The emotional turmoil of trying to buy a Kate Bush ticket!

[Tim]

I saw something similar online, so thought I would do one which described my own experience.
Totally mad and irrational I know, but this was a big thing in my world and I had a few minutes to spare this morning ;)


The differing phases of emotional turmoil whilst trying to buy a Kate Bush ticket!

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/leaderbush_zps96084eb7.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/greatgig/media/leaderbush_zps96084eb7.jpg.html)

0930 hours Friday 28th March 2014 was a time hundreds of thousands of UK music fans thought would never, ever happen - tickets went on sale for a Kate Bush concert! The much adored artist who most believed was never likely to ever step onto a stage again, took everyone by surprise by doing just that after 35 years "Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow . . . unbelievable!" (song lyrics to 'Wow' from Lionheart)

So what happened? Well for sure many people took the morning off work as they knew a mad, almost obsessive scrabble for tickets would take place, especially if you are of a certain age and if you are an obsessive 50 something male music fan who grew up on progressive rock, there's a strong chance this will have got you very, very excited! A chance to take part in a bit of music history . . . "Yes I was there, I saw Kate Bush sing live before I died". But the funny thing is if you are not a 50 something obsessive music fan, your peers won't understand what all the fuss is about and many people (understandably) will think you have totally lost the plot, which to be perfectly honest you have!

~ The Phases ~

When the enormity of what's ahead starts to dawn on you . . . you go through a number of emotional phases about buying one of the most important tickets of your concert going career. It’s an opportunity not to be missed, but what do you have to go through to get there?

Dread

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The night before you go to bed full of worry, but you can't sleep . . . what if you oversleep? What if your internet connection is lost overnight, what if your computer crashes, what if there's a power cut and the unthinkable . . . what if you don’t get tickets? The swirling dread you feel before a massively scary event weighs heavy on you and you fall into a fitful sleep.

Optimism

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/optimism_zps2abc5913.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/greatgig/media/optimism_zps2abc5913.jpg.html)

You awake full of excitement, sure in the knowledge you are bound to be successful and pick up tickets to this great event with ease, there’s no way you can lose . . . is there? The early bird catches the worm right? So you are up and getting ready early which leads on to…

The planning phase

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An hour or two before kick off you log on to all available computers in your home, reboot routers and log into a number of online ticket sellers. Next you get your credit cards, phone, pens and paper and place them neatly next to your computer. Notes are made of seating areas, available dates and emails sent to friends to try and co-ordinate who should go for which dates. Great, I'm sorted, you start drumming your fingers and walking around and then with nothing to do until 9.30, the anticipation turns into . . .

Nervous excitement

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/refresh_zps9fd7e2a4.gif (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/greatgig/media/refresh_zps9fd7e2a4.gif.html)

9.30am. It’s time! It’s now or never! A flurry of nervous activity fueled by adrenaline. You’re in, you start ticking boxes and entering details, then you're in a waiting room. Then you are out, great I've got them in my shopping basket, tickets for the date I want in the area I want . . . relief. Then the waiting room again, eh? (scratches head) . . . It’s slow, it’s busy, it’s not working for you and you are kicked back to the main event page, which is now showing no tickets in your shopping basket, you hit F5 to refresh, nope they are definitely not there . . WTF!

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/notgonewell_zps61179cdf.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/greatgig/media/notgonewell_zps61179cdf.jpg.html)

The site has crashed. Open up another tab and have another go. Your fingers start hitting refresh, refresh, refresh over and over again, you can’t stop, now you're into . . . .

Panic mode

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/button_zps85eb13fe.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/greatgig/media/button_zps85eb13fe.jpg.html)

Two emails hit your inbox and two people already have their tickets. You don’t . . . bastards! You’re still ticking boxes and refreshing and trying to enter your credit card details again. Crash, cry, re-enter, crash, cry, re-enter, crash, cry, re-enter after about the fifth time you're just randomly pressing buttons.

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/child_zpsabd3e266.gif (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/greatgig/media/child_zpsabd3e266.gif.html)

Now you're reduced to randomly selecting dates, every thing is showing sold out - now its anything, ANYWHERE . . . you find a single ticket in the circle. . . oh shit only one, I need four? You take it, this time you get through the shopping stage, account verification, confirm purchase . . . nearly there, confirm payment method and transfer to the bank verification page. Then it goes slow, you wait . . . 10 minutes on the timer, that's plenty . . . counting down, down, down. Now just 2 minutes, oh no, this doesn't look good. The bank servers are overloaded too. TIMED OUT. "We are sorry your ticket purchase was not completed in time" You've lost, beaten by the machine. You have a random look through but know after 15 minutes its now far too late . . SOLD OUT, SOLD OUT, SOLD OUT!

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/help_zps4be3dcdc.gif (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/greatgig/media/help_zps4be3dcdc.gif.html)

So, it was all over in a matter of minutes, but there were a number of other ways this could have gone . . . .

1. Elation

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/elation_zps48f3aa76.gif (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/greatgig/media/elation_zps48f3aa76.gif.html)

'Thank you for your purchase, enjoy the show.' The message flashes up on the screen, you've only gone and done it! The tight ball of stress feeling you had in your stomach has gone, you can breathe and immediately take to the phone lines letting all and sundry know your success. Secure in the knowledge you have prevailed you can be magnanimous with your sympathy for those less fortunate and relax knowing your work here is done.

