A Straight Up Scam?

UPDATE: BV's got the whole story. Sounds legit. Still kind of upset tho.

I sometimes feel like the Bowery Presents people's biggest defender, with all that unwarranted Webster-hate out there. But this is really inexcusable. The National/Baby Dayliner/Doveman show on 5/21, which went on sale a week or two ago and since sold out, has been moved to Webster Hall. This has happened twice before, to my knowledge. Once, When the Arcade Fire were on the up and up, and a few months after playing Bowery, booked another show at the club. The next was when the Fiery Furnaces got bumped. Both moves caused a justified outrage from fans. 

At least the Arcade Fire were growing in popularity in an unprecedented way, and the demand to see them was so high (with craigslist ticket scalpers taking advantage) that it was the wise thing to do. The Fiery Furnaces move was a little more curious, since the show hadn't even sold out at the time, but the band had just played the same venue not too long ago, so it seemed like the appropriate move.

I'm not sure why this is any different than the FF show, but it feels that way. I feel duped. Maybe because the National had their Bowery Show politely hijacked by CYHSY fans. This show felt, in a way, as a make-up show for people who wanted to see them at Bowery but couldn't. Maybe it was because the main reason why I bought a ticket for this show was to see this band at Bowery. For the FF, I wanted to see them again no matter what. Here, I just saw the National at Webster in February for the Plug Awards. This had the feel of a special, one-off show with great and interesting local supporting bands. Now it's just another concert from a band I've already seen a few times. Plain and simple, as much as I think Webster is a perfectly fine venue to see a show, I would not have bought a ticket for this show had it been announced originally there. I don't think I'm alone here.

This is not about Webster Hall sucking, no matter your opinion on the club. Lets not make it about that. It's about a bait and switch, plain and simple. And it feels almost premeditated this time. It's not like anyone would be suprised that The National could sell out Bowery. Like they were overwhelmed and suprised by so many ticket sales that they had to bump it up to accomidate the fans. Likewise, without anything new out since their last album (which came out nearly a year ago), I suspect that selling out Webster Hall would have prolly been stretch as well. Is there a chance they put this show on the calendar at Bowery with no intention of ever having the show there, but spicifically as a selling point? I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but it doesn't seem so out there.

I feel taken advantage of. They didn't even offer a half-assed refund option, as they sometimes do when dates or venues get moved around. As somebody who spends at least 2 or more nights most weeks at the Bowery Presents clubs, I'm not about to boycott them or put up too big a fuss. Like I said, I generally like what they do, and creating a Clear Channel alternative in a city like this is an admirable task. I'd just like an explanation.

Comments

you can get a refund for your ticket if you no longer want to go to the show....

[Pete]

I'm soooo pissed right now, and kinda want my money back, The National playing the bowery ballroom was too good to be true.

I don't even know why I'm so pissed, cause I would of happily paid to see them at Webster Hall anyway. But what we're getting is a compltely different show that ticket-buyers expected.

But shouldn't ticketweb contact ticket buyers and tell them that the venue has changed? Had I not read this blog, I probably would of known until the last second.

Anyway, I too feel duped. For some reason I get the feeling that this was always planned, a way for the bowery presents to get more money in advance. There would of been no reason to run out and get tickets had they been scheduled for webster hall.

[forte]

ahhh fuck...im one of those folks that love, love, love the bowery ballroom and really can't stand webster hall. As far as I'm concerned the bowery ballroom is THE best venue in NY maybe the world, yeah, that's right. When I heard the national would be playing bowery I had a cream dream and now i have to go to webster hall...im pissed.

your conspiracy theory seems a little far fetched. bowery is obviously a better venue, but webster is still better than say....irving plaza i think. maybe the band will send an email about the switch with some explanation.

actually, the more i think about it, it's be as simple as tickets sold out way faster than bowery expected. i didnt even see the show listed in the papers last week.

i took about a week for the national show to sell out. Clap your hands say yeah sold their two bowery shows out in an hour...they didnt move.

Isn't this something their manager should be on top of? Put out some feelers, see where the market is...i mean they knew enough to not book the mercury lounge...why book bowery and just change it up? Band of horses just sold the bowery out in two weeks, maybe they're gonna upgrade now.

[Sean]

I really don't see what all the pissing and moaning is about. Honestly...how many proper shows (that is, not counting the 'Nebraska' Project) have the National played in the area since 'Alligator' dropped? I count, um, 5? (Warsaw, 2 Bowery, Maxwell's and a Sound Fix in-store)...how can anyone expect them to not sell out Bowery in no time at all? I'm surprised they didn't just book Webster in the first place...demand to see them IS high...not Arcade Fire high...but I can assure you there will be far less bozos at this Webster show than there were at the Arcade Fire's. And as far as conspiracies go? C'mon...seriously.

[Jeff]

Conspiracy was perhaps the wrong word to use. But it all just happened so quick it seemed really off.

Had they just announced the show at webster straight out, i would, obviously, have no problem at all. But I wouldn't have bought a ticket to it. I've seen them many times and will see them again this summer (at festivals). The bowery show was something special tho that I felt would be worth going to aside from all that. The webster show is, simply, not.

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