A DISCOUNT OIL CHANGE AND BON JOVI TICKETS... WHY THE HELL NOT?

Tamara Conniff is a well-respected music industry pundit who has just launched TheComet.com, which she describes as “the Huffington Post of music.” Hey, if HITS can be the Mad magazine of the record business, why not? This is the first of a regular series of opinion pieces in which Tamara will explore issues affecting the current climate. In other words...blame her, she wrote it.

I’m so tired of everyone whining about the state of the touring industry. GROW UP. These problems have been brewing for the past 10 years. Did you think that recorded music would plummet, artist development would go in the toilet and the touring industry would be spared?

Personally, I love Groupon. For the record, The Comet was the first to report on the Bon Jovi concert deal in Chicago. The show wasn’t going to sell out anyway, so why not make the most of it and move 2k tickets at $30 a pop in one day.

Groupon is revolutionizing group buying, and they move product for countless products, from yoga classes to oil changes, so why not music? Artists don’t want to play to half-empty houses. Why not “paper” and get die-hard fans in the door to buy merch and beverages.

What I’d like to see is a Gilt for music. Our industry actually needs to look at other industry for new biz models. If it works for high-end fashion and sample sales, why not concert tickets? Or how about selling VIP fan packages on Jetsetter. High-end hotels are using it to move inventory and promote. If someone has the money to jet off to Spain, they can also afford a Rolling Stones VIP package.

Or what about selling club shows on LivingSocial.com?

Be innovative. The old model is not working. GET OUT OF THE BOX.