World of Weird Al Yankovic

DrSteggy @ Aug 27 2006, 12:53 PM wrote: So, I guess the point I'm really trying to make is...I. HATE...um, buying tickets right away doesn't really guarentee you a front row seat. And really, seeing Al from nearly any point in most venues is still great!

But, you can request to get a seat up front. When my family and I went to the San Luis Obisbo show during the Poodle Hat Tour, we dad bought us tickets the day after they went on sale and we got 4th row, center.

I didn't know you were at SLO, Barney Slayer! I think I was probably sitting very close to you. I don't remember if I was third or fourth row center, but it was quite close!

Over the years, there are a few places where I have been unable to get decent seats, and I'm really thinking hard about going there again. The Greek Theater is one, and Great America is another. But, in the end, I'll probably end up going to both, just to meet up with friends and such.

Hmm, I'll definitely try requesting front row, or at least somewhere reasonably close. *nod*

I remember Helen and I *thought* we had good seats at Madera, but at the last minute they added about 10 rows to the front and we ended up in around the 13th row. Man, what a disappointment! Same at Fresno where the first 10-12 rows were reserved for "special people" with influence at the venue.

Sometimes those people make the worst audience, and make a big show out of being bored or "not amused". I just can't stand that kind of rudeness!

As I recall, those seats in front of us at Madera were only partly filled with people sitting there with all the animation of oil paintings (non-Hogwarts oil paintings, that is), and the rest were EMPTY. What a horrible waste. And it must not be easy for Al to play to a bunch of empty seats either. I mean, he knows the rest of us are there, he just can't see us because of the stage lights.

Barney Slayer @ Aug 27 2006, 03:04 PM wrote: But, you can request to get a seat up front. When my family and I went to the San Luis Obisbo show during the Poodle Hat Tour, we dad bought us tickets the day after they went on sale and we got 4th row, center.

That may depends on the venue--I do ask for up front, and sometimes I am told that they don't have control of that. Al tends to play small places, and they are really all quite individual as far as ticket policies.

Jackie

I wish that Al would do a tour in England.

does anyone know roughly what tickets are likely to cost? (specifically around the north coast, if that makes any difference)

That really varies venue to venue--they all have their own ticketing policies. Depending on where you buy the tickets from (direct from the venue or through an agency like Ticketmaster) there may be additional fees on top of the ticket price. Some places will mail you the tickets, which may also have an additional charge, and some ask you to pick them up at the venue. It is quite variable and I don't know that there is any generalization that can be made that will be reliable.

In general, they run somewhere between $25 and 30 US dollars...though I've paid as high as $36 (that I can recall offhand...that show was in a gymnasium, too) I don't think I have paid less than $25. Tickets for PH were slightly higher than what I recall for RWS...it is likely that SOL might run a little higher than PH.

Jackie

Out here in California, the tickets are usually $45-50 with all the Ticketmaster add-ons, etc. I think planning on $50 a show would be a safe bet.

Sometimes at places like Great America, with parking the total cost is close to $65, and they may end up even higher this year.

Personally, I absolutely recommend going the extra amount to get the best (i. e. closest) seat you can. If you can't get close, at least get an aisle seat. I heard a story of someone being offered $500 (I don't think it was in cash) for an aisle seat once, but they didn't take it.