Or:

2. Horror

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/omg_zpsb08af7d6.gif (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/greatgig/media/omg_zpsb08af7d6.gif.html)

"Sorry, we are unable to fulfill your request." Your window of opportunity has closed and you have been left out in the cold . . without tickets. Every night is sold out. You’ve been sitting there for less than fifteen minutes, but it feels like a lifetime. A lifetime in which you will never get to see Kate Bush live. Your head falls into your hands. It’s over . . . . or is it?

3. Desperation

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/desperation_zps19646eb2.gif (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/greatgig/media/desperation_zps19646eb2.gif.html)

Your feeling of horror manifests itself as desperation and you quickly ring everyone you know to ask if they have a spare seat. You declare you will turn up on the night and throw yourself on the mercy of the touts, anything . . . basically you debase yourself just for a concert ticket!

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/endbush_zps7711374e.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/greatgig/media/endbush_zps7711374e.jpg.html)

So . . . . . did I get one in the end? . . .

. . . thankfully yes

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/optimist_zps408995d2.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/greatgig/media/optimist_zps408995d2.jpg.html)

[brian2957]

Hah ! Well done Tim . My missus does that every time Robbie comes to town . I think I was around 15 or 16 the last time I went through those sequence of events . I hope it was worth all the effort and the emotional rollercoaster , and the concert lives up to all your expectations .

[Tim]

I hope it was worth all the effort. . .
The only thing that would make it not worth it, was if she cancels.

Times were much easier when you lined up at the box office for tickets, I used to enjoy it too. No booking fees, no stress and a sense of camaraderie amongst fellow fans there with you. I used to queue for hours and hours for bands like ELP, Genesis and Yes. Its fricking ridiculous now and real fans so often miss out - big shows are corporate money making machines, racked with corruption and dirty dealing as well. Such a shame you have to go through all that just to buy a ticket to a show, one hiccup and you can lose everything. There are much better ways, but nobody can be arsed or cares when they are raking in the cash.

[Stratmangler]

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/optimist_zps408995d2.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/greatgig/media/optimist_zps408995d2.jpg.html)

Is he smiling because you've promised him sexual favours? :scratch:

[The Black Adder]

Nice one... So the re-mortgage of your house went well then? :lol:

I'd love to see Ze-bush... She's brilliant!

[John]

Last time round had to queue for hours but at least you knew you were going to get a ticket
Glad you got a ticket Tim

[Marco]

Is he smiling because you've promised him sexual favours? :scratch: ]http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/optimist_zps408995d2.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/greatgig/media/optimist_zps408995d2.jpg.html)[/QUOTE]

Just imagine a 'blow' with that 'tache!! :eek: :D

Marco.

[Tim]

Just imagine a 'blow' with that 'tache!! :eek:
I can always rely on you Marco :lol:

[Spectral Morn]

Glad you got one Tim.

I would love to see Kate but alas its never going to happen :(

and by the way your epic above is possibly one of the most inventive and enjoyable posts I have ever read anywhere on the net - well done :cool:


Regards Neil

[RobbieGong]

lol - Nicely put together TIm :) and glad it resulted in a ticket. I'd have been the same for Bob Marley, unfortunately he passed when I was 16 and already a long time huge fan at that time :(

[m10]

For all the heartaches and difficulties people had,I am amazed it seemed so easy for me. iPad, one attempt, one date

Can't offer two tickets in the stalls. Bugger.

Try circle. Yay!

Book, register, pay.

I didn't even log on until 9:36 - I thought the pre-sale was Thursday for some reason, and a friend's Facebook post reminded me it had started.

I think that the two (instead of four) tickets for a midweek date may have helped me.

She virtually hasn't been off the stereo since.

[chelsea]

Well done for getting a ticket.

Being someone over 50 who is into music,i'm very surprised that she is able to sell out to so many nights at the same venue.

I underestimated how popular she must be.

[Tim]

I think that the two (instead of four) tickets for a midweek date may have helped me.
I think that's probably right, I needed four. Who did you book with? The two who were successful in my group were SeeTickets. I failed with Eventim first and left it too late for Ticketmaster.


. . and by the way your epic above is possibly one of the most inventive and enjoyable posts I have ever read anywhere on the net - well done
Regards Neil
Thanks Neil, It kept me amused this morning and it really was quite a monumental moment, which took me sometime to calm down from. I don't like 'big' gigs these days and this is part of the reason, far too stressful. But I couldn't pass up a chance at seeing our Kate. The idea came from the Metro site, I just adapted it to fit my failed attempt.


Is he smiling because you've promised him sexual favours? :scratch:
:lol:

[m10]

Eventim - from the link/code I got from the email from katebush.com (I think they were the only ones doing the presale on Wednesday?)

[Tim]

Eventim - from the link/code I got from the email from katebush.com (I think they were the only ones doing the presale on Wednesday?)
Ah, you were lucky then, it would have been a breeze for you with that link and code. I was out amongst the mad scrabble of thousands, I missed out on the presale. No worries though, it made for an interesting morning and luckily our plan worked, with 2 from 6 people managing to get 8 tickets, so we all get to go with some lucky friends getting a chance without any of the stress ;)

[m10]

Aye I think I was lucky. Well done (and congrats) on getting yours.

[Dunluce978]

Should be a great concert.

Saw her perform Wuthering Heights live for the first time on Top of the Pops way back in 1978. She did it in one take and I have to say I was total transfixed by her voice and movement around the stage. There is something about her that is so different from other artists.