mortified
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Post by mortified on Jul 7, 2017 10:35:50 GMT
It's all change, folks. The last of the electrics would appear to have been a red herring. Quo's UK tour will now be electric and called "Plugged In Live And Rockin'". The goalposts have moved. So anyone who bought a ticket for an " Aquostic" gig (like me) who wasn't all that keen on electric without Rick (like me) and who naively believed them last year is stuck with them. Doesn't apply to Germany apparently. Thank God I went to Barcelona to see what I ACTUALLY wanted to see!
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Post by reasonforliving on Jul 7, 2017 11:37:41 GMT
Well, I wasn't expecting that! Also a bit disapionted but at least I had not got round to ordering Wolverhampton tickets! The Aquoustic band is about the only configuration I have not seen and would like to see - maybe I will have to wait another year or so.
I can understand parts of it. I think that TLNOTE (or whatever it was) was decided upon to make the best of the 'issues' with in the band and so, at the time, I think it was a genuine intension to (at least) cut down on the electric stuff and move towards an easier 'sit down' job! But, now, due to circumstances, things have changed :-(
I suspect this is going to be a commercial decision - maybe the Aquostic tickets weren't selling well and so that influenced the change of plan.
I just hope, but I'm not holding my breath, that at least they will TRY to shake up the set. I know Francis loves to say that the set is difficult to get right and that at the moment, it is right, but I hope they try to change it. Not as it makes any difference to me - I think I will give it a miss this year - probably just buy the DVD if the reports are good!!
It's impressive, even for Quo, to be promoting the merchandise for the last night of the electrics and forthcoming live and loud (is that what it's called) next to each other on the website!!!!! Who would of expected that in 1984!!!!!!!!!!!! Frank Sinatra must be getting worried now!!
Having said all of that, I think it is very impressive that the band are still able to put bums on seats, so we shouldn't knock it too much!!!
Actually off topic I know and may be I should start a new thread, but did Francis ever have a 'real job'?? There can't be many people in show business who have never had to fall back (or start) with a real job before making it big!!!
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mortified
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Post by mortified on Jul 7, 2017 12:41:24 GMT
I suspect this is going to be a commercial decision - maybe the Aquostic tickets weren't selling well and so that influenced the change of plan. We'd never get that admission but it's certainly my suspicion. From what I've heard about the winter tour fan club sale, the Royal Albert Hall attendance and from what I saw with my own eyes in Barcelona, it's a reasonable assumption. I never thought that the Aquostic stuff had a long shelf life. It was great when it first appeared and the Roundhouse gig was outstanding, as were others. But it is now pretty obvious that you can't tour the ar$e off it like you can with the electric gigs. And touring is how Quo make money. End of. I can fully appreciate how things have changed and Rick was still working when last year's tour was announced. 2016 was a very difficult year for all concerned. But, for me, there is not enough real truth coming out of the camp and there hasn't been for a long time. It's all promotional rhetoric. Tell us all straight. We can take it. Just say that the acoustic gigs are no longer pulling people in so we're going back to what we've been doing because we need to keep the ship afloat. Too many livelihoods at stake. I think we might all respect that. It's not naivety; it's called honesty. It'd be a refreshing change.
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Post by smokie on Jul 7, 2017 16:47:57 GMT
Personally, I always prefer to hear the truth, no matter how unpleasant that truth may be. I don't like being patronised and I think the statement is a bit of that to be honest. Now don't get me wrong, I liked and do like Aquostic but it was always going to be a novelty and with the very nature of novelties, the sheen does eventually wear off. As mortified as already stated, Quo make money by touring, pure and simple. Even with a reduced assemble, it might still be too expensive to continue and if tickets aren't selling...... Perhaps it's a losing face thing, I don't know but couldn't they have said, "as the Aquostic shows aren't selling in the numbers that we had hoped, we are reverting to the electric format". What's wrong with that?
