“Hey, they’ve come to snuff the scalper… no we ain’t gonna pay!”Did you snag tickets to see the Layne Staley-less Alice in Chains Sept. 7 at the Paradise Rock Club? If not, get ready to go “Down In A Hole,” financially – scalper prices on ticket re-seller websites like StubHub have gone as high as $399! Over on Ace Tickets, there are two listings for the grunge legends’ local gig – one for $240.50 (gotta get that extra fiddy cents) and another for $440.25 (why not make it a cool 450?).
Of course, chances are these sellers won’t get those desired mark-up prices. The lowest ticket available on StubHub rolls in at $218. “Would” you? Unlikely, even if Staley were still alive.
A Live Nation rep said today that despite no other shows scheduled at venues such as the House of Blues and Orpheum on Sept. 7, the Alice In Chains gig won’t be relocated to a larger room. Instead, the band will play smaller venues before its new album “Black Gives Way To Blue” – its first with new vocalist William DuVall – drops Sept. 29 on Virgin Records. Other venues on the tour are similar in size to the Dise: Irving Plaza in NYC, Philly's Theatre of Living Arts and the 9:30 Club in DC will all house Alice In Chains shows next month.
Once this tour is done, the Live Nation rep said, the band will return to larger venues that better serve the market. So hold tight.
I still don't understand how ace tickets and other such "resellers" of tickets are allowed to operate, are legal, and are tolerated by the venues and artists. Does LN get a cut of the resold tickets and a minimum of double face value? Like towing/parking tickets it's the biggest racket out there.
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