Morsefest 2020 - September 18 and 19 - Live VIP**: $1199.00

[rickm]

Kind of expensive. I was in very small venues in the past but never at the price of $600 a night.

Live VIP**: $1199.00
Virtual VIP: $225
Virtual Double night tickets: $99

Friday Night – COVER TO COVER NIGHT! Debut of new C2C3 material as well as classics from our cover catalog. Mike, Randy, Eric and Bill will join Neal — plus real horns, string quartet and all the bells and whistles … literally!
Saturday Night – PREMIERE OF Neal’s NEW PROG CONCEPT ALBUM (title not announced yet) plus other great progressive rock from his catalog performed by the NMB and a cast of thousands … well, probably more

PERSONAL NOTE FROM NEAL:

“I am super excited to be playing new material from C2C3 and especially my new album (that I think is as good as Sola Scriptura or the Question Mark album) with Mike, Randy, Eric and Bill, and all the wonderful musicians that will join us. It’s all about the music and the message for me. For this reason, I’m sure (however you can make it) you will be thrilled and blessed. I look forward to seeing you in person or online!”

https://nealmorse.com/2020/05/08/mor...020-announced/

[bRETT]

An actual concert with a band and an audience? At this point I'd pay a grand for that (if I had one).

[moecurlythanu]

That's pretty optimistic. There likely won't be a vaccine yet, and there may not be a therapeutic either. He may have to hire Benny Hinn to conduct a healing service on the last night of the festival.

[Gruno]

Chaaaaa-Chinnnnng!

[SteveSly]

Wow, those prices seem a bit steep to me.

[PixelDelirium]

Wow, this is very optimistic... There's no way having a gathering of any size will be safe by then. Not a good idea at all. It's pretty irresponsible to be planning something like this so soon. Sometime next year would make a lot more sense. Even then it's hard to say for sure.

[Finch Platte]

Funny, this is almost exactly the amount of my stimulus check...

Kwinky-dink?

[BarryLI]

Let's see if I've got it right, $2400 for you and the missus to be locked in a church for 2 days all day, plus airfare plus lodging plus car rental, or you could economize and stay home and spend $300 to watch on your computer (that includes $200 worth of swag, more likely $50 worth plus write-up), or $100 for concert minus swag. An even cheaper alternative would be to wait for the 2 CD 2 DVD 125-page deluxe book edition that will invariably follow later in the year. While I'm a Neal fan from the SB days who's attended a couple of Morsefests the more I follow Neal these days I can't help but think of George Carlin's take on religion, "but they need money", I mean at this point he's become Jimmy Swaggart without the hookers, and it's kinda sad to look at. Personally I think the entire idea is a wrongful death lawsuit in waiting, but that's just me, although it would be informative to see how his religious leaning followers would react to someone falling ill and passing after attending Jesus' right hand man's soiree, eh, who am I kidding? It wouldn't make a whit of difference, would it? Nah.

[kenschwartz]

I mean at this point he's become Jimmy Swaggart without the hookers

That we *know about*, anyway

[Baribrotzer]

That's pretty optimistic. There likely won't be a vaccine yet.......

There's no way having a gathering of any size will be safe by then. Not a good idea at all. It's pretty irresponsible to be planning something like this so soon......

Personally I think the entire idea is a wrongful death lawsuit in waiting.....

Won't be a problem, not at all. There may hundreds of them, they may be crammed into a small space, they may choose to not wear masks - but they're Neal Morse fans, going to see Neal Morse. They won't get the CV, they just won't. it isn't possible. I can't get into exactly why - it would violate the PE Terms of Service - but I think you can connect the dots.

[Gruno]

Funny, this is almost exactly the amount of my stimulus check...

Kwinky-dink?

When the sale tactic of using '99' is in play, they're just barking at the chance to hopefully fool the weak-minded.

Live VIP**: $1199.00 -- "All included for under $1200!"

Virtual Double night tickets: $99 -- "Stream it for less than a hundred bucks!"

Someone dropped the ball on the Virtual VIP: $225
Ooops -- was supposed to be $224.99.
Mistakes happen.

[Poisoned Youth]

Just out of curiosity, how much did it cost to attend previous Morsefests?

An even cheaper alternative would be to wait for the 2 CD 2 DVD 125-page deluxe book edition that will invariably follow later in the year

[moecurlythanu]

Just out of curiosity, how much did it cost to attend previous Morsefests?

Gold, frankincense & myrrh. The amount varied according to the daily market value.

