70000 Tons of Metal: Glenn, I want your opinion

[Metalmilitia2000]

Ok, so 70000 tons of metal evidently has 40 bands over 5 days and 4 nights on a cruise ship. Limited to only 2000 tickets and the bands listed so far are:

Agent Steel
Amon Amarth
Cripper
Death Angel
Ensiferum
Epica
Exodus
Fear Factory
Finntroll
Forbidden
Gamma Ray
Iced Earth
Korpiklaani
Mardukl
Moonspell
Nevermore
Obituary
Rage
Raven
Sanctuary
Saxon
Sodom
Sonata Arctica
Swashbuckle
Testament
Trouble
Týr
Uli Jon Roth
Unleashed
Witchburner

with 12 more bands to be listed.

Glenn, what I ask of you is,

How can this be done and be even somewhat profitable? Obviously, something like this is gonna sell out, but I'm sure you know what some of the guarantees are for some of these bands and such. You also have to figure that a good bit of the cost of going on this thing is gonna be the cruise ship itself, NOT the money to the promoter. With the cancellation of Triton Power Cruise and the bad taste that left in everyone's mouth, how can this even feasibly be done?

If you don't want this here, be my guest and delete it, I am just genuinely curious is all.

Brent

 

[dgn4369]

Since this is a cruise, I would think that the bands would treat this as a "working" vacation and drastically cut any performance fee they might get in leiu of getting a vacation to boot.

 

[Metalmilitia2000]

Since this is a cruise, I would think that the bands would treat this as a "working" vacation and drastically cut any performance fee they might get in leiu of getting a vacation to boot.

Well, I was thinking about that too, but almost all of the bands coming in are from out of the country so that is a LOT of flights, not to mention the VISA situation (but since the majority of this cruise is in international waters, I don't know how that works, maybe Glenn too can shine some light on this)....

 

[Cheiron]

Let's assume the promoter gets about 200 per booking. That's 400k. Which is approximately 10k per band (ignoring other expenses for now). Some bands will get a free cruise and that's it. Some will get transportation to the cruise + free cruise. Some will get that and a payment fee. It seems quite easily done, allowing for the headliners to easily have a total compensation of around 20k. Remember, the whole cruise is booked for this show. This guy is also an experienced promoter. Promoter might also be getting some other kickback based on how much the cruiseline makes (think there will be a little bit of drinking going on?).

 

[Metalmilitia2000]

Let's assume the promoter gets about 200 per booking. That's 400k. Which is approximately 10k per band (ignoring other expenses for now). Some bands will get a free cruise and that's it. Some will get transportation to the cruise + free cruise. Some will get that and a payment fee. It seems quite easily done, allowing for the headliners to easily have a total compensation of around 20k. Remember, the whole cruise is booked for this show. This guy is also an experienced promoter. Promoter might also be getting some other kickback based on how much the cruiseline makes (think there will be a little bit of drinking going on?).

I won't argue with your logic there, as it's pretty sound. Something more to think about though, there has only been one band so far that has been announced that people are going "who?" about, and that is Clipper, I think?

The other bands are very established acts, who on a one off would make quite a bit of money. Yes, the cruise is going just for this, as there will be no one else on it, but still, the upkeep and manning of a cruise ship like this, the costs have to be astronomically high. Let's say you're right and the highest paid is around 20k, and there are bands who are getting a free cruise out of it, what about the ticket price for flights? Surely the great majority, if not all of them, are getting at least their flights taken care of by the promoter. Do an average of 4 people per band, at 40 bands, that's at least 160 flights for band members, not to mention their crew and various techs for some of them. Factor in that a good 80% or more of these bands are not from the US, making the flights even more expensive because they are now international fights. On top of that, the visa issues, which I hope will become clarified soon.

 

[War Ensemble]

Factor in that a good 80% or more of these bands are not from the US, making the flights even more expensive because they are now international fights. On top of that, the visa issues, which I hope will become clarified soon.

US Bands:
Agent Steel
Death Angel
Exodus
Fear Factory
Forbidden
Iced Earth
Nevermore
Obituary
Sanctuary
Swashbuckle
Testament
Trouble
Witchburner (?)


International:
Amon Amarth
Cripper
Ensiferum
Epica
Finntroll
Gamma Ray
Korpiklaani
Marduk
Moonspell
Rage
Raven
Saxon
Sodom
Sonata Arctica
Týr
Uli Jon Roth
Unleashed


13 to 17 North America to International as of now. Not 80%. Some of the bands are touring after the cruise. Maybe they worked that into the cost of the visas. Epica & Marduk will have toured North America in the fall. Their visas might still be valid.

 

[Metalmilitia2000]

US Bands:
Agent Steel
Death Angel
Exodus
Fear Factory
Forbidden
Iced Earth
Nevermore
Obituary
Sanctuary
Swashbuckle
Testament
Trouble
Witchburner (?)


