I exchanged a few emails earlier this month with someone who was a bit frustrated with the ticket price for moe.‘s Friday night Roseland Ballroom in late January. This person was venting a bit, speculating as to the possible reasons why tickets to first night were $10 higher than those for the next night. The email offered a range of conspiracy theories involving Live Nation, a test of marketplace elasticity (my words but that was the sentiment), taking advantage of folks who would travel for both shows and the like. The answer of course, which I explained and somehow had been lost in translation was…the show as a benefit.

The group used the extra kicker at the door to help raise money for World Hunger Year with an additional allocation directed to relief efforts in Haiti.

I’m not sure how my correspondent missed this but I mention it not only because if this eluded YOU then it’s worth acknowledging. What’s more however and I what I didn’t realize until I was backstage talking with someone working on the show, was that the band really walked the walk. moe.‘s musicians donated their entire paycheck to the cause, which I was told is by no means standard.

Good for them.

Listen, anything helps although times it feels like certain acts come close to taking advantage of a given situation to hype themselves while offering a pittance to a charitable endeavor in the process. moe., by contrast did the opposite. Frankly, I think they were a bit too understated in crowing about it (although, I do appreciate the fact that they felt it was irrelevent- they were there to help a cause, not to share the details of how they planned to do so).

And that Virginia is why the Friday moe., show would have cost you 10 extra bucks. I’m sorry you couldn’t make it. Hopefully next time out…

later days and peace,
Dean