Ottobar selling annual passes to most music shows
On Friday, the Ottobar started selling a limited number of annual passes that grant access to most shows from February through December.
It's a decision prompted to boost attendance amid growing nightlife competition, says owner Craig Boarman.
"I think the economy is still affecting attendance at shows and events. And, there's a lot of competition in Baltimore these days with regards to live music," he said. "We felt it's something great we can offer customers to keep the Ottobar name in the public's eye."
The annual passes are a first for the club, which like others, is trying what it can to goose ticket sales and attendance. Rams Head Live now sells tickets via Facebook.
The passes, though, are particular only to Ottobar. Competing venues like Sonar and Rams Head Live do not sell similar seasonal passes, and have never before; Rams Head occasionally given them away as prizes.
At Ottobar, the passes had only been available at its annual Otto Lotto party.
The passes, which cost $75, went on sale Friday on missiontix.com. Only 50 of them were up for sale, and most of them have sold already, Boarman says. The rest can be bought by emailing the venue and paying via paypal.
The passes will grant access to most shows, though the venue acknowledges some will not be eligible due to contractual obligations with some artists.
Boarman says this will rarely happen; the last time it happened was for Animal Collective.
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
Great idea! I wasn't luck enough to win one back in December but will definitely purchase 1 now!
Posted by: Anonymous | January 31, 2011 4:05 PM