Bad news for American Sylvian fans

[arieleleven]

Okay, I got it now.......

The World is everything, but the US is poopie ka ka...................


Well thanks alot for penalizing me for living where I do. This is sooo unfair.

Right now, don't ask me to write anything to Samadhisound because it would not be very nice. Perhaps when I cool down, if at all.

I'm sorry Silver Moon for expressing my feelings, but this is BS.


Guess I'll spend my money on Crowded House, Duran Duran, Elvis Costello, and anyone else I want to see....................the concert season won't be a total wash-up.........

*Coming Out Of Online Retirement*

Please don't take it personally...
....The fact is that David lost a small fortune on the 2002 tour, just as he did on the In Praise Of Shamans tour (that whole tour lost money).

In my humble opinion, it was poor promotion that led to the lack of ticket sales in 2002. Many of those shows had to be canceled and no one can blame David from wanting to avoid that again.

I do believe that perhaps if enough support is shown another US tour could happen.
As I suggested to Becky on MySpace, maybe a petition could be started?
I don't know exactly what kind of margin David is looking for on his shows, but I would imagine that a tour of major cities could be achieved...NYC, Toronto and LA always sell well for him...
...I think I may just write back to Richard and see what is possible.

All the best,
Chris

I didn't realize how much money David lost in 2002 and 1988...I'm sure I speak for all of us here when I say we certainly don't want him to lose his shirt just so we can have him sing some songs to us in person. But if there were a way to do it on a somewhat smaller and simpler scale, in perhaps a small handful of major cities as Chris suggests, and if better promotion could be provided this time around...maybe, just maybe, some US shows this tour might be possible after all?

I for one am fully prepared to volunteer my services to Samadhisound to help promote any shows in the US, in any possible way I could help. (When I was a girl I passed out fliers, etc. for Patti Smith and also her husband's band, gratis, and I deemed it an honor to do so; I would feel the same way about doing anything to help promote Sylvian shows, you know?)

A petition really might help here too...if nobody else has seen about starting one, I would be pleased to give it a try?

BTW, Chris, it was lovely to see you here again. Thanks for all your updates and feedback!

B x

[VaporTrail]

Perhaps it could be feasible for him to perform just one show? New York seems like the best option. If you plan it long enough in advance, promote it, I'm sure you could make an event that wouldn't lose toooo much (if any) money and it'd please a lot of eager fans over here.


We'll see, hope to the future!

[arieleleven]

Perhaps it could be feasible for him to perform just one show? New York seems like the best option. If you plan it long enough in advance, promote it, I'm sure you could make an event that wouldn't lose toooo much (if any) money and it'd please a lot of eager fans over here.


We'll see, hope to the future!

I agree: I think NYC would be ideal for such a concert. After all, 2002 Town Hall special guest Sakamoto lives there and I think David himself does part of the time now. As you say, with the proper planning and promotion, etc., it could be a really incredible event, you know? (Well, it would be to us fans anyway, but you know what I mean!)

Yes, keeping our fingers crossed, etc.!

[MoodyB]

OK, don't get your hopes up, but I may have (at the very least) some more tour information later....
...I'll post any news as I have it.

All the best,
Chris

[Silver Moon]

Thank you Chris...

Your efforts are very much appreciated!

-K

[arieleleven]

OK, don't get your hopes up, but I may have (at the very least) some more tour information later....
...I'll post any news as I have it.

All the best,
Chris

Thanks so much for everything, Chris. Still keeping my fingers crossed, and still thinking seriously about that petition...it can't hurt, right?

B x

[MoodyB]

Thank you Chris...

Your efforts are very much appreciated!

-K

*blushes*
I do what I can!
Hell I've been a fan for *cough* years, so I know how it feels!
I've been lucky enough to see the man many times live, and I'm
honestly bummed that any of us might miss out on this.

*Group Hug*

Chris

[MoodyB]

OK, don't get your hopes up, but I may have (at the very least) some more tour information later....
...I'll post any news as I have it.

All the best,
Chris

Thanks so much for everything, Chris. Still keeping my fingers crossed, and still thinking seriously about that petition...it can't hurt, right?

B x

You're welcome and it's my pleasure to do anything I can, even if it's just to relay information.
Now, whether or not he chooses to respond to some direct questions, I have asked Richard about the feasibilty of ANY US dates in the future and where the problems lay...
...So I guess we'll have to wait and see!. (don't hold your breath!)



Chris

[arieleleven]

OK, don't get your hopes up, but I may have (at the very least) some more tour information later....
...I'll post any news as I have it.

All the best,
Chris

Thanks so much for everything, Chris. Still keeping my fingers crossed, and still thinking seriously about that petition...it can't hurt, right?

