Hawkwind Tour in Trouble

[J Strobridge]

Star Rats writes:

> To All Listmembers,
>                         I have been recently getting email about various UK gigs reporting to
> have been cancelled. After speaking with DS yesterday to find out the
> latest news, he told me that tickets for the tour are selling so badly that
> promoters are refusing to sign contracts which guarentees the band's wages
> for the night.
>
> So far there has been 800 tickets sold for the entire tour!!!
>
> The gig in Milton Keynes has been cancelled because only 15 tickets were sold!


That's pity - I was sorta making holiday plans so I could go to that
one.  Have promotors become more rigid about this kind of thing then?
It's always seemed to me that very few people buy tickets in advance
unless they are either travelling some distance or it's a very small
venue and there's real concern the tickets will run out.   I've never
had a problem getting tickets at the door and I rather assume that this
is how most folk do things.

Tho' now I come to think of it I used to buy tickets in advance when it
was all seating accommodation to make sure you got right at the front
in a balcony seat or close to the center aisle downstairs.   But it's
been long and long since venues last had seats and when everyone is
standing there's no need to book ahead.

Certainly when Midge Ure was playing in Edinburgh recently I only got
tickets a week or so ahead of the gig and got ticket no.7.   But there
were hundreds there on the night.   I honestly think nobody buys tickets
in advance any more - but I could be wrong - I've certainly bought a
whole stack of Hawkwind tix for friends in Edinburgh, mainly because we
weren't sure about the size of the venue and we'll buy in advance for
Glasgow probably - but only, again, because the venue is not known to be
a large one and we'll be travelling across specially.

> I'm sending out this messages asking everyone to spread the word about the
> tour, and to urge anyone thinking of attending a gig not to wait until the
> night to get their tickets; if more venues do not get enough advanced
> ticket sales, they will cancell.
>
> Being in the US, I don't know how well the tour is being advertised - can
> anyone enlighten me?

There's a poster outside the Liquid Rooms but it's not a particularly
dynamic or interesting one - just HAWKWIND in capital letters.   The
only other place I've seen info is on this list and in Brian Tawn's last
Hawkfan update.    Things like the Guardian Gig Guide and Teletext
probably only advertise stuff the same week the gigs are happening and
Edinburgh's LIST will only announce things a week or so ahead.   But
then I haven't really seen advertising for any other bands either so
Hawkwind may not be exceptional in this situation.

I don't really know I guess - can anyone say how Hawkwind's current
profile compares with other bands touring this autumn?

jill

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J.D.Strobridge at ed.ac.uk                         eset08 at holyrood.ed.ac.uk
                                                ELIJSA at srv0.arts.ed.ac.uk
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