Suggestion for PB

[Auntie Hope]

Listen up my little nephews and nieces. Y'all are looking at this entirely in the wrong direction. You're looking at Planet Bluegrass. Turn around. Look the other way!

They are all "National Touring Bands" doing Nightgrass. They have fans that follow them from all over the country. Here are three examples of what is actually causing the problem. Take a click and see for yourselves

Mumford & Sons
http://www.mumfordandsons.com/live?list=10

Yonder Mountain String Band
http://www.yondermountain.com/

The Punch Brothers
http://www.punchbrothers.com/tour/

The Nightgrass Shows are on THE TOUR PAGES! YES! ON THE TOUR PAGES!!!
To their credit, Railroad Earth, Cornmeal, The Infamous Stringdusters and Abigail Washburn (and that's as far as I checked) have not advertised the Nightgrass Shows on their Tour Pages.

SOLUTION :
There are 10,000 Folks at TBF, plus the local population of Telluride, plus the population of the Four Corners area, plus the Promoters... and last but not least, Our Beloved Sponsors. Nightgrass is advertised as the following, and I quote,

"2011 NightGrass Shows
The sun may set and the temperature may drop, but the music doesn't stop at Telluride Bluegrass... NightGrass is the late-night component of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. "

You are the fans of TBF and these bands. You write to them. You let your voice be heard. You tell them that Nightgrass is not just any other show to be posted on their Tour Pages. You explain that there are already enough butts in the area during FESTIVVVAAALLL!!! to fill the seats at a Nightgrass Show and they need not go trolling the country to fill those seats.

SPEAK UP!

Okay, it's too late for this year, but next year, as soon as the line-up is announced, take a moment of your time and send all the bands a note on this subject. Then maybe, just maybe, you'll stand a better chance of getting that dream Nightgrass ticket next year.

Auntie Hope 

[ShatteredArm]

Listen up my little nephews and nieces. Y'all are looking at this entirely in the wrong direction. You're looking at Planet Bluegrass. Turn around. Look the other way!

They are all "National Touring Bands" doing Nightgrass. They have fans that follow them from all over the country. Here are three examples of what is actually causing the problem. Take a click and see for yourselves

Mumford & Sons
http://www.mumfordandsons.com/live?list=10

Yonder Mountain String Band
http://www.yondermountain.com/

The Punch Brothers
http://www.punchbrothers.com/tour/

The Nightgrass Shows are on THE TOUR PAGES! YES! ON THE TOUR PAGES!!!
To their credit, Railroad Earth, Cornmeal, The Infamous Stringdusters and Abigail Washburn (and that's as far as I checked) have not advertised the Nightgrass Shows on their Tour Pages.

Agreed.  Mumford & Sons even posted it on their main page in the "news" section.  I'm assuming the notice went out to anyone on their mailing list.  Of course, now a few of those who got tickets aren't going to have a place to stay... One comment on the M&S post complains about how camping is sold out and rooms are an exorbitant price.

I personally feel there are already enough people paying attention to the festival that there isn't any need for additional advertisement.  Kinda goes against the spirit of a festival for people to be rolling in for one band only, and then leaving.

[Auntie Hope]

So post back to the complainers and tell them to return the tickets to Planet Bluegrass before May... 6th? is it??...

Just an idea. 

Auntie Hope

[Debbiefromtucson]

Nightgrass are non-refundable...

but, I have a question.. Will all those people that just have a Night grass tix even be able to get into telluride????

[muther]

Listen up my little nephews and nieces. Y'all are looking at this entirely in the wrong direction. You're looking at Planet Bluegrass. Turn around. Look the other way!

They are all "National Touring Bands" doing Nightgrass. They have fans that follow them from all over the country. Here are three examples of what is actually causing the problem. Take a click and see for yourselves

Mumford & Sons
http://www.mumfordandsons.com/live?list=10

Yonder Mountain String Band
http://www.yondermountain.com/

The Punch Brothers
http://www.punchbrothers.com/tour/

The Nightgrass Shows are on THE TOUR PAGES! YES! ON THE TOUR PAGES!!!
To their credit, Railroad Earth, Cornmeal, The Infamous Stringdusters and Abigail Washburn (and that's as far as I checked) have not advertised the Nightgrass Shows on their Tour Pages.

SOLUTION :
There are 10,000 Folks at TBF, plus the local population of Telluride, plus the population of the Four Corners area, plus the Promoters... and last but not least, Our Beloved Sponsors. Nightgrass is advertised as the following, and I quote,

"2011 NightGrass Shows
The sun may set and the temperature may drop, but the music doesn't stop at Telluride Bluegrass... NightGrass is the late-night component of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. "

You are the fans of TBF and these bands. You write to them. You let your voice be heard. You tell them that Nightgrass is not just any other show to be posted on their Tour Pages. You explain that there are already enough butts in the area during FESTIVVVAAALLL!!! to fill the seats at a Nightgrass Show and they need not go trolling the country to fill those seats.

SPEAK UP!

Okay, it's too late for this year, but next year, as soon as the line-up is announced, take a moment of your time and send all the bands a note on this subject. Then maybe, just maybe, you'll stand a better chance of getting that dream Nightgrass ticket next year.

Auntie Hope 

People are simply saying that the site was slow... causing them to lose tickets they had gotten to, before many others, because of the site crashing/timing out/etc.  I highly doubt that every fan of the bands you listed, saw the dates on the sites, and felt the need to rush a site if they had no plans of attending TBF in the first place.  I would guess that 99% of the individuals looking to purchase tickets this morning were either those planning to attend or scalpers (all of which would have been there already).  This has obviously happened in the past, and there is no reason for everyone not to be able to "speak up" and voice their opinions in what seemed to be all respectful manners.

