Got any creative ideas to help me get to see CBGB's benefit shows?

August 25, 2005 8:27 PM

NoMoneyFilter: My friend in NYC really really really wants to go to a lot of these shows but money is really tight. Do you have any ideas on how he can go?

He is big into punk and the underground scene, and most of these benefit shows are really great old punk bands. He was recently laid off from work, so money is super super tight. He is looking for creative suggestions on how he can get in to watch these shows. He even said to me, "come up with something creative and not too gross and i'll give it a shot." Any suggestions?

posted by dhammala to Work & Money (5 answers total)

Response by poster: Addition: He IS currently looking for work as hard as he can, he IS NOT interested in prostitution, and I have already suggested trying to volunteer/work the shows but he would rather try to watch and experience the shows.
posted by dhammala at 8:32 PM on August 25, 2005

Contact CBGB and try to volunteer time at the venue before/after the show for a free ticket? There is always set-up/clean-up, and perhaps a bit of time can be traded for tix - not during the show itself, but the prep or clean-up.
posted by fionab at 8:51 PM on August 25, 2005

I don't know, I still can't tell if this is really the end for "old geebs." If it is not, your friend will only have to wait a month or so for the same bands to be playing for half the price or less. It seems like at least once a month there is a punk band that you figured was dead/in jail playing. While I really would have loved to see the Gorilla Biscuits reunion, I've found that old men play crappy punk.
posted by Corpus Callosum at 9:06 PM on August 25, 2005

He could maybe poster/flyer/street team for one of the lesser known opening bands, in exchange for a guestlist spot. I doubt that CBs would trade for entry, in any regard.. it's just not that kind of place, IMO.

He could also volunteer to sell merchandise for an opener.

He probably doesn't need to have intimate contact with anyone to make money off his body, if he's decent to look at. Nude housecleaning, etc.. might get the job done.
posted by Jack Karaoke at 11:51 PM on August 25, 2005

He could always pretend to be someone that is likely to be on the guestlist, but that the person on the door is unlikely to know by sight. When I reviewed live gigs and wrote about nightclubs, this used to happen fairly regularly. Slight problem: it's evil.
posted by jack_mo at 5:09 AM on August 26, 2005