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Post by Sam on Jul 7, 2017 17:24:23 GMT
Just saw this on Facebook....
If the term ‘Status Quo’ can be defined as representing ‘the existing state of affairs’ then maybe the band, despite being known for 50 years for their no-nonsense winning formula, need a name change. For nothing has stayed the same for this iconic band over the last year. Francis Rossi and the band have faced the retirement from live performance of the iconic Rick Parfitt, followed late last year by his tragic death, and have kept the flag flying, to honour his memory and the band’s commitments, and to bring the fans what they want and deserve.
And it’s the fans that have prompted yet another change. In late April the band announced their long-planned ‘Aquostic’ tour of the UK and immediately found themselves with a dilemma. The shift to ‘Aquostic’ tour had been deemed necessary as the inevitable rigours of the Electric set were considered to be too much for Rick to take on. Yet demand from fans for Electric shows was undiminished. Taking into account all changed circumstances, and the band’s movement out of the cycle of the successful ‘Aquostic’ albums, a decision has been made to plug back in. The renamed ‘PLUGGED IN – Live and Rockin!’ tour will now be fully Electric. This change applies to UK dates only, the band have not toured the ‘Aquostic’ show in Europe and promoters have requested that the shows stay in that format.
Francis Rossi said, “This has been a year like no other. In many ways the band has felt out of control. Rick’s passing was a huge blow. Much of what we had planned was envisaged initially to accommodate what would be right for him; those sands have obviously shifted. Now everything has changed. The band is not the same - it can’t be and shouldn’t be – and the plan has changed too. We’re still listening to the fans, we always have, and we’re hearing that this is what they still want. We’re going to give it to them”.
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gav
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Post by gav on Jul 7, 2017 18:16:28 GMT
Perhaps it's a losing face thing, I don't know but couldn't they have said, "as the Aquostic shows aren't selling in the numbers that we had hoped, we are reverting to the electric format". What's wrong with that? That would show weakness in terms of management and highlights the farcical nature of maintaining this supposedly strong brand, ie. Quo. The times we live in.
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Post by aitchfrossi on Jul 7, 2017 21:42:30 GMT
Totally get why the band went Aquostic to look after Rick...a bad year for the band coming to terms with his passing. I was happy to be seeing Aquostic but extremely happy to be getting at least one more chance to see electrics...I am sure that to some people whatever the band do without Rick will be frowned upon but I for one am happy.
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Post by snakelady on Jul 8, 2017 6:14:06 GMT
My sincerest consolations. Thank god I don't live in the UK and we still get an acoustic tour. Which seems to be selling well btw., not many seats left when I last checked. So should you consider coming over for an acoustic set, you better not wait too long. Nice time of the year too, Christmas markets and festive decorations and maybe even the first snow. I'm actually surprised they didn't call it alive and rockin', but maybe that would've been too cynical .. And no, they can't admit if it's down to poor ticket sales. The thing is, I doubt electric is going to sell much better at the moment. Best move would probably be to cancel the whole tour and instead make a fresh start next year. I f the promoter goes along, if it's financially viable, if .. Then again maybe they're going to completely shake up the live set and come up with a brand new set and we'll be envious and will want to come over to the UK .. * and then she wakes up..* Anyway, guess some serious money needs now be put into promoting it or this might turn into a disaster.
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mortified
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Post by mortified on Jul 8, 2017 7:42:20 GMT
Anyway, guess some serious money needs now be put into promoting it or this might turn into a disaster. Myself and my beau were just talking about that last night. It's all very well saying we're reverting to electric but even if seats haven't been selling that well, anyone now deciding to go will not have the best choice. Not after two or three months on sale. I also had a thought that we bought those very expensive VIP tickets for Cardiff last year because we thought (again, naively) and were told it would probably be the last time of seeing the band 'plugged in'. That has turned out to be a scam; pure and simple. I became aware of that when I saw the VIP tickets on sale for the Aquostic gigs. It's a new promoter policy. Now, don't get me wrong, I love seeing this band - plugged in or otherwise. Their music is timeless to me. But there has to come a stage where I say to myself enough is enough. I'm fed up being fed bull$hit and expected to swallow it no matter how good the gigs. I'll no doubt get over this just like I've been getting over every little scheme since after Milton Keynes but it'll take a bit longer this time.
