Showbiz Sandbox 129: Ticket Masters – The Rise of the Concert Industry and How the Public Got Scalped

Summary: Anyone who has ever tried to get good tickets to see their favorite band in concert knows how frustrating it can be. Josh Baron and Dean Budnick, two editors of Relix magazine, spent three years speaking to hundreds of industry veterans to research the history of modern ticketing. Their book, "Ticket Masters: The Rise of the Concert Industry and How the Public Got Scalped (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1550229494/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=showbsandb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1550229494)(http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=showbsandb-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1550229494)", is being hailed as the most comprehensive work on the subject. In this interview they explain the real culprit behind today's high ticket prices and provide a few ways to get the best seats in the house. The end of the year usually marks a busy and highly profitable time in the movie industry, however box office receipts have been declining over the past two weekends to three year lows. It certainly doesn't help that as film critics from around the nation bestow their annual awards, there doesn't seem to be a clear frontrunner for the upcoming Oscar season. In the music world, despite the glut of music subscription services such as Spotify, Rdio and Mog, some musicians are pulling their latest releases from the platforms. Most recently, The Black Keys have joined the likes of Coldplay in not allowing their new album to be streamed on any of the top services. Rather than help increase sales, the feeling is that these services may actually be preventing them. Of course, we cover the week's top entertainment headlines, including Ryan Seacrest possibly replacing Matt Lauer on NBC's "Today", the Justice Department's investigation into the pricing of e-books and the latest Black List highlights the year's best unproduced screenplays. Ticket Masters: The Rise of the Concert Industry and How the Public Got Scalped http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1550229494/ (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1550229494/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=showbsandb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1550229494) Relix Magazine http://www.relix.com/ (http://www.relix.com/) The Box Office Had Its Worst Weekend Since 2008, But There Is A Silver Lining http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/12/12/box-office-new-years-eve-tinker-tailor/ (http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/12/12/box-office-new-years-eve-tinker-tailor/) L.A. Critics Name 'Descendants' Best Film, Laud 'Tree of Life' Too http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2011/12/la-film-critics-name-best-picture.html (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2011/12/la-film-critics-name-best-picture.html) 'Bridesmaids' and 'The Descendants' Among AFI's Top 10 Films http://www.goldderby.com/films/news/2268/afi-top-10-best-american-film-institute-news.html (http://www.goldderby.com/films/news/2268/afi-top-10-best-american-film-institute-news.html) New York Film Critics Online Name 'The Artist' Best Movie of the Year http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/the-artist-take-shelter-michael-shannon-meryl-street-iron-lady-272214 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/the-artist-take-shelter-michael-shannon-meryl-street-iron-lady-272214) 'The Artist' Named Best Picture by Boston Film Critics http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/artist-best-picture-boston-film-critics-272202 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/artist-best-picture-boston-film-critics-272202) San Francisco Film Critics Pick "Tree of Life" http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/12/us-filmawards-sanfrancisco-idUSTRE7BB07720111212 (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/12/us-filmawards-sanfrancisco-idUSTRE7BB07720111212) 2011 Annie Awards Nominations http://www.cartoonbrew.com/events/annie-award-nominations-2011.html (http://www.cartoonbrew.com/events/annie-award-nominations-2011.html) The Black Keys Black Out Spotify, MOG, Rdio and Rhapsody http://latimesblogs.latimes.