Another Data Point in FOL Access Debate

Just noticed "Fast Lane" available for many events on Ticketmaster.

Price seems to vary. Most I looked at were $5 or $10.

Works just like FOL access at the parks. Pay a few bucks and skip the line with priority access to the venue for the concert or show you're seeing. Details seem to vary by concert with some giving early access before the doors open to everyone and others just give FOL access once the doors open.

So most big concerts now offer different levels of ticket pricing, different times you have access to buy(with presales and such) and now even preferred access to the venue on the day of the show.

Interesting how that compares to the amusement park experience.

It makes things more complicated, just like the parks, which is diluting one of POP's main features; simplicity.

Lord Gonchar said:
...FOL access once the doors open.

Easily worth $10 (for bigger concerts, anyway) in my opinion. I would have probably paid $20 for that access to the last big concert I attended.

Might be worth it for a GA show, but if there's seating then it's a waste of money.

^Agreed. I rarely find it necessary to even show up on time to a concert unless I'm a fan of the opener.

The only reason I arrive early for a concert is to avoid traffic issues or if its a GA concert. Also, a lot of the artists I like have fan clubs that are free to join, and get you ticket presales before even the radio stations and credit cards.

Seems pretty useless to me. The only venue I have been to where this might be an issue is the new Amway Center, and only if you have bags since they have security check lines. I just walked through the no bags line and went right to my seat, the equivalent of FOL access once the doors open.

Even for a GA show, I tend to look for the places where I will be least likely to spill my beer (or girlie drink, as I get older), and those places aren't likely in high contention for early occupation.

When you say GA, are most GA concerts in the states seated these days? The one I went to was, I'm not sure if that's the norm?

Small venues, sure, but most arena shows, and some theatre shows, have reserved seating.

In the UK all the arena gigs have seating around the edges (like ice hockey) and the floor is standing. I can certainly see the appeal in that case.

I think of ampitheatre-type shows where the front of the venue is seated and covered but the rear is open lawn - the couple of bucks might be worth it to stake a nice lawn spot and get situated before the crowd.

I would rather pay for a way to get out of the venue faster.

+12