickets or rack the bill up on my credit card for a concert many months in the future?

If you're going, why not pay now? If you're concerned about possible unemployment in the future, buy your tickets NOW, pay them off NOW and then you won't have to worry about them. Buy an airplane ticket NOW while the prices are low (my guess is oil will go up in a few months).

Have you reserved a hotel reservation already? Hotel rooms have gone up, but if you can find one now, you might save yourself some money.

I don't like buying tickets in advance - but if it saves me a few bucks I'm all for it. Reserve the money you are planning on spending in a savings account (not that it will earn much interest, but it will be in a place where you can't access it as easily). Pace yourself throughout the year and save as you go. Then when PP comes around you don't have to go into debt or scrounge to find the money to go.

Be proactive, not reactive. :)
 
-- I'm in no hurry to procure tickets this year. Why pay over 200 dollars for two tickets or rack the bill up on my credit card for a concert many months in the future?


Yeah!! The hell with the guy that puts up his own money to finance things and could use a sense of relief knowing that tickets are sold in advance.
 
Live a little and come to PPUSA X in September! Of course, that's easy for me to say, being a local and all. You know
what I mean, though. A few less dollars in my pocket won't keep me from being there. No way!
 
Yeah!! The hell with the guy that puts up his own money to finance things and could use a sense of relief knowing that tickets are sold in advance.

I've gone every year since 2002 and spent over 900 dollars on tickets for myself and s/os alone. You speculated on how some people might be spending their money this year, and I'm giving you an honest answer. Because I do care about you and this festival, I wanted to add an honest answer that wasn't all chearleading with skewed hopes.

I'm debating whether or not to finance tickets for me and another that I know I can buy in the future or go on with a broken garage door and unrepaired ceiling for the rest of the summer or take a financial gamble and pay for both.

The fact that I could be out of a job over the summer and wind up not going at all is certainly another factor all together. Plus, keep in mind that not everyone on this board is compensated based on hourly or weekly wages alone. Some have incentives, commissions, and bonuses all effected by the current economic situation.

That all said, those that support the festival and feel they can go without any qualms should probably get the expense out of the way with.

The Michael
 
Yeah!! The hell with the guy that puts up his own money to finance things and could use a sense of relief knowing that tickets are sold in advance.

Wow, you seem to really hate that guy. What's with all the hostility?? :p

Planning on buying mine on friday, and at a physical ticketmaster location. The online system sucks so much, I don't plan on using it again any time soon. If I have to pay out the nose to use their service, I want to be holding my tickets in hand right then and there. Just my $.02. :)

I think I have another 3-5 people coming with me this year, too many for me to coordinate and buy all the tickets like I have in the past... the line up this year is great, I wouldn't worry about anything less than a sell-out. :headbang:
 
To Michael:

None of that was stated in your previous post. Thus, you came off as quite the ass with the appearance that I belong in the same boat as Clear Channel. I understand completely now that you have explained and wish you the best
 
You turn on the news and it's doom and gloom.....(which btw is why I decided to pretty much not watch or listen...do not think it will really matter).

Purchasing what one can and putting away what you will need, at this time, should allow this to be something too look forward to without having to worry about the expense come Sept. Have a feeling many people will be looking for a release come the fall, be they PP people or not.

Nice to know that the major expenses are taken care of already.

Edit:
I work for myself and there is always question as to where the work is coming from, in good times, let alone the climate these days. Sometimes you just have to have give yourself something to look forward to. While it does not help financial matters, it can certainly help the mindset.
 
Last year was my first ProgPower and when I got home my wife said I was a different person.She said I was happier and seemed to want to talk more as opposed to the normal gloomy outlook I had on life at that time.I think the experience did that to me because for a long time I just fell into a boring routine and just accepted that my metal concert days were over.ProgPower is beyond special for me because to this day my wife says I'm still that happier person and she has even agreed to come with me this year.She has never been to anything other than a country concert,so I'm going to try everything I can to get tickets.I don't care if I have to take out a loan to pay for the tickets and hotel.I'm dying for my wife to share the experience with me.Glenn is my hero and I'll never be able thank him enough for what he does and for what it did for my personal life.
 
Sometimes you just have to have give yourself something to look forward to. While it does not help financial matters, it can certainly help the mindset.

I wholeheartedly endorse this! For the last few years, PP was my ONLY vacation outside the confines here in WI. No matter what your job or life situation is, it's good to have something fun to look forward too. It's good for one's mental health, I really mean that! :kickass:
 
I've gone every year since 2002 and spent over 900 dollars on tickets for myself and s/os alone. You speculated on how some people might be spending their money this year, and I'm giving you an honest answer. Because I do care about you and this festival, I wanted to add an honest answer that wasn't all chearleading with skewed hopes.

I'm debating whether or not to finance tickets for me and another that I know I can buy in the future or go on with a broken garage door and unrepaired ceiling for the rest of the summer or take a financial gamble and pay for both.