[Mascodagama]

Let's see if I've got it right, $2400 for you and the missus to be locked in a church for 2 days all day, plus airfare plus lodging plus car rental, or you could economize and stay home and spend $300 to watch on your computer (that includes $200 worth of swag, more likely $50 worth plus write-up), or $100 for concert minus swag. An even cheaper alternative would be to wait for the 2 CD 2 DVD 125-page deluxe book edition that will invariably follow later in the year.

I'm making such great savings by just not liking Neal Morse in the first place that I feel like a rich man.

Gotta try not to spend it all on black metal LPs...

[rickm]

Just out of curiosity, how much did it cost to attend previous Morsefests?

For several years I was hesitant to go... don't know... a church... hmm... I wasn't sure but last year I pulled the trigger and decided to give a try. I'm from Portland, so flight + hotel + car + food + tickets.
They got much more people than expected. The place was really packed, all seated but really packed. I will say that this is getting bigger and bigger each year.
Think that aside the Friday night the main venue is the second night for which most of the people already went to the tour concert so is like assisting to the same concert again but in a bigger scale (with additional musicians).

MORSEFEST 2019 (DOUBLE NIGHT TICKET - FRIDAY "AN EVENING WITH FLYING COLORS" + SATURDAY "NMB: THE GREAT ADVENTURE" - GENERAL ADMISSION) - $149 for 2 nights.
- Each night was around $74.99
- The Meat & Greet was around $300 (tickets not included) for each night.
- Old merchandise stuff: some cd's at $1, beanies at $5, etc).
- They do some raffles and also auctions for big banner posters.

I was really thinking to go this year again if there was a new release but then the pandemic.

[moecurlythanu]

- The Meat & Greet was around $300 (tickets not included) for each night.

Holy batshit Batman!

[Facelift]

- The Meat & Greet was around $300 (tickets not included) for each night.

I guess if BBQ was involved, that's not a terrible price.

[rickm]

I guess if BBQ was involved, that's not a terrible price.

There were tickets for food (additional $), I do not remember the exact price... something around $12 though not sure... do not remember. I remember I tried to buy the food tickets there in the venue but they were all sold out. So, these concerts are being a complete success, this is my guess based on what I saw.

[Interstellar]

Won't be a problem, not at all. There may hundreds of them, they may be crammed into a small space, they may choose to not wear masks - but they're Neal Morse fans, going to see Neal Morse. They won't get the CV, they just won't. it isn't possible. I can't get into exactly why - it would violate the PE Terms of Service - but I think you can connect the dots.

You mean the virus is afraid of 25 minute epics ? That's good news for all of us here.

[Rye-Ergot]

Kind of expensive.

You are abundantly blessed with the gift of understatement. Or is that a contradiction in terms?

“ PERSONAL NOTE FROM NEAL:
“I am super excited to be playing new material from C2C3 and especially my new album (that I think is as good as Sola Scriptura or the Question Mark album)”

I dunno...the one with “96 Tears” is pretty boss, imo...

[arturs]

Ya gotta give Neal some credit. He's one of the very few proggers with no connection to any classic-era bands who has found a niche where it seems he can make a full-time living doing original music. His niche isn't exactly my cuppa but who cares. it works for him.

He also probably has a good grasp of his audience and what they are and are not willing to spend. So leaving aside the COVID issue for a minute, he's probably just being a savvy entrepreneur and is charging what the experience is worth to some people. An investment banker friend of mine took his wife to see Peter Gabriel for $550 per seat a few years ago and didn't even think twice about it. I think PG was still close to selling out venues at those prices. Anyway we'll see if it turns out Neal was right...

[smcfee]

On the price, it's a question of supply and demand. If people are willing to pay it there's no sense not to charge it. We'd do it in any other walk of life.

On the judgement in having the event at all during these times, hoo boy.

Regards,
Sean

[bRETT]

On the judgement in having the event at all during these times, hoo boy.

The Nashville area will probably one of the first to open back up-- They have a low covid rate and will probably have it down further by September. Whether it's down to total safety by then remains to be seen.

[Gruno]

On the price, it's a question of supply and demand. If people are willing to pay it there's no sense not to charge it. We'd do it in any other walk of life.

On the judgement in having the event at all during these times, hoo boy.

Once the farmer lets that beast out of the barn, that farmer won't want to put it back inside if there's a flow. Pay that price now, it'll set precedent for future shows. Doubt that? Remember when the Eagles were blasted for selling concert tickets in the mid-90s for $100 and above? People paid... then it became the norm.

[rickm]

I'm wondering if they would charge $1199 for a 70 seats venue and all the rest of options if COVID never had existed.