the color of money

i don’t mean for this to sound like some kind of racial generalization…

(although i KNOW it’ll sound that way; and if it helps cushion the blow i’m wearing predominantly ‘urban’ clothing today…fubu fat albert jersey, ecko “boxer” boxers) but black people know how to manage their money DAMN well. they do. compared to cracker folk, they’ve got it down, at least when it comes to concert tickets. allow me to explain. let’s look at a VERY caucasian show. almost too white for ME (although i WILL admit….i did kinda wanna go. it’s my inner honky yearning to break free i suppose). who is it?

live and counting crows

i TOLD you it was white. damn white. lily white. not trailer park trashy white; more like, “dude..abercrombie’s having a sale this week…” kinda white) the show was supposed to happen on october 8th at the backyard (THE prettiest place to see a show in austin…i HIGHLY recommend it…and i don’t just say that ’cause they make my company money). the show, which was labeled “rain or shine” on the ticket (the backyard is an outside venue, as the name would suggest), was canceled due to rain. my personal thought? the counting crowes knew the earthier part of their fan base would consider standing in the rain a shower, and that would really go against their norm (or is that phish fans? string cheese fans? all of the above? whatever it is the newer gen-x equivalent of dead heads are following around the country this week) anywho, the show was canceled, and people were told to take back their tickets to get their money back. no problem. but here’s the odd thing; there are still almost 400 people who, despite the fact that BOTH bands have played in austin since, are still holding on to their tickets. that’s about $15,000 worth of tickets that have NEVER been returned.

and the show was supposed to happen on October 8th. of 2000!!!!! about 18 months ago.

flash forward to tomorrow….mary j. blige is supposed to play in dallas at the bronco bowl feb 23rd, 2k2, but cancelled NOT due to lack of ticket sales, but due to her recently scheduled appearance at the “look…we sold more than you” fest better known as the grammys. (ever since milli vanilli won, i have pretty much refused to take them seriously…blame it on the rain) tickets ran $50 – $60 a piece, and almost 3,000 sold. the show was canceled barely 48 hours ago, and almost 2,000 have been returned.

in two days. think about that.

those tickets are NOT collecting dust. that money WILL be spent this weekend…probably for entertainment. and probably NOT on mary j. blige cds. just amazing. in the time it’s taken for me to write this article, i’ve had to stop to return almost two dozen tickets. they’re coming in THAT fast. makes you wonder if we might wanna get the budget handled by someone OTHER than wealthy, white, “you-scratch-my-back-and-i’ll-scratch-yours” kinda folk, huh? might be a better economy that way…