International:
Amon Amarth
Cripper
Ensiferum
Epica
Finntroll
Gamma Ray
Korpiklaani
Marduk
Moonspell
Rage
Raven
Saxon
Sodom
Sonata Arctica
Týr
Uli Jon Roth
Unleashed


13 to 17 North America to International as of now. Not 80%. Some of the bands are touring after the cruise. Maybe they worked that into the cost of the visas. Epica & Marduk will have toured North America in the fall. Their visas might still be valid.

You're right, I didn't do an accurate count, kind of busy at work and just went off of the top of my head, but also factored in the remaining 13 bands, and guessed that at least half of them would be international. Are there any other bands other than Epica and Marduk who will be touring that might have that taken care of as well? I suppose it might not be early enough for some of those tours to be announced.

 

[Jibrille]

They're getting more like $350 a person if not more. That cruise starts around $300 pp during that time period normally and the cheapest price here is $666 for a quad + $249 "per person for taxes, pre-paid gratuities, port charges, booking, and ticketing."

 

[nomisofsiman]

US Bands:
13 to 17 North America to International as of now. Not 80%. Some of the bands are touring after the cruise. Maybe they worked that into the cost of the visas. Epica & Marduk will have toured North America in the fall. Their visas might still be valid.

Now if only Saxon could get in on that and have a couple US show, like Chicago?

 

[shreddy]

I'm skeptical as to this happening with the lineup staying the same.

 

[Metalmilitia2000]

They're getting more like $350 a person if not more. That cruise starts around $300 pp during that time period normally and the cheapest price here is $666 for a quad + $249 "per person for taxes, pre-paid gratuities, port charges, booking, and ticketing."

That's interesting. I've never gone on a cruise, so I don't know the standard pricing. Hence this entire thread, I am genuinely curious as to if this could work. Based on the responses I'm getting so far, it seems like it can.

 

[Jibrille]

Here's the exact same cruise but for Jan 13-17
2 people.
Interior Stateroom
Total: 838.50 USD
- - - - - - - - - - - Guest 1 - Guest 2
Cruise Fare*: - - - $377.00 - $377.00
Taxes/Fees*: - - - $42.25 -- $42.25
Per Person Total*: $419.25 - $419.25


70000 Tons of Metal
2 people.
Interior
Total: $2230
Cruise: $866 pp
Taxes: $249 pp

The capacity of the ship is 2744 so that's 744 people (concert staff + bands) that attendees are paying for. I'm assuming the top bands have the nicer rooms so that does get pretty costly.

 

[Purveyor Of Evil]

Give the devil his due. That's an amazing lineup so far.

 

[Metalmilitia2000]

Give the devil his due. That's an amazing lineup so far.

Hence my thread. This lineup IS amazing, almost TOO amazing. I was trying to figure out how it was financially possible.

 

[spag]

Yeah, I've been skeptical as well. Nice to see they at least announced more bands. When they were pushing the early tickets, and saying there are 32 bands left to announce was kind of funny.... So a single ticket is close to $1000...if you can get three others to do the same?

 

[lifesadream]

Is the Visa situation a little different because they aren't working in the US? The music won't start until they are in International waters like the casinos do not open when in port so maybe it is cheaper visa wise because they do not need US work visa's.

I wish this had some weekend element to it. Getting 5 days off is a lot!

 

[SkiBumMSP]

I'd love to go on this myself, but that is right back-to-back to a Park City, UT ski trip that I am going to be taking during the winter.

But yeah, it would've been interesting to see how something like this could be pulled off. From what I understand, reserving an entire cruise ship is itself not a cheap affair. Once the numbers are played out as I've seen above, I can now see how it makes sense to pull this off. However, I would imagine that promoter had to front quite a bit of money to make this happen. I am guessing that guy must be pretty loaded to begin with.

 

[Angrafan]

I am a few bands away from considering this... I am not sold yet, but there are some bands I like... And I don't have to pay for Airfare, that's a plus... If they add some other bands I like I might go

 

[truemindframe]

Damn you Milton for reminding me how much I want to go to this! If Angra are added to the bill, I'm soo there!

 

[Pellaz]

Here's the exact same cruise but for Jan 13-17
2 people.
Interior Stateroom
Total: 838.50 USD
- - - - - - - - - - - Guest 1 - Guest 2
Cruise Fare*: - - - $377.00 - $377.00
Taxes/Fees*: - - - $42.25 -- $42.25
Per Person Total*: $419.25 - $419.25


70000 Tons of Metal
2 people.
Interior
Total: $2230
Cruise: $866 pp
Taxes: $249 pp

Hmm, I'm feeling a little better about my cruise on the same ship (Royal Carribbean's Majesty of the Seas) in late October, now. I'm paying $450 for all of it. Single occupancy, too.


I'd still looove to go on this cruise. I heard that it had been selling pretty well, though, despite the relatively high price.