giggirl

PR departments

I'm just beginning with Paul Collier's "The Bottom Billion". Anyone out there read it already? Thoughts?

Huguenot Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Am I being stupid, but since t'interweb is the > great leveller, can't these bands sell their own > tickets direct from a website? > > The history of the web is "disintermediation", it > gets rid of the middleman. Ticketmaster is a > middleman, and surely the writing is on the wall? Huguenot - you're never stupid but I don't think you've grasped the scope of this merger. It's not two ticket selling companies merging. The new company will (a) sell the tickets (b) promote the artist (in many cases) © own the venue (in some cases) (d) own the festival (in some cases) Live Nation is a massive promoter - Madonna, U2 - in fact, every "biggie" I can think of. Here's a link to their website listing all the UK events they are currently promoting (basically, a lot). http://www.livenation.co.uk/event/allevents I'm not sure which UK venues Live Nation owns now because it sold some off last year. They do own the following though OWN OUTRIGHT: * Download Festival, O2 Wireless Festival and Hyde Park Calling 50.1% STAKE: * in Festival Republic, and thus interests in several music festivals, including the production of Glastonbury Festival, Reading and Leeds Festivals, Latitude Festival This merger has the green light in the US. So, Huguenot, how's your antitrust? Do you think it should have been allowed?

Ticketmaster, pre-merger, was a thriving company. Perhaps you missed the Economist article I linked to above so here it is again. Check the sales graph - the US market has gone from less than $2 billion in year 2000 to more than $4 billion in 2009. A massive growth. I can't find UK figures but I'm pretty sure they would mirror the US. http://www.economist.com/businessfinance/displayStory.cfm?story_id=15394198 Nobody pays for music anymore. That's the point - the live concert market is the only thriving market in the music industry. It's a gret big fat cash cow the this merger will see TM/LN get the lion's share.

I honestly thought the Live Nation/Ticketmaster merger would get blocked by the US regulators but the silly sods have given it the go ahead. My understanding is that the merger still has the red light in the UK but how long will that hold up? For us punters no good will come of creating this behemoth. If it goes ahead we will basically see the price of a night out rocket and the smaller agents will get the nosebleed seats that nobody wants to sit in. It's a tricky subject. The days when artists could make money out of CD sales are gone - so how to fill the void? I remember reading a Bowie interview a few years (2002) ago and I just googled it. Here's a quote "I don't even know why I would want to be on a label in a few years, because I don't think it's going to work by labels and by distribution systems in the same way. The absolute transformation of everything that we ever thought about music will take place within 10 years, and nothing is going to be able to stop it. I see absolutely no point in pretending that it's not going to happen. I'm fully confident that copyright, for instance, will no longer exist in 10 years, and authorship and intellectual property is in for such a bashing. ''Music itself is going to become like running water or electricity. So it's like, just take advantage of these last few years because none of this is ever going to happen again. You'd better be prepared for doing a lot of touring because that's really the only unique situation that's going to be left. It's terribly exciting. But on the other hand it doesn't matter if you think it's exciting or not; it's what's going to happen.'' Bands like Pearl Jam and NIN have done battle with Ticketbastard and lost. Sadly NIN has quit touring - but on a happy personal note I got to see them last year just before they quit. I do hope it's a temporary fit of pique - come back Trent - I miss you! Anyway, Trent Reznor is most lucid on the subject of Ticketbastard: http://stereogum.com/archives/trent_reznor_blasts_ticketmaster_and_the_artists_w_058831.html http://www.economist.com/businessfinance/displayStory.cfm?story_id=15394198

It really bugs me when people who don't even use the forum come on here to sell something or get you to sign up for something. AND STOP SHOUTING

Oh I do feel shamed

Fact - I once dated Mr Lea from the Lea & Perrins family. Sorry, that's very dull - but I'm on the waggon what do you expect?

Roll Deep Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Oh come now Giggirl, my little bijou. Where's your > sense of soouulll..... > > Right back at you Rolly - Rock a little

It's almost Valentines' Day. Let's have some romance. Now Voyager - "Don't let's ask for the moon"

Sorry PGC but I disagree. He at least only f***ed Edwina (as ghastly as she is), whereas Tony f***ed the lot of us. Sorry to be crude but there you have it.

Never mind Jah, you're officially "hot" and that's the main thing! Congratulations.

I've just got home and there's the most beautiful full moon tonight over East Dulwich and very little cloud. If you haven't already eyeballed it then put your coat on and go have a look. It's a real stunner. I googled it just to make sure it was full and apparently tonight's full moon is the best we'll get this year. See here: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/01/29/biggest-brightest-moon-tonight/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%253A+foxnews%252Fscitech+%2528Text+-+SciTech%2529 I would love to post a YouTube clip from American Warewolf in London but all such clips are sadly blocked! Boo.

