Geddy Lee solo tour

[Misdee]

I went to see Rush in concert on the Permanent Waves tour in 1980. The ticket cost £4. That's about £16.50 in today's money.

 

Bands and music business types will tell you that the economics of touring have changed. I would tell you that a few trucks, a P.A , some lights and a load of fellas with long hair are not that different in 2023 to what they were back in the olden days, nor are the practicalities of touring.

Edited September 27, 2023 by Misdee

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

We live in changing times .  When I did the meet and greet thing ( or what I was back in the day ) , it was pre internet / pre social media etc. we all know the music industry has changed somewhat when downloading became a thing  etc.

Now it seems ( and I stand to be corrected ) that bands make more from touring , merchandise ,and  charging fans various prices for after show autographed meet-ups . More of an exercise these days  .Some smaller touring bands allegedly struggle with merchandise sales  and have to pay x amount fo the allowance to sell their wares in various venues so it has been said .

This can turn   some bands into  corporate money making  machines  on a par with Kiss . I'm bored with metallica as one example .

Then again , is it really their fault as they are embracing the new narrative ? 

 

I think I'm lucky to have seen most of the bands I like ( d) at the right time , and the days of queuing up on a Saturday morning for iron maiden tickets outside hammy odeon as one example was much more fre and appealing than trying to go online at 9am trying to get a ticket to more or less any name band for exhorbitant prices . That is provided you have access to a computer at that time of day .

 

I am/ was of the mindset hat if you have various prices for a ticket ...always prepare and hope to pay for the dearest one you can get.

my friend got tkts for the clockwork angels gig at the o2 , and didn't get the dearest tkt . No, he went for the next price down .

great gig, but we couldn't see alll of the backing orchestra 🤦.

 

Greedy promoters unfortunately will charge what they want , as they know a lot will pay and gigs more or less sell out anyway.

Then there's inflation of course , so I can't really criticise Geddy prices here . Train prices in the other hand

 

I do have fond memories of those times , but I'll just wait for the audible release in November

 

 

 

 

[BigRedX]

19 minutes ago, Misdee said:

I went to see Rush in concert on the Permanent Waves tour in 1980. The ticket cost £4. That's about £16.50 in today's money.

 

Bands and music business types will tell you that the economics of touring have changed. I would tell you that a few trucks, a P.A , some lights and a load of fellas with long hair are not that different in 2023 to what they were back in the olden days, nor are the practicalities of touring.

 

The difference was that in 1980 the tour was the promotional tool to persuade you to buy the band's records. Most tours actually lost money, but a successful band would sell more than enough recorded product to make up for this.

 

Now the tour is the product and the recordings are essentially given away for free in order to persuade you to go and see the band. Consequently you are now seeing not only what it actually costs for the band to play a series of gigs but also be able to make a living from doing so.

[WinterMute]

I have tickets for the Barbican date, don't much care about the prices and I'd buy the book anyway. I've heard Geddy Lee speak on a few occasions and he's excellent, I'm looking forward to it.

[Misdee]

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

 

The difference was that in 1980 the tour was the promotional tool to persuade you to buy the band's records. Most tours actually lost money, but a successful band would sell more than enough recorded product to make up for this.

 

Now the tour is the product and the recordings are essentially given away for free in order to persuade you to go and see the band. Consequently you are now seeing not only what it actually costs for the band to play a series of gigs but also be able to make a living from doing so.

You are quite right. But lots of bands did make money playing live back in the old days, just like they do now. The other thing that has changed is that an industry has grown up around live concerts that mostly didn't exist 40 years ago. The ticket prices fund that superfluous industry.

[BigRedX]

6 minutes ago, Misdee said:

You are quite right. But lots of bands did make money playing live back in the old days, just like they do now. The other thing that has changed is that an industry has grown up around live concerts that mostly didn't exist 40 years ago. The ticket prices fund that superfluous industry.

 

I'm not so sure. Back in the early 80s there wasn't a big difference in ticket price between a band who had been on TotP last week playing at Rock City and someone you'd heard once on John Peel playing at the Ad-Lib Club. I suspect the band playing at the Ad-Lib would have come away with a small profit provided there was a decent turn-out, but the Rock City gig was almost definitely a loss-leader for selling more copies of the band's latest album.

[TimR]

3 hours ago, Misdee said:

I went to see Rush in concert on the Permanent Waves tour in 1980. The ticket cost £4. That's about £16.50 in today's money.

 

Bands and music business types will tell you that the economics of touring have changed. I would tell you that a few trucks, a P.A , some lights and a load of fellas with long hair are not that different in 2023 to what they were back in the olden days, nor are the practicalities of touring.

 

I went to see Rush on the Hold Your Fire tour in 1988. The Clockwork Angels tour in 2013 was a completely different show.

 

1988 was 3 guys with longish hair and some lights. 2013 it was quite a bit more. Aside from additional orchestral members the video display and lights did not compare. 

[wateroftyne]

6 minutes ago, TimR said:

 

I went to see Rush on the Hold Your Fire tour in 1988. The Clockwork Angels tour in 2013 was a completely different show.

 

1988 was 3 guys with longish hair and some lights. 2013 it was quite a bit more. Aside from additional orchestral members the video display and lights did not compare. 

I’d argue not for the better. The focus went off the band.

[Misdee]

2 hours ago, BigRedX said:

 

I'm not so sure. Back in the early 80s there wasn't a big difference in ticket price between a band who had been on TotP last week playing at Rock City and someone you'd heard once on John Peel playing at the Ad-Lib Club. I suspect the band playing at the Ad-Lib would have come away with a small profit provided there was a decent turn-out, but the Rock City gig was almost definitely a loss-leader for selling more copies of the band's latest album.

