Types of Venues: Assigned Seating vs General Seating

[Christine]

Yes, it is, but that's sort of what general admission is. It's anyone's game.

 

Just like buying seated tickets online is anyone's game. The difference is if you get burned with crap seats online you've only wasted 90 seconds of your time and you still have the option of sourcing better seats before the gig.

 

If you get burned going into a general admission venue you've wasted 14 hours of your time and you've missed your one and only chance to get to the front row.

 

It sounds like fun because you've had a couple of great gigs in the front row (I've had 4 myself), but I've also seen people crying because they've been at the venue from 7 am and couldn't make it to the front for reasons totally beyond their control.

 

It's a bad setup and it's totally unnecessary. The only people it benefits are the chancers who slip in at the last moment and take away spots from the people who deserve it.

[lollipop_monkey]

Anyone who was at the last LA show is going to be completely, utterly biased. We had perfect weather, reasonable security, fun in the queue, and the entire MFC contingent ended up in the front row. We were able to go for bathroom/food/drink breaks, go talk to Luke and Saranayde, and stalk Mika's tour bus. I'm fully aware, though, that so many others have had totally different experiences.

 

My problem is that I associate seated shows with stadiums, and Mika is probably the only artist I'd be willing to see in a stadium - and even then, being in like the 20th row would suck.

 

I guess it's not like it's our decision to make - when Mika's audiences continue to swell, he'll find himself playing seated venues. I just hope there's some means for us to get pre-sale tickets. None of this 11th row shiznit.

[RAK1]

I do agree that the bigger he gets the moreneed for assigned seating. What I don't understandis why he didn't do this before.

In Bristol there is a venue the Colston Hall where it is all seated and I've been to a few concerts there through the years, and the atmosphere has always been great there, and all through these tours I could never understand why he never played there! Lots of people like Newton Faulkner, Sugababes, and dare I say it, James Blunt have played there. Mika would definitely sold it out for 2 nights at least. I'm not saying this 'cause its near to where I live, although that's a bonus, ha ha, but there must be more venues around the UK just like it he could play at. And we wouldn't need to queue, as you say.

[Suzy]

I have not regretted sacrificing time and energy to be front row for all 3 Mika gigs I've been to (all GENERAL ADMISSION). But this is only because I feel it's worth it for me.

 

I barely make 5 feet and I've injured my ankle so many times in my life that the barrier or stage support I have to rest my upper body with is a godsend (also helpful when people behind you are pushing because it is much easier to maintain your spot in front row then even 2nd or 3rd row). I would rather be in the front row balcony if I'm not front row.

 

I prepare myself very well (seating, dressed for weather, get familiar with where you go for food and toilet breaks) for the long wait in the line/queue and I've actually enjoyed waiting (to some degree, especially when there is great company and tolerable weather).

 

I would love a seated venue too - only if I was still able to get seats in the first few rows and my sight line wasn't impeded by taller people or structures.

[Suzy]

Just look at how much more comfortable you can be in front row with a barrier or stage to rest your arms or bags, and coats.

[RAK1]

I'm with Suzy on this, being of the short in stature persuasion myself. If I were to go to a seated gig, I would have to be in the front set. I have been to many gigs where I have been stuck behind much taller people than myself and it does spoil your enjoyment of the show. The only other times I've been front row, is at the Basement Jaxx gigs I went to (except Wembley, where I had a great spot above them in the balcony). So I guess being front row at every Mika show has really spoiled me.

[Christine]

Just look at how much more comfortable you can be in front row with a barrier or stage to rest your arms or bags, and coats.

 

 

I would have been even more comfortable if my ass had been in a seat.

 

I can't deny having Mika trapped in a little 6 foot box in front of us all night was worth the wait though.

[sariflor]

It sounds like fun because you've had a couple of great gigs in the front row (I've had 4 myself), but I've also seen people crying because they've been at the venue from 7 am and couldn't make it to the front for reasons totally beyond their control.

 

It's a bad setup and it's totally unnecessary. The only people it benefits are the chancers who slip in at the last moment and take away spots from the people who deserve it.

 

Anyone who was at the last LA show is going to be completely, utterly biased. We had perfect weather, reasonable security, fun in the queue, and the entire MFC contingent ended up in the front row. We were able to go for bathroom/food/drink breaks, go talk to Luke and Saranayde, and stalk Mika's tour bus. I'm fully aware, though, that so many others have had totally different experiences.

 

I totally agree with the above posts. When you've had a good experience after queuing and getting your "deserved" front spot, you feel on top of the world and happier than Larry.

The problem is that, it's gotten to the point that this is not the case anymore. This only worked when there was a very clear mathematical situation: less "hard core" fans who turn up to queue early, than actual spots in the front row. Then it always works, and everyone gets their good spot, as the rest don't care that much about where they end up.

 

Now it's mad. Too many people want the spot yet are not prepared to get there early, or are using dirty tricks.

