I'd say a bigger problemis the timing...

Most people are on their summer holiday on that date, and most people had already made their vacation plans by the time the show was announced.

I have never seen a show selling this poorly in Finland. And there is no excuses. GNR sold out two July gigis at the arena in 15 minutes. Iron maiden sold out 50 000 stadium in July 2008 abd that took under half an hour. U2 did the same thing twice last year. This summer Bon Jovi, Maiden, Slipknot, Foo Fighters and countless number of other acts are doinf their own shows and even more big acts are playing on festivals. And if you take the argument that classic act like Prince generally sells more poorly than let's say Paramore, well, Elton John plays here allmost every year and that is allways sold out. Same yhing with Bruce Springsteen, AC/DC, Tori Amos or just about everyone.

The poor sales fall down to just two things. Too expensive tickets compared to artists profile - most of us are unable to name any songs after Diamonds and pearls -era and no one really believes the man actually shows up.

The one thing that REALLY sucks is that the company promoting this is well known indie label and hopefully they don'y get too much loss with this one.

Prince has made his own bed, now he needs lie in it

But I would expect fans from Russia or Stockholm area + baltic states get excited about this event.
Plus not even Cologne is selling that well. We need more visible advertisng

Still I would rather jam with a halfpacked relaxed crowd then uptight conservative business people with free tickets on the best seats. I've been to concerts in Helsinki where I've had to be ashamed for the audiences for not being cheerful or interested in the artist.

[Edited 6/13/11 6:51am]

For some reason, I think he'll be here in July... or Finland must be kinda inside joke for the man and/or his tour management. Last time there weren't any ticket sales and no proper plan for the tour ahead...Now there is.

Reason for "the bad ticket sales" is very simple. For instance, the most of my friends are waiting for an another cancelation. On the other hand, the most part of the tickets are already sold, so...I think, it will be sold out in the end and the reason for possible cancellation won't be "the poor ticket-sales". People are just waiting to be sure.

Besides, Helsinki audience isn't any worse than others

I am sorry, what? Most part the tickets aren't sold out. He's sold out about 6 blocks and the floor and approximately one block holds 380-400 seats and floor 2500 at maximum. You can start counting from there. Plus the seats sold here and there. I do have the arena plan with seating capacity in each block so I can say this for sure. It is less than half full for the moment.

People will propably buy tickets at very last minute due to cancellation possibility, but it'll be a heck of surpsrise if he actually makes on stage here.

funk4finns said:

I am sorry, what? Most part the tickets aren't sold out. He's sold out about 6 blocks and the floor and approximately one block holds 380-400 seats and floor 2500 at maximum. You can start counting from there. Plus the seats sold here and there. I do have the arena plan with seating capacity in each block so I can say this for sure. It is less than half full for the moment.

People will propably buy tickets at very last minute due to cancellation possibility, but it'll be a heck of surpsrise if he actually makes on stage here.

Well, we'll see what happens. The fact is, that the main reason for the slow ticket sales in Finland is Prince's notorious history of cancelation. 5 cancelled shows is ridicilous, in any scale. Without those (and high ticket prices) it would have been sold out already. Now everybody is just waiting...and don't want to take risk...

However, if the sold out 6 blocks and the floor, which is approximately 5000 tickets already, I'm sure there are quite a lot of people, who have bought those cheaper tickets, as well...not just a few seats here and there...but maybe you know better...

At least Prince concert is selling better than Britney Spears according Lippupiste and Tiketti

.

[Edited 6/20/11 14:45pm]

http://www.lippu.fi/prince-Lippuja-helsinki.html?affiliate=ADV&doc=artistPages%2Ftickets&fun=artist&action=tickets&key=607187%241523240&jumpIn=yTix&kuid=200674&from=erdetaila

Well, I counted them... there are approximately 2700 cheaper tickets to be sold, all the rest has gone already - So that "less than half tickets sold" is bull...See the map yourself. You can count them, if you don't believe me.

Besides he has played smaller venues during his last European tour with the cheaper ticket prices than in Helsinki.

Someone claimed how there are already 10 000 tickets sold and still month to go...I haven't confirmed the amount yet, but it sounds quite correct, though...

Well, it looks like they've taken the last 8 sections up above right against stage on the upper tier out of sale now. I doubt very much this night will gather full house. It's just sad. He better be on top form for his premiere show here!

For my counts about 7,000-7500 tickets have been sold according to my ticket counts.

[Edited 7/16/11 15:42pm]

funk4finns said:

Well, it looks like they've taken the last 8 sections up above right against stage on the upper tier out of sale now. I doubt very much this night will gather full house. It's just sad. He better be on top form for his premiere show here!

For my counts about 7,000-7500 tickets have been sold according to my ticket counts.

[Edited 7/16/11 15:42pm]

What about the tickets they've already sold in those places. Some of those sections were sold out last week - but the most of them weren't. Is there any possiblity, that they are just sold? Anyway, I believe we'll see Prince on the next thursday and that's the main thing.

I still agree, it's sad. It should have been sold out in a day. People bought tens of thousands tickets for washed out Elton John concert and yearly visiting Iron Maiden.

[Edited 7/17/11 1:21am]

[Edited 7/17/11 1:43am]

Dear PasiKullero

Elton John never did sell out his 2009 visit with Red Piano. It had around 7 thousand people. Iron Maiden did not sellout this year. The back of the stadium was partly empty in sections.

