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Ever Get The Feeling You've Been Cheated? I Want My Money Back From These Concerts

Posted Wed Aug 27, 2008 1:31pm PDT by Shawn Amos in GetBack

After the Sex Pistols’ last gig in San Francisco, Johnny Rotten famously chided his audience, "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?" In a series of notorious bad gigs, the Pistols delivered one of their worst.

It's an unfortunate rock tradition: great bands giving really bad concerts. Neil Diamond is the latest, having decided to refund money to fans who attended his show in Columbus, Ohio. Seems ol' Neil had laryngitis and thought he'd sing his way through a concert anyway. Of course. Why would a singer need a voice to sing? But I gotta give him props for having the integrity to give fans their money back. Most artists take the money and run.

I think all concerts should have a money-back guarantee. Given that the average ticket price is over 60 bucks these days, we should have some protection. I'm starting with these concerts — I want my money back for these live flops. They wasted my money and my time. Both are in short supply.

 

U2 - PopMart Tour

If you read my U2 post, you know I’m a fan. However, four Irish dudes stuck inside a giant lemon dressed up like the Village People is not my idea of a good time. I know, it was supposed to be a "rock spectacular" full of smart irony but still... give me U2 on a stage without a lemon or McDonalds arches. Refund, please!

 
 

 

VAN HALEN - Greensboro, 2007

Gimme my money back — and someone fire the soundman! David, Eddie, and the boys launched into "Jump," but the backing keyboard track was playing in the one key, while Eddie was playing in another. The whole thing is a train wreck beyond compare. Note to bands: it's okay to just stop the song, fix the problem, and start over.


 

BOB DYLAN - The "Never-Ending Tour"

Bob's "never-ending tour" needs to end. He's taken to playing nearly incomprehensible versions of his songs while perched behind an electric piano wearing a cowboy hat. He's like some folkie Yosemite Sam piano-bar singer impersonating Bob Dylan.

 

 

 

 

MADONNA - Any and Every Concert

I know I only have myself to blame but I want my money back for every Madonna tour. When will she learn that multiple costume changes, an overly exercised body, a chorus line of dancers, and some platitudes about peace and love does not make up for soul. Soul is at the center of a concert. Anything else is just a Vegas show.


 

THE POLICE - 2008 Reunion Tour

What was great about the Police in the '80s? They were three dudes playing tight rock tunes. Reunited in 2008, Sting insisted on turning them into some prog-rock version of the Police with rambling excursions.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*BAD CONCERT HALL OF FAME*
I wasn't at these concerts but they deserve a place in bad rock concert history.

 

GUNS 'N ROSES - Riverport Amphitheatre, 1991

It's the stuff of rock legend. Axl Rose jumps off stage, attacks a fan recording the show, and is pulled off him by securtity guards. He gets back on stage and says, "Well, thanks to the lame-ass security, I'm going home" then storms off the stage. A riot ensued, injuring dozens. I wasn't there, but if I were, I would want my money back.

 

ROLLING STONES - Altamont, 1969

Note to self: never hire the Hells Angels for concert security.







"FINAL" CONCERTS

And finally, any band that makes some huge deal about their "final" tour, asks their fans to shell out hundreds of dollars for the privilege, then reunites soon after should give everyone their money back. If it's the last time, make it the last time.


May all your concerts be worth the money you shell out. I raise my lighter to you.

 

 

Drop by GetBack.com for your daily dose of pop culture pleasure -- music, movies, games, and more.

 

 

1215 Comments

61. Meredith -
Oh too bad about the James Taylor concert. Must have been high that night. I saw him in 2003 and he was amazing! Probably one of the best concerts I've ever been to.

62. Robert C -
dinidinpie says Neil Diamond is better than Dylan???!!!!


You're an idiot.