Yes, I voted for him too. Twice. And I sang "Things Can Only Get Better" and jumped up and down. No man has ever let me down more than Tony (and believe me he faces some pretty stiff competition in that department). A plague on him.

Wait until 2030 when you're all hiding the photos of what you look like TODAY. Then we'll see who's still laughing.

Bill Nighy is totally hot.

Dear TRB, I'm a woman. Here are some observations on my turning 40 and how I think I?ve changed as a result. Everything I write here is deeply personal for me so try not to judge and I?ll return the favour. Sorry they?re a bit rambling but I?m struggling to be coherent this evening. I believe wholeheartedly that in life you have to play the hand that has been dealt you. Whatever you don?t have; don?t cry about it. Enjoy what you do have. You are who you are; you?ve got what you?ve got ? don?t let people bully you into believing you?re not good enough. If you don?t like who you are then change it ? otherwise learn to love yourself or you are doomed to unhappiness. Children ? I don?t have any. My 20s and 30s were blighted by severe gynaecological problems that meant (a) I couldn?t conceive and (b) my body was fucked up to the point that I seriously and frequently thought about suicide. I gave up trying to get pregnant when I turned 40 and had a coil fitted. I?m a healthier and happier person for it. This has changed my life; seriously. Because I haven?t had children I feel that I frequently (and I do mean frequently) fall foul of other people?s prejudices and assumptions and I haven?t yet learned how to deal with them. I took stock of my life when I turned 40 (I think most people do); re-evaluated my relationships, my friendships, my closets! Just before my 40th birthday I got rid of a highly manipulative boyfriend and that alone felt like a huge burden was lifted from me. He used to check the mileage on my car on a daily basis and quiz me about where I?d been. I don?t miss him. He?s STILL trying to get me back ? phoned me just last week ? he doesn?t hear ?no?. That was part of the problem. Sex ? as Miss Jean Brodie once said, ?I?m in my prime?. Enough said. I?ve been on the planet a while now, I have forged some strong friendships. You need to invest effort in friendships to nourish them or they will fizzle out from neglect. When I turned 40 I jettisoned a few friendships that weren?t working for me so I could pay more attention to the ones that were. Gravity ? mother nature is a mean old cow and takes no prisoners. It definitely takes longer to get ready now. I spend more time putting my slap on than I used to. I don?t want to look younger ? I just want to look as good as I can for my age. It takes more time and more effort when you?re older. So be it. Get used to it. Confidence ? I never had any. People always assumed I was confident ? apparently I give that impression ? but they were wrong. I have acquired some inner confidence in my 40s and I must say it?s a wonderful thing to have. I believe that people are basically good. Even when those around me behave badly, I don?t find it so hard to still see the good in them. As I?m getting older and less riddled with doubt and insecurities, I find it easier not to take what people say and do personally. I?m aware now that everyone is fighting their own demons so I don?t assume everything is about me. It?s a different way of seeing things and its a million miles from how I saw things in my 20s. Finances ? I made some good investments - they?ve matured and so have I. Basically I can afford whatever I want. Fabulous. There?s a lot of ageism out there and a lot of assumptions are made about 40 something women. It?s not a battle I particularly want to fight but I am aware of it. I don?t feel the need to be fashionable or cool. I don?t care if someone thinks my ipod choices are a bit iffy. I?m not trying to impress anyone. I loved Susan Boyle?s ?Wild Horses? ? it made me cry ? so there! Vogue is my bible and I get a real kick out of seeing the new collections, but NOBODY is going to dictate to me what I can and can?t wear. Uncool is so hot it?s the new cool. I?m done for now. I hope I haven't over shared.

Portishead - ssecond album - big yawn

The Midlake gig this week has been sold out since the day it went on sale but a few returns have just gone on sale here. You would need to be very quick. http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/user?query=search&category=misc&search=midlake&region=gb_london&beginmonth=01&beginday=25&beginyear=2010 I think they're brilliant and I wish I was going.

I'm liking John Mayer's new album. Still listening to Them Crooked Vultures a lot, but I suppose that's so last year now. Px

All the Vampire Weekend standing tickets have gone now for Brixton now - only circle left

Did anyone want to go to Vampire Weekend in Brixton? It's been sold out for ages but is back on sale at SeeBastards. You will need to be quick though: http://www.seetickets.com/see/event.asp?e%7Cartist=VAMPIRE+WEEKEND&n|artist=null&resultsperpage=20&filler1=see&filler2=art-srch&filler3=id1getfront&orderby=date,time

david_carnell Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > Edit - Wilton's isn't exactly small but very cool. I can't make any of the gigs unfortunately. If I was going to anything it would be Wilton's Music Hall though - it's a very very cool place. Never been to a gig there but been there for other things. Would love to see a band there.

Midlake should be great DC - I've been listening to them a lot.

Who would we like to reform?