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Post by Crapmodem on Jul 8, 2017 11:42:31 GMT
I am not surprised at what they have done but, as others have said, a bit of honesty would be nice.
The decision to go 'Aquostic' was never (at the time) stated to have anything to do with Rick's health. It was a band decision to, 'slow down a bit' and 'try different interpretations'.
Had he not become ill last year, Rick would have been just as happy to continue with the normal electric tours.
Personally I stopped going to gigs at the end of last year's Winter Tour for reasons covered elsewhere. Last week I picked up an 8th Row ticket for Hammersmith this Winter and thought, "OK, let me go to just one more Aquostic show, even though it doesn't really excite me. It will bring my tally of Status Quo concerts up to a nice round 350."
Now I find I am holding a ticket for a Status Quo electric concert without Rick Parfitt; something I don't want to see again! The word on the ticket is "Aquostic".
Ho Hum.
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mortified
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Post by mortified on Jul 8, 2017 12:58:46 GMT
I am not surprised at what they have done....
The decision to go 'Aquostic' was never (at the time) stated to have anything to do with Rick's health. It was a band decision to, 'slow down a bit' and 'try different interpretations'.
Now I find I am holding a ticket for a Status Quo electric concert without Rick Parfitt; something I don't want to see again! The word on the ticket is "Aquostic".
Ho Hum.
I'm not surprised either. Nothing surprises me any more with this lot (and more especially those they pay to look after their interests). But things do irritate because for the fan (i.e. me and you) it is not an inexpensive exercise. Our choice of course; I fully accept that. But our choice based on the information we're given at the time. The goalposts keep moving but it doesn't seem to stop them scoring an increasing number of own goals.
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mortified
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Post by mortified on Jul 8, 2017 13:07:34 GMT
Last week I picked up an 8th Row ticket for Hammersmith this Winter...
Which actually confirms all our suspicions I think. 8th Row after more than two months on sale? Sums it up really.
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Post by quodlibet aka granny on Jul 8, 2017 16:04:28 GMT
Last week I picked up an 8th Row ticket for Hammersmith this Winter...
Which actually confirms all our suspicions I think. 8th Row after more than two months on sale? Sums it up really. There were no good balcony seats at W/ton Civic on offer at £55 when it first went on sale but they are still trying to flog the first few rows as overpriced VIP seats. Plenty of standing seats available but no balcony seats at all except the rip-off ones.
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Post by Crapmodem on Jul 8, 2017 16:07:38 GMT
Because I was not planning on attending any more Status Quo concerts, I wasn't even aware the tour was on sale. I received the mailshot from FTMO... a while ago, but just put it to one side.
I'm not sure why I looked at the Hammersmith website the other day. Old habits? Anyway, the ticket was for a single seat, end of row, exactly where I like to be.
Will I go on the night? Sell the ticket beforehand?
We shall see.
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Post by problemshalved on Jul 8, 2017 19:53:17 GMT
All the Ticket links are still showing it as Acoustic.
As this is currently a seated gig at the BIC Bournemouth to accommodate the original Acoustic plan I won't be going (was never interested in Acoustic). BIC was always one of the best venues due to the standing area and you could have fun without the cardigans moaning.
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Post by deliveryofoblivion on Jul 8, 2017 20:05:39 GMT
Just read a few posts on the Acoustic electric thing..So if this has been touched on before and i am repeating Sorry....Surely if you have an Acoustic Ticket that has now become a Lekky show....Is not a refund in order if you waned to see e acoustic show ??