So there ends up being far more people than front spots, and it always ends in tears.

Plus there are so many shameless eejits who turn up late, and then just push their way through to the front anyway.

 

I know that "such is life", but heck, if this can be curbed by having assigned seating, then I am all for it.

 

I had never actually agreed with agreed seating before, but now seeing Mika's success I'm all for it. It's just gotten silly, the queueing time is far too long, and the methods of people in order to secure good spots are just crazy.

 

So now I say: bring on the assigned seats, with the front rows on presale for fans.

 

 

 

The only violence at a Mika concert would be me and Sariflor taking on the jerks who thought they could queue jump at 6 pm and get in front of us.

 

 

Damn right we did, LOL!!!

Hell hath no fury like an MFC'er queue jumped!!

We did well though, thanks to our lovely security guy Omar:wub2:I could have kissed that man when he told the other dude that NO WAY were those people going in ahead of us.

The shame!!

 

Just look at how much more comfortable you can be in front row with a barrier or stage to rest your arms or bags, and coats.

 

 

 

Oh Suzy, that's us!!!

 

 

I'd also like to say that the whole assigned seating would laso resolve one of my pet peeves after the last London gigs: the amount of people claiming some sort of disability that made them "deserve" to go in early and take up the front and center.

That was a joke.

[Niki27]

Just a stupid question but how can you be sure to be front if seats are assigned?

Anybody could get a seat front row then, no matter how devoted they are, right? It would only be a matter of luck/bad luck or the money you can spend on your ticket...

[RAK1]

Just a stupid question but how can you be sure to be front if seats are assigned?

Anybody could get a seat front row then, no matter how devoted they are, right? It would only be a matter of luck/bad luck or the money you can spend on your ticket...

 

That would be the advantage of getting presale tickets, although even then it's first off the mark to get the front row obviously. But at least you would be in front to some extent.

[Christine]

That would be the advantage of getting presale tickets, although even then it's first off the mark to get the front row obviously. But at least you would be in front to some extent.

 

Suzy and I bought the first 5 tickets to the Toronto show sitting in a cafe in London. We were first in the queue and first to buy tickets. Same result either way.

 

I know there's far more competition in some cities in Europe for people who would have access to presale tickets, but this is primarily a North American issue.

 

Toronto is going to have seated venues whether we want to or not. There's really nowhere else for Mika to play that isn't seated. The Kool Haus was already too small for him and he's going to attract an even bigger audience next time around.

 

Even if we somehow get burned I will just go out and buy tickets at the front. My time is money. I saw front row tickets to the Vancouver show on sale on Craigslist. I could have earned enough money to buy one of those tickets in the time I spent at Brixton before 9 am. I still had to waste another 12 hours standing around before he got on stage.

[babspanky]

but SOME people are bound to be STANDING at the back as well. Might as well let them be seating so they can see .

 

 

 

PLUS: It would be like seeing a plsy, or live theatre but louder and darker, I've been to many plays in my 14 years, assigned seating, and no, ive always had good seats but it's not that bad the back-row seating , if you can hear the play from back there you can DEFFINITELY hear a screaming version of love today

 

Well said, Jemma and I had to work on the days of the last Mika gigs and didn't get there till 7.30 ish by which time people had been queueing since midnight. We had no chance at all of getting anywhere near the front unless we used some very aggressive tactics which we had no intention of doing.

We spent the whole time at the back with very poor views. Not much fun really.

 

And boy did we complain.

[babspanky]

When I got to seated shows, I stand up and do not care if people behind me are sitting. Christopher always feels bad because he's a big guy, but I always tell him if he paid for his ticket than he has a right to stand up and fully enjoy himself.

 

If you came to sit at a concert, then why not just go see a movie? Concerts are for dancing and having fun, not for sitting with your arms crossed the whole time.

 

Some people can't stand for long though or stand without something to lean on. You are lucky you can.

[Christine]

Well said, Jemma and I had to work on the days of the last Mika gigs and didn't get there till 7.30 ish by which time people had been queueing since midnight.

 

Many of us have to work. Yes, I can take vacation days. But it's more than a bit ridiculous IMO to have to take almost 2 days off just to go to one 80-minute gig that starts 4 hours after my workday is finished.

 

It's also becoming as costly to wait in these queues all nights and day as it is to buy tickets from touts. Chairs, sleeping bags, hot drinks, change for the toilet, cabs across town at 5 am because the Tube isn't running yet.

 

Getting to the front row in London was insane.

[mandilambi]

Some people can't stand for long though or stand without something to lean on. You are lucky you can.

 

Thanks, I realize that. But I still believe I have a right to stand if I want to. Just as much as they have a right to sit down.

[-Jennie-]

Getting to the front row in London was insane.

