September 30, 2005
Beer Taps Going The Way of the Gas Pump
It's a classic combination, beer and live music. A fizzy drink and low lighting, a cool refreshment in a steamy setting. And we at DCist barely know how to sway without the security blanket of a glass bottle in-hand. We're getting thirsty just writing this. Before you lapse into a toe-tapping, lip-smacking day dream, consider yourself warned: this age-old tradition will be costing you more at D.C.'s premiere concert venue, the 9:30 Club.
For the first time in over seven years, the 9:30 Club has raised the prices on all drinks by $1.00 each. The club is citing increasing costs from beer and liquor suppliers as the impetus for the hike. Rather than a slow incremental rise over the years, they've opted for the sudden $1.00 raise for a reason -- your convenience:
"The sudden increase is also necessary because of the sheer volume we do at our bars. If we were to raise prices .25 cents or so at a time it would seriously slow down the bartenders by having to deal with change. Having nice round dollar numbers helps us help you more quickly."
While we appreciate the customer-centric considerations, we're still taken aback at the notion of $6 Yuenglings. But maybe that's just us.
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$6 for one Yuengling is highway robbery... I buy a 6 pack of Yuengling for $6! I guess I'll it for myself at the Brazilian Girls show on Saturday.
$6 for one Yuengling is highway robbery... I buy a 6 pack of Yuengling for $6! I guess I'll see it for myself at the Brazilian Girls show on Saturday.
It brings a tear to the eye when business are so customer-oriented.
They were gouging us before this, but now it's ridiculous. Between this and ticket service fees it might be better to just stay at home and listen to the CD.
Seth should run for president with that type of forward thinking and finger-on-the-pulse of the consumer mentality. Why not just charge an even ten bucks per drink so the bartenders don't have to deal with those tricky $1s and $5s? The low ticket prices and lack of handling fees completely justify any increase in alcohol prices! Oh wait, nevermind.
Yeah...6 dollar red stripes the other night weren't cool either.
If $6 for a Yuengling sounds ridiculous to you guys, imagine how it is for me, having grown up in the town where they brew it. When I visit my parents, a draft of Lager is $1, and in some bars I get change.
I call bullshit on this one - they're a large club, with a good amount of business. If they can't either -
1. Bully their distributor into keeping prices down, or
2. Get another distributor with lower prices, their buyer isn't doing his job.
There are smaller clubs (and bars, for that matter) in the District that charge significantly less for a Yuengling. Are they suffering from their reasonable prices? No? Okay then.
I think it's about time the 930 club had some competition. Anyone have a million to invest in a new 1500 capacity music venue? Oh, and we'll need another million to bribe the ANC commissioners.
rcr,
let me sell a few of my "luxury condos" and im in! i may have to get rid of the hummer too.
we'll pop our collars and get to work!
The bartenders will be the one's hurt the most by the price increase. People will buy less alcohol and be inclined to tip less.
I think there is no music venue better than the 9:30. $6 Yuengling (and $5 Bud light DRAFTS) is too much. I don't complain about ticket prices, I don't complain about ticket service charges (yes, they're insane but it's not the club's issue). I find the new beer prices out of line, though. I'll respond with my pocket book and drink more somewhere else before a show. Not sure if any sales volume decrease will occur overall, but it might. Will be interesting to see, not that we'll ever know.
I second that emotion, Bags. I am gonna hit that little Ethiopian place across the street for some pre-concert boozing, or DC9.
I think there is no music venue better than the 9:30.
The Black Cat may be smaller and worse-sounding, but it's got lots more charm. And cheaper beer.
I don't complain about ticket prices, I don't complain about ticket service charges (yes, they're insane but it's not the club's issue).
Isn't it? I was under the impression that you can't buy service charge-less tickets at the 9:30 window. You can buy tickets for face value at Black Cat (including advance tickets).
Black Cat is worse-sounding? Well, sound is pretty crucial for a live music show. I love the Cat as well, but I think 9:30 is a premier club in the country.
True, if you walk up to the 9:30 box office for advance tickets, there's $1 surcharge. And with the they're paying for a box office that's open noon - 7:00 p.m. every day, whether there's a show or not (box office open until 11:00 p.m. when there's a show). AND, you can use a credit card! Try that at Black Cat. No dice. Cash only, between 8:00 p.m. and midnight. It's looking more and more like that $1 is getting you a lot of convenience, doesn't it?
Day of show tickets at 9:30 -- no service charge at all, face value. [Alas, 9:30 sells out WAY more than Black Cat, so you gamble for ticket availability if you wait until day of the show. But, you can still go to the club and buy tickets that day during the day; not so Black Cat, have to wait for that day's show ticket until doors open.]
Good points, bags. My memory of the exact "convenience charge" had escaped me. $1's not so bad -- although if it's impossible to buy a ticket for less than (face value + $1), face value becomes pretty meaningless. I'm still philosophically opposed.
You're right, of course, that 9:30 is the premiere venue. It's just a shame that we're stuck with only one club that can host big rock acts.
also, keep in mind that the employees of the 930, from what i understand, other than the sounds, etc, start at $6.50 an hour and go up to, after a few years, $7.50.
so, drink up. one beer will pay for an hours worth of breaking up fights and collecting tickets for some poor slob making slighly above minimum wage.
Sticky prices and menu costs are the reason their wasn't a slow incremental price increase. In reality we should just be happy that the club went 7 years before rasing its prices.
thankful? screw that. i say drink elsewhere. thats a god damned rip of.
its a rock show, not some snooty pinkie in the air fancy cocktail affair.
the markup is 600% over retail. not wholesale, but retail!