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Post by problemshalved on Jul 8, 2017 20:51:54 GMT
Agree and I think more so than last year, where they did eventually offer refunds
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Post by snakelady on Jul 9, 2017 6:50:26 GMT
This comes across so half cooked, as if somebody had been panicking. Somebody obviously wasn't able to see the difference between Rick absent and and Rick dead and gone, never to return. Or between the arenas selling out because the tour was the last night of the electrics and the band continuing without as much as a break and forgetting about the 'last' bit within less than a year just because A2 and its subsequent tour hasn't sold sufficiently. Proper marketing would've been required and not switching formates from one moment to the next, confusing casuals and losing credibility with fans and media alike. Poor Francis who'll now have to do all those interviews pretending it's all consequent and logical and the band are fine with it. This is a mess and he's forced to sell it to the public as reasonable. Now I do wonder if the band will be able to recover from that (management/promotional) mistake ? It's one thing the promoters asking them to switch back to electric, but to go along with it is a mistake, as I seriously doubt they subscribed to a treaty that included the switch back if not sufficient acoustic tickets were sold by *add date of choice*. And yes, refunds are absolutely in order, punters have to be informed and complains be dealt with generously. Damage limitation, if there's such a thing in this case .. Anybody consider coming to Germany now ?
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mortified
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Post by mortified on Jul 9, 2017 7:32:54 GMT
This comes across so half cooked, as if somebody had been panicking. You think? To be brutally honest and thinking about it logically, there is absolutely no reason to change from acoustic to electric if tickets are selling well. It makes no sense whatsoever. Why would they? What would be the point? They've made big mistakes - last year and leading into this - and I'm not 100% certain they'll recover from it in terms of credibility this time. And that affects ticket sales as much as anything does; especially in this business. I genuinely hope they do no matter what I personally decide to do going forward. But this is beginning to look like an exercise in disaster recovery. Whether its a successful one, only time will tell. It's actually a real shame, especially when you see how they go down at things like these festival slots. They are still brilliant at what they do but there is now a suggestion of fumbling around not really knowing what to do. But its to save a business and people's jobs, not for any musical or personnel reason. It's all very well running it like a business with multiple employees but when fewer people want your product - for whatever reason - something has to give.
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Post by snakelady on Jul 9, 2017 8:22:51 GMT
This comes across so half cooked, as if somebody had been panicking. You think? To be brutally honest and thinking about it logically, there is absolutely no reason to change from acoustic to electric if tickets are selling well. It makes no sense whatsoever. Why would they? What would be the point? They've made big mistakes - last year and leading into this - and I'm not 100% certain they'll recover from it in terms of credibility this time. And that affects ticket sales as much as anything does; especially in this business. I genuinely hope they do no matter what I personally decide to do going forward. But this is beginning to look like an exercise in disaster recovery. Whether its a successful one, only time will tell. It's actually a real shame, especially when you see how they go down at things like these festival slots. They are still brilliant at what they do but there is now a suggestion of fumbling around not really knowing what to do. But its to save a business and people's jobs, not for any musical or personnel reason. It's all very well running it like a business with multiple employees but when fewer people want your product - for whatever reason - something has to give. The thing is, IMO this has been a major business mistake. One thing that is required from a band is reliability. To first do a last electric tour - and then another the next winter is not reliable. To switch formates while tickets are already on sale is not reliable. There is a huge difference between acoustic and electric and those who want to see one don't necessarily will want to see the other. IMO huge damage to their reputation has been done and I can't see how they're going to get out of this .. Maybe cancel the whole UK tour as quickly as possible would at least be damage limitation ? I don't see a way out of this that won't hurt them one way or other.
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Post by aitchfrossi on Jul 9, 2017 8:27:31 GMT
Well....have read all posts and one thing that's standing out is 'Rick would have carried on electrics' ...maybe he would but that was Ricks denial personality...obviously he was not well...the band etc knew this as they more or less lived with him...what the fans saw was him putting on a show...that was Rick. The band are now committed to providing for his family ( as it appears he left no money) and maybe they just enjoy electrics more and tell you what..at their age if you can do it why not? Quo tickets will always sell...they are great at what they do.