63. Yesenia R -
i love neil diamond so honest of him. One of the few entertainers that are full of themselves. (One Prime Example: "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince and Diddy)

64. Javier -
how can someone say that "Pop" is u2's best album? Also, regarding the motley crue dissers, yes, they suck sometimes but make no mistake, randy castillo was leagues above tommy lee.

also can't help but notice the really bad spleeing from the madonna defenders. she's a hack, admit it!

at least neil diamond had the guts to say "you know what? my bad, i was not uo tp it last night. you deserve a refund", unlike the god awful Creed that got sued for sucking (that should've beenn there with the legnedary list). my worst concert experience was buying a tickete to see megadeth and aerosmith together, and ending up seeing Jackyl and aerosmith. Aerosmith were great, but jackyl has to be one of the worst bands ever, especially live.

65. Cali guy -
Only way I'd see the POLICE is for free and that I did in the 80's and the 3 shows all BLEW big time and those shows were at the Forum in Los Angeles Glad I didn't pay a cent, The other $hit show was AEROSMITH playing in Ventura CA.. They played chit faced for 35 min and walked off W/ Steven Tyler saying F-You to all and kiss his @ss.
And last but not least.... Famous David Lee Roth hammered on Jack, starting the show 2 hours late, could not stand or remember a word. And if you were there you know what I'm talking about..... The "US" Festival in the middle of the california desert!

66. capo -
I think the Police was great when they came to the Oakland Colesium, but then they returned to the bay area just to make more money. it was a much shorter concert snd not haf as good played. Totally agree that Sting does not like to play hard rock or punk anymore. I love the Police anyway.

67. James -
I saw Bob Dylan perform at a stadium and he sucked. I've also seen him perform in a small theater and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. Don't know if I caught him on a bad day or caught him on a good day, but neither show has ever stopped me from buying his records or being a big fan.

68. DanR -
what about the rage against the machine PMRC thing

69. Robert C -
I am not a big Madonna fan but I saw her Ray of Light Tour cause someone gave me a ticket and I have to say it was pretty good - it was a theatrical show - the people got more than just a band standing around bangin out there old tunes. She remixed some of her tunes into slow songs, she had a great 12 string guitar player from Spain or South AMericas well as a Flamenco troup. I thinks thats worth an expensive concert ticket. A concert where you spend the same amount of money to see guys stand around is why most people want refunds.

70. ReadyTooWhere -
311 @ the Verizon Amphitheater in Irvine, CA last year sometime, was the WORST concert I ever attended, everything was going wrong, the guitars were unplugged and the show was paused 2 seperate times for more than 30 minutes.

71. Yahoo! Music User -
Somebody needs to tell Doug, of The Marshall Tucker Band, to stop singing and just stand there and play the tambourine. Also rumor has it that Bob Dylan and Tom Petty will soon be doing the Neo-Synephrine tour.

72. RockinMangos -
YEAHHHH! Go Guns n' roses!!!
gnr for life xD
axl rocks and he attacked taht fan for recording the concert when he told him not to =[
haha now axl hates st. louis

73. Magenta -
Why is everyone so angry on this site?

74. DAVE -
Def Leppard, 2006 Jack FM show, Irvine, Ca....terrible performance, sounded awful. I saw them in the late 80's and they were spectacular. Not anymore, aging must have caught up with the,. Thankfully, Journey was on the card and was incredible, saving the show.

75. Grommit -
I love it when people get incensed when someone doesn't like their fave band...they become irate and call names like middle schoolers. Everyone's got a right to their opinion people-even if you don't agree.

76. Yahoo! Music User -
That's mean! I saw the Police in 2008 and I loved them! It was worth every penny.

77. lifevibe -
The Police were always bland. One of the grand reasons we are glad to say the 80's are over.

78. lifevibe -
Zimmy's songs seem to sound better performed by others (ala hendrix "All Along the Watchtower").

79. kristineb -
madonna makes so much money because she's madonna, not because she's an awesome performer or anything. and after a while, bands should stop giving final tours, like cher with her thirteen million "farewell" tours? they just wanna make money at that point, its not about the music anymore

80. Justin -
My sister went to the Milli Vanilli Concert at the Centrum which is now the DCU Center in Worcester and she knew that they were lip-syncing. Also no one has mentioned The Who concert in Cincinnati back in 1979 when Jerry Springer was Mayor and I think 11 people were crushed to death.
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