Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Getting Straight To The (Power) Point

So... this is a thing. The dates aren't until next year. I know! I suppose I could have toured this year but only with material from the new TV series and I don't think it's on to charge money for tickets to see something you can see free on the box. A tour should contain new stuff.

So, with a few other commitments to look out for, 2014 it is.

The tickets are available for pre-sale from See Tickets except for the Dublin show - those are available through TicketMaster.ie

I've already been answering questions on Twitter so I hope it won't seem presumptuous to try and head a couple off at the pass.
1: I don't book venues, they book me. If I'm not playing near you, it's not because I chose to avoid you!
2: That said, there were a couple of venues that wanted the show, but they also wanted to charge the public extortionate booking fees, so I passed.
3: If you can see a venue on the list but it's not showing up on the See Tickets link, check back in an hour or two... I think some of the venue's box offices are taking a  bit longer than planned to make the arrangements with See.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are going to get lots of people turning up a year early

Gordon said...

Only one show in Scotland, and way up in Aberdeen? Crossing my fingers that more Scottish shows will be added...

Dave Gorman said...

@Anonymous: I'm trying to make the 2014ness of it as clear as I can!

@Gordon: it's frustrating for me too. Glasgow is one of the places where the venues all want to charge extortionate booking fees. It makes the tickets around 50% more expensive and it's just seems better to walk away than to be a part of the mechanism that rips people off.

NIall said...

If you do any warm-up gigs, would
you consider Windsor again, please?

If not please send someone who looks like you to do a show there and see if anyone notices!




Gordon said...

Appreciate you taking the time to reply :-) Glasgow is the nearest city to me, and I'm not remotely surprised to hear you say that about extortionate booking fees there. It's really frustrating for punters like myself who feel like they're paying extortionate extra charges for (as far as we can tell) not very much. Frankly, much as I'd like to come to the show, I appreciate you taking a stance on this.

Oh, and I'm loving Modern Life Is Goodish.

Anonymous said...

Shame there is nothing further south and west than Yeovil, a fair old trek from the deepest darkest depths of Cornwall. And it would also involve crossing some borders.

Dave Gorman said...

@Anonymous: I agree that it's a shame.

Anonymous said...

Any chance of adding a show in Northampton or Milton Keynes?

Loved your last show, and currently enjoying Life Is Goodish

Kelly said...

Tickets bought and looking forward to it, even although it's over a year away. Glad your Scottish venue is Aberdeen, it makes a nice change that we don't have to travel south to Glasgow or Edinburgh to see a show, as we have for many others.

Anonymous said...

Are the tickets only going to be available through See Tickets? I can't find a way to choose my own seats via See (am I missing something obvious?). If I book directly through the venue I can choose my seats, just wondering if it's worth waiting for my local theatre to get it up on their site.

Dave Gorman said...

@Anonymous re Northampton/Milton Keynes - I don't know what the specific details are with individual towns. There is a chance of adding a show anywhere if a venue books it on a day that we're available. But I can't say specifically for either of those towns. It depends on whether the venues there want the show or not... just like everywhere else.

Dave Gorman said...

@Anonymous re See Tickets: See are selling them earlier than other vendors. But they will be on general sale on Friday.

Anonymous said...

@anonymous re Northampton/MK - Bedford's got a date and is not very far at all from Northampton or MK :-)

Paul Ganney said...

London or Dartford... there's a question... or both, of course. Loving "Goodish".

Phil said...

Thanks Dave. All booked, see you in Brighton. I attended a recording of Modern Life... in the spring, it was great fun. Looking forward to watching the episode air next week, assuming they are broadcast in the order they were filmed.

Dave Gorman said...

@Phil: they're not being screened in the order in which they were shot. The first episode was from the final day of recording and the second episode was from the first. I think the third episode is from the second set of recordings.

stuxmusic said...

I was really hoping for Glasgow too. I suppose you could hire out a local town hall for it or something.

