After four days of campaigning via a Facebook page, Metallica fans in Israel have managed to get the ticket prices lowered for the metal monsters' May 22 appearance in Tel Aviv.
Over 540 Israeli fans started a Facebook page (which is entirely in Israeli) condemning the show's promoter, Marel Avram, as well as the band, for setting the ticket prices too high, leading many to threaten to boycott the show. According to Metal Israel [via Blabbermouth], the cheapest seats in the house were selling for $159, with floor tickets above the $300 mark.
Now, with lower-end tickets prices dropped significantly (now ranging from $80-$300, with ticket prices posted here), and with help from Metallica themselves, the fans have dropped their boycott threat and are celebrating a ticket-price victory.
In an official statement, two of the protesting fans, Tomer Mussman and Rotem Horovitz, said, "After a four-day campaign, tens of news items about us worldwide, over 6,000 supporters and numerous media interviews, we can say that we did it! We won! This afternoon [we] met with the promoter's representative, and reached an agreement about a significant drop in ticket prices. We would like to personally thank Metallica and their management for directly helping us with reaching our goal and reducing the prices. We are officially asking each and every one of you to stop the boycott and come and enjoy Metallica's concert with us on May 22. We want to thank each and every one of you who made their contribution to our successful campaign by joining, signing the petition, or sending links from and to the media everywhere and helping our voice to be heard and echo all around the world. We want to thank the producers, Metallica members and management who were willing to talk to us."
Before the ticket prices were lowered, the fans claimed that the promoter was trying to fleece rabid Metallica fans in Israel, who don't get a chance to see many large metal shows.
Metallica have only played in Israel two times previously, once in 1993 (see audio clip below) and again in 1999. This will be the bands first show at Tel Aviv's Ramat Gan stadium.
Meanwhile, the band continue their lifelong motto of "wherever I may roam" when they hit Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Panama and Colombia, starting in early March.
Over 540 Israeli fans started a Facebook page (which is entirely in Israeli) condemning the show's promoter, Marel Avram, as well as the band, for setting the ticket prices too high, leading many to threaten to boycott the show. According to Metal Israel [via Blabbermouth], the cheapest seats in the house were selling for $159, with floor tickets above the $300 mark.
Now, with lower-end tickets prices dropped significantly (now ranging from $80-$300, with ticket prices posted here), and with help from Metallica themselves, the fans have dropped their boycott threat and are celebrating a ticket-price victory.
In an official statement, two of the protesting fans, Tomer Mussman and Rotem Horovitz, said, "After a four-day campaign, tens of news items about us worldwide, over 6,000 supporters and numerous media interviews, we can say that we did it! We won! This afternoon [we] met with the promoter's representative, and reached an agreement about a significant drop in ticket prices. We would like to personally thank Metallica and their management for directly helping us with reaching our goal and reducing the prices. We are officially asking each and every one of you to stop the boycott and come and enjoy Metallica's concert with us on May 22. We want to thank each and every one of you who made their contribution to our successful campaign by joining, signing the petition, or sending links from and to the media everywhere and helping our voice to be heard and echo all around the world. We want to thank the producers, Metallica members and management who were willing to talk to us."
Before the ticket prices were lowered, the fans claimed that the promoter was trying to fleece rabid Metallica fans in Israel, who don't get a chance to see many large metal shows.
Metallica have only played in Israel two times previously, once in 1993 (see audio clip below) and again in 1999. This will be the bands first show at Tel Aviv's Ramat Gan stadium.
Meanwhile, the band continue their lifelong motto of "wherever I may roam" when they hit Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Panama and Colombia, starting in early March.