B x

You're welcome and it's my pleasure to do anything I can, even if it's just to relay information.
Now, whether or not he chooses to respond to some direct questions, I have asked Richard about the feasibilty of ANY US dates in the future and where the problems lay...
...So I guess we'll have to wait and see!. (don't hold your breath!)



Chris

Hey, the info you have been sharing has been invaluable and so appreciated. I have a friend who is a concert promoter in Detroit/fellow Sylvianite and he was telling me about the corporation that handled the Shamans tour at least (I believe they are called Live Nation?) and he thinks that's why there were so many problems: they were doing so many tours that David somehow got lost in the shuffle. I don't know who they worked with in 2002 but if it was a similar giant corporation, therein may lie a great deal of the trouble. Perhaps if David were to work with someone independent and experienced in booking successful tours for less mainstream acts (like my friend Jim, ahem), things might be different this time? I'm just saying....and Jim is going to contact Samadhisound just to throw some of his ideas at them. You never know, right?

Looking forward to hearing what you may hear back from Richard (and at the risk of sounding like a broken cd, thanks again, Chris).

And the commiseration you expressed to those who have yet to see Sylvian and are wondering if it may ever happen was lovely!

B x

[heartofdavid]

I thought a lot of the problem with the E&N tour stemmed from Virgin being unwilling to shell out the bucks to promote the tour - David's contract was at an end and I think they considered him a losing proposition. He didn't have a corporate sponsor either, as far as I know.

With the blemish tour, I'm pretty sure that was self-funded - did what he could afford at places where he knew he'd have success. Perhaps things are more financially sound at Samadhi these days so he can broaden the scope of the tour - dates and support band.

[sisterlondon]

I just want to say that if any of you US folks are planning on going to the London gig, do decide it fast, because I already got a ticket quite behind!

[arieleleven]

I thought a lot of the problem with the E&N tour stemmed from Virgin being unwilling to shell out the bucks to promote the tour - David's contract was at an end and I think they considered him a losing proposition. He didn't have a corporate sponsor either, as far as I know.

With the blemish tour, I'm pretty sure that was self-funded - did what he could afford at places where he knew he'd have success. Perhaps things are more financially sound at Samadhi these days so he can broaden the scope of the tour - dates and support band.

I have no doubt that the lack of support from Virgin as well as the problems with Live Nation were both huge factors in the 1988 tour trouble.

Jim has written to Samadhisound and is awaiting a response but at this point I am feeling pessimistic again, having just heard from our sweet friend Bridget here that Opium Arts said essentially: "Really sorry, but there will be no US dates this tour." I hope maybe Jim can work something out for next spring at least...in the meantime, he and I may go to the UK together this fall (if I go bankrupt in the process, that's life, ha). He has been a fan almost as long as I have (it'll be 28 years this summer, Jesus I feel ancient ) and has never been able to see David live either.

Going to go drown myself in work again now.

B x

[heartofdavid]

I didn't realize there was a problem with the 1988 tour, I thought Virgin was fully behind David's first solo tour (he had a long way to go with his contract back then) - the only cancelled dates from that (I thought) were when David became ill (somewhere in Italy?) and when Steve cut his hand. I thought the '88 tour was well advertised here in the States.

Was it due to the cost of tranportion for that large a band (and crew), getting the venues, etc. versus ticket sales?

A spring tour in 2008 that hit a few places here would be nice. If it happens I would imagine it would be a few select locations, his 'pockets of popularity.' He just isn't well known enough (sadly) to do well on a more extensive tour here - he doesn't get airplay or national press, and while you can get his records easily on the internet they're difficult to find in any record shop. He has fans everywhere in the States, but not in large enough quantities to support a tour. Can't blame him for considering the monetary aspect, it is his livelihood. But...if this portion of the tour does very well, perhaps he'll take the risk?

[arieleleven]

I didn't realize there was a problem with the 1988 tour, I thought Virgin was fully behind David's first solo tour (he had a long way to go with his contract back then) - the only cancelled dates from that (I thought) were when David became ill (somewhere in Italy?) and when Steve cut his hand. I thought the '88 tour was well advertised here in the States.

A spring tour in 2008 that hit a few places here would be nice.

I didn't know that re: the Shamans tour either till Chris' post last night here in which he said that entire tour lost money.

Jim was supposed to see David in Ann Arbor that tour (I would have been there too but I had already moved by then) but the advertising was terrible and not enough tickets were sold and it was canceled. As it had been scheduled for his birthday and he had a front row seat, my friend was understandably very upset and disappointed. (I think this is partly what inspired him to go into concert booking and promoting himself, actually.)

[heartofdavid]

@ Ariel - I added to my last post as you were making yours.

Really a shame that happened.