Another part of that equation is the changing role played by the record company in financially support tours back in the day and compared to now. 

 

I would like to point out that I have no problem with people making money from high ticket prices for music events. I'm a firm believer in the Free Market economy. People can charge whatever they want and I can refuse to pay it.

 

On reflection,very few bands I have been to see play in the last must be fifty years now (!) have been worth more than £10 in today's money. The vast majority weren't worth a fiver. And that's to watch them play. To watch them talk (like Geddy Lee is gonna)  I would expect them to pay me. Nowadays I'd much rather go see a fledgling unsigned band or even some kids playing at a youth club than the vast majority of established acts. And as for the stadium rock concerts by big name bands that people pay lots of money too see, I wouldn't open my curtains to watch any of them even if they were playing in my garden. 

[TimR]

In 1988 a pint had just gone over the £1 mark. It's now close or over £6 depending where you drink. 

 

Any big name charging under £60 a ticket is undervaluing themselves. 

[White Cloud]

3 hours ago, TimR said:

 

I went to see Rush on the Hold Your Fire tour in 1988. The Clockwork Angels tour in 2013 was a completely different show.

 

1988 was 3 guys with longish hair and some lights. 2013 it was quite a bit more. Aside from additional orchestral members the video display and lights did not compare. 

On reflection, I've seen Rush many times...the first being the Hold your Fire tour in 1988. For me the HYF tour was my favourite with the others incrementally tailing off. Law of diminishing returns?

 

Don't get me wrong I'm a Rush diehard however, I found it almost painful at the end given Ged's loss of vocal range. 

[TimR]

Yes. We are all just getting older. My favourite albums were earlier. Moving Pictures, Big Money, the later ones are good but don't match them. 

 

Geddy's voice and and Alex's hands mean that its unlikely the pair of them will play again in big tours in whatever form. I suspect mentally they're never going to be in that place. They did a very good interview last year having been in mourning for a year.

 

 

 

[Skybone]

It's been a tale and a half here...

 

I'd thought about going, but then decided not to, due to the cost of getting there, staying over, etc. Then I was informed that my son's College Music Course were having a "show gig" on the same night. Being his first gig, I could not miss that.

 

Then I was speaking to our guitarist, who's also a big Rush fan, who said he'd drive, result, so I booked 2 tickets, only remembering about my sons gig directly after booking them. Oh Foxtrot! Sent the venue an email, asking if I can cancel the booking & get a refund. Thankfully, they obliged (phew, TFFT).

 

Fast forward to yesterday (13th Dec.), when my son texted me to say that the gig had been cancelled due to a lack of Staff. Gutted for my son, but then thought to ask our guitarist if he was still up for it. Not surprised at his answer, so booked some more tickets.

 

Guess I'll see you there whoever's going to Glasgow! 

 

"Giddy for Geddy"

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

43 minutes ago, Skybone said:

It's been a tale and a half here...

 

I'd thought about going, but then decided not to, due to the cost of getting there, staying over, etc. Then I was informed that my son's College Music Course were having a "show gig" on the same night. Being his first gig, I could not miss that.

 

Then I was speaking to our guitarist, who's also a big Rush fan, who said he'd drive, result, so I booked 2 tickets, only remembering about my sons gig directly after booking them. Oh Foxtrot! Sent the venue an email, asking if I can cancel the booking & get a refund. Thankfully, they obliged (phew, TFFT).

 

Fast forward to yesterday (13th Dec.), when my son texted me to say that the gig had been cancelled due to a lack of Staff. Gutted for my son, but then thought to ask our guitarist if he was still up for it. Not surprised at his answer, so booked some more tickets.

 

Guess I'll see you there whoever's going to Glasgow! 

 

"Giddy for Geddy"

Well done on actually manage to rebook tkts !😼👍 

 

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

On 27/09/2023 at 12:27, WinterMute said:

I have tickets for the Barbican date, don't much care about the prices and I'd buy the book anyway. I've heard Geddy Lee speak on a few occasions and he's excellent, I'm looking forward to it.

I was lucky to see him promoting  the Rush film at the haymarket  . He is a very good speaker , and you'll enjoy the Barbican 😼👍

[BassFace1991]

I saw him in Sheffield last night. Enjoyed it. Definitely glad I went. Hopefully it won't be the last chance I get to see him. 

[Skybone]

It was an entertaining night indeed. Phill Jupitus was the Guest Interviewer, and the "Glasgow Chorus" opened with a rendition of "Closer to the Heart". Plenty of funny stories about the band and their antics, plenty of contemplative stories about losses.

 

Glad I could go. 

 

And my son is happy as well now, as we have tickets for Slipknot next December.

[markbunney]

There look to be quite a few unsold tickets to London on Monday, I wonder if they will get reduced on the day to shift them 

[toneknob]

Were you at Wolverhampton?

[toneknob]

or Sheffield?

[toneknob]

or Glasgow

[cetera]

An EPIC night out at Portsmouth Guildhall last night! His interviewer was none other than his bandmate Alex Lifeson (😲😲).... AND I got to actually meet Geddy beforehand, have a pic with him and get my book signed too! Just wonderful.... 💜🎶😎👍

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 18, 2023 by cetera

[WinterMute]

We had David Baddiel hosting at the Barbican last night, which made for some fascinating conversation about Geddy's Jewish heritage and his parents experiences in the camps. Alex turned up for the second half Q&A which was hilarious and moving by turns, I hadn't expected Geddy to be so candid about Neil Peart's passing.

 

What a fine night all round

 

.

 

 

 

[wateroftyne]

Absolutely crushed I couldn't make any of these.

[Doctor J]