My frustrating journey to get my TSO ticket

[RacerX]

OK, I love the spectacle of Trans Siberian Orchestra so every winter I get a floor ticket; this year it's Nov 20 at the Honda Center:

http://www.hondacenter.com/EventDetails.aspx?eventDateID=261

Well, as usual I procrastinated a month...I dedicated yesterday to be
The Day I Go To The Box Office. (I don't like getting tix online or from ticketbastard; this way I get to pick my own seat - ar ar - and save the ridiculous service charges).

As usual #2 I procrastinated on the time I left my house. I knew the box office was open from 10 AM - 4 PM, but I didn't get on the road until after 2 - 1st mistake. I turned on my GPS but it didn't have the venue listed.

[RacerX]

So I get down to Anaheim OK, but I run into all this traffic right before I turn in to the street. OK, there's an event here, starting early I guess. What I didn't realize (until a few minutes later) that this was the Hannah Montana concert! And it was gonna start in about an hour! So, all the traffic, cones, cops, restricted lanes, and turning into the wrong parking lot got me to Defcon 1

Then! I get to the parking lot ticket booth, and find out I gotta pay the parking fee just to go in to the box office! $12 but I get it refunded when I leave the lot. Allright, I sigh as I whip out a 20. Defcon 1.5

Of course there is no special (temporary) parking area for chumps who
just buying ticket for future shows.
So I gotta park way in the back 40 (squeezing my huge Buick into a space between all the BMWs), then walk all the way back up to the venue, amongst the crowds of young girlies and their moms
who don't know I am just buying a ticket for future show.

Defcon 2

The place is a madhouse, man did I pick the wrong time! Make it to the box office, there are about 10 windows, 7 of which have a big poster saying WILL CALL. OK, that's fine, all the moms gotta pick up their overpriced tix. But 3 minutes after I get in one of the regular lines, some security guys go down the line and tell all us who are just buying ticket for future shows
the windows getting turned into a will call and we can't buy tix. Defcon 3! I got upset, raised my voice and started swearing at the sitch. One Mom got mad, told me there are kids around, and then the security guys were warning me away also. Shit!

[RacerX]

Everybody was saying I was out of luck and had no info if/when the box office was gonna start selling tix again. So I walked back to the outside of another entrance and I spot a guy in slacks & tie talking to a security guy. I asked this dude if he was with corporate or some sort of manager, then proceeded to tell him my tale of woe. He really helped calm me down, but he really didn't do anything else to help me get a ticket. He did suggest I sit down and rest a bit, so I did. After a few minutes it was around 3:30 and I wasn't leaving there without a ticket! So I got really really calm, went back to the East Entrance and started asking people if they could help, starting with this cute girl wearing an event staff yellow jacket (she really wanted to "wand" people coming to the show - can you believe they were searching & wanding people at Hannah Montana?? but she was stuck standing there as a human barricade). I talked to about 4 different people, on up the chain. The last one just walked away but I remained calm. Finally another security guy walked over and led me - to the same window I was at originally. He explained it to the girl beind the window. Finally, thought I,
I was getting the VIP service I deserved!

The transaction was quick & easy, and importantly, no freaking sevice charge! I also got a not-too-shabby seat! Yay!

I felt like I was on top of the world! I thanked everybody profusely, triumphantly waggled my prize in the air for yellow jacket girl, shook another security guys hand, and found Slacks & Tie (who was actually just a limo driver all along! ) I thanked him & shook his hand warmly. Then, back to the car, got out of there, got my $12 back, turned on the GPS and entered a bearing for a restaurant for which I had a coupon. Then I ate a very satisfying chicken tamale!

[NextInLine]

Cool story Ron! Glad you got your ticket.

I like talking to people and hopefully convincing them to help me in such situations and shaking hands is something really important imo, it tells a lot about people..

[Rich#6]

That sucks glad to see you got your ticket though. That sounds worse then when I went downtown chicago to pickup a guitar during a cub's game. I thought it was an away game.

[Shawn Lutz]

I'd rather pay the service charge myself that go through all that bullshit

bottom line is you got a ticket and thats cool

[MikeStrat]

So how was the Hannah Montana show?

[m2pmd70]

So you're that guy, huh? LOL

[slayer32390]

Nice story Ron, glad you got your ticket. I got mine the day they went on sale for the Nov. 20th show here in RI. 11th row

So you are a Hannah Montana fan huh? Well whatever gets you your jollies.....:ROTF:

[zeegler]

What's a hannah montana?

[MikeStrat]

I can't wait to see TSO. I lucked out and got 2nd row center. I'm actually more excited about that show than I was for VH. I must have serious issues.

[CharvelRocker]

Would now be a bad time to say my brother just nabbed some freebie box seats via his company for their show here?

[lerxstcat]

Glad you got your ticket in the end, Ron! I bet you'll check the venue's event schedule next time though, or at least get there early before people start arriving for the show! A little research really pays off - and I can't believe that I am telling YOU that!

[TexasRocks]

No service charge and a coupon for a restaurant? Is that you Fett?!?

[fett]

Nope.:ROTF: And I am a little shocked that Ron didn't know that Han Mon was playing that day.:ROTF: I thought he knew everything.:ROTF: