I’ve heard some grumbling this week about the these big shows. It’s just simple math. There have price of tickets to see Styx in concert at the Mis- been well beyond 150 nights of live entertain- sissippi Moon Bar. I am not at all surprised be- ment in the Moon Bar in the past ten months, cause I hear that kind of stuff all the time. You and only a fraction of those shows are ticketed. see, the reason for this is that many Dubuquers That’s a LOT of free music. Of the ones that are are stuck in a cheap bastard time vortex where well-known national acts, only a couple, like everyone expects their wages to increase every the Doobie Brothers, have brought ticket prices year, but the cost of entertainment should still be nearing $100. the same as when they saw April Wine rock out in the Senior High School gymnasium in 1979. Let’s talk about that. The $100 concert ticket. I The Mississippi Moon Bar is not alone is facing just got back from a weekend in Chicago. Each this paradoxical predicament. Mystique Casino night I was there I dropped twice that much for also has concerts with limited seating that can dinner. Mmmm ... Fogo de Chao ... that’s an ar- bring a higher ticket price. The Grand and Five ticle in itself. Grilled meat heaven! Include the Flags are no different. cab ride, and that is one expensive night on the town. Forget trying to see a Broadway show with Hopefully their shows have enough draw to decent seats for under $100. I’m also a big Rush compensate for the higher price. I believe that’s fan (guys understand that concept, but girls don’t called supply and demand. In this market, seem to get it). The last time I saw Rush, I did if your show sells out the first day, you didn’t not have particularly good seats. I was a good charge enough for the ticket. If you have empty 40 rows from the stage and far off to stage right. seats when the curtain rises, you charged too Those tickets were $95. It was at an arena and much. But they all have to take the risk. Don’t the beers were $7. I see U2 tickets going for forget that risk is involved in every show anyone more than twice that. What is it about this town promotes, anywhere. If they book a show they that we expect a show that costs $100 in Chi- thought there would be more interest in than cago to be $26 here? That’s crazy. Maybe these there actually was, they take a big loss on the people have not been to a concert in a while, show. No one compensates them for trying to but just about everyone out there is pulling three bring you diverse entertainment. They just eat it. digits per ticket after TicketBastard has done their criminal extortion. A performer also does not change their asking price because you have fewer seats than the There is also a value to being one of a small last venue they performed in. Unless, of course, crowd of people see a live performance: To be the last venue they performed in was Madison that close to the stage to see one of your favor- Square Garden in 1989 and they’re now kick- ite performers. The cost is pretty easy to justify. ing off their comeback tour in Dubuque 20 years Based on the fact that these shows sell well and later. They don’t really care. So someone’s got to the more expensive seated tickets go first is testa- take the hit, so to speak. I imagine that Styx in ment to the fact that there is a market of people the Five Flags Arena would cut ticket prices in who appreciate the opportunity to see big-name half. That’s because they have more than twice performers minutes from home instead of hours the seating of the Diamond Jo or Mystique. But from home. Some might say, “Well, that ex- they didn’t book the show. So it’s a moot point. cludes those of us who don’t have the money We have an expensive band in a small but in- that these ‘rich’ guys have to buy those tickets.” credible theater of 800. So 800 people are going The only answer I have to that goes back to my to see an incredible show, up close, for the same first argument. It is good business practice. Who price as they’re used to paying when they drive would you want at the concert if you were the 3 hours to see the same show at Alpine Valley Diamond Jo, people with expendable income and sit 1000 feet from the outdoor stage, in the or the guy who grimaces at the idea of paying rain, on the grass. for the ticket