Run For Your Lives VIP tickets - how low can you go?

Eddie's Uncle

Eddie's Uncle

Educated Fool
These days it became trend that every major band on tour sells VIP tickets. Which are generally overpriced gimmicks to milk the most devoted morons among the crowd. In many cases (Maiden included), the amount of standard tickets is deliberately reduced in order to sell more VIP tickets.
While I would not expect anything else from KISS or Metallica, it hurts a bit to see Maiden not being above this stuff... especially when you consider what is included. Just out of curiosity I googled what a VIP ticket for RFYL tour includes. It's really a rip-off, can't say anything else.

For your 420 (FOURHUNDREDANDTWENTY) Euros, you get:
- Infield ticket (wow, so the same as everybody else)
- VIP access to the official "Iron-Maiden-Trooper-Pre-Show-Party" (which none of the band or crew ever attends, so you meet only the other suckers who bought the package)
- free snack (potato chips?) and TWO drink-vouchers (beer, wine, softdrink)
- Access to private bar (of course, no free or cheaper drinks, just a smaller waiting line)
- Picturebox / picturewall access (wow, you can do a selfie in front of an Eddie poster, now THATS fun)
- take part in a lottery for a signed merch item (so most likely you get nothing)
- a limited exclusive tour souvenir (probably a guitar pick or something of that size)
- exclusive VIP-Trooper-shirt (okay, that's kinda cool (if it looks good), but it is basically a shirt for 400 Euro... I pass, thank you)
- Trooper-VIP-merchandise-package (official Trooper laminations & keyring, Iron-Maiden-memory ticket) (Wow a copy of my ticket and a keyring. Net worth 2,50 Euro. Thank you, Rod)
- exclusive shopping at the merch table where possible (so it isnt possible everywhere? And what does it even mean? I get to buy before the crowd gets in? So what benefit would that be? I don't have to wait in line to pay EVEN MORE money to you? Cool!)
- separate check-in (gives you nothing, but you can feel so much more important)
- special attendant at the venue (so, a roadie who constantly says "stay back", "don't touch that", "I don't know" and "NO PICTURES!!!")

Net worth of that ticket: 50 Euro maximum. Probably less. No special meetings, no special seats. Nothing.
It gets harder to remain a Maiden fan every year. I will forever love their music, but my respect for the band truly suffers from this kind of stuff.
 
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Eddie's Uncle said:
- free snack (potato chips?) and TWO drink-vouchers (beer, wine, softdrink)
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I bought the VIP 2 times in London. The snacks include a buffet of burgers, hot dogs etc. You can eat as much as you want. This happens at the Pre-Show Party and it's great fun to meet with other fans. That's all. Of course it's not worth the money. I bought them only because regular tickets were sold out.
 
I don't get it, if you don't like this then don't pay for it? It's certainly worth more than 50 Eur if a ticket is also included.

I'd never pay for this but I'm sure some fans would for various reasons. I've long thought the Trooper parties were also overpriced and they are. But every show I see folks who do them and seem to enjoy doing so.

Some fans do one show every few years and choose to make an event out of it. This seems to appeal to those kind of people. I don't see the harm.
 
Prowler said:
I bought the VIP 2 times in London. The snacks include a buffet of burgers, hot dogs etc. You can eat as much as you want. This happens at the Pre-Show Party and it's great fun to meet with other fans. That's all. Of course it's not worth the money. I bought them only because regular tickets were sold out.
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I don't deny the party could be fun, but you meet other fans to celebrate with anyway, so there is not really a benefit in this party...
 
Donner said:
I don't get it, if you don't like this then don't pay for it? I don't see the harm.
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*sigh*
I know you don't. Most Metal fans these days completely forgot where this genre comes from, what its original meaning and intention was.
Most listeners are just the same consumerist people as pop audiences. That's also why they don't see or don't care about the irony that Bruce rants about Taylor Swift and Britney Spears, while his own band follows exactly the same business approach. That's why shirts cost 45 bucks, this is why Wacken turned from paradise to shit.

Sure, there is no HARM done. But this I-don't-care-about-cashgrab attitude is exactly what turned the genre into that hyper commerce plastic playground.
I don't see a problem with selling different forms of tickets, but if you charge that much money, it should at least be worth the price.
I know I am a minority with my stance, but I still see Metal the way it was in the 80s/90s, at least in terms of ethics. But maybe I should not expect some understanding in a Maiden forum.

Imagine Maiden doing something like this in 1992. People would have given them the finger.
 
I have far more problems with the ticketing companies ramming hotel/restaurant/champagne/other attractions deals down your throat while making it seriously difficult to buy bog standard normal tickets. I still think Ticketmaster made a serious mess with Maiden tickets this tour. You'd almost think it was clawing back what dynamic pricing would have given them.