As for Prince, Live Nation has taken off the blocks from sale when the time is so near now and try to fill the most closest seats still available. Yes, some seats have been sold for upper tiers, but they put on sale usually the first 6-7 rows by block and if the sales are strong they will open the rest for sale. The 8 blocks in the u-turn area have been taken off now, since there wasn't any sale happening. I did check them like a week ago and propably 5 seats per block were sold.

This is standart procedure in concerts around the world. And I've seen it happening in many Hartwall arena concerts.

The ones that don't go to the concert will be sorry they missed it.

Since he's not played there before I do think that the setlist will be a bit more heavy on the hits. But overall it will be well worth the cost of getting a ticket.

There is no one better in concert than Prince, in my opinion.

jmfd said:

The ones that don't go to the concert will be sorry they missed it.

Since he's not played there before I do think that the setlist will be a bit more heavy on the hits. But overall it will be well worth the cost of getting a ticket.

There is no one better in concert than Prince, in my opinion.

You're right. I've seen Prince several times abroad, but this is the first concert in Finland. I don't mind, if the set list is loaded with the hits, main thing is he's finally here. Even I would like to hear the songs like Joy in Repetition, Love We Make, Girl, Colonized Mind, Dreamer etc. etc., I could live with Purple Rain, Kiss, Rasberry Beret etc. as well.

If Prince has sold just 7500 tickets - which I don't believe - it's enough for me. Less people, better the party.

I really don't get the idea of waiting 'til the last minute to buy tickets -> you will get bad seats and it only increases the risk of cancellation.

If the concert will be cancelled (which is now very unlikely) you will get your money back.

A lot of tickets have been sold and it's been promoted a lot, at least in Helsinki. It's going to happen. People need to wake up.

Oh and another thing, I hope he plays Colonized Mind

BeyondSpace said:

I really don't get the idea of waiting 'til the last minute to buy tickets -> you will get bad seats and it only increases the risk of cancellation.

If the concert will be cancelled (which is now very unlikely) you will get your money back.

A lot of tickets have been sold and it's been promoted a lot, at least in Helsinki. It's going to happen. People need to wake up.

Oh and another thing, I hope he plays Colonized Mind

I'm sure there will be more than 7500 people. Even they could have closed - which is not certain - some upper sections, there will be still more tickets sold than those 7000 - 7500. Besides Prince have already played smaller audiences during this tour.

Don't worry, it will happen.

Indeed it has been promoted more than I expected... You don't usually see 20 metre high concert banners on the corner of the Forum. It's nice to see a giant Prince in the middle of the city.

Rewi said:

Indeed it has been promoted more than I expected... You don't usually see 20 metre high concert banners on the corner of the Forum. It's nice to see a giant Prince in the middle of the city.

Totta. Someone should post a picture of that here, it's huuuuuuuuuge!

BeyondSpace said:

Rewi said:

Indeed it has been promoted more than I expected... You don't usually see 20 metre high concert banners on the corner of the Forum. It's nice to see a giant Prince in the middle of the city.

Totta. Someone should post a picture of that here, it's huuuuuuuuuge!

Try to open this link

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150232060906032&set=a.131380996031.110603.100565111031&type=1&theater

[Edited 7/17/11 11:08am]

That banner is huge. I haven't seen one that big since he played Minneapolis back in 2007.

I am still hoping to get a much smaller version of that Finnish poster for my collection

Vau, I've missed the giant Prince poster. I'll have check that miracle next week. I just made a decision: I'll no longer speculate with ticket sales or live in a fear of cancellation. I'll just concentrate thinking, that on next Thursday we'll probably get one of the best live performances in the history of this country

At what time are you going to Hartwall Areena? I have a floor ticket and I'd like to get near the stage, but I can't decide at what time to be there.

jmfd said:

That banner is huge. I haven't seen one that big since he played Minneapolis back in 2007.

I am still hoping to get a much smaller version of that Finnish poster for my collection

Don't worry. You'll get it

PasiKullero said:

BeyondSpace said:

Totta. Someone should post a picture of that here, it's huuuuuuuuuge!

Try to open this link

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150232060906032&set=a.131380996031.110603.100565111031&type=1&theater

[Edited 7/17/11 11:08am]

OMG...OMG...what an awesome banner! Thx 4 showing the link, here's the picture. I wish I had a poster like that!

Holy cow!

Well Foo Fighters sold out their gig in June with 4000 last tickets sold at the venue hours before the show kicked off, since it was hot summer day and the gig was on a field. So just maybe the same thing can happen to P.

Surely, not even Prince could cancel now?? I am getting NERVOUS! Bought my tickets weeks ago!

Wow, that poster is huge! I need to get to city centre to take a pic of that

I was wondering we 'orgers' should gather together pefore the show? But where

serpan99 said:

PasiKullero said:

Try to open this link

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150232060906032&set=a.131380996031.110603.100565111031&type=1&theater

[Edited 7/17/11 11:08am]

OMG...OMG...what an awesome banner! Thx 4 showing the link, here's the picture. I wish I had a poster like that!

Thanks Serpan It's quite big, isn't it

PasiKullero said:

serpan99 said:

OMG...OMG...what an awesome banner! Thx 4 showing the link, here's the picture. I wish I had a poster like that!

Thanks Serpan It's quite big, isn't it

I wonder if that's the same banner that was on Hartwall Areena's wall I while ago. I checked yesterday and it was no longer there.

I want it!