The whole "...those who can show up, do" ethic is the same here in the States...let's face facts...seeing concerts these days (as opposed to say, the '80s- early '90s) is something of a luxury expense. With the cost of fuel now (especially diesel, which is needed to fuel the trucks and semis that lug around a band's stage & equipment), tickets are at an all-time high. Furthermore, if said band(s) don't come close enough to given areas, fans find it that much harder to migrate toward a show...tougher still when a lot of fans are now supporting families and have to mind their finances more carefully than they did 15-20 years ago.
When I saw Priest last, it was the summer of '05 at the Jones Beach theater in Wantagh, NY. The place can now fit a little over 14,000 nowadays (after it had been modified). I'm pretty confident that there were at LEAST 10,000 fans on hand that night (I saw empty seats..but not vast amounts!). They even sold out a few arenas on that tour, whereas others were half-full at best. It's a much different climate, like I said...but the die-hards definitely do the best they can to make it....and even if they don't...there are still more than enough of us out there to represent the spirit of those who can't make it for whatever reason!
As for a lot of those other bands who tour and seem to sell out every place they play...let's just wait and see how many of them enjoy the kind of legacy and history Priest have. Integrity and grit will always win over a few blockbuster tours and several multi-platinum albums. Priest are all about the love of what they do....sure, they might receive a nice paycheck for it in the process...but you can't deny the feeling of hearing 5,000-10,000 fans screaming your praises on a nightly basis and wanting to make those screams louder and louder!! Priest have done this so consistently over the last 35 years (especially in the last 28 of those 35 years)...it's no wonder they still command a more than respectable draw ....fans remember the bands that defined their youth and were the soundtrack to their lives.
[Show/Hide Quoted Message] (Quoting Message by WhiskeyWoman from Monday, August 18, 2008 7:36:20 PM)| |  | WhiskeyWoman wrote: | | I am *so* glad to know I'm not the only one who has noticed this! JP concerts are very special & different, much because of the fans themselves...
Q: How full do your arenas get down in the states, and in other countries? I would imagine Europe & Asia would put Canada's turn-out to shame, I am ashamed to admit. Do all/most of your concerts get sold out? States people can speak up too...
(The same day of a concert in Winnipeg, MB, Canada I was still able to buy 1st row tix -- but not able to make it on time... But it amazed me the tix were available in the first place!!! Embarrassing, quite frankly.)
This is in no way an insult to Canadians! I know those who can, do show up... But it does kind of bug me that other bands (who will remain nameless) sell-out -- but those people who buy all their tix can't show up to say thanks to the "Godfathers of Heavy Metal".
I dunno... just an observation and my humble opinion. 
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