Advance ticket booking for Files/Forum members

[dharma]

All the mud-slinging aside, I wonder (although it might be in the front pages, which I've not read in entirety), how is Ticketmaster going to determine who is a member and who is not? Is Jarkko going to have to send a list to all Tix outlets? Even then, how do we verify our 'membership' on the phone?

A couple of weeks ago I bought presale tickets (front row ) for a Tindersticks concert at the Festival Hall in London. The way it worked was that I was given a password via the Tindersticks website, then two days before the tickets went on general sale I just phoned the Festival Hall, mentioned the 'secret' password and bought the tickets. It was as simple as that. Maybe Lenny's presale tickets will be made available in different ways, but whatever the method it gives fans a better chance of beating the touts/scalpers.

[damellon]

Hi Linda
I think what is happening here is that, in effect, the tickets are being offered to the general public, since it seems that most of the people who seem interested are probably already here, or will be by the time the announcement is made. So ticket purchase will be the same as for any other gig, with the attendant risk of not getting one. But 'c'est la vie'. Good luck with getting one.

[jammymulligan]

Hope I'm still elgible to get tickets..its starting to sound a bit 'us and them'...heres hoping anyway shams...Pauline

[Lorelei]

Can I start by saying thank you to Leonard, his management, Jarkko and any others who run this site for giving us all such a wonderful opportunity to maybe get tickets in advance of public sale.

I have been a fan of Leonard's music for a long time, but for many years knew no one else in my social circle who felt the same, I have never seen him in concert. I thought I would never ever see him live,then YIPPEE I heard in January that Leonard was going to tour. I joined this forum not with any idea that I could get tickets in advance, but merely to find out what I could about the tour...venues, dates etc. In fact I didn't even appreciate that there would be a chance of getting advance tickets. I am a fan of another singer/band and belong to various websites. There we have never been offered such a wonderful opportunity as this. And there is nothing more galling than being unable to get decent seats at concerts only to see loads of them for sale on ebay a few hours later

So all I can say is good luck to everyone on the 11th, may the best person win and I hope that if I don't get a ticket then I am luckier when they go on public sale.

[joanofarc]

fantastic news but when and how can we start getting these advance tickets? anyone know?

[linda_lakeside]

Announcement to be made March 11th. Forum time (Finnish (as in Finland) time) - I do believe. Maybe Greenwich time - whatever, we don't really expect to know much more until the 11th.

[greggie]

Some of the long standing members of the forum seem to be having some concerns about the recent numbers joining it. Ticket re-sellers being the main reason to worry. I honestly think that the majority of new members are like myself, having loved Leonard Cohen for many years and recently hearing news of him touring this summer have googled it, found the forum and joined.

I seen Leonard in May 1993 when I lived in London, things were easier then. Got a ticket easy! Chill.

[Red Poppy]

Fans are fans regardless of how they express their love of leonard! I've been waiting for this for a very long time and feel through my years of devotion to the great man I would feel an injustice if i was denied a presale ticket purely because i chose not to post an a forum!!!

This is a great moment, embrace it folks and don't destroy it - 1 post or 1000 - we're all fans,

So, comrade, why are you bothering to post on the forum now?
More bollocks!!!!

[Undertow]

Fans are fans regardless of how they express their love of leonard! I've been waiting for this for a very long time and feel through my years of devotion to the great man I would feel an injustice if i was denied a presale ticket purely because i chose not to post an a forum!!!

This is a great moment, embrace it folks and don't destroy it - 1 post or 1000 - we're all fans,

So, comrade, why are you bothering to post on the forum now?
More bollocks!!!!

Because theres something to post about now?

Until Cohen announced the tour, this was just a place to appreciate Cohen and talk about his lyrics, arrange meetings etc. If you werent interested in meeting other Cohenites and arent interested in discussing Cohen lyrics or whatever, whats the point of being on the forum?

Ive known about the existence of this forum for years, but compared to others I frequent, this one was incredibly slow and none of the topics I read interested me enough to sign up. But when the tour was announced, I felt I had to share my ridiculous happiness with everyone, so I signed up.

Still bollocks?

[Red Poppy]

"Until Cohen announced the tour, this was just a place to appreciate Cohen and talk about his lyrics, arrange meetings etc. If you werent interested in meeting other Cohenites and arent interested in discussing Cohen lyrics or whatever, whats the point of being on the forum?

Ive known about the existence of this forum for years, but compared to others I frequent, this one was incredibly slow and none of the topics I read interested me enough to sign up. But when the tour was announced, I felt I had to share my ridiculous happiness with everyone, so I signed up.

Still bollocks?"

ABSOLUTELY!! WITHOUT A DOUBT. TOTAL BOLLOCKS!
AND EVEN YOU MUST SEE THAT.


(BY, the way, Linda - no one's climbing over the bodies of friends. We want to see friends get the tickets because they have been the ones to attend get-togethers; exhibitions; meet-ups etc.)

I've seen Leonard twice in concert and interviewed him a couple of times in a former career. If I don't get tickets I'll be disappointed but it won't kill me (and it certaily won't affect Leonard ) but it's extraordinary that all these new posters (including the comrade above) have never once been tempted to join in any discussion on lyrics, new releases, re-releases, appearances with Anjani (Whateber happened to Anjani???), personal abuse, self abuse, poetry, the art exhibitions, the appearances of Leonard at occasional gigs, the down turn in his economy - nothing generated even the slightest urge to write one line.
Extraordinary!

