Ticket scalping...for the symphony?

January 19, 2008
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This evening's performance of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra featured something extraordinary ... and I'm not talking about the performances of Beethoven's "Pastoral" and Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" (although those were outstanding).


I'm talking about ticket scalping. ISO head honcho Simon Crookall was glowing when, in the lobby before the performance, he heard the news and went out to personally investigate.  An orchestra rep later told me he'd only seen ISO ticket scalping twice.

Once was for Peter Frampton's recent pops gig (that doesn't count in my book). The other was a performance by pianist Andre Watts back in the '90s.

But this hot ticket evening was different in that it did not feature a big-name draw. So why were tickets in such demand? Maybe you can help me figure out this thing called "buzz." (And, no, I don't think that the demand was caused by the event recommendation in my e-mail blast on Thursday. At least, not entirely.)

Your thoughts?

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  1. First, the Athenaeum is going to have to get past the hurdle with the Lockerbie residents and the agreement that the parcel would be residential. Second, and in my opinion, this prime piece of property should include parking, PLUS, a black box theater(s), some market rate and affordable artist housing and a plan to renovate and reconfigure the second story theater. I would negotiate to add the DeHaan property surface parking lot into the development mix, place a one story surface parking garage on the DeHaan lot on the street level (for the Dehaan tenants use during the daytime) and add a second story to the garage that would become an addition to the current second story theater and then change the direction of the theater by moving the stage across the alley and on top of the DeHaan lot parking. You can add all the stage elements that are currently missing from the Athenaeum stage to make it more attractive for use by Ballet, Opera and traveling productions. Plus, the theater changes would probably help solve some of the soundproofing issues. Alas,it does not seem to be a part of the strategic plan to conduct a study to determine best use of the property. Seems like the current plan is a quick and easy move that ignores the property best use/potential and any strategic property planning for the effect on future generations.

  2. I recall that MSA's pilings are still in the ground and hard to remove. It’s not likely any proposal will include significant underground construction/parking because of this. Start adding 2 floors of retail, 8 floors of parking and 5-10 floors of possible hotel, and/or 10-20 floors of residential, and you are at 30 floors already with possible expansion of all the uses. But then again I could be wrong.

  3. Accoriding to their website there is no deadline to the Do Not Call list. What is this article referring to??

  4. On what planet are they entitled to this largesse from the stockholders? These people make multi-million dollar salaries: Pay for your own personal travel.

  5. It matters because they're already paid enormously fat salaries: Pay for your own personal travel. Being "taxed on it" isn't a valid excuse--so what? They're still being gifted a raft of luxury perks from somebody else's money on top of an enormous, lavish salary.

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