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 There has been a lot of recent press coverage of the scramble for Hannah Montana tickets, and the lawsuit filed by Ticketmaster against RMG Technologies, a company that makes the software which enabled brokers to purchase those tickets in record time. The story is the same in virtually every major city her tour reaches - thousands of parents were on Ticketmaster's site the minute tickets for their city went on sale, only to find that the tickets were already sold out. Those same tickets then appeared minutes later on the sites of ticket brokers, going for double or triple the original price (or more).
Here's a friendly tap on the shoulder and a great little secret: there are hundreds of millions of live, ticketed events every year in North America - from concerts, to theater, to sporting events, to fund raisers, and everything in between. Think of the ticketing industry as a pyramid. The very tip of the pyramid consists of the "big names" - artists, productions, and teams who are known nationwide, play in huge arenas, and can cost a pretty penny to see live. These are the acts who usually have huge budgets, and access to vast marketing resources. Their events are what you will most likely find for sale on Ticketmaster. They often sell out in record time. And increasingly, they are the events you see for sale on StubHub, with tickets going for way above face value and another service fee to boot. We read about these events in magazines and newspapers; we hear about them on the radio; we see them on TV, and on the internet.
So what is the difference between the handful of events at the tip of the pyramid, and the millions of events at the base? Less than you might think. Everyone who got to the top started at the bottom. They all work hard and they care about their fans. The biggest difference is simply the size of the venue and the proximity of the act to you. For every huge arena in a major city, there are hundreds of smaller clubs, theaters, and other venues with equally as exciting events going on every day. Getting back to that $2000 Hannah Montana ticket - why spend that much on one event, when there are plenty of interesting, educational, and entertaining local events that you can attend? The amount you pay just in service fees on one ticket to some of these big shows is enough for a couple of tickets to something great and local. Variety is the spice of life! To highlight the variety of events on our site during the month of November, we have compiled a selection of interesting and localized events - the treasures in your own backyard. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, here is our event cornucopia!
THEATER
Maybe Baby, It's You in Sedona, AZ!
RABBIT HOLE by David Lindsay-Abaire in Charleston, SC!
RELIGIOUS
35th Annual Jewish Book & Arts Fair in Houston, TX!
Jim Hightower Meet and Greet in Kansas City, MO!
COMEDY
Dan LaRosa and Friends Comedy Hypnosis Show in Meriden, CT!
Bryant-Lake Bowl Theater in Minneapolis, MN!
PARTIES
KING BRITT in Asheville, NC!
TRASH FASHION BASH: HOLIDAY EXPLOSION AT SAM in Seattle, WA!
ROLLER DERBY
Treasure Valley Rollergirls - FALL BRAWL in Boise, ID!
November 18, 2007 - Big Easy Rollergirls Bout in New Orleans, LA!
CIRCUS
Shocked & Amazed! Tour in Washington, DC!
Circus Finelli Escapades in San Francisco, CA!
WORKSHOPS
2007 Portrait of a Thing in Philadelphia, PA!
Active Dreaming Workshop by Robert Moss in Cincinnati, OH!
DANCE
Antonio Vargas "FLAMENCO MOSAIC" in Roswell, GA!
Fall Dance Concert in Rohnert Park, CA!
CULTURAL
Portland Tartan Ball and Ceilidh in Portland, OR!
AMP 2nd Annual AMP Convention in Rosemont, IL!
WINE
The Wine Trolley in Monterey, CA!
Eat Art in Brooklyn, NY!
CONCERTS
BACH presents Messiah Sing-along in Chicago, IL!
The Bugle Boy in La Grange, TX!
FILM
OUTSOURCED - Lake Worth (Playhouse) in Lake Worth, FL!
Human Rights Watch Traveling Film Festival in Portland, ME!
MUSICALS
Footloose, The Musical in Glen Ridge, NJ!
Rodgers' and Hammerstein's Oklahoma Jr. in Altoona, IA!
CHILDREN'S
ALICE! in Los Angeles, CA!
Cat's-Paw Theatre in Hansel and Gretel-A Puppet Operetta in Madison, WI!
FOOD
9th Annual Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner in Salt Lake City, UT!
Mountaineers Pilgrim Dinner @ Kitsap Cabin in Bremerton, WA!
BENEFITS
The 2nd Annual "Caring & Sharing" Community Charity Event & Auction! in Nashville, TN!
Toronto's Critical Art Ensemble fundraiser in Toronto, ON!
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