So - yes - I believe that lurking among the lurkers (whose personal testaments are moving/ endearing/ a tribute to their parents/heartrending/ horseshit - delete as appropriate) there are touts and I'm damned if I want to see them get the tickets - no matter how moving their (bullshit) stories are.

So, yes, bollocks is still a word I like!!!!!

[linda_lakeside]

undertow wrote:

Ive known about the existence of this forum for years, but compared to others I frequent, this one was incredibly slow and none of the topics I read interested me enough to sign up.

So, if you're such a fan and you found this forum to be 'incredibly slow', are you not saying that, in effect, you feel Leonard to 'incredibly slow'.? "that's his style, man". There has been much going on in this forum, scholars and fans alike trying analyze his lyrics, links to little known material and videos. Exquisite old album art. Great photos, and the spin-off being people stepping up to the plate and trying poetry on, in public. The people in this forum have been immersed in Leonard's world. Trying to dig out every piece of esoteric info they can. Translations, etc. It's all been happening all along. It's more of a 'community' than a mere site. The selfless trading of memorabilia. I've found it incredibly interesting, but I never, ever in my wildest dreams thought it might put me in a position to get pre-sale tix. Frankly, I didn't think he would tour again, but still, I was here looking into his life, reading what I could. Why, if one is such a 'fan' of Leonard's would they not want to be a member rather than a lurker?

[linda_lakeside]

(BY, the way, Linda - no one's climbing over the bodies of friends. We want to see friends get the tickets because they have been the ones to attend get-togethers; exhibitions; meet-ups etc.)

Yes, I know, Red Poppy. Bad choice of words. What I meant by 'friends' was the lovers of Leonard's work - which has been the basis of many friendships on board and off. I don't want to get involved in an overly passionate debate, but the more I read, the more likely it is that this will happen (the getting involved in a passionate debate - not 'climbing over the bodies of friends' - hyperbole). It just seems that a lot of people are now coming out of the woodwork proclaiming their love of Leonard, when he was here (in spirit), the whole time. And no, I don't see friend against friend.

[linda_lakeside]

*sigh* - yes, Red Poppy - you articulated so very well, what I've read since I logged on this afternoon. I wish I could take back that 'friend vs. friend' comment, though, as Cohenites are supposed to be friends, not opportunists. Let's file it under the 'heat of the moment'.

[Undertow]

undertow wrote:

Ive known about the existence of this forum for years, but compared to others I frequent, this one was incredibly slow and none of the topics I read interested me enough to sign up.

So, if you're such a fan and you found this forum to be 'incredibly slow', are you not saying that, in effect, you feel Leonard to 'incredibly slow'.? "that's his style, man". There has been much going on in this forum, scholars and fans alike trying analyze his lyrics, links to little known material and videos. Exquisite old album art. Great photos, and the spin-off being people stepping up to the plate and trying poetry on, in public. The people in this forum have been immersed in Leonard's world. Trying to dig out every piece of esoteric info they can. Translations, etc. It's all been happening all along. It's more of a 'community' than a mere site. The selfless trading of memorabilia. I've found it incredibly interesting, but I never, ever in my wildest dreams thought it might put me in a position to get pre-sale tix. Frankly, I didn't think he would tour again, but still, I was here looking into his life, reading what I could. Why, if one is such a 'fan' of Leonard's would they not want to be a member rather than a lurker?

Im sorry what? I enjoy Cohens music immensely, I dont see why this automatically means I should be a member of the forums though. And no, commenting on the slowness of the forum does not mean Cohen is slow. In fact, Cohen probably is actually incredibly slow, the man is a perfectionist and releases albums slowly and deliberately.

And yes, there may be a lot going on in the forum, but for a moment, consider this. Maybe I dont want to read people analyzing his lyrics. Maybe Im really not that fussed about album art, photos. Why should I sign up if I dont really feel the need to get involved in any of this? I do like reading poetry so I read some of the original poetry we have here. That doesnt require my registration either.

If you are truly interested in these things and have something to share/someone to thank sure, sign up, and say what you want to say. Nothing wrong with that. However, this isnt a complete necessity. The only reason I signed up was because I wanted to talk to others about the upcoming tour. That is the sole reason, I didnt think we'd get advance tickets, I just wanted to say thank you to Cohen for touring again.

To be a fan of Cohen doesnt meant you have to be a member of this forum. Im a massive Bob Dylan fan, but I dont have an account on his forums, I do however look up his life on Wiki, watch documentaries and so on, just like I do for Cohen. Being a member of this forum does not make anyone a bigger or lesser fan that anyone who isnt.

[James T]

I don't see what everyones problem is here. I mean, yeah, there are obviously gonna be a lot of new sign-ups since it was announced there will be a pre-sale,. but a large number of those will be fans, like myself, that have just been browsing the forum for years and not posting.

I absolutely love all of Leonards work but haven't signed up until now. I travelled from Manchester to see the book of longing show in London and am really looking forward to seeing him properly this time wherever I have to travel. I am only 19 so have never seen him before but I have been a fan for a good few years now and just because I signed up now doesn't mean I am a bad person using the forum for my own gain, I just haven't had such a solid reason to sign up before now. I will post rtegular on this forum now I am a member, and I am sure this is the same for a lot of the people who have just signed up.

As for the touts, we can beat them easy, I recently had a lot of roger waters tickets on ebay cancelled by emailing ticketmaster with the seat numbers (if they list them on the auction)