Waiting on the rapture

It's official.  Here in my house, tacked above my computer in my bedroom, there is one ticket to the Glendale Arizona Radiohead concert. (Ok, officially- it's B's ticket because I bought hers and she and Matt bought mine and Matt's -Matt and I are sitting together in the lower bowl and B will be in the general area, but in the upper bowl, so we have to switch tickets-)  But still................having the ticket in my hands feels as good as mine (and if anything should go wrong with mine and Matt's ticket- I'll fight her for this one- I'm not above that.)

I can hardly believe that what started 12 years ago, is going to culminate into me finally getting to be there, watching the greatest band on earth, play their music right in front of me.  12 years ago, I was hanging out, listening to music (lots of The Cure) and in the span of 2 months, had 4 different people tell me that I should check out Radiohead, they thought I would like it.  Two of those people were good friends I trusted quite well, one was a work mate, and one was a boy I went out with once.  I was moving to NY then, and when I got to NY, and made it into a music store, I bought OK Computer (that was the one I was told to start with).  I popped it in my cd player and well, to make a long story short- it changed my life.  I couldn't believe how good it was.  I bought The Bends.  Blown away again.  At that point, I couldn't buy any other RH albums, because I couldn't get those two out of my player for long enough to do so.  That lasted a few years, then I bought Amnesiac.  Basically for about 6 years I really listened to little else (and that is being generous).  For some reason, I didn't want to buy all their albums at once.  I wanted to get to know them in time, so that's what I did.  I bought them one by one through the years.  Then when I caught up with the band, I started getting the B sides. 

I lived in this world for a long time.  Not keeping up with what was going on currently with the band.  Just soaking them in at my own pace.  When I had caught up, they were starting to tour for In Rainbows.  That year was a terrible year for us.  There was no way in the world we could have handled me taking a road trip to see them play somewhere.  I may have been able to go if they came to Salt Lake, but no.  As I followed the tour, I got more and more disappointed that I wasn't there.  I should have been there.  I couldn't be there though and it broke my heart.  The last date they played, they played in Santa Barbara, and they webcasted the entire concert in real time.  I had it up on the laptop and watched while Rob slept beside me.  I took turns cheering and crying and clapping while they played.  It was wonderful really.  I also vowed that the next time they toured, I WOULD be there.  Whatever it took, I would be there.  There was no way around it.  I was not going to go through that again.  I belonged there.  

Flash forward to now.  They started announcing tour dates.  They left big gaps and nothing back east, and no California.  So I impatiently and nervously waited while tickets went on sale.  After sales started, they announced Seattle and California.  Seattle sounded right to me. Sounded awesome.  Matt had never been there.  Radiohead's website presells tickets a few days ahead of time.  For Seattle, they did that the day of my niece's wedding and there was no way to try.  They went on sale to the public on sat morning and were gone in seconds.  I wanted a GA ticket, I wanted to be right in front of the stage.  So, we waited for the California shows to sell.  Presale- gone in seconds, later sale- seconds- and I mean literal seconds.  We sat at our computers refresh, refresh, refresh- sale- gone.  Right out from under us.  It was a mad house.  Radiohead fans everywhere are up in arms.  Fans were actually staying up all night hitting refresh only to have then sell out right before their eyes.  What's worse, tickets were appearing on resale ticket sights by the hundreds, for 5 to 10 times the ticket price amount, directly after.  I don't know what happened, but it was not cool.  It wasn't fair.  Something went bad.  On the fan forums, there is a very ill wind in the air.  And it does suck, that is a nasty disappointment and frustration that I understand.  They tried to have most tickets "paperless" which means that the person that bought the ticket has to present the exact credit card they used and their id at the gate to get their tickets.  This is to prevent what ended up happening.  Somehow the scalpers have found a loophole and were able to secure tickets and take advantage of us fans that are really, a pretty fierce, loyal lot.  We recognize the genius and we live for it and we want to be there to see it happen.  Fans are trying to blame someone, and ticketmaster is getting some major wrath for this, the band is getting it's share too.  I don't think for a minute that the band is happy this is happening.  But I hope that the fans raise a big enough stink about this and let the band know how they feel.  Maybe I'm just optimistic, but I really think that something can be done next time, and avoid all this.  If you follow up with the band at all, you will know that they are firmly against corporate greed.  They went independent from their record company and now release their own stuff, how they want.  They pioneered a new way to buy CDs with In Rainbows, asking people to "pay what they want".  You could name your own price to get their cd.  Cool eh?  People that can do all of this and be so innovative, I think, can figure something out- and not have to go through sites like Ticketmaster and let the true fans buy the tickets at actual ticket price.  I really hope they come up with something, cause I fully intend to be there next time too.

I was referring to mostly the other fans in that last paragraph, cause I was lucky and was able to come up with a do-able alternative and have a happy ending.  I found out that for whatever reason, the tickets in Glendale were much cheaper to buy on these secondary sites then any other tour date, so we decided to do it.  I cruised a lot of ticket websites and found the one that had the best reputation and a 100% guarantee on the tickets you buy there.  We went to purchase floor seats and found out that they tacked on an extra 55 dollars in fees.  We regrouped.  I would have done it, but got a really sinky feeling in my gut thinking of Matt and B having to add over 100 extra dollars and they are fans, but maybe not over 100 dollar fans tacked on to two already double priced tickets.  We figured out that we could get decent seats (very decent seats) on Jonny's side of the stage for quite a bit less.  Then we couldn't buy 3, only 2 or 4.  So.............B offered to sit somewhere else, and let Matt and I sit together since we are the bigger fans and she might as well get an even cheaper seat in the upper bowl.  Yeah- B's awesome.

I am perfectly happy with this.  I am also bringing some binoculars. :)

In light of all that has happened and the catastrophe of the ticket sales, I think to the most recent Radiohead song they have released.  It's called The Daily Mail, and it's lyrics remind me very much of this whole thing.......................................

The Daily Mail

The moon is a rock on a mountain
The lunatics have taken over the asylum
Waiting on the rapture

Singing we’re here to keep your prices down
Feed you to the hounds
To the Daily Mail,
Together
Together

You made a pig’s ear, you made a mistake
Paid off security and got through the gate
You got away with it but we lie in wait

Where’s the truth? What’s the use?
I’m hanging around lost and found
And when you’re here, innocent

Fat chance, no plan

No regard for human life

Keep trying, you’re not right
You’re fast to lose, you will lose
You jumped the queue, go back again

President for life, lord of all
The flies in the sky, the beasts of the earth
The fish in the sea, you’ve lost command

Am I the only one that sees the irony?

What is making this whole thing even better, is that two of my sisters -Cat and Sue are coming along for the road trip and also to baby sit my kids while we are at the concert.  Rob can't go, which pains me a lot. I would love to have Rob at my side for this, but he can't miss school.  He will get the full report though, oh yes, he will.  It is going to be so much fun, what a road trip!  I am so excited.  The ides of March didn't turn out so well for Ceaser, but I'm sure looking forward to that date.

I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M ACTUALLY GOING!!!!!!!!

October, 2010:

Me: I hope Radiohead does that when I see them in concert. (Note I said "when" not "if".  If Matt can see the Pixies, I WILL see Radiohead).

Matt:  You will totally see them. And it is going to rip your face off and eat with a side of dope sauce. I will be there for sure. 

excerpts taken from This Monkey's Gone to Vegas