and leaves immediately after the show? Everyone’s equally invited. And if you are So why don’t they just keep ticket prices low and a Styx fan, I’ll bet it’s money well spent. absorb the cost? “They’re a casino, they can af- ford it,” you say. First off, do you assume they In the case of our two new and remodeled ca- don’t already do that? Styx is not cheap. And sinos, I know we’re being given an additional there are only 800 seats in the theater. Actually, 250-300 nights of live music and comedy a year. there are far fewer actual seats. G.A. tickets are Some is free, some is not. But all of it wouldn’t standing room only. Still a great view of a good even be an option if they weren’t here. If that’s show. But you can’t charge what you can for a not good enough, I guess the glass-is-half-empty cushion to park your rear end on, even when it’s people can wait six months and catch the Styx it the kind of show where the “edge of your seat” tribute band that will undoubtedly be coming to is all you’re going to need. This is a casino. They the same venue. That one will likely be free. But have a business to run. The entire notion of live then they won’t go to that show either because, I music is generally a loss-leader. They don’t bring mean, really, how good can a free show be? See in concerts to turn a profit on the show. They you can’t win. do it to bring people into their facility to have a good time. I believe that’s called good business I’ll be in Philadelphia that weekend, so you can The 365ink crew... faces you already know! practice. So the tickets are about as cheap as have my seats. Otherwise, I’d so be there. I’m they can possibly get. There’s no price fixing on Kilroy! Tim Mike Kristina Jeff Kelli Ralph Oliver Matt Lisa Chris Pam Jon Ben Ron Bob Roy Brad Bryce Issue #91 _____________________The Inkwell Publisher: Bryce Parks ([email protected]) SEPTEMBER 17 - 30 Editor: Tim Brechlin ([email protected]) Advertising: Kelli Kerrigan In this Issue: ([email protected]) 563-451-9365 The Secret History of Writers & Content: The Hotel Julien 4 Mike Ironside ([email protected]) Tim Brechlin, Bryce Parks, L.A. Community Shorts 5 Hammer, Chris Wand, Mayor Roy Prime Rib Dinner Buol, Matt Booth, Bob Gelms, Karaoke Contest Pam Kress-Dunn, Jeff Stiles, Me- gan Dalsing and Pat Fisher. U of Iowa Benefit Artstravaganza Designers: Kristina Nesteby American English ([email protected]) Five Flags Bryce, Tim & Mike 365 Pop Quiz 6 Photography: Mike Ironside, Ron Tigges, 1000 Block Events 6 Bryce Parks Caroline’s Restaurant 8 Layout: McKesson’s New Digs 9 Tim Brechlin, Bryce Parks Rocktoberfest 10 Director of Operations: Patricia Reisen-Ottavi, J.D. Pam Kress-Dunn 11 Community, Incorporated Wando’s Movies 12 Brad Parks, C.E.O. Ralph Kluseman McKesson Cont’d 13 Special thank you to: Mindframe Movies 13 Brad Parks, Bob & Fran Parks, Christy Monk, Katy Brechlin, Kay Kluseman, McKesson Cont’d 14 Todd Locher, Everett Buckardt, Julie Steffen, Sheila Castaneda, Ron & Jen- Voices Special Events 15 nifer Tigges, bacon, the crew of Ra- dio Dubuque and all the 365 friends and advertisers for all your support. Budweiser Nightlife 16-17 You are all 365. Fall Into Art 18 Dubuque365 / 365ink 180 Main Music 19 210 West 1st Street, Dubuque, IA, 52001 Bob’s Book Reviews 22 dubuque365.com Mattitude 23 (563) 588-4365 LifeStiles 24 All contents (c) 2008, Community, Incor- porated. All rights reserved. Eating Healthy w/ Hy-Vee 25 Like our stuff? Julien History Cont’d 26 We can make yours too! Crosswords & Puzzles 27 Trixie Kitsch 28 365 Dr. Skrap’s Horoscopes 28 • Web Site Development • • Graphic Design • Puzzle / Pop Quiz Answers 28 • Photography • • Video Production • Julien History Cont’d 30 • Marketing / Consulting • We’ve hidden 365’s WANDO somewhere in this issue of Dubuque365ink. Can you find the master of movies buried within these pages? Hint: He’s tiny and could be anywhere, In a story? In an ad? On the cover? Good Luck! AND HERE I THOUGHT AMERICA’S MOST BEAUTIFUL HOTEL WAS AMERICINN 4 SEPTEMBER 17 - 30 Early History In keeping up with the newest modern Written histories of Dubuque indicate conveniences, the entire hotel was wired that there has been a hotel or inn on the for incandescent electric lights in 1893, same corner of Main and Second Streets replacing the existing gas lighting.