Although the deal has now ended, it was recently possible to receive a discount on a metal extravaganza on popular savings site Groupon. The Groupon related to the Gigantour which featured Megadeth with Motorhead, Volbeat, and Lacuna Coil. Half off of a $54 ticket, I must admit is a pretty decent deal, in fact it’s about what listeners should pay to see the lineup mentioned. Saving money is metal right?
Actually, I’m not sure. Although I a have not listened to enough Megadeth to make a completely accurate judgment, I have listened to enough Motorhead to ask “what the fuck”? I guess the argument goes back to the idea that aging musicians do not have the same fire and motivations behind their music as they once had. I am not as cliche and naive to use the phrase ’sell out’, because that’s the whole fucking point of an eventual career, but to me Groupon seems a strange place to receive discounts on tickets. Aren’t you supposed to answer some mundane trivia question on a classic rock radio station in order to win tickets?
The question is whether this move is a brilliant way to get more people to attend your exorbitantly priced show or is this good news for those who want to see the bands they love and save money in the process? How could the same people who recorded an album titled Rust In Peace (which in my novice opinion outlines the life of a consumer destined to wither in a world driven by deceit and profit) can turn around and say “Hey! Check us out on Groupon, we are right next to savings on peanut butter.
I don’t mean to sound too cynical, I think it’s great that people who were willing to pay $54 for that show were able to bring the price down to a reasonable rate, but it is funny am I right? It seems that some musicians have truly embraced the most current nuances of consumerism. Their marketing department is a collection of geniuses, I will say that much.
Well everyone knows that simply eliminating the ridiculous service charges put in place by Live Nation and Ticketmaster, etc. would be a much better way to produce shows at a reasonable price, but perhaps this is simply what we get. The companies get their share, Groupon gets theirs, and the consumer pays a reasonable amount in the end. And hell, people can save a few bucks on disposable razors while they are at it.
