Sunrise Promotions

Sometimes I think I'm much smarter than the average bear, at least the average bear working in the mainstream music industry.

This does not seem like rocket science to me, but it's something I've apparently thought about on a regular basis that the people working in the mainstream music industry seem not to get.

Today's question:

Why Aren't Fan Clubs Designed with the Fan in Mind?

Where does this come from? I'll tell you.

I want to take my husband to see Tool in April in Duluth (Atlanta), Georgia. I wanted good seats. So I signed up for the fan club (which had no information readily available until after I signed up, I might add) because they do pre-sales.

After I signed up, and after searching the message boards, I discovered that pre-sale tickets are only available for shows for fans an hour away from that show. I live 2-1/2 hours from the Atlanta area.

What???? That's why I signed up.

But wait... it gets better. In order for me to post to the message board that this was an issue for me (other fans had already posted), I realized I couldn't post to the message board that I had just paid for.

Why? Because I have to earn points by being active in the fan club.

WHAT????? I PAID to be active in a fan club that I only joined because I wanted presale tickets.

As a Tool fan, I'm already peeved.

So instead of posting on the message board, I wrote several pointed e-mails to those in charge (who I doubt will even read my e-mails) telling them I wanted my money back because this fan club offers nothing to me, as a fan.

I doubt that will happen. But I will go through my bank and explain that I signed up with a false impression of services that would be offered through the club.

If someone is willing to shell out $40-$100 on a fan club, it should exist with the sole purpose of providing exclusive services to the fan.

I also happen to know several other fan clubs out there who are also in the business of not providing the fans the services they would like from a fan club.

Don't call it a "fan club" because it has nothing to do with the fan. Instead, maybe call it "A way for us to take advantage of fandom so that we can make more money."

I'll still go see Tool, don't get me wrong. And I wish I had some pull in the industry to actually meet the band and see how THEY feel about the fans and how they're treated with this "a way for us to take advantage of fandom" club.

Anyone else have similar experiences?