Sorry if there is a delay in replying or if I'm away for short periods. Sometimes life gets in the way. As John Lennon says, life is what happens while you're busy making other plans.
He couldn’t believe it when he heard,
the rock band of his teens,
his favourite 90’s band,
were back together for a come-back gig.
As soon as the concert was announced
everyone was suddenly a massive fan
of the 90’s rock band,
despite most not being born at the time,
people he had known for years
were suddenly declaring they
had always loved the band
and couldn’t wait to go and see them,
despite never having mentioned them before.
The gig was the hottest ticket in town,
the event even made the news headlines,
music reporters were dispatched to Manchester
for the latest on the scoop.
He dug out his vinyl collection and record player,
listening to the classic albums
of the great band in their prime.
All that week as he listened to his records
he hoped, imagined and prayed.
Maybe, just maybe.
Not that anyone needed reminding,
but tickets would be going on sale on Saturday morning.
Even the TV forecasters when detailing weekend weather,
wished fans good luck getting tickets.
At nine o’clock on Saturday morning,
rather than having a lie-in,
he was at the kitchen table,
laptop computer booted up and ready.
At first he thought the long number displayed
was a telephone number to call for tickets,
then he realised, that was his position in the queue.
As he waited and waited, the number counting down
as slowly as the weeks to his summer holiday,
the hours dragging by, the figure slowly ticking,
he scrolled through social media posts,
endless smug posts of screen-shots,
Congratulations you have tickets.
Then it happened, the computer screen changed from listing
his place in the queue to detailing the tickets available.
This was it. He could select his ticket. He was going.
He was in. He would be seeing the band.
He stared for a moment. The only tickets left
were ‘deluxe’ and cost £500 each,
excluding booking fee, of course.
The website didn’t say exactly what was deluxe
about the tickets, apart from the price.
He stared and stared at the screen,
not wanting to shut it down,
to admit defeat,
but unable to fork out what was more
than his monthly mortgage payment
for a one-night concert.
The screen then changed, updated,
making the decision for him,
‘Event Sold Out’ displayed in bold letters.
As he switched his computer off
one of his friends, a branch manager at their firm,
messaged to gloat that he had bagged a deluxe ticket
for himself and his wife.
When had the working class band left their roots behind?
How could they justify those prices?
When had rock music become an elitist sport?
His phone pinged with a message from a friend.
Have you heard? The band have sold out.
Yes, he replied, it rather looks like they have.
-
Author:
Tom Dylan (
Offline) - Published: September 2nd, 2024 06:08
- Comment from author about the poem: Just watching the news over the pass week I was inspired to write this.
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 27
- Users favorite of this poem: Cheeky Missy
Offline)
Comments8
Down here-one word: three syllables-Ticketek
Excellent write
Thanks, Tony. Appreciated.
You're welcome
Please note 2781above, Tom. Ticket agencies can be manipulative rip offs, the actual experience hell. Far better with the vinyl in the comfort of his own home.
Completely agree. I didn't partake in the scramble for tickets. A friend of mine has paid almost five hundred pounds for a pre-show party ticket. Shocking, really. As you say, gimme the vinyl any day! Cheers, Tom.
Boohoo - or zzzzzz! I thought I was going to a gig, but it was showings of 20 'The Waltons' episodes. Who could bear that? lol.
If ya don't know it, don't see more than one episode. You'll go mad! lol.
Haha! Yeah, I know the Waltons! We were subjected to it as kids. Was there ever a more Sunday kind of show?? 🙂 Thanks for your comments, Orchi.
Heck! Did you ever get to the end of an episode without falling asleep through boredom?! And have you recovered yet from seeing the programme? lol.
Haha!! The ending was the best bit, goodnight, John Boy, goodnight Mary Ellen! We may have nodded off but woke up for that! 🙂
You bring home the insanity of ticket prices for these mega concerts. I googled Taylor Swift tickets out of curiousity and they start at around $1600.00. I'm amazed at what people will pay for a one night experience. Great write my friend, you hit it out of the ball park.
Thanks for your comments, Bella. Really appreciated. Completely agree. People will pay ridiculous amounts for concert tickets, and the bands keep hiking the prices up. Cheers, Tom.
One and a half classic albums, Tom?!
Anyways, 500 quid
To see specks on a stage
That`s more than a weekly wage
And by the way, Noel, I`m not afraid!
4 years gone by
I`m still fine
Nicely put, Mutley. And yep, some of those later albums were just awful. Needless to say, they won't be playing any tracks from those albums. Thanks for your comments, mate. Appreciated.
Life. Exquisitely rendered by the poet with such poignancy the heart is rent in twain oer what had seemed passé, I swoon, I swoon! You know, I cringe too relate it, but tis not unlike the withered fellow who happily explained about his very hot car from the 60's which I'd accidentally admired before realizing it was his. He said it'd been the rage in highschool, but he'd been unable to afford it. Now he was waiting for his wife to bring [an extra gas can?]-- and I began to learn, only began, about those loves we must eventually reconcile to reality. I love this piece! Me wishes for me ain copy!
Love your comment, Missy. Yes, sometimes the reality doesn't match the idea we have in our minds. Cheers, Tom.
Most intriguing writing. It is a good story by itself, but seems to be a metaphor for life in general. I think of the price of housing as it keeps going up and is less and less available to young people. The price of cars they have now become the price of an old house. The price of even listening to music anymore paid on a per listening basis. Life itself is expensive. Someday someone will be paying to read this review. Nicely done, Tom.
Yes, completely agree. Concert tickets, football tickets, as you say, life in general is so expensive. Thanks as always for your comments, Soren.
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