[jpec]

Nightgrass are non-refundable...

but, I have a question.. Will all those people that just have a Night grass tix even be able to get into telluride????

anyone is allowed into telluride, you just cant get into town park. i know lots of people who just go for elks park, and nightgrass. not a bad deal if you dont have the funds for the main stage.

i dont think PB, or my wallet, would really want to pay to barricade the entire canyon from non ticket holders.

[Debbiefromtucson]

Not true. There is a barricade before you get into town...... You may be able to get through with just Night Grass tix but I believe you need to have TBF tix, proof that you are a local or a special barricade pass that is issued with hotel rooms...

[Roach]

Because of today's technology, scalpers from all over the world can buy and sell these tickets.

Bring back the 3x5 index card.  I will help sort and recycle the envelopes.

And by help sort I mean ensure my index card finds the appropriate pile 

Also still a big fan of a box office at the ranch for us psuedo-locals.  Maybe a temporary window at Oscars?

 Listening to: Pantera

[FaceOnMars]

Not true. There is a barricade before you get into town...... You may be able to get through with just Night Grass tix but I believe you need to have TBF tix, proof that you are a local or a special barricade pass that is issued with hotel rooms...

While this is true regarding vehicles, anyone can walk/bike into town ... or park in the village and take the gondola in to town.

jpec is correct about folks in the region trying to experience what they can when they can.  Not saying this is what you are saying, but I don't believe these people should be penalized because there is more general interest in the festival for those who are able to get away for 4 days.

[Debbiefromtucson]

Right, I was just thinking about people driving in. I always forget about parking at Mountain Village....

[Rikitikitavi]

Nightgrass are non-refundable...

but, I have a question.. Will all those people that just have a Night grass tix even be able to get into telluride????

anyone is allowed into telluride, you just cant get into town park. i know lots of people who just go for elks park, and nightgrass. not a bad deal if you dont have the funds for the main stage.

i dont think PB, or my wallet, would really want to pay to barricade the entire canyon from non ticket holders.

I've never understood this argument too well.  Unless you were a local you're already in camping, nightgrass, and travel fees.  It seems kinda stupid to plan a trip down to the festival without some mainstage investments, or am I alone on this one?  I get that peoples pocketbooks are hurting but at $185 four day passes for Telluride ais one of the best deals around.

 Listening to: Now's the Time, Charlie Parker

[itsRick]

a lot of the pressure would be alleviated by, (1) only releasing 1 show at a time instead of a flood of all shows at once. and,(2) release a limited number of tix at one time, say 25% Tuesday morning at 9:00 25% Tuesday night at 9:00 and so on. that way you don't overwhelm the system and those that can't be there online for a 1 shot deal will have ample opportunity for there chance at the shows.
as for the bands announcing on there tour pages? I would think the Planet would be able to control that as part of the bands contract. all the bands know that all the nightgrass shows will sell out, so there is no need for them to advertise .
 I don't do the nightgrass shows anymore, I find that all day on the main stage and then a full night of town park debauchery is much more my style.

[HuckinFappy]

,(2) release a limited number of tix at one time, say 25% Tuesday morning at 9:00 25% Tuesday night at 9:00 and so on

i dunno Rick, i think we'd just overwhelm the system for longer

This is really a great use for something like the Amazon or Google cloud services.  After all, planet Bluegrass has very low server/bandwidth needs most of the year, relative to what happens at these "on Sale" times.  With a properly designed infrastructure, it could all be hosted on cloud servers, and when they know these spikes are coming they could go from a couple of machines to a couple of hundred machines for a few hours, and have the massive Amazon or Google infrastructure backing them up.

I'm sure Craig has a top-notch web guy working for him, and I'm equally sure that they'll be having a conversation about how to better handle these things in the future.  I'd like them to explore this as 1 possible solution.

Yes, I don't just play a geek on TV, i really am one 

~Jeff

[ShatteredArm]

,(2) release a limited number of tix at one time, say 25% Tuesday morning at 9:00 25% Tuesday night at 9:00 and so on

i dunno Rick, i think we'd just overwhelm the system for longer

This is really a great use for something like the Amazon or Google cloud services.  After all, planet Bluegrass has very low server/bandwidth needs most of the year, relative to what happens at these "on Sale" times.  With a properly designed infrastructure, it could all be hosted on cloud servers, and when they know these spikes are coming they could go from a couple of machines to a couple of hundred machines for a few hours, and have the massive Amazon or Google infrastructure backing them up.

I'm sure Craig has a top-notch web guy working for him, and I'm equally sure that they'll be having a conversation about how to better handle these things in the future.  I'd like them to explore this as 1 possible solution.

Yes, I don't just play a geek on TV, i really am one 

~Jeff

I haven't used cloud services yet professional, so this is just a conjecture, but it might be difficult to implement a secure payment gateway using a cloud.  That stuff has to be hosted in a DMZ.

[completejohn]

Yeah, all I was writing about was the fact that, during the half hour of the process, I had then suddenly didn't have tickets, or would suddenly have to start the process all over again.  It was frustrating, to say the least.

I really like the idea of all tickets being will called.  That would take care of a lot of scalping, but also open up other problems for PB (what happens if a legitimate problem happens for a REAL PERSON buyer). 

The best situation would be a bigger server, but then again, who's gonna pay for that - eventually US!