Morning Roundup: Goodbye, Abe Edition
D.C. Police Seek Suspect in Series of Bank Robberies
Suspect in 9-Year-Old's Murder Found Dead in D.C. Jail
Photo of the Day: November 25, 2009
Ballou HS Rocks the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Okay, so we've already given Brooklyn's Clap Your Hands Say Yeah a less than stellar live review and sufficiently curbed our enthusiasm when they announced two November dates at the Rock and Roll Hotel. Fortunately for the band, our lukewarm opinions hardly affected their ticket sales, as both dates have been sold out for weeks.
Unfortunately for fans of the band (including some DCist staffers), the dates were so popular that both were actually oversold, forcing Rock and Roll Hotel to refund ticket buyers from both shows. Rock and Roll Hotel says that failure to count in ticket sales from the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah fan club is the reason for the oversell. An e-mail to the refunded ticket buyers states, "Please understand that Ticket Alternative is no way shape or form responsible for this error. We at the Rock and Roll Hotel take full responsibility...Rock and Roll Hotel asks that you please do not try to contact the band with this matter, as we hope that you understand that mistakes can be made even in the world of Rock and Roll."
We've also heard through the grapevine some whispers that a few other recent sold-out shows at the venue were also oversold -- but reps for the Hotel say that those rumors are untrue, citing last night's Okkervil River show as an example of a show that may have been slightly more packed due to a larger press list, but definitely not oversold.
The Rock and Roll Hotel is offering a free pair of tickets to another future show for those who purchased tickets for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and have now been denied them. The venue is also making an attempt to schedule a third show that weekend with CYHSY. Both the venue and our site will let you know if that actually comes to pass.
UPDATE: The Rock & Roll Hotel wanted to clarify a couple things. The fan club's sales didn't interfere with the ticket sales; this was a mix up on their part that they're taking full responsibility for. Here's what Steve Lambert, their talent buyer, had to say:
We at the Rock and Roll Hotel made an honest mistake and over sold our ticketing on-line. This was the first show that has happened with and thankfully we caught it weeks before the show. Sadly it had to happen with such a popular band and we are very upset that our club is solely responsible for letting down so many eager fans. We're still trying to work this out and possibly add a 3rd date.
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Wow, I bought my tickets VERY early on for this and just received an email telling me my tickets were revoked. I'd be interested in finding out what the criteria was for refunding people.
Oh and by the way, Okkervil River was DEFINITELY OVERSOLD.
I think this has the makings of a mini-scandal.
Well, if your tickets have been revoked, it's a sign that you probably wouldn't be missing much, anyway. Because I'm a glutton for punishment, I've seen them twice, and trust me, they REALLY suck live, EVERY time.
You know how each of the members of the Dixie Chicks are ever so slightly cross-eyed? Check out that photo. Three out of five members of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah have those eyes that are unusually close together.
well, they can't revoke my tickets, i bought them with cash at the box office.
I've got mine sitting right here and no email about them being revoked. I wonder if they are only revoking will call tickets? Otherwise, how could they tell revoked tickets from legit ones if they are already passed out.
do your tickets say "Ticket Alternative" all over them?
uh, yes, but they aren't revoking all ticket alternative tickets.
An "indie rock" band with a fan club.
Wow.
Do you think we can assume that if we haven't gotten said email that our tickets will be honored?
My biggest complaint about the Hotel is that they consistently oversell shows. Soldout shows at the Black Cat never feel so claustrophobic. Sometimes I feel like there's a Great White tragedy in the making there.
Ditto to Chris. I'm sure they're very excited about their success, and are counting on it to payoff some large build-out debts, but if they continue to make shows a miserable experience there, they'll lose out in the long run as people stay away.
This is just further evidence as to why the Rock and Roll Hotel uniformly sucks ass. The sound system is the awful, the crowd is mostly douche bags who find underwear parties fun, they are sponsored by Live Nation and they pull crap like revoking people's tickets. Do not patronize this bullshit corporate venue.
"Sponsored by Live Nation"?
Where did you get that misinformation? I can guarantee you they're not...
I was standing waaaay in the back during the Okkervil River show and I had the same discomfiting Great White anxiety. There doesn't appear to be any way out of there besides the double doors in the back.
Plus, the place was hotter than hell but too crowded to get to the bar for a cold drink without pushing a million people around and causing a riot.
I fail to see why this joint has become so popular with touring bands. It's cramped, hot, impossible to get a drink, the sight lines are poor, and the location is impossible to get home from.
In defense of RnR Hotel - I was also at the Okkervil River show...but near the front...and didn't feel very cramped at all.
"location is impossible to get home from."
I don't get it - why is the location impossible to get home from? Wouldn't you get home the same way you came?
I think the appeal of the place is the fact that it is small. 9:30 is cavernous. Black Cat is good, but it's still pretty big and it has kind of that VFW hall feel to it (I love it, don't get me wrong). What R&R Hotel should do is downsize that ridiculously massive bar. It doesn't need to be that big and even if they just took off six feet or so of that thing, they'd probably create standing room for another 25 people.
It's harder to get home because of some simple facts about transit in that part of the District.
First, waiting for an X2 bus at 16th & H NW or Gallery Place at 9:00 is a lot less dodgy than waiting for an X2 at midnight or 2am at 14th & H NE.
Second, the X2 runs a lot less frequently late at night than earlier in the evening, so that dodgy wait can last quite a while.
Third, I can walk to any corner in Mount Pleasant, U Street, etc., and hail a cab to get to H Street NE. There are very few cabs near the R&R Hotel or its neighbors at the times shows let out or bars close.
Fourth, that Atlas shuttle thing stinks. You can get lucky and have the guy show up in a flash, or you can wait ages and have him show up in a full car with only a "Sorry, bro" to keep you company while you wait for that X2.
Uh, well, wow DC, what an amazing show of support for new businesses trying to provide something new and exciting. anyway, they are DEFINITELY NOT booked by LiveNation and have had to fight really hard to stay independent. so props to them for that. AND I've been to many sold out shows there and had no trouble finding the stage or an exit.
Terrible venue that represents everything wrong with DC today screws up selling tickets to a show by an overhyped, mediocre act that was a flash in the pan two years ago. Huge surprise.
Why haven't more people come out against the Rock and Roll Hotel? Their business practices are shady, to say the least.
Just got a call from Ticket Alternative. CYHSY added a show on the 19th and they are offering those with canceled tickets either free tickets to the new show or a full refund + 2 tickets to another RnR Hotel show. At least this is a pretty adequate response, even if I have to traipse out there on a Monday night.