To feel a bit pissed off at being given concert tickets?

[Zoeylee]

I know it sounds mad, and I hate myself for thinking this. However, my brother and SIL have given me concert tickets for my birthday, (2 tickets actually, so me and DH can go.) It's for someone I do like (and have done for years.)

Problem is, we are very rural. We are literally 45 to 50 minutes drive from a train station, and the city where the concert is, is another HOUR and a QUARTER journey on the train. (Including having to change trains half way.)

So we are talking about starting out a MINIMUM of 3 hours before the concert starts, as it says on the tickets that the doors open at 6.00pm and it's advisable to get there early. The concert starts with a support act at 7pm... To enable ourselves to get the last train back would involve leaving the concert at 9pm. The main act will probably only just be starting then.

Either that or we stay in a travelodge or premier inn. I have already looked at the date, and because it's a Friday, the cheapest room is £85! This would be on top of the train fares that will cost £70 for the two! So with food and extra bits and bobs, we could be looking at £200.

Driving would be a PITA too, as that would take the best part of two and a half to three hours (five to six hour round-trip,) and would be a ballache, with driving in and around a major city, and car parking and suchlike.

WIBU to sell the tickets on and buy something else? Should I pretend we went to the concert and fake a few photos? Or should I be honest? I feel like such a cow, but these 'free tickets' are going to end up costing us a bleeding fortune! And the thought of all the hassle involved in travelling to this concert, and back (even though I like the act,) is giving me a headache. My brother and SIL meant well, but I don't think they thought it through.

[justdontevenfuckingstart]

That would piss me off too, lovely gesture but ends up being expensive and a pain in the bum. Sell them and say although it was a lovely thought and thankyou but we just can't go.

[Squirmy65ghyg]

Wow...

If you can't afford it, you can't afford it. But it was a nice gift.

[Santawontbelong]

Me and oldest dd have just been to a concert away from home town. Over 2 hours in tea time traffic, nightmare to park, nightmare to find the hall and refind car afterwards, awful drive home after midnight. Best concert ever and worth every minute of the whole thing - travel and all.
Band were amazing. Sounds like you are just looking at the negatives!!

[MoistCantaloupe]

I feel bad for your brother that you say you are 'pissed off' to have them. It can't have been a cheap gift and they obviously thought they were doing something nice.
If you can't afford to go, just tell them the truth. Don't lie and pretend you went, that is really just asking for trouble.

[ghostyslovesheets]

How is it quicker by train than car - are you that rural? ( not questioning you just a city girl so not used to that level or isolation)

I'd look for an air b+b and make a weekend of it - have fun!

[PantPlot]

If you really can't go, I would explain to them and offer to give them the tickets back.

I wouldn't sell them.

[NerrSnerr]

Can you stay at a travelodge slightly further out so you can drive and get bus/ train/ taxi to the concert?

[PashPash]

YANBU

We are very rural and tbh we don’t go to many concerts as it is a massiv and expensive ballache..

The last one I went to I was invited by a mate who had been given tickets for Christmas. (So ticket cost me nowt) but I ended up spending a couple of hundred on petrol, parking, tube tickets, and accommodation. Wasn’t a problem then as it was pre kids in the days I actually had money, which was why I accepted the offer at the time. And it was a fucking amazing once in a lifetime concert too. Wouldn’t be able to do it now so would hate it as a gift.

I did get show tickets last year for Christmas, but the giver had already considered the logistics, offered an overnight stay at their place, lift to the Venue etc and asked in advance if I was interested BEFORE booking. If you want to give tickets, that’s the only way imho.

[InvisibleKittenAttack]

Is it cheaper and easier to get there from your brothers house? I'd ask if you can stay over, so park at his.

Otherwise take the driving option, parking doesn't need to cost a fortune.

[RJnomore1]

Who are the tickets for?

[Appuskidu]

I would drive and just poke up with how long it was.

Which city is the gig in? Is air bnb an option?

[LeakyLittleBoat]

DH and I make a habit of buying out of town concert tickets for bands we like, making an all round occasion of it, early dinner, night in a hotel etc so we'd love a gift of tickets like this and do sometimes get them as gifts from friends and family. But that's us, I can see how the additional expenses, travel time could be problematic for other so I wouldn't give tickets as a gift unless the recipient was like us or I were prepared to fund and make all the other arrangements.
I'd just explain that you're grateful for the thought but it would be too much incidental expense and trouble to be using the tickets and offer them back so they can sell/offer them to someone else.

