Our dreams for Obscure after the 5 shows at EB

[Kompakt&Bijou]

Interestingly in the Guardian last week, Neil explained that one of the motivations for Obscure was to promote Volume:

Intended for hardcore fans, they say it’s partly to promote Volume. “One of the motivations behind it was we didn’t have to do book signings,” Tennant says. “I find them too weird. They’re a bit unnerving.”

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/ ... ra-windsor

So perhaps we'll have to wait for another book for another Obscure!

[TwizzleUK]

My money is on:
1, third b-side collection out later this year, following alternative and format, potentially called Obscure.
2, no live album.
3, a further 5 night run in Berlin/Paris/Copenhagen the costs detailed above and the time involved in developing the show means they will have to extend it to break even, they also clearly really enjoyed it. We should recognise that whilst we all loved it there is not mass appeal (I have been to lots of Dreamworld shows and the crowd goes flat outside of the big hits) but a further small venue run would be brilliant.

They've spent time and money programming and rehearsing 35 songs for Obscure. There's no way it will be limited to just London. Berlin and NYC would be safe bets.

Maybe Dreamworld profits funded the Obscure preparations. Given they used the in house Electric Ballroom lights (I assume), the main costs would've been Pete Gledhall's time and rehearsals. Wonder if they managed to make a profit just on the 5 nights of Obscure ticket sales?

I doubt the next B-sides collection will be called Obscure, as it would be confusing after all this promotion for this specific tour.

[Sandy Shaw]

In making calculations for income from Obscure, remember the Wednesday was a benefit for War Child. Despite the high prices we all had to pay for tickets, I really see these shows as a gift to the fans.

[Nervously]

As someone who couldn't get tickets, I would LOVE for there to be additional Obscure shows. Anyone who did manage to get a ticket saying there shouldn't be any more shows is being shockingly selfish IMHO.

Admittedly knowing what the basic pool of songs is now would lessen the sense of surprise, but I'd still buy tickets like a shot if geographically feasible.

If there were a live album and it were on streaming sites, I'd definitely listen to it but I probably wouldn't buy it, honestly.

[tottenhammattspurs]

If we got “Concrete” I can’t see why we wouldn’t get Obscure in at least a double cd.

[eastendboy]

Maybe Chris and Neil are thinking we’ve all spent enough over the last few weeks and it’s possible there won’t be anything released until the autumn. It’s possible we could see tracks with Johnny Marr released with proceeds going to War Child. Hopefully they are both resting after a week of gigs and Neil might have a sore throat after all that singing.


I’ve emailed Angela several times over the years with suggestions and I think I will later asking about if we will see anything later this year. I guess there is some merch left over and it’s possible they will try and flog these at remaining concerts this year before putting these online.


Personally it was great to see them both enjoying the obscure shows and I’m sure there’s a demand for other countries and venues and maybe the merch will be saved for then?


After 40 years there is still a massive demand and hopefully they’ve got energy to carry on for as long as they want to and each time I see them perform I think it will be the last time and I’m pleasantly surprised when new dates are released and I hear things about a new album.

[Spittingcat]

I'm hoping that this was a one off... BUT... that it leads to new gigs in the future that feature a mix of obscure and hit songs in smaller venues. I know that makes less sense commercially than the Dreamworld tour... but if we're talking "dreams", that's my preference.

[Makapuu]

Since they chose a venue in Camden (linked to their early demos), they should also consider NYC (linked to the first recordings of West End girls etc).

[markreed]

My money is on:
1, third b-side collection out later this year, following alternative and format, potentially called Obscure.
2, no live album.
3, a further 5 night run in Berlin/Paris/Copenhagen the costs detailed above and the time involved in developing the show means they will have to extend it to break even, they also clearly really enjoyed it. We should recognise that whilst we all loved it there is not mass appeal (I have been to lots of Dreamworld shows and the crowd goes flat outside of the big hits) but a further small venue run would be brilliant.

They've spent time and money programming and rehearsing 35 songs for Obscure. There's no way it will be limited to just London. Berlin and NYC would be safe bets.

