We regret to inform you that you’re going to YEMSG
In which we hope to bring you hope.
So that’s that, right? Phish Ticketing sent the Bad Email.
I know, I got it too.
So now we’re thinking, “Man, Phish sure does make it tough to be a fan these days. $100 to get in the doors, no luck on the lotto, Ticketmaster mayhem, what do I do?”
It’s probably not even your first time being rejected. It’s par for the course. It’s a pattern you’ve seen for years — like this guy:
There’s nothing left to do but mope and take a lazy shot at Ticketmaster’s bot-riddled on-sale before sending a grumpy tweet and calling it an afternoon.
I KNOW THAT'S MY PLAN TOO.
No. Hard stop. This is a mental game. If you want in, you’ll get in.
Years of 3.0 arena battles have taught us all that life finds a way. That's it. That's the message.
At noon tomorrow (Phish Central Universe Time) you'll shoot your shot. Here’s the plan.
The phish jumps at noon: Ticketmaster has a weird new system as of late where they say you can log in 10 minutes early and get in line. Okay, sure. Tried that, rarely works. But here’s what I’m hoping to try: 20 minutes out I’ll wait for the room to open. I figure it’s best to roll the dice on one special night. Do I go for broke and chase 12/31? Or maybe stay safe and try 12/29? That’s Sunday night after all. This is your path. Choose wisely. There are more than 7.7 billion people on earth. Are they all going for GAs on 12/31? Doubtful. Your odds aren’t terrible. They could be worse.
The stragglers: Fight your battles. If you swing and miss on NYE, regroup and go for an off-night — try a pair for 12/29. Load the app and try again — maybe 12/30 has a single languishing behind the stage. Last year some folks scored up to 30 minutes after the stated onsale time. It’s a weird system!
After that, you pivot.
Watch Cash or Trade: Get a gold membership and use the alerts functionality. It's the only way. It's your best bet. Even better, go visit your iPhone settings' text replacement area and set up a phrase that speaks to your personal plight: "Hey, I’d love to take those tickets off your hands. I’m bringing my buddy to his first show and I promise those tickets will go loved." That'll appear as soon as you type COT. Honestly, this is THE secret, you're welcome. Imagine who you’d choose to sell to amongst a dozen random messages. Being genuine — and super fast — works. Where to start: A primer how Cash or Trade works. And hey — friend me.
Work the Facebook groups: I scored a few Rosemont GAs by reading comments in the various communities for people who hinted that they had extras, then just reached out. Most were down to work out a sale or trade. Where to start: Addicted to Phish, Phish Tour 2014, and related groups.
Twitter searches: Believe it or not people frequently tweet about having extras to the MSG run. Reach out. Where to start: I dunno, here?
Watch for re-releases: They are not myths. They happen. You can use your Ticketmaster app to get notices when they happen.
It’s tough, it’s emotional, we’re in a cult and there are limited seats but life will go on and you’ll be fine and if you don’t get in, hell, you’re older now and couchtour beckons. Think of the beer fridge. Will those cans drink themselves?
Stay positive,
And at the very goddamn least,
