Just got an email from Clear Channel/Ticketbastard regarding their "Getaccess" program:

The presale is from 10 to 5 for one day.

Has anybody signed up for this? Is it actually worth anything? With the very limited number of shows I'm interested in attending, I don't see myself signing up for it, but if it does actually get you good tickets, I'd just as soon get them this way than deal with a scalper (at least these will definitely not be counterfit). The last regualr internet presale I participated in was a complete sham. Logged on at 9:59 and some seconds, got 2 tickets halfway back in the upper section

I figure this is probably just a way to offer discount tickets for crappy shows, but I'm curious to know if they're actually interested in offering better service (even if you have to pay for it).

Are you doing the presale for James Taylor or another artist. I got the email too and I thought $60 is high, but... if you are going to use it for a number of shows it might be worth it.

Not interested in JT, but would pay the extra to get good tickets for somebody I liked.

I don't go to a lot of shows, but if the program offers real perks I would probably go to more.

To me - this is just more evidence of Ticketmaster holding the ticketing industry hostage.

You shouldn't have to pay for a "chance" to get good seats at an upcoming concert. (Like the recent Stones concert ticket "club" fiasco).

It's like buying a $60 lottery ticket.

If this grows to be a trend, I see live music (and the music industry in general) just taking even more of a severe beating - cashwise.

True, but logging into the pre-sale at the earliest possible moment sould net you tickets somewhere closer than 75% back from the stage.

Brokers (Scalpers) will sign up as well and lock you out just like anything else. You might get lucky and score good tickets, can happen now, but you will never win this fight and just donate money to a bad company.

Yep. Just another reason I go to very few shows.

Jason, I have good luck...check the show for tickets from the night before up to showtime. Many great seats are released in the end. This is due to the stage configuration allowing more seats, radio/promotor/band not using all of their comp tickets and putting them up for sale to get some more money. This is more common for arena shows and the seats are usually a couple of rows in the first section by the stage. I do this all the time and usually get what I want since I hate being on the floor.