[VelvetSpoon]

What NerrSnerr said. Drive to outskirts of city where concert is (somewhere you can get to concert venue easily) as will likely be cheaper places to stay there. Try booking.com I have found places on there cheaper than Travelodge.

[SoftlyCatchyMonkey1]

Air bnb
Take food with you / eat before you leave

If it's a band that you like...it'll be worth the journey.

[Appuskidu]

Where is the band playing-this is a big forum, maybe someone on here knows of somewhere reasonably places to stay or park?

[Gileswithachainsaw]

Yanbu

It's a bit of a thoughtless white elephant gift really.

I don't live rural but it would still require a fair bit of expense and planning to he able to attend a gig it's not just a case of turning up and leaving there's alot if stuff that makes it far more complicated than just using tickets.

[Floralnomad]

YABVU , just take the car and stop being so miserable , is it seats or standing as with seats it doesn't matter what time you arrive . We go to quite a few concerts and rarely bother with the support unless I know it's someone I like . Unless you live in a big city concerts will always involve a bit of travel .

[Holdtightdontletgo]

There's no point leaving at 9pm is there. I would drive personally.

I do get what you mean though. I used to live rurally and sometimes you feel everything is such an effort and expense there's no point but I think when I did make the effort it was always worth it looking back.

[cheesypastatonight]

An HOUR and a QUARTER?!!! Oh no, call the police!!! That's a daily commute for me!!!
Honestly, if you can't be bothered, which is pretty idiotic, just give them the tickets back.

[Zoeylee]

Thanks folks. I am glad a few people 'get it,' and yes it is verrry rural where we live. We used to live in a town and the concert venue would have been much easier to get to then (esp as the train station was 5 minutes drive away or 2 quid in a cab!) And we went to about 20 concerts in 10 years back in the 1990's to mid noughties... But now, it is a massive ballache.

We do have a closer venue that would be 45 minutes drive just to the venue, but the act are not performing there, and brother and SIL picked tickets for a venue in a major city that will be a PITA to get to (and back from.)

And as someone suggested, we really don't want to spend money on Air B & B and spend the weekend in the city. We have no desire to go and stay, and it's so awkward as we feel bad about it, as it was a nice thought.

@ghostylovesheets, it's hard to explain, but we live very rural and it's rugged and rough terrain and going by car will take even longer than train. And even THEN going by train is a pain as it takes us 50 minutes to drive there (or £30 in a taxi!) We are talking about a 5 to 6 hour round trip in the car, and 4-5 hours round trip by train.

We are not ungrateful at all, and it was a nice thought, but it is so much of a ballache, that we really don't want to do it.

@invisiblekittenattack It's around 6 hour round trip drive. So no we don't want to drive.

I was asking would it be unreasonable to pretend we went or should be honest and give the gift back. I don't want to go. Staying at brother's house is not an option. (No room.) Again it would be a ballache, (and would take us 1.5 hours to get there even!)

@Leakylittleboat

That's cool that you and your DH buy tickets and make a weekend of it, but we didn't buy these, and we didn't ask for them either. And we really can't be bothered to go. It's too much hassle and cost.

And I have not said we want to go! I said would we be unreasonable to sell the tickets and pretend we went or should we be honest? We don't want to go, and are not ungrateful and miserable as several posters have said. It's a PITA and is going to cost us £200 or so. I bet the few people calling me a misery and ungrateful live 5 minutes walk from a train station and half hour from major venues. Have more empathy please.

[hippyhippyshake]

Oh dear how negative! Just drive, you'll be home by 1.00

[Zoeylee]

@Cheeypasta that is the TRAIN JOURNEY, and it takes us nearly an HOUR to get to the station.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

Yeah cos traffic and parking is a doddle when there is a convert on

[Creamswirls]

You sound very negative

[LynetteScavo]

If you don't want to go just sell the tickets, but do t fake it to your brother or he'll do the same again.

Or maybe offer to give them back to him, explaining why you can't go.