Robbie was here?

Submitted by milkman on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 11:23

Music

Lackadaisical Durban Crowds vs. Substandard Promotion and Organisation.

Durban has long been criticised for not selling out concerts. Being at the concert myself last night, at a glance you would have to agree with that statement. The west stand was in my estimation probably 60% to 70% full with lots of empty seats in the crowd. My question is this: why when my wife tried to buy west stand tickets was she told there were none available?

I am willing to believe that a couple of hundred people who bought their tickets over 5 months ago would, due to unforeseen circumstances, not make it to the concert; but this was more like a couple of thousand. Organisers and/or Computicket shoulder some of the blame there.

Also, while I am aware that it was a 5fm concert, were was the hype on our local east coast? I admittedly only listen to the radio in the morning, so correct me if there was more hype later in the day, but I think I heard a ticket giveaway once, a week before the concert and that was it.

This was the launch of an international tour! The promoters should have hyped it to the point where fan or not you were frothing at the mouth for April 10th. I had tickets and I woke up on Sunday saying holy crap, is the concert tomorrow?

Also, why is it that the first time we hear that there are still tickets available isn't because local promotion tells us, but because the rest of the country says "Hey look. Durban isn't holding up it's end again!"

When the Pumpkins came to S.A. we didn't even know there was a Durban concert until a week before, when I saw posters go up for the first time (unless of course, like me you had gone onto the web to buy JHB tickets and found the Durban tickets there)

This is Durban people. We are lazy and we don't have anywhere near the same amount of disposable income as JHB or the cape. We need a heads up.

To sum up, Durbanites are lazy and you have to stick some C4 up our arses to get us going, but for god sake tell us what's happening before you criticize us for lack of support!

P.S. Robbie was very impressive, and I'm not even a fan.

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Subject:	lackadaisical
Author:	capdog
Date:	11 April, 2006 - 11:25

lackadaisical \lack-uh-DAY-zih-kuhl\, adjective:
Lacking spirit or liveliness; showing lack of interest; languid; listless.

You do learn something every day!

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Subject:	I've been thinking a LOT
Author:	capdog
Date:	11 April, 2006 - 11:57

I've been thinking a LOT about this issue lately, especially after the Sunday Tribune published an article about how slack we are in Durban, and how they have rooms full of marketers trying to pin down a way to appeal to us.

I think the organisers just assume we should be damn grateful that Robbie is coming to our insignificant city, and they shoudn't have to do any promotion as the event promotes itself. Boy are they wrong.

People here kinda need an element of 'eliteness' to the event before they pay attention. Like the cigarette parties, they have the right idea, they make them invitation only. Imagine the same thing for a big event, make it VIP only and then give out tickets slowly in the beginning, but at the end let everyone in. Just make people think they're special and they'll be drooling over the invites.

It is stupid and infeasable, but it would probably work.

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Subject:	'eliteness'
Author:	milkman
Date:	11 April, 2006 - 12:54

Yeh I agree.

The minute golden circle goes people seem less interested.
I still think there could have been a bigger effort made by the promotions co.'s between 19/11/05 and now though.

There was a bit of a build up before hand and then all you heard afterwards was Robbie Williams brakes Guinness book of records for most tickets in a day or sum such thing.
When all we're being told is how successful sales were can we be blamed for not selling out. When the news of the 800 tickets still available was released I know of 5 people who went out to buy having thought up till that point that there were none left.

It's to easy for promotions companies to point the finger at us but let's not forget it is their job to convince us to buy their products.
First rule of sales... identify your target market.
Personally I think our lean wallets play a part. I don't think ticket prices were ridiculous, esp. when you compare our R400 golden circle to Britain's 400 pound golden circle. I just think we need a little more coaxing to part with our hard earned gold.

"I can't believe I ate the whole thing."

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Subject:	ThE aPAThy cROwd
Author:	Clauds
Date:	26 February, 2008 - 14:47

From having worked in this industry which supplies all the kit for these gigs (can't name company unfortunately), we find it endlessly frustrating that our local production companies which land the contracts for Durban are so useless and inefficient. It happens every time when we get international and interesting acts in, and every time it seems to boil down to the production company not actually getting their Act together when it comes to promoting the gigs properly. The gigs which are promoted properly are generally when Joburg promoters come down and sort out the scene, but otherwise very little hype is generated by local Durban media. I'm sure a lot more interest could be created around these events as we have a diverse crowd of people and well, lets face it, a lot of people live here. Although we seem to be a bit more "tight" with our money I'm sure Durbs could be put back on the map.
Or perhaps the humidity is causing condensation in our brains......

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Subject:	Yea Durban people are lame!
Author:	Breetai
Date:	11 April, 2006 - 11:59

The typical Durbanite response seems to be "yea that sounds cool, bru. We should go sometime", but actually getting these lacadazawhatever folks off the couch is a mission.

And even though I agree that Durban promotion sucks eggs, I'm not sure that it'll help.

I helped run a comic shop at the stables a few months back.
It was the first proper comic shop in Durban - ever.

I always hear people moaning that we don't have interesting things like that in Durban. Even people who love comics and where really interested where like "Awesome - a comic shop! We must come check it out sometime" but most of them never showed!

When something happens in Durban, the turnout always seems small.
Maybe it's because we are a small town, but if we don't support cool stuff, cool stuff won't support us!

Except when it's rugby of course, then the whole friggin world shows up.

"It loses its value if you take it out of its packaging!"

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Subject:	Hmmm can you value comics? I
Author:	capdog
Date:	12 April, 2006 - 08:42

Hmmm can you value comics? I have a whole lot of them I bought back in '88, DC if I remember, a whole lot of #1 's too.

I have #1, #2, #3 of 'The Adventures of Superman'. Worth anything to you?? :)

I think the Sunday Tribune was right when it said that we are spoiled for choice here. There is just sooo much stuff to do, and so little time to chill out (and we love chilling) that it becomes difficult to support everyone. Also, you're right about a very small target market. We are a tiny city!

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Subject:	Sure - I can value your comics
Author:	Breetai
Date:	12 April, 2006 - 10:18

Sure - I can value your comics, but if I remember correctly, that range of Superman comics are unfortunately all sub-R10 comics.
Send me a list and I'll consult my nerdy comic book price guide.

"It loses its value if you take it out of its packaging!"

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Subject:	Hi there, is there anywhere
Author:	Zaid (not verified)
Date:	23 January, 2008 - 17:14

Hi there, is there anywhere in durban I can get comics cheap?
BAck issues? anything?

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Subject:	No idea - try private
Author:	capdog
Date:	23 January, 2008 - 21:53

No idea - try private message to Breetai.

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Subject:	Kickass Comics
Author:	DeanRichards
Date:	14 February, 2008 - 14:14

Have you tried Kickass Comics at the stables?

"I like maxims that don't encourage behaviour modification."
-- Calvin and Hobbes

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