2013-07-19: Wrigley Field: Chicago, IL

[given2trade]

The limited edition stuff absolutely helps the band. The hard core fans eat it up. If posters and hoodies and cards etc. were widely available the demand would perversely be lower.

I can't believe people wait in a 5 minute line let alone longer. I got tons of posters in 1998 and 2000 when nobody cared about them and haven't bought one since 2003.

You don't think that, for items with a 1,000 limit, that they wouldn't sell 2,500 if they made them available?

Yes, they could maybe once or twice but eventually the lack of scarcity would make the demand fall. It's a complicated equation.

[twoheadedboy]

What I'm saying with the shirts and posters is make them totally to order. The downside is no instant gratification, the upside is everyone who wants one gets one, and they don't have to clearance out any extras (unless they want to).

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

I wouldn't care what the limit of the posters was, i don't buy them to make money off of, i buy them as a memory of the show and for the art, i wish i could grab my poster on the way out of the venue instead of having to get it before and hold it during the show because it will sell out.

[bodysnatcher]

I can't believe B posted a link to the wrigley cam on TSIS's facebook page. Pearl Jam fans are going to F5 the shit out of the site and ruin it for everyone.

good god, B

[bodysnatcher]

I wouldn't care what the limit of the posters was, i don't buy them to make money off of, i buy them as a memory of the show and for the art, i wish i could grab my poster on the way out of the venue instead of having to get it before and hold it during the show because it will sell out.

Yeah it's so dumb. At some point, it becomes more about getting merch than seeing the band. Idiotic. I hated having to buy a poster (knowing they'd sell out) and then hold onto it or watch over it during the show. So annoying. When the 10c started allowing you to preorder posters for shows (last tour?), that was great. You think they'll do that again?

[broken iris]

Couldn't take it so I'm hanging at sluggers. Better drunk pj fans than the sweaty desperation of the merch lines.

[Lament]

Yeah it's so dumb. At some point, it becomes more about getting merch than seeing the band. Idiotic.

If you've been down by Wrigley at any time the past few days, there's little doubt that it's already reached that point. I was looking at the multiple hour long merch lines yesterday and thinking about how far we've come from Soldier Field in 1995 when the band wasn't allowed (or whatever the specific story is) to sell any merchandise at the show, yet somehow even without a poster to commemorate it people managed to have a great time and still talk about the show to this day. I'm not saying people wouldn't still enjoy a show in 2013 without merchandise, but if a situation ever occurred today where people showed up to a show and found there was no merchandise whatsoever, there'd be a big old shitstorm. There'd be petitions and everything...

[dimejinky99]

Soundcheck? That's ed there anyways
http://twitter.com/mikeapostolos/status ... 68/photo/1

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

I wouldn't care what the limit of the posters was, i don't buy them to make money off of, i buy them as a memory of the show and for the art, i wish i could grab my poster on the way out of the venue instead of having to get it before and hold it during the show because it will sell out.

Yeah it's so dumb. At some point, it becomes more about getting merch than seeing the band. Idiotic. I hated having to buy a poster (knowing they'd sell out) and then hold onto it or watch over it during the show. So annoying. When the 10c started allowing you to preorder posters for shows (last tour?), that was great. You think they'll do that again?

i didnt know that they did that, but if they do then ill definitely be in for it, otherwise im hoping they have merch outside the arena so i can take it back to the car or the hotel before i go in to the show.

[twoheadedboy]

I'm bitching about the logistics and false scarcity, not being butthurt about feeling left out, because after seeing the line yesterday I didn't even try. My complaints have nothing to do with my enjoyment or lack thereof relating to the show, just my frustration with buying merch (and we're not even talking the ridiculous prices things cost these days).

[given2fly23]

how far we've come from Soldier Field in 1995 when the band wasn't allowed (or whatever the specific story is) to sell any merchandise at the show, yet somehow even without a poster to commemorate it people managed to have a great time and still talk about the show to this day.

Great point. Soldier Field was my first show, Wrigley will be #58, but nothing will compare to the Soldier Field experience.

I used to be a poster buyer, but if you take a step back and think, it's so ridiculous. what's even worse is these baseball cards and stuff. do adults really sit around and play with PJ baseball cards?

[dimejinky99]

An awful lot of the merch is already on eBay for silly money.
If they didn't have a thing going where you had to show your ticket for the show then the eBay thing on the scale it's at was a forgone conclusion.

[Farmer John]

[E.H. Ruddock]

An awful lot of the merch is already on eBay for silly money.
If they didn't have a thing going where you had to show your ticket for the show then the eBay thing on the scale it's at was a forgone conclusion.

Yeah, for something like this you should have to show your ticket. Ebay is crazy right now with the prices of the Chicago merch.

[Lament]

how far we've come from Soldier Field in 1995 when the band wasn't allowed (or whatever the specific story is) to sell any merchandise at the show, yet somehow even without a poster to commemorate it people managed to have a great time and still talk about the show to this day.

Great point. Soldier Field was my first show, Wrigley will be #58, but nothing will compare to the Soldier Field experience.

I used to be a poster buyer, but if you take a step back and think, it's so ridiculous. what's even worse is these baseball cards and stuff. do adults really sit around and play with PJ baseball cards?

Solider Field was my first too. What an incredible night. Whenever someone starts going on and on about how posters help them remember their experience, that show comes to mind. Funny how we all remember it so well without a poster. I'm sure people who were at Atlanta '94 or any other great earlier show feel the same way.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think there's anything weird about buying merch when it's there, and I don't really think it's all that strange to show up when the doors open and wait in line for 20-30 minutes to buy something you like. I can see how buying a shirt or a poster when you get to the show that night DOES add to your buzz for the experience. But I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around standing in line for two hours two days before the show. I don't buy that that's gonna help you "remember" the event. There's a big difference between "I got my tickets, went inside, bought a poster/t-shirt, found my seat, and let the excitement build for 3 hours till the band hit stage," and "Waited in line for two hours in the hot sun two days before the show. Bought some sweet merch. Went back to the hotel/my house. Couple days later caught the show." At that point your purchasing isn't part of your concert going event, it's an event in itself.

[dimejinky99]

As close as ill be getting to Wrigley tonight

[broken iris]

Got my seat, Field M / row 16. It was a trade, person's 10c number around 200xxx

[Fuck You Jobu]

Merchandise was turrible. Long wait and then in waves theyd bring new stuff.

[E.H. Ruddock]

I'm checking out that street cam now. If it's this windy tonight that camera is gonna be useless.

[dimejinky99]

Some guy just scored two field GA tickets for face value.
Nice to hear there's still some good people out there.