Unknown said...

No Leeds/Bradford this time? The City varieties is a great little venue in Leeds, perfect for a Powerpoint Slideshow. (I have no link to the City Varieties in any way, honest). Looks like I'll have to trek down to Sheffield.

Paul said...

Mr Gorman sir, how are you?

Why do See tickets get to sell tickets before the venue. Genuine question of intrigue as I just discovered the following:

See tickets are charging £2.40 extra per ticket for the Warwick Arts Centre in Coventry (plus I assume a postage charge but I never got that far). Rang direct just now and the WAC is charging 50p per ticket +75p optional for postage. By hanging on and booking direct I just saved £14.45 on a booking of 8 tickets. As well as the saving, I got to choose the seats I wanted and speak to a lovely helpful member of the human race.

Glad I don't live in Scotland if they are much worse!!

Anyway, just curious, no problems or anything. I'm just a tight fisted Northerner!

Dave Gorman said...

@Paul
I genuinely don't know the answer, except that it's easier to post one link that works for all than it is to post 40+ links. It's also probably easier for someone to monitor overall sales - which guides some advertising spend or what have you - if it comes through one channel. But this is speculation on my part, not facts.

I've genuinely had lots of comments from people telling me that it's nice that the booking fees are lower than expected (someone who booked through See for Newcastle described it as "like 1980s booking fees"). I was surprised because I always get the impression that people resent all booking fees all the time.

The venues in Glasgow and Oxford that aren't on the tour would have been looking to add fees totalling £7 or £8 per ticket. It's pretty outrageous and that's why I've not gone ahead with them.

For more information on it, you might find this story about Jason Manford's Oxford gig interesting.

Sarah Millican boycotted the group responsible also

Dave Gorman said...

@Paul... I meant to add... I suspect that some venues are more expensive than See (or ticketmaster or...) and others will no doubt be cheaper. But it's very hard to send out a concise message that accounts for all possibilities.

Some people have booked front row seats through See, some have complained that those weren't available... but I think it's the venues that decide what seats they allocate to other sellers etc etc

Paul said...

@Dave thanks, that all makes sense. I have always loved Warwick Arts Centre since my first visit many years ago. I now realise more than ever what a great establishment it is. See's charges aren't outrageous per se but soon mount on multiple tickets, for what I see as minimal work involved. WAC seem to be doing things the right way. I appreciate that everyone needs to make money, but there is a common sense line to be drawn in my opinion.

Oh, and that first visit to the WAC? Saw some bloke talking about whacking his Google. Not sure what came of him though.....

qwkjcnasknd said...

Fantastic, got me tickets for Reading!

scottishwildcat said...

Dublin tickets booked!

Chris said...

hi Dave,

I'm planning on buying some tickets to come and visit you in Manchester next year. Can you let me know if the show will be suitable to bring a 12 and a 15 year old along?

Thanks, Chris.

Dave Gorman said...

@Chris: I have no idea Chris. It depends on the 12 and 15 year olds in question. My view is always that a parent knows what their children are like. Some 12 year olds can't sit still for an hour and a bit. Others can. If you've watched any of the current series, or saw the last tour, that's as good a guide as any. It won't be that material... but that's the kind of thing I do. I can't promise there won't be any swear words. I don't try to swear. But I don't try not to either and it's never a script that I've learned word for word. (I never write it down) But I don't think it's ever done gratuitously. But of course some people might disagree. And you might be one of them. So I have to leave it to your judgement, not mine.

Andy said...

Firstly think its great that you take the time to respond to people on here, just seen you are coming to shrewsbury, will definitely be coming to see you! Will the show start at 10:08 ;-)

Anonymous said...

I have seen no evidence yet that Dave Gorman is real person

Dave Gorman said...

@Anonymous: I'm not. I'm imaginary.

Anonymous said...

I too declare myself imaginary, but only for tax purposes.