The fact that I could be out of a job over the summer and wind up not going at all is certainly another factor all together. Plus, keep in mind that not everyone on this board is compensated based on hourly or weekly wages alone. Some have incentives, commissions, and bonuses all effected by the current economic situation.

That all said, those that support the festival and feel they can go without any qualms should probably get the expense out of the way with.

The Michael


I, too, plan on attending this year. And I also have no intentions of buying my tickets anytime soon. Just too many other expenses at the current moment. When I have the extra scratch, I'll make the purchase. If they're sold out, then I'll make other arrangements. Pretty simple, really. Certainly I can understand Glenn wanting to breathe easy knowing he as a sellout, but ultimately that sentiment doesn't change my bottom line at the end of the month.

That said, I think that considering the PP fanbase, the festival will remain fairly recession-proof.
 
Last year was my first ProgPower and when I got home my wife said I was a different person.She said I was happier and seemed to want to talk more as opposed to the normal gloomy outlook I had on life at that time.I think the experience did that to me because for a long time I just fell into a boring routine and just accepted that my metal concert days were over.ProgPower is beyond special for me because to this day my wife says I'm still that happier person and she has even agreed to come with me this year.She has never been to anything other than a country concert,so I'm going to try everything I can to get tickets.I don't care if I have to take out a loan to pay for the tickets and hotel.I'm dying for my wife to share the experience with me.Glenn is my hero and I'll never be able thank him enough for what he does and for what it did for my personal life.

I, too, found PP to be carthatic and life-changing for me last year. Thanks Glenn!

ps. rockyracoon, somehow starting my post with 'I, too' felt right, sorry about the near-blatant plagiarism!
 
Last year was my first ProgPower and when I got home my wife said I was a different person.She said I was happier and seemed to want to talk more as opposed to the normal gloomy outlook I had on life at that time.

PP is also like a revival to me, too. I tend to get back home refreshed and ready to deal with life again. I imagine this is fairly common, which leads me to wonder: has anyone ever tried to deduct ProgPower as a medical expense, or tried to get a health insurance plan to cover it?? :)

Ken
 
PP is also like a revival to me, too. I tend to get back home refreshed and ready to deal with life again. I imagine this is fairly common, which leads me to wonder: has anyone ever tried to deduct ProgPower as a medical expense, or tried to get a health insurance plan to cover it?? :)

Ken

Actually, my day job being an accountant and certified 'overthinker,' I can offer some insight here. Since I'm a part-time musician making a little money on the side, I do a Schedule C and can deduct some of the concerts I attend as 'research/travel' expenses. They are allowed because performing artists must keep up with the current trends. So, ProgPower is the same as a tax seminar for me, except I stay awake the whole time and have a lot more fun! It would most likely NOT be beneficial to claim it as a medical expense on Schedule A because medical expenses must exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income before any can be deducted. Now, if you have a Health Savings Account, that's between you and the administrator of the account.

Ok, I'll shut up now. :headbang:

Darren
 
Actually, my day job being an accountant and certified 'overthinker,' I can offer some insight here. Since I'm a part-time musician making a little money on the side, I do a Schedule C and can deduct some of the concerts I attend as 'research/travel' expenses. They are allowed because performing artists must keep up with the current trends. So, ProgPower is the same as a tax seminar for me, except I stay awake the whole time and have a lot more fun! It would most likely NOT be beneficial to claim it as a medical expense on Schedule A because medical expenses must exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income before any can be deducted. Now, if you have a Health Savings Account, that's between you and the administrator of the account.

Ok, I'll shut up now. :headbang:

Darren

I don't know what you just said here but......can I have some money????
 
I wholeheartedly endorse this! For the last few years, PP was my ONLY vacation outside the confines here in WI. No matter what your job or life situation is, it's good to have something fun to look forward too. It's good for one's mental health, I really mean that! :kickass:
Hell yeah! Sometimes it makes all the difference to me!:headbang:
 
UPDATE: I decided to call ticketmaster and complain about this email and was intending to ask for a refund of the ticketfast charge. (I know it isn't much, but a charge is a charge). Well, for some strange reason, the lady I ended up speaking with was actually HELPFUL. She looked into what I said, read the email that was sent to me, and actually called the venue to check on that claim. What she found out was the VIP (I assume thats the Gold Badges) were the tickets that were being held and will call and not the entire ball of wax. She then emailed me a PDF file which enabled me to print out my tickets and said that the situation was now fixed and that people should now be able to print out their tickets. I tried this just to be sure, and I got "Your tickets were emailed to you, you should be able to print them from there"...so maybe she did fix the situation. I know that from the PDF file, I WAS able to print out my tickets so I'm a happy camper now :>

BTW...this would have affected those who didn't have their tickets printed out as well, EVERYONE would have been affected and I'm glad I got this fixed now, rather than six months down the road.

Thanks for the info, as well as others here, following this advice worked to the "T", hence I now have my tickets printed out with much sense of relief!