Earlier this year Ticketmaster gave out vouchers for free concert tickets and discount codes to customers who made purchases in a certain period of time that overpaid for fees to settle a lawsuit Schlesinger VS Ticketmaster.I was one of the recipients of  this award.I attend  A LOT of music events and I always do it signed into my account with Ticketmaster. I was so excited when I found out about this I received and still have in my account Discount codes for 30 concerts AND FREE tickets to another 30 shows.The award was based on how much you had spent on tickets purchased during that time frame.

The way that redemption works is you click on the link to accesss the shows that you may use the codes for---DISAPPOINTMENT NUMBER ONE -- you are going to "give" me a list of shows that I can use them for and not what I choose.Shows that are not even in my area.

I complained on Live Nation and Ticketmaster Facebook pages and was told to keep checking that more shows would become available.

DISAPPOINTMENT NUMBER TWO-26 pages of listings of shows and every single one of them have a red notation that all vouchers have been used for this event.None were ever made available,I checked everyday.

DISAPPOINTMENT NUMBER THREE-Now it is months later I still have active vouchers in my account that I have been unable to use. After contacting Ticketmaster about not being able to use them I was told that they have fulfilled all the vouchers they were required to redeem to settle the lawsuit.So I am pretty much SOL

So evidently I am a pretty good customer judging the amount of vouchers I got but Ticketmaster seems to not care to disappoint me,that customer.

But it really is not like you have a choice of where to get event tickets most of the time.Live Nation and Ticketmaster are the same company.They pretty much have the monopoly on this business.Occasionally a band or event will run their own ticket sales.

What did this lawsuit fix? I purchased a pair of tickets yesterday and $50 turned into $80 just from fees.I printed my own tickets.No shipping -all fees $30

Ridiculous -but what other choice do we have? These secondary sites like Vivid Seats,Stub Hub ect not only scalp the tickets by charging astronomical prices on the tickets but also have expensive fees.(and someone please explain to me when scalping became legal) 

I really want to write my congressman because some sort of regulation needs to come into play,but with all that is wrong in our little USA I really feel like I don't want to bother them with this trivial first world problem.All I know is whoever makes those bumper stickers with the Ticketmaster logo "TICKETBASTARDS" sure has it right.GREEDY CORPORATE AMERICA at its best.

SCHLESINGER V. TICKETMASTER SETTLEMENT

In 2003, the Schlesinger v. Tick

SCHLESINGER V. TICKETMASTER SETTLEMENT

In 2003, the Schlesinger v. Ticketmaster class action lawsuit was filed alleging that Ticketmaster failed to fully disclose to consumers all aspects of its UPS and Order Processing Fees. While vigorously defending the lawsuit, Ticketmaster settled the case in 2013, with the court granting final approval of the settlement in February 2015. The settlement class includes all consumers who transacted on Ticketmaster.com from 1999-2013. For frequently asked questions, click here.

UPDATE JULY 1 4:00 PM EDT Please note, the Discount Code and UPS Discount Code vouchers can still be used for primary tickets for any event on Ticketmaster.com through June 18, 2020.

To date, class members have redeemed nearly $15M worth of ticket vouchers, almost three times the amount required by the settlement this year. At this time, the eligible event list has closed. We will periodically notify class members who have signed up for the e-mail subscription service when additional inventory becomes available.etmaste

SCHLESINGESCHLESINGER V. TICKETMASTER SETTLEMENT

In 2003, the Schlesinger v. Ticketmaster class action lawsuit was filed alleging that Ticketmaster failed to fully disclose to consumers all aspects of its UPS and Order Processing Fees. While vigorously defending the lawsuit, Ticketmaster settled the case in 2013, with the court granting final approval of the settlement in February 2015. The settlement class includes all consumers who transacted on Ticketmaster.com from 1999-2013. For frequently asked questions, click here.

UPDATE JULY 1 4:00 PM EDT Please note, the Discount Code and UPS Discount Code vouchers can still be used for primary tickets for any event on Ticketmaster.com through June 18, 2020.

To date, class members have redeemed nearly $15M worth of ticket vouchers, almost three times the amount required by the settlement this year. At this time, the eligible event list has closed. We will periodically notify class members who have signed up for the e-mail subscription service when additional inventory becomes available.R V. TICKETMASTER SETTLEMENT

In 2003, the Schlesinger v. Ticketmaster class action lawsuit was filed alleging that Ticketmaster failed to fully disclose to consumers all aspects of its UPS and Order Processing Fees. While vigorously defending the lawsuit, Ticketmaster settled the case in 2013, with the court granting final approval of the settlement in February 2015. The settlement class includes all consumers who transacted on Ticketmaster.com from 1999-2013. For frequently asked questions, click here.

UPDATE JULY 1 4:00 PM EDT Please note, the Discount Code and UPS Discount Code vouchers can still be used for primary tickets for any event on Ticketmaster.com through June 18, 2020.

To date, class members have redeemed nearly $15M worth of ticket vouchers, almost three times the amount required by the settlement this year. At this time, the eligible event list has closed. We will periodically notify class members who have signed up for the e-mail subscription service when additional inventory becomes available.r class action lawsuit was filed alleging that Ticketmaster failed to fully disclose to consumers all aspects of its UPS and Order Processing Fees. While vigorously defending the lawsuit, Ticketmaster settled the case in 2013, with the court granting final approval of the settlement in February 2015. Th

SCHLESINGER V. TICKETMASTER SETTLEMENT

In 2003, the Schlesinger v. Ticketmaster class action lawsuit was filed alleging that Ticketmaster failed to fully disclose to consumers all aspects of its UPS and Order Processing Fees. While vigorously defending the lawsuit, Ticketmaster settled the case in 2013, with the court granting final approval of the settlement in February 2015. The settlement class includes all consumers who transacted on Ticketmaster.com from 1999-2013. For frequently asked questions, click here.

UPDATE JULY 1 4:00 PM EDT Please note, the Discount Code and UPS Discount Code vouchers can still be used for primary tickets for any event on Ticketmaster.com through June 18, 2020.

To date, class members have redeemed nearly $15M worth of ticket vouchers, almost three times the amount required by the settlement this year. At this time, the eligible event list has closed. We will periodically notify class members who have signed up for the e-mail subscription service when additional inventory becomes available.e settlement class includes all consumers who transacted on Ticketmaster.com from 1999-2013. For frequently asked questions, click here.

UPDATE JULY 1 4:00 PM EDT Please note, the Discount Code and UPS Discount Code vouchers can still be used for primary tickets for any event on Ticketmaster.com through June 18, 2020.

To date, class members have redeemed nearly $15M worth of ticket vouchers, almost three times the amount required by the settlement this year. At this time, the eligible event list has closed. We will periodically notify class members who have signed up for the e-mail subscription service when additional inventory becomes available.

So much for Pearl Jam Tickets,I was on right at 1200 waited got booted off several times telling me there were no tickets available.Tried for an hour.While waiting for the site to pull up I went onto some of the secondary legal scalping sites and guess what? Tickets a plenty for double the price.I swear this is so frustrating that these web sites like stub hub can do this.GRRRRR

https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?registrationID=3194681&langPref=en-CA&Referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F#&panel1-1his

I decided to do the Polar Plunge this year being held on February 6 on the Va Beach Oceanfront to benefit the Va Special Olympics Program.I have volunteered with the Special Olympics in the past at the competitions and games as a scorekeeper on weightlifting,umpire on softball,food server,asst coach and banquet chaperone at local and state games in Richmond.Having seen the special needs individuals that this program benefits firsthand I see the value in the program.The social skills,teamwork,self confidence,goal setting,determination,,, I could go on and on about the benefits.
My husband has been a plunger on his employers team for as long as I can remember.I have always been the holder of the towels- standing on the beach while the guys jump into the water.This year he was unable to do it so when FM99 Rock Girl Misa started a team I had my calling.We have sponsored the Rock Girl competition for the last 4 years so if I was going to be on a team,this is the one.
My husband has been in Atlanta all week on business so I have had a lot of time to think,reflect,play guitar,piano ,read and enjoy peaceful meditation.The TV hasn't been on all week.I would like to share how my week of preparation for this event has been going.

It started on Monday.
It was an unseasonable 80 degrees outside.I decided to make sure my outfit I planned to wear for the plunge fit, as I haven't used it in many years.The outfit? Yes I was "planning" on wearing my professional,custom made scuba diving wet suit.Papa Rocker said it was cheating,I say it is not about the cold but covering my lily white,winter weight body with material.TRUTH! I do not know what I was thinking.I haven't worn this since my 17 year old was born,quit smoking,and have had 3 major surgeries on shoulders ,developed back and knee problems that prevent me from working out like I used to.Really goes to show you how distorted my body image is HA! well I got it on with a bit of a struggle.I worked up such a sweat getting it on all I could think about was getting out of it.Who knew how hard that would be? I wiggled and squirmed and because of my bad shoulders could just not maneuver my body around to get out of the damn thing.I started to panic.I am all alone in the house,son is at school and not going to be home for hours.I am sweating and my mind started messing with me and I began to panic.After about 45 minutes of freaking the F#@$ out I needed to pee.I was getting desperate but still not desperate enough to take a knife or scissors to a $500 wetsuit- even if I was never going to be able to wear it again.My closest friend and neighbor was not at home.I started crying , I am going to have to call the fire dept and explain to them why I was stuck in a wetsuit naked, boobs hanging out. Then I laughed at my own ridiculous situation.After an hour of sheer panic I finally grabbed a coat hanger and bungee cord hooked it to the closet door and somehow managed to release myself from hell on earth. After all this my key thought was "Dammit! I am going to have to put on a bathing suit in February" How shallow we can be sometimes huh?
Tuesday  I am out shopping for self tanning cream-it is too late to try to use the tanning salon.Call it vain,but I call it compassion for my fellow plungers.Certainly wouldn't want to blind anyone on their way to plunge into the cold water with my reflective white legs.
As I stood in line I began thinking what am I doing? 
I am plunging with the hottest chick in Hampton Roads-no one is going to be looking at my old ass. That is exactly what one should do in situations like this. So I am over the what will I wear and how will I look thing.I really am not even worried about the cold and how painful I have heard it can be.
Wednesday I have begun to think about the important things-raising money for the cause.I reached my personal goal of $100 which you have to raise to be able to plunge.All of which came from myself and family members.I  have had flyers up in the store,but business in the retail store has been horrible since the roadwork on RT 17 has reached my storefront.But I have near 400 friends on Facebook and only 1 of them gave to the cause.I am so disappointed in people I call friends. We can spend $6 on starbucks but can't give $1 to  great cause.Maybe its because everyone has their hands out these days.Everywhere you go a store or business is asking you to donate. Everyone is doing a walk,run,relay,fundraiser,cookie sale,bake sale and so on and so on.So I guess I get it.I just struggle to say no I give away a lot of dollar bills.
Thursday Got sick worried I may not make it
Friday its go day and got to the hotel late had a wonderful dinner at the Italian Restraunt YNOT.
Saturday Main event made it all worthwhile.Great festivities in the main tent for the Special Olympic Athletes who were plunging and awesome team costumes.Met FM99 Rock girl handed out foam Mutherockers Rock Hands to our team and some passerbys.Photos,cheers and held hands as we went into the icy February waters of the Atlantic.I went for it.I went in hair wet and all.I have to say it was invigorating.Everyone was jacked up when they came out.It was quite and experience seeing what the cold water does to folk.LOL
Needless to say it was a struggle of a week but my Saturday doing the Polar Plunge for VA Special Olympics on the FM99 Rock Girl Misa's team was worth it.Can't wait for next year I plan to be better prepared

Festival Season

Music Festival Season is in full swing and we are out there getting our share.

We started with FM99 Lunatic Luau in May, which is always fun.The rain broke us into the reality that we have to deal with the elements in our line of work.

We just returned home from our first Dead and Company Shakedown Street of the Summer Tour and it was an experience with the heat.

My sister in law and I traveled from Yorktown VA to Charlotte NC for the Dead and Company opening show of the tour with all our Dead Merchandise from the store. We were on the edge for awhile until it was decided that they would not boycott the state for the LGBT "Hate bill" (HB2) as other entertainers such as Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam had done.

