In the mid-1980s, my local rock radio station WPLR in New Haven, Connecticut, had a show where now-legendary concert promoters Jim Koplik and Shelley Finkel would talk about upcoming tours, etc. They would answer questions from the mailbag and take phone calls, too.
Because New Haven was a long-distance call (remember those?), I sent in my question via U.S. mail that proposed the creation of a season ticket at the New Haven Coliseum. It would allow a person to buy a particular seat at every concert at the building.
It was briefly chatted about, but quickly dismissed as there were so many shows and such a wide variety that it was unlikely season tickets would work. The guy who wants to see Metallica likely isn’t going to be a fan of Ice Capades or some country act.
Fast forward to the fall of 2023, the season ticket idea is now a reality. Not in New Haven at a coliseum that has been razed, but in Boise, Idaho, with a promoter that puts on shows at several venues in the city.
The Duck Club is the promoter behind our city’s Treefort Music Fest and has built a growing music scene by focusing on up-and-coming acts and providing venues for local musicians to build their chops. The organization recently opened a state-of-the-art Treefort Music Hall, a 1,041-capacity venue that now is hosting more established acts.
In late August, Duck Club offered a Frequent Flyer Pass that offered:
Free admission to every show it promotes (estimated to be 250 shows a year) from Sept. 1, 2023, to Aug. 31, 2024.
A free drink ticket for every show at Treefort Music Hall and at the Shrine Social Club and Shrine Basement, a venue now owned and operated by Duck Club.
VIP pass to Treefort Music Fest ($500 value).
Three-day pass to its Flipside Fest ($99 value), held in Garden City, Idaho; home of eight wineries & seven breweries and an artist’s haven (and where I live). Garden City essentially is a suburb of Boise except its wholly surrounded by Boise, and only 2 miles from downtown Boise.
One “buddy show” each month where the Frequent Flyer can bring five friends for free.
All the above for $2,000 plus taxes and fees. I think it came out to $2,236.
It’s been the best money I’ve ever spent. I’ve tracked my shows, and as of November 11 (Happy Nigel Tufnel Day, by the way), I’ve seen 70 acts at 42 different shows. I’ve gotten 19 free drink tickets (up to $8 value..…well-drinks and any beer). Had I paid day-of-show ticket price for each show I would have spent $1,016. I still have more than nine months left on my pass.
Yes, I’m well aware I’m going to most of these shows because I bought the pass. It’s been great because I’ve been exposed to new music and found some bands I really like (check out Miesha & The Spanks, Sitting On Stacy). There have been shows I never would have paid to see (Teddy Bear Orchestra) but I’m glad I experienced. Of course, there have been some WTF? moments (Cowgirl Clue, Kumo99, Corook) that make me worried about the future of music.
What really makes the Frequent Flyer Pass work is the proximity of the venues. I’ve seen shows at six venues that are all within a mile of each other, and conveniently all are less than 2.5 miles from my house. I can jump on my bike, ride downtown and be there in less than 15 minutes without pedaling too hard.
The proximity of the venues is great, especially on a night when there are multiple shows, which happens often. Just this past Thursday, Duck Club had four shows the same night. I can walk (or ride if I’m in a hurry) to another venue if I feel like it, and often do.
The Duck Club website has Spotify links to each headlining band so I can quickly find out if it’s something I might be interested in. I do my “homework” each morning or while at work to plan my night. If there are multiple bands I want to see, I e-mail the promoter and they give me stage times so I can hop back & forth and get more bang for my buck.
The Frequent Flyer/season ticket model is alive and well and working in Boise. I’m not sure if it would work in larger cities, but can you imagine if it did? Columbus has about four times as many people as Boise and probably four times as many shows. What if one of the promoters tried this? Would you be in?
Here is a link to a playlist of some songs I’ve enjoyed from the Frequent Flyer Pass:
Frequent Flyer blog Spotify playlist
Nick Jezierny is a graduate of Ohio University and a former newspaper journalist who worked at papers in Connecticut, Ohio, Texas and Idaho. He resides in Garden City, Idaho, and is fascinated by all things music, mostly because he has zero musical skills minus his spot-on karaoke version of Tommy Tutone.