Do You Share Your Good Seats?

Today's commentary is special and comes from a loyal reader. I'll keep the reader's identity secret (by request), but will paste the entire email to me because it really tells a cool story and I think you'll all be able to weigh in on this one. Email below:

Most often, I get really good seats to shows and I have a Jack Daniels plastic cup that (afterward) I place every ticket in chronological order. Anyway, back at this year's M3 show, I had "fair"tickets for Friday night, but 'pit' tickets for Saturday. I knew I was going to leave before Tesla and Whitesnake (for a bunch of reasons). Anyway, a guy who was sitting next to me on Friday was telling me that Tesla and Whitesnake were among his favorite bands (mostly Tesla)- but he had his same "fair" seats for both days.   

On Saturday afternoon, I went to him and told him to not go anywhere after Sebastian Bach. When Bach ended and I was moving up to the second stage and then the main stage from afar before leaving, I went over to him and gave him my tickets to move down front. He was so genuinely thankful and psyched, but my OCD kicked in realizing that I couldn't "complete" my ticket chronological order in my beloved Jack Daniels cup. Ah well, there are bigger things in life. 

 

Since then, I've done this at a bunch of shows this summer- mostly Motley Crue/Poison/New York Dolls. I have either left after Poison or halfway through Motley's set- mostly due to time constraints, but anyway, as I'm leaving, I try to find two people who seem as though they would really enjoy the up front view- not the quintessential "hot chick" or the drunk loudmouth; rather I look for the friendly looking dad with his teenage son/daughter or two "ordinary" young men/women sitting in the back;  the number one criteria I have is that [despite their current seats], they are really into the show. I get a lot of hesitation from people thinking (perhaps) that I'm looking for money for my tickets. When I explain that there are no strings attached other than for them to get close to one of their favorite bands, they are very appreciative and I go on my merry way. 

 

Now, reader X leaves us with this question:

I'm curious about what other people think about this -- especially the bands and fellow attendees with whom I rocked with most of the night and then to have "Mr. Rogers and his 'cool looking' son" sitting  in my seats. 

 

Comments

[kari]

Heck Yeah I'll weigh in on this.....I've had that happen to me where someone let me sit in their primo seat and you betcha it made my night!!! Primo seats get harder to afford and its very cool anonymous reader that you do this!!

[Smknotsmf]

You're doing a good deed and now overthinking it. Who cares what others think in this instance...

[Chuck]

I have done this myself and had it done to me, so I think its fantastic. I too have every ticket stub of every concert I have been to, but if its that important, its easy enough to find one on the ground throughout the day.

And I agree...I avoid giving them to the "hot chick" or "drunk guy" cause they typically do not appreciate it nearly as much as the father/son or young couple on a budget type.

I had a stranger walk up to me at a Caps game and just hand me two tickets and say "Merry Christmas". They were 2 rows off the ice with a price tag of $95 (this was back at the Cap Center). I never forgot that and have often tried to do the same thing when I have extra tickets to something. I am a PSL holder for the Ravens and had two tickets way down front that I could not sell or find anyone who wanted to go. I walked around the stadium and found a mother and her young son and gave them to them. We sat next to them the entire game and hearing the kid saying "this is the best day ever" and "wait til I tell my friends about these seats". It makes it worthwhile.

Guess the motto of "pay it forward" really applies. Its nice to see these random acts of kindness when the people truly do not want anything in return!!!

[brian L]

I love this story! I have done things like this before, and it feels good to put smiles on other people's faces.

[Ace Steele]

I can't tell you how many times back in the day, I'd be leaving "The Forum Club", and as we left I'd peel off both mine & my girlfriends backstage passes & look for the most deserving, obvious hardcore fan, and walk up & give them that all access pass. There are 2 rules for this. (1) Don't give them to someone who can't handle themselves in that situation, (2)Don't give them to obvious "Backstage Bimbos". They can get their own pass, if need be.

[Mike]

2 weeks back at Mayhem fest...
After Machine Head played, the event was pretty much over for me.
I watched Megadeth for old times sake, then it started raining.
Gave my seats to some folks who were on the lawn, and was safely in a barstool miles away from the venue by the time Disturbed came out and stunk the place up.

[glamrockerarchie]

i think its a great thing to do, gives somebody a chance that might not ever gotten that close or even afford to get decent tickets kudos to ya a great rock n roll story

[Kenny Ozz]

I do this quite often too. Im doing it here in a just a few weeks. Im going to the Blink 182 show and just using my seats for My Chemical Roamance. You paid for the seats, so for that show they are just that, YOUR seats. Do what you wish.

[MEWIZEMGIC]

Very cool and nice thing to do.

[Christian]

I saw Judas Priest and Whitesnake in Minnesota, and I had got two tickets and then the person I hoped would come, didn't. I hung around all day and when I met someone who was alone, I gave him the other ticket. He was stoked. I actually saw A7X on the weekend and bought two lots of tickets b/c better tickets came up, I was going to give the others away, but never got around to it. I also saw Heaven and Hell and a woman offered me all the money she had to get my spot at the barrier. I said no, but I gave it to her for free for the encore. She nearly fainted when Dio talked to her, it was obviously a big deal for her.

[Will]

This story confuses me on many different levels.

[Spence]

I think this is a great gesture as I am a huge believer in Karma. What goes around, truly will come around. I remember getting two F.T.T.B. for Maiden and my buddy bailed. I ended up inviting some random dude who flew across the country that I met on the train down. Needless to say, he was stoked.

[jimbo]

wow,talk about irony...last night at the Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park,,my gf and I gave out box seats to these two dudes that had shit standing room tix,,that looked like they were gonna pass out from standing 7 innings,,all good, They looked at me like is was Santa,,A METAL Santa at Fenway Park!,,all good

[Gunntherd]

About 10 years ago I took my two daughters, at the time they were 10 and 13, If I remember right, to one of the "Rock Never Stops" tours, we had decent seats about halfway up from the stage, so as we were walking past the VIP area, my kids asked me what that place was for, so I told them and how cool it was to have VIP tickets (I've had them before for other shows) when a guy taps me on the shoulder as he must of over heard me talking and gave me 3 tickets for like 3rd or 4th row center plus access to VIP bar. I think I was more excited for my daughters than they were. To this day they still talk about that show. So I pay it forward when I get the opportunity!!!

[Devin]

my dad took me to see la guns, firehouse and slaughter, it was my very first show, it was outside and we had lawn tickets, so we watched two local glam bands which ruled, then la guns and half of firehouse, then two people give us their tickets to go down half way to the stage. they were the coolest people, they also got me a drink and t shirts so that was cool