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mortified
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Post by mortified on Jul 9, 2017 8:28:48 GMT
You think? To be brutally honest and thinking about it logically, there is absolutely no reason to change from acoustic to electric if tickets are selling well. It makes no sense whatsoever. Why would they? What would be the point? They've made big mistakes - last year and leading into this - and I'm not 100% certain they'll recover from it in terms of credibility this time. And that affects ticket sales as much as anything does; especially in this business. I genuinely hope they do no matter what I personally decide to do going forward. But this is beginning to look like an exercise in disaster recovery. Whether its a successful one, only time will tell. It's actually a real shame, especially when you see how they go down at things like these festival slots. They are still brilliant at what they do but there is now a suggestion of fumbling around not really knowing what to do. But its to save a business and people's jobs, not for any musical or personnel reason. It's all very well running it like a business with multiple employees but when fewer people want your product - for whatever reason - something has to give. Maybe cancel the whole UK tour as quickly as possible would at least be damage limitation ? I don't see a way out of this that won't hurt them one way or other. I can't see that as being a financial option. The insurance costs would be enormous. Although artistically they might regain some respect. But artistic respect don't pay the mortgage. Now, to be fair, we may be going completely down the wrong road with all of this and everything is rosy in the garden. But as the old 80's adage goes, perception is reality
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mortified
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Post by mortified on Jul 9, 2017 8:30:22 GMT
Quo tickets will always sell...they are great at what they do. The first is obviously not necessarily it would appear. Although again, to be fair, it's only early July. The second is a given. Thankfully.
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Post by vivfromcov on Jul 9, 2017 12:30:27 GMT
You think? To be brutally honest and thinking about it logically, there is absolutely no reason to change from acoustic to electric if tickets are selling well. It makes no sense whatsoever. Why would they? What would be the point? They've made big mistakes - last year and leading into this - and I'm not 100% certain they'll recover from it in terms of credibility this time. And that affects ticket sales as much as anything does; especially in this business. I genuinely hope they do no matter what I personally decide to do going forward. But this is beginning to look like an exercise in disaster recovery. Whether its a successful one, only time will tell. It's actually a real shame, especially when you see how they go down at things like these festival slots. They are still brilliant at what they do but there is now a suggestion of fumbling around not really knowing what to do. But its to save a business and people's jobs, not for any musical or personnel reason. It's all very well running it like a business with multiple employees but when fewer people want your product - for whatever reason - something has to give. The thing is, IMO this has been a major business mistake. One thing that is required from a band is reliability. To first do a last electric tour - and then another the next winter is not reliable. To switch formates while tickets are already on sale is not reliable. There is a huge difference between acoustic and electric and those who want to see one don't necessarily will want to see the other. IMO huge damage to their reputation has been done and I can't see how they're going to get out of this .. Maybe cancel the whole UK tour as quickly as possible would at least be damage limitation ? I don't see a way out of this that won't hurt them one way or other. I agree that this is a major problem. If ticket sales were down and they decided to change it to electric, (not taking into consideration whether that was right or wrong) the only way they could get away with it in my view would be to say it was a continuation of the LNOTE tour (due to demand from the fans blah blah blah). I believe the long plan was for them to carry on until 2018 but because of Rick's failing health, only do a few 'specials' and Aquostic shows. However, after they got Ritchie in, they realised they could keep adding more and more shows to increase the pension pot. This continuation of LNOTE could feasibly keep going until their definite retirement but as you say, to change the name of the tour to Live and Plugged in loses all credibility (and maybe is in poor taste? )
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Post by vivfromcov on Jul 9, 2017 12:40:31 GMT
* Plugged In - Live and Rockin
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