I went to the Black Mountain / Yeasayer / MGMT gig last Thursday night at Neumo’s. Earlier in the day I was at Easy Street Records to pick up some music. I was going to buy the Yeasayer album as well as the Black Mountain album for $11.99 each, but then I thought I should just wait and get them at the show for the anticipated price of $10.00. This was an interesting show in that most everyone came there to see MGMT, but they were playing right after the opener and before both Yeasayer and Black Mountain. I made a visit to the merch table to see the offerings and pick up a couple CDs. Both Yeasayer and MGMT were selling their CDs for $10.00 while Black Mountain was selling their CD for $12.00. I already had the new MGMT album. While I was planning to buy both the Yeasayer CD and Black Mountain CD, I only ended up buying the Yeasayer CD. I just couldn’t believe Black Mountain was selling their CD for $12.00?? Come on? Seriously, I could have bought it at the record store for that price! AND how can you justify selling your CD at a higher price than the other two (probably more-recognized) bands on the bill?
Well, as I stood around the merch table for a while I noticed no one was really buying the Black Mountain items. Their “manager” or whomever the older gentleman was representing them at the table, looked very unhappy that everyone was buying the merch from the other two bands. And Black Mountain was technically the headliner. All I could fathom was, what a fucking idiot! Why did you ever think you could get away with that? Why wouldn’t you just sell the CD at the same price as the others? For that extra two dollars you believe you deserve, you are totally fucking over the band by building a barrier between them and a growing audience. That extra $2.00 was stopping everyone from taking home their music. Granted, maybe it was the band’s decision to sell it for a higher price. But I really doubt it.
My first instinct was to think, “Wow, that manager really made an incredibly stupid decision.” It stopped me from buying the Black Mountain CD (along with everyone else) and for the most part it I became disinterested in the band. I actually left before they even went on stage. Maybe they eventually sold some CDs after their set? However, I am sure it was no where near the fervor in which people bought the CDs and other items offered by MGMT and Yeasayer before they even played.
LESSON: Music is largely a spontaneous purchase, an impulse buy – born out of curiosity. Why not make it a “no-brainer”?
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Now playing: She and Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?
via FoxyTunes
