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June 10, 2009
Pay Concerts in Prospect Park
What's everyone's opinion of performers like David Byrne (formerly of the Talking Heads) giving concerts with "gala" seats starting at $325 dollars and the rest of us peasants having to stand on the outside of the steel barricades watching on a (albeit large) TV screen. I disagree with the idea of a public park being used for $325 pay concerts. Not exactly the same as the rental fee at the skating rink is it?
Comments
Does someone know if this was connected to some kind of charity to actually raise money for the park? Either way I still say let them rent a freaking hall.
Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at June 10, 2009 12:15 AM
It depends on where the money is going. The Gala seat prices could've been for fundraising, (I thought that was partly the point of having the Celebrate Brooklyn Concerts) or its to help cover the costs associated with putting on a concert, even a "free" one. David may have performed for peanuts/nada but those roadies don't work for nothing. At least, I hope that's the case.
Posted by: Crownlfc at June 10, 2009 12:25 AM
Trying to play the devil's advocate here. Yes it probably would benefit everyone more in that they could put the money they save on a venue towards the park. However, if I'm a donor willing to pay 325-$600 for a seat; why not give the money as a donation and put on a more affordable concert with a couple of thousand comfy seats instead of three hundred? Certain "charitable" groups really just want to build mansions in public parks to throw lovely cocktail parties in.
Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at June 10, 2009 12:40 AM
The Gala concerts pay for the free ones. This year there was a TV? I think that was an improvement over last year.
Posted by: denton at June 10, 2009 6:23 AM
I think there were thousands of people there enjoying the concert. The benefit part does not bother me at all, I am glad it was there because it pays for some of the other ones.
There are many many more than 300 folks with better seats than those in the gala area, which is way over to the right.
Throughout the years I have gone to many of these concerts, for which they just ask a 3 dollar donation, which is not mandatory. Thank you BRIC for putting this on!
Posted by: zapzap at June 10, 2009 9:03 AM
I didn't go to see David Byrne, but in past years those individuals who choose to pay $325 for gala seats are confined in an area near the stage and the larger fenced in area is free for everyone. If you were in an area that needed to have a TV, then you probably in the wrong place.
That being said, I have no problem with anyone having a good show at the band shell free or pay... How could this be bad?
Posted by: SJ at June 10, 2009 9:20 AM
I saw the whole thing from behind the fence, for free obviously. Thanks Park people for putting on a great gig!
Funds raised support the park. Which we need to do. Now if we can just ban the cars from it we'll be all set.
Posted by: Johnny at June 10, 2009 9:32 AM
Celebrate Brooklyn! is part of a Performing Arts Festival put on by BRIC Arts. While many of the concerts are free or close to it ($3) they do have a' Friends' section for members(donors). This helps them to finance the concerts and allows the 'friends' a reception and better seats.
Posted by: rukiddingme at June 10, 2009 9:47 AM
The Dylan concert was another fundraiser that was by ticket only. They put up a 8' fence around the band shell so you couldn't see in.
Been going to Prospect Park concerts forever and usually happily pay the three bucks. Got to say that I have never seen lines like those crazy long winding ones on Monday night! I guess the days of showing up 20 minutes before the show and finding seats are long gone.
It seems that even after removing the grandstands and sound and lighting towers in favor of grass seating they may have now out grown the venue. A victim of their own popularity. Attendance seems to be greater and greater every season.
Last summer Opera in the Park anticipated and prepared for huge crowds (100,000) that did not show. Maybe headliners like D.B. need to be staged in the ball fields.
Posted by: IMBY at June 10, 2009 10:41 AM
I got an awesome seat on the lawn w/in the fence, as did thousands of other people who didn't pay a dime (or at least a dime over $3, which was a volunteer donation). The $325 paid for an after-concert event.
Posted by: new2hood at June 10, 2009 10:43 AM
Are you REALLY complaining about a free concert in the park???
The money goes to the park so they can have this event every year.
Wow the sense of entitlement some people have. Amazing.
Posted by: greenwoody at June 10, 2009 10:52 AM
How could anyone complain... the Byrne concert was absolutely fabulous.. what a night!
The Gala seats are for folks who are basically helping to support the Summer concert program... their large donations make it possible to get performers like Dylan and David Byrne practically "for free" for all the rest of us.
Posted by: bren at June 10, 2009 11:47 AM
we signed up for the minimal membership this year and went to the David Bryne concert, sat in the third row behind the $325. ticket section and had a great time. What an awesome show!
Posted by: bklynrocks at June 10, 2009 1:06 PM
i think it's great--those $325 allow the rest of us to pay $3, just like first class passengers subsidize the rest of us in coach. without the big spenders, we'd get no music at all. how else would you propose paying for such an amazing and wonderful offering?
Posted by: lisa at June 10, 2009 2:37 PM
"us peasants"? really?
they announced at the beginning of the show that those donations for the gala and the corporate sponsorships raised $250k for celebrate brooklyn. we all enjoy free (its a suggested donation, so you don't even have to pay the $3--though you should!) concerts, not to mention the movies and other events for children they put on. i have no problem with there being a gala fundraiser to subsidize the general public getting to enjoy an entire summer full of fun. also, byrne performed for FREE, so all the money raised went towards programs.
Posted by: ms_boerum at June 10, 2009 3:56 PM
Had no idea there were $3 tickets. I wasn't complaining about a free concert in the park, I was complaining about the tickets being listed on the website as starting at $325. I was complaining about tickets being so ridiculously expensive. Obviously it was a miscommunication. It's funny how so many people are so fast to jump down someone's throat.
Mea culpa, sheesh.
Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at June 10, 2009 6:25 PM
"Trying to play the devil's advocate here. Yes it probably would benefit everyone more in that they could put the money they save on a venue towards the park. However, if I'm a donor willing to pay 325-$600 for a seat; why not give the money as a donation and put on a more affordable concert with a couple of thousand comfy seats instead of three hundred? Certain "charitable" groups really just want to build mansions in public parks to throw lovely cocktail parties in."
The concert was from what the people who were there for more than the sound check are saying, exactly as I thought it should be. If you mofo's read my earlier comments you would know what's up btw!
Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at June 10, 2009 6:33 PM
Oh, and Ms. Boerum, the topic was PAY concerts in Prospect Park, not free concerts in Prospect Park. There, I'm done.
Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at June 10, 2009 6:38 PM
The Gala fund raiser is what "funds" the rest of the concerts (free) in the park all summer. They are getting very little money from the city this year - and if the concert series are going to continue - they've got to raise the $$ somehow.
Posted by: parkslopemom at June 10, 2009 8:32 PM
Joe "from Brooklyn": You were unaware of why there is Gala pricing, you had no idea all these years that there is a $3 suggested price, you naively expect someone to shell out $3-600 bucks without reward to "put on a more affordable concert" (I guess the peasants can't afford the $3) and you are shocked that people are jumping down your throat. If you want to re-start the class struggle, choose another subject like gentrification or something, the present one isn't working for you.
Posted by: Crownlfc at June 11, 2009 12:11 AM
I did not grow up near Prospect Park. I doubt anyone else I grew up with in Brooklyn is aware of gala pricing for Prospect Park concerts. Get out of your own little world, Brooklyn is huge.
Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at June 11, 2009 1:20 AM
And for any of you little fishies that want to retort "obviously you don't get out of yours.." or some snotty comment like that, getting out of your world means getting out there seeing these things and asking questions.
Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at June 11, 2009 1:24 AM
Oh yeah and Crownlife or whatever the fudge your name is, I may be Joe from Brooklyn but got a Bronx cheer right here for you baby.
Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at June 11, 2009 1:54 AM
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