All I have to say is you would think with the loss of so much revenue to the state from all the events statewide that had been cancelled they would be on spot for the ones that did show up .I have never seen such a bunch of rookies handling a concert crowd in my life.

Lets start in the parking lot. They decided to open the lot early because vendors had started lining up along the side of the road.When the line got long enough to stretch to the main highway they opened it up,letting only 4 cars in at a time.It was like this was their first attempt ever at parking a concert crowd.There were 2 Spivey, port a pottys in the parking lot for around 1,000 cars that had not been cleaned since the last event .

Next- when the gate opened to let people in at 600- their inefficiency at this caused people to have to stand in the hot blaring sun ,on the asphalt, waiting in line to go in.It took so long.The concert was supposed to start at 7 the band held off because of the hold up at the gate.

We were so dried up by the time we got in we went straight to the concessions in search of Gatorade or water,both of which they were out of at the beginning of the show.There were ridiculous lines for everything because there were not enough workers and the ones they had must have been their first day or had not been trained.Everything we encountered was a hassle. It is a good thing this was the peaceful loving hippie crowd.Could have been bad if it was that gate crashing- I want mine and I want it now crew that I have seen at some of the events we have done.To finish off the night,the folks in Charlotte were no better at getting the people out of there,than they were at getting us parked.We were there for 2 hours waiting until it thinned out to leave.This wasn't a problem for us we had no place to go except the hotel.We partied with the other vendors and people watched,enjoying all the random hugs and sights to be seen.But if you were in a hurry to leave I am sure it was frustrating.

The show was awesome the parking lot vending was spectacular in spite of the worst heat at an event I have ever endured, but this venue was, as the kids say "An EPIC FAIL. Of all the venues I have been to,I have to say this is my least favorite and I have seen a lot of different venues.Some just make it harder than it has to be.

It is my hope to anyone reading this that your concert going experiences are better than this.We pay a lot of money to get treated like this.It is not cheap to go to shows anymore.I feel PNC Charlotte can do better.

So I spent the larger part of my afternoon online trying to get Pearl Jam Tickets unsuccessfully .While I was made to wait continuously being told no tickets available I checked some of these legal scalping sites like Vivid Seats,StubHub ect and guess what,Plenty of seats available for twice the price.How can this be? Ticketmaster site continually asked me to click on pictures to make sure I wasn't a robot.What a joke.I just don't get it.Pearl Jam of all bands who fought ticketmaster and their policies allowing this to happen.Well there aren't too many bands out there that I will pay that kind of money to see. I am so angry at greed right now.I just had to vent a little.

In 2012 Mutherockers participated in a fundraiser at Lucky's in Hampton for Wes Pack a 5 year old local child stricken with Neuroblastoma.There was a raffle that we donated merchandise for and entertainment from several local bands.They raised money through admission fees ,raffles and silent auctions.Wes's aunt graduated from High School with me and the last time I saw her she said he was improving and getting good news from the doctors.relapsed a year later. I was saddened to learn this week that Wes is still struggling with the disease when he made local news when he met the pope on his recent visit to the US. The hand of Pope Francis touched a Yorktown family in a special way.

Nine-year-old Wes Pak is currently in New York City receiving chemotherapy for stage 4 cancer.

Pope Francis blessed Wes and and ten other children staying at the Ronald McDonald House. Wes’ mother, Krista Pak, said  each child and parent received a rosary.

Wes needs a miracle, please pray hard for this child who has struggled with illness the larger part of his life.

You can follow Wes’ story on his Facebook page.

Well we didn't vend at the American Music Festival this year and I have to say that with a glad heart.I was actually able to attend the event instead of work it this year.There was something for every taste in music.Country,Reggae,Blues,&Classic Rock Their was quite a crowd at all performances some free events only $20 for the headliners which this year were the Wailers,Rebulution,Steve Miller Band,Sheryl Crow,Restless Heart and 38 Special The weather was a detriment 25 mph winds on the beach made the first two days difficult and made me really glad I didn't have a vendors booth this year,that and the fact that the only two vendors were located more than two miles from the main stage.Love this festival it is so close to home and I love supporting our local musicians and there was plenty of live local music up and down the boardwalk on secondary stages.