The Chinese character for "crisis" also means "opportunity" - for the live music business, a down season equals consumer bargains.
Wednesday is the day to learn about struggling concert tours, as Live Nation rolls out two-for-one specials and "no-service fee" promotions.
The latter, in my opinion, should be made permanent. Extra fees can add anywher from 15 to 50 percent to a ticket's cost. It's one of the reasons fans hate TicketMaster and Live Nation.
Reading between the lines, I'd say it's tough to be Creed this summer. On a completely unrelated topic, is there anyone the Doobie Brothers WON'T open for? They're also out with Steve Miller.
The list of today's bargains:
Bank of America Pavilion (Boston)
Fri, 08/28/09
07:00 p.m. Heaven & Hell
Comcast Center (Mansfield)
Sun, 07/26/09
07:30 p.m. Toby Keith w/ Trace Adkins presented by Ford F-Series
Fri, 07/31/09
07:30 p.m. Depeche Mode
Sat, 08/01/09
07:00 p.m. Incubus
Tue, 08/18/09
07:30 p.m. Creed
Wed, 08/19/09
05:00 p.m. Crue Fest 2
Comcast Theatre (Hartford)
Thu, 08/06/09
08:00 p.m. O.A.R(…of a revolution)
Thu, 08/20/09
08:00 p.m. Creed
Sat, 08/22/09
08:00 p.m. Lynyrd Skynyrd with special guest The Doobie Brothers
Saratoga Performing Arts Center (NY)
Mon, 07/27/09
07:00 p.m. Coldplay
Tue, 07/28/09
07:30 p.m. Crosby, Stills & Nash
Sun, 08/09/09
07:30 p.m. O.A.R.
Tue, 08/11/09
07:30 p.m. Creed
Tue, 08/18/09
07:00 p.m. The Allman Brothers Band with The Doobie Brothers
Wed, 08/26/09
08:00 p.m. The Moody Blues
Tue, 09/01/09
05:00 p.m. Crue Fest 2
Thu, 09/03/09
07:30 p.m. Toby Keith w/Trace Adkins presented by Ford F-Series