Basingstoke gets Rattled

[Honoured Guest]

A halfway house is to announce full date details of the programme for the full year ahead, six months in advance of the start, so that audiences can plan, but to sell the tickets in four tranches, three months in advance of the start of each season.

[MrGongGong]

I'm not sure what fairness (whatever that may be) has to do with it, but perhaps the artists should rebel against the policy. .

What a great idea
Let's introduce even more insecurity into the world

How long do you think it takes to prepare for a performance?

[Alain Maréchal]

How long do you think it takes to prepare for a performance?

As long as it takes, so long as I am not expected to pay for it until shortly before I choose to attend.

[MrGongGong]

As long as it takes, so long as I am not expected to pay for it until shortly before I choose to attend.

Fine
But your idea of "artists should rebel" suggests that the "rebellion" takes the form of working for no money....... I'm sure they will be queuing up to join with your "rebellion".

What's wrong in investing in something that you are obviously interested in going to by buying a ticket in advance?

[Alain Maréchal]

A halfway house is to announce full date details of the programme for the full year ahead, six months in advance of the start, so that audiences can plan, but to sell the tickets in four tranches, three months in advance of the start of each season.

A reasonable suggestion, but three months seems too long a period. I have tickets for a performance this coming Saturday which I cannot now attend because of an unanticipated commitment. At least I shall save the cost of the train fare.

[Alain Maréchal]

Fine

What's wrong in investing in something that you are obviously interested in going to by buying a ticket in advance?

As I wrote earlier: I have absolutely no idea what I will be interested in a year from now. There are moreover certain performers who have so often cancelled performances for which I held tickets that I no longer bother to buy tickets for their appearances.

[MrGongGong]

As I wrote earlier: I have absolutely no idea what I will be interested in a year from now. There are moreover certain performers who have so often cancelled performances for which I held tickets that I no longer bother to buy tickets for their appearances.

Some things you really DO have to sort out a long time in advance and others not
It's always been like that
If you want to go and see the Rolling Stones it will be the same
if you want to rock up to the Proms on the night that's also fine

Some folks DO cancel all the time but that's part of the gamble of live performance

[Alain Maréchal]

Some things you really DO have to sort out a long time in advance and others not
It's always been like that

It hasn't always been like that: in my experience one month used to be the average "booking ahead" period for most concert halls and even opera houses. The seasons announcements were made well in advance, but there was no requirement to part with money until nearer the date of performance.

I would contend there are very few things which have to be sorted out a long time in advance. It takes about three months maximum to buy and sell property: much costlier investments than concerts.

[MrGongGong]

I would contend there are very few things which have to be sorted out a long time in advance. It takes about three months maximum to buy and sell property: much costlier investments than concerts.

Ask someone who is involved in Opera (or Rock touring)
Selling a house is a picnic in comparison

You might not have noticed but the economics of these things have changed and not because musicians earn huge amounts of money.

[Sir Velo]

A halfway house is to announce full date details of the programme for the full year ahead, six months in advance of the start, so that audiences can plan, but to sell the tickets in four tranches, three months in advance of the start of each season.

I think you need to think through the economics of running a concert hall and an orchestra.

As Rattle's diary is managed several years in advance, the concert had to be booked, otherwise he will be snapped up by Berlin, Amsterdam, New York etc. Given that fact, it makes commercial sense to put the tickets on sale now. That way they get the cash flow benefits. Leave putting the tickets on sale till next year, they will undoubtedly have had to pay Rattle an advance and would be quids out.

[Alain Maréchal]

You might not have noticed but the economics of these things have changed and not because musicians earn huge amounts of money.

I would not have taken notice of anything about the economics other than the increased costs to me, and the request to part with the money earlier, but does this not reinforce my earlier point that the musicians should try to do something about it?

[Sir Velo]

It hasn't always been like that: in my experience one month used to be the average "booking ahead" period for most concert halls and even opera houses. The seasons announcements were made well in advance, but there was no requirement to part with money until nearer the date of performance.

I would contend there are very few things which have to be sorted out a long time in advance. It takes about three months maximum to buy and sell property: much costlier investments than concerts.

Rattle would demand an advance. If the Anvil didn't put tickets on sale now they will have a cash outflow. Not good business strategem. Particularly in an age where concert halls are fighting for their lives.

[Sir Velo]

I would not have taken notice of anything about the economics other than the increased costs to me, and the request to part with the money earlier, but does this not reinforce my earlier point that the musicians should try to do something about it?

I expect they're all for it. Certainty of income; job tenure etc. People these days like to know how much income they're going to get - budgeting for mortgages; school fees; holidays, that sort of thing.

[Sir Velo]

As I wrote earlier: I have absolutely no idea what I will be interested in a year from now. There are moreover certain performers who have so often cancelled performances for which I held tickets that I no longer bother to buy tickets for their appearances.

You might not be, but the management at the Anvil clearly think that, regardless of repertoire, the culture starved burghers of deepest Hampshire will cough up their fifty smackers for the chance to hear a crack band with Simon Denis at the helm.

[MrGongGong]

I think you need to think through the economics of running a concert hall and an orchestra.

As Rattle's diary is managed several years in advance, the concert had to be booked, otherwise he will be snapped up by Berlin, Amsterdam, New York etc. Given that fact, it makes commercial sense to put the tickets on sale now. That way they get the cash flow benefits. Leave putting the tickets on sale till next year, they will undoubtedly have had to pay Rattle an advance and would be quids out.

Exactly

Another side of this is to do with how we develop other things as well as getting full houses for gigs.

The task i'm doing today (for a London orchestra and with pieces composed by young folks) is a case in point.
The dates were organised two years ago to fit in with schedules, this also meant that all the other things that we might want to have alongside performances had enough time to be planned, funded and imaginatively designed.
For folks like me having these long devising timescales means that we can also have the most inspiring musicians involved in work with youngsters and not just whoever happens to be free next week !