At least VIP packages tend to be limited, and there's a small crowd out there who enjoy meeting up at all of these. The rest of us can still get to the gig by bus and drink in the local dive bar beforehand
 
Eddie's Uncle said:
but I still see Metal the way it was in the 80s/90s
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And there’s your problem.

It’s 2025 and both times and the fans themselves have changed. There’s a whole generation of metal fans going to concerts that weren’t even born in the 80’s or even in the 90’s.

I agree the trooper VIP is a total waste of money, especially when you see VIP offerings from other bands that are cheaper and include actually meeting the band and being present at soundchecks and other cool stuff. Having said that I don’t care enough about trooper VIP to start a thread up on an internet forum to moan about it. I just ignore it. If others want to spend there money on it then it’s up to them. I wouldn’t think anything less of someone for paying for VIP it’s just not for me.

Your post makes you sound like one of those elitist boomers who you hear going on about how metal was better “back in the day” and thinks all metal fans under the age of 30 are just dumb fucks and that you know better.
 
AncientMariner_Essex said:
And there’s your problem.

It’s 2025 and both times and the fans themselves have changed. There’s a whole generation of metal fans going to concerts that weren’t even born in the 80’s or even in the 90’s.

I agree the trooper VIP is a total waste of money, especially when you see VIP offerings from other bands that are cheaper and include actually meeting the band and being present at soundchecks and other cool stuff. Having said that I don’t care enough about trooper VIP to start a thread up on an internet forum to moan about it. I just ignore it. If others want to spend there money on it then it’s up to them. I wouldn’t think anything less of someone for paying for VIP it’s just not for me.

Your post makes you sound like one of those elitist boomers who you hear going on about how metal was better “back in the day” and thinks all metal fans under the age of 30 are just dumb fucks and that you know better.
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Do any under 30s go to these overpriced Trooper VIP parties or are they just a way of milking older fans?
 
AncientMariner_Essex said:
And there’s your problem.

It’s 2025 and both times and the fans themselves have changed. There’s a whole generation of metal fans going to concerts that weren’t even born in the 80’s or even in the 90’s.

I agree the trooper VIP is a total waste of money, especially when you see VIP offerings from other bands that are cheaper and include actually meeting the band and being present at soundchecks and other cool stuff. Having said that I don’t care enough about trooper VIP to start a thread up on an internet forum to moan about it. I just ignore it. If others want to spend there money on it then it’s up to them. I wouldn’t think anything less of someone for paying for VIP it’s just not for me.

Your post makes you sound like one of those elitist boomers who you hear going on about how metal was better “back in the day” and thinks all metal fans under the age of 30 are just dumb fucks and that you know better.
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I was born in 1981, so no boomer here, but whatever.

I simply see Metal as an escape from fabricated plastic music. It is important for art and culture in general that there are some genres that are not dictated and driven by sales and Sponsors and stuff. Metal was intended to be that way. An antithesis.
That's not really a question of age.
I do not mind when bands make good money. Cudos to them. However, there should be some sort of line bands should not cross for the sake of cash, and fans should remind the bands of that. Simple as that.
But it does happen way too rarely, because there are too many lazy consumerist fans like you, who just don't give a shit. Giving no shit about the culture that comes with the music.
It does not piss me off, it simply makes me sad. Because it could be different.
And yes, in that regard (ethically not musically), Metal WAS better in the past.
If this opinion makes me an elitist, then fine, call me an elitist. It actually speaks more about you than me, so I accept it.
I'd rather be called an elitist than someone who does not give fuck.

And please forgive me my stupidity: I thought this forum (or any forum) was intended to exchange opinions about anything Maiden related. I also thought this included things that can be criticised. Obviously I was wrong.
Sure, one can ask what sense lies in a thread like this, but: you still cared to reply.
Is a thread like this really more senseless than polls like "what is your favourite Nicko drum fill" or "worst Eddie backdrop"?
 
I think you can criticise and post everything (as long as there are no insults), that is the point of a discussion forum.

But I know some people who bought the package in 2023 and were so happy with it, raved about the Trooper party. I just can not bring myself to tell them they are wrong and destroy the spirit of Metal.
 
GhostofCain said:
Do any under 30s go to these overpriced Trooper VIP parties or are they just a way of milking older fans?
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DorotheaMe said:
I think you can criticise and post everything (as long as there are no insults), that is the point of a discussion forum.

But I know some people who bought the package in 2023 and were so happy with it, raved about the Trooper party. I just can not bring myself to tell them they are wrong and destroy the spirit of Metal.
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PS: They are in their thirties, but already have jobs or had business ideas that mean they have no financial problems.
 
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