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Est. 1999

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This article explains the reason for the expensive price of the concert tickets. A Whopping $6.60! I guess it was rather expensive in those days, considering minimum wage was approximately $1.00 an hour. So it would have been a whole days work to attend this concert. Though you have to laugh now, considering we have seen concert goers attending  Paul McCartney and Rolling Stone concerts this summer and paying any where from $50.00 to $300.00 to attend.   Go-Set Magazine (Australian) Written By Ed Nimmervoll Courtesy of Linda Crafar Saturday 19th August 1972   Cover Story Cat Stevens - Public Cry Rip-Off! There's been some weighty outcry to the prices being charged for the Cat Stevens' "Zimmering" concerts. One promoter has gone to the extent of advertising a "non-rip-off" concert that coincides with the concerts in Melbourne, referring subtly in his advertising to the Cat Stevens price. Tickets are going for $6.60, and there’s no real guarantee as to where you’re to sit. The Paul Dainty Organisation’s problem in bringing out Stevens is that he has stipulated that he will not play at a venue where audience views are going to be obstructed. As a result, Melbourne Festival Hall has been limited to a certain number of available seats. An artist of Cat Stevens' calibre does not come cheaply. There is a demand for him all around the world. And it should be noted that there are at least two forthcoming concerts, by popular International Artists, who are to appear in Australian venues for even more money per seat. We approached promoter Ron Blackmore with the numerous criticisms over the price of Cat Stevens' tickets, particularly when there was no real guarantee as to where you were sitting. Ron pointed out that Cat was not a normal type of act. To present him properly he’d have to be featured at a small theatre, where he’d need to run for a month to satisfy the demand to see him. Obviously that’s impossible, particularly when Cat only performs four or five months in the year. So Australia is lucky to get him for three and a half weeks of that available time. Our promoters are faced with the problem of presenting him the best way possible, given Cat’s conditions. One thing, already widely advertised, is that Cat does not want anyone sitting behind him or beside him. This has limited the available seats. To present him in the way Cat Stevens wants to be presented, so that you imagine you’re listening to his albums Cat requires an eleven-piece orchestra and a large sound system to be flown in. On stage Cat uses seven keyboard instruments, including concert, baby and grand pianos, with similar sound facilities backstage (all except the PA.) so that Cat can prepare himself or rehearse the orchestra. He is bringing 14 people with him, with three tons of equipment. There you have it. Cat is a world class act. Australia has to compete for him with the rest of the world with facilities and financial reward. It’s not enough that Cat wants to see Australia. In an attempt to satisfy more people, having established that the only way they can satisfactorily run the tour at those seat numbers and these prices the promoters persuaded an unwilling Stevens to perform an unscheduled third concert in Melbourne and Sydney. THAT is the story behind the price you’re paying for Cat Stevens.  GoSet Top 20 Albums 1 (1) Thick As Brick Jethro Tull 8 (11) Teaser And The Firecat Cat Stevens Write On Page 23 CAT’S PRICE Dear Write-On, In answer to "Low On The Doe" in Go-Set on August 5. You must have heard about "Zimmering" ages ago if you read Go-Set every week. (About two months ago — that’s when I heard about it and I’ve been saving like hell to get the money). I’m rapt in Cat Stevens too — really bad and I'm one of a family of six kids — all getting pocket money every week. I’m not "loaded" ($1.50 a week and I have to pay for most of the things I want), yet I could scrape up the $6.60 I wanted. I go to school too but I was prepared to spend up to $10 to see Steve’s show (that’s what I heard the price was at first). If you really dig Steve as much as you say, then I’m sure you could scrape and scab up all your dough in time to see him in his extra and third gig. "START SCABBIN’"   GoSet - World Exclusive Close-Up on Cat Stevens    Top of Page