 

But fun

 

...Waking up at 3am and running around getting changed and putting out hair-dryer flames and getting a taxi at 4am to one of the dodgiest areas of London to sit in sleeping bags for 14 hours in an alley is fun right?

 

And I don't know about the rest of you but I'd barely know/be friends with 95% of the people I know on here if it wasn't for situations like this.

[Niki27]

That would be the advantage of getting presale tickets, although even then it's first off the mark to get the front row obviously. But at least you would be in front to some extent.

 

Assuming that Mika's management would let us know about such presales and stuff then?

Last time we got the Myspace presale announcement for Amsterdam 20' before the ticketseller's office closed, while it had started 2 hours before ... just saying

[Christine]

But fun

 

...Waking up at 3am and running around getting changed and putting out hair-dryer flames and getting a taxi at 4am to one of the dodgiest areas of London to sit in sleeping bags for 14 hours in an alley is fun right?

 

And I don't know about the rest of you but I'd barely know/be friends with 95% of the people I know on here if it wasn't for situations like this.

 

Yes, especially the hair dryer flames!

 

I agree about queuing fun in the past. I am glad that there has been some queuing history with MFC. But now that I know so many people I prefer to spend time with them in more fun situations, like going to dinner, to other gigs, having drinks, etc.

 

We can always bring new people into the meet ups even if we haven't met them yet. There's such a strong social network already.

 

I found at the last gig I didn't spend much time talking to people because I was so tired and people were so stressed out towards the end of the day. It would have been nice to hang out in the pub instead of worrying about wristbands and security thwarting us from getting inside before everyone else.

 

Assuming that Mika's management would let us know about such presales and stuff then?

 

They shouldn't just let us know. They should be in control of it.

 

(Okay you can stop laughing now.)

[Mika4Life13]

Thanks, I realize that. But I still believe I have a right to stand if I want to. Just as much as they have a right to sit down.

The right to sit down? They kind of..need to.

[RAK1]

Assuming that Mika's management would let us know about such presales and stuff then?

Last time we got the Myspace presale announcement for Amsterdam 20' before the ticketseller's office closed, while it had started 2 hours before ... just saying

 

At the risk of sounding naïve, isn't that part of what we wanted in the whole becoming official thing. Getting information like this, presale tickets etc?

[Niki27]

At the risk of sounding naïve, isn't that part of what we wanted in the whole becoming official thing. Getting information like this, presale tickets etc?

 

That's what we wanted indeed... But I think I'd rather not comment on this

[lollipop_monkey]

Another perk of general admission is that MFCers (who are able to queue early) can, if they like, all stand together once inside - or at least close to together.

 

Obviously that might not be as relevant in places like London with 75+ MFCers at the same show - but especially in North America where there's 20 or fewer of us at any given show, it's nice to have MFC people all around you instead of complete strangers. It was kind of a buzz kill in Vancouver when we all met for supper, but then went our separate ways once getting to the actual venue.

 

Unfortunately, I think getting presale access is going to be more our best bet going forward - or trading 14 hour waits for buying overpriced front row tickets from eBay.

 

I can't speak for Europe, but in North America I think he's going to have no choice but to play seated venues. Thinking of LA, the Wiltern had a capacity of 2,300. Where can he go from there? Seated theatres, like the Kodak (3,400), the Greek (5,700) or the Nokia (7,100).

[StandardToaster]

Personally, I prefer to stand during a Mika concert. he's not the type you can exactly sit still for.

 

I think venues like the Wiltern are the best. Standing room up front and a seated area behind.

[Niki27]

Personally, I prefer to stand during a Mika concert. he's not the type you can exactly sit still for.

 

I think venues like the Wiltern are the best. Standing room up front and a seated area behind.

 

I agree.

This all seated-venue concept isn't familiar for me anyway, we don't have that here. We usually have a standing area and a seated area, or a standing area only, and this whatever the size of the venue.

[ArachnidKid]

Many of us have to work. Yes, I can take vacation days. But it's more than a bit ridiculous IMO to have to take almost 2 days off just to go to one 80-minute gig that starts 4 hours after my workday is finished.

 

It's also becoming as costly to wait in these queues all nights and day as it is to buy tickets from touts. Chairs, sleeping bags, hot drinks, change for the toilet, cabs across town at 5 am because the Tube isn't running yet.

 

Getting to the front row in London was insane.

 

LOL I'm just now starting to gather more vacation time at work. I took 2 days because MIKA was playing in Seattle and I live in Portland so I had to take a Greyhound there the night before. And there wasn't much of a chance that I'd make it back to be at work the next morning (or want to try) so I took the next day off as well. Totally worth it though, and I found the queuing experience to be quite fun. There were three girls who got there shortly after we did and they were handing out lollipops...Plus we met this awesome chick who gave us a ride home and took our pictures with MIKA and e-mailed them to us later...still though I can see how some people would feel less stressed about knowing where their seat was and that no one would be able to take it.