Maybe Dreamworld profits funded the Obscure preparations. Given they used the in house Electric Ballroom lights (I assume), the main costs would've been Pete Gledhall's time and rehearsals. Wonder if they managed to make a profit just on the 5 nights of Obscure ticket sales?

I doubt the next B-sides collection will be called Obscure, as it would be confusing after all this promotion for this specific tour.

Gross ticket sales for the Electric, at 1,500 x 100 x 5 would be around £750k. The costs of rehearsals, staging and similar would not be anywhere near that. Add in the merch - those posters cost much less than £20 to make, T's etc., - the band would make a very good profit on 5 shows alone.

The band have frequently done high-cost/high-input one-off shows such as Royal Albert Hall, Salford, Barfly and similar. If they want to, they can pick this show up and do a series of multiple night residencies like Kraftwerk did - or not if they don't.

[NotInvisible]

Gross ticket sales for the Electric, at 1,500 x 100 x 5 would be around £750k. The costs of rehearsals, staging and similar would not be anywhere near that. Add in the merch - those posters cost much less than £20 to make, T's etc., - the band would make a very good profit on 5 shows alone.

I wouldn't be so sure. We're looking at around £600k gross in ticket sales (don't forget Wednesday was donated to War Child). You've got the venue rental, the equipment rental, the cost of programming the lights and all the songs, the cost of rehearsal time for 35 tracks capable of being hot swapped on the day, the cost of the crew (including rehearsals) etc. It adds up pretty quickly. If this was a 'very good profit' we'd see shows like this all the time.

[Morse]

Maybe Chris and Neil are thinking we’ve all spent enough over the last few weeks and it’s possible there won’t be anything released until the autumn. It’s possible we could see tracks with Johnny Marr released with proceeds going to War Child. Hopefully they are both resting after a week of gigs and Neil might have a sore throat after all that singing.


I’ve emailed Angela several times over the years with suggestions and I think I will later asking about if we will see anything later this year. I guess there is some merch left over and it’s possible they will try and flog these at remaining concerts this year before putting these online.


Personally it was great to see them both enjoying the obscure shows and I’m sure there’s a demand for other countries and venues and maybe the merch will be saved for then?


After 40 years there is still a massive demand and hopefully they’ve got energy to carry on for as long as they want to and each time I see them perform I think it will be the last time and I’m pleasantly surprised when new dates are released and I hear things about a new album.

I'm still unsure about the unnecessary reissue of some of the stuff that's come out recently. Discography was a bit mad given it's only a few years off the back of Smash.

I'd bite your hand off for Neil and Chris to release all of the singles reissued on remastered CDs as a box set or something, which you could also download online (bit like Depeche Mode did).

[markreed]

Gross ticket sales for the Electric, at 1,500 x 100 x 5 would be around £750k. The costs of rehearsals, staging and similar would not be anywhere near that. Add in the merch - those posters cost much less than £20 to make, T's etc., - the band would make a very good profit on 5 shows alone.

I wouldn't be so sure. We're looking at around £600k gross in ticket sales (don't forget Wednesday was donated to War Child). You've got the venue rental, the equipment rental, the cost of programming the lights and all the songs, the cost of rehearsal time for 35 tracks capable of being hot swapped on the day, the cost of the crew (including rehearsals) etc. It adds up pretty quickly. If this was a 'very good profit' we'd see shows like this all the time.

If they only did things for a 'very good profit', they'd be constantly touring the Album-In-Full and Butlins shows they get offered several times a year. I reckon with PG / crew programming the 35 songs in off days as per his instagram and working up roughs at soundchecks, we'd be looking at 10 days actual rehearsal at most, with no video or staging component, and they likely own their equipment and studio - and it's probably the Dreamworld set up - it's only lights (which is cheap as chips), venue hire (not likely to top £10k/night), and say 500 shirts a night (£25-50 profit per item - lets say £15k/night), 300 books (£5 profit per 100 lyrics, £15 per Volume, let's say £4k/night), 100 posters (£15 profit per poster so £1.5k/night), + £600k ticket sales, we're looking at gross of £720ish k over the 5 nights on a £200k/max outlay in terms of costs in my opinion.

[NotInvisible]

If they only did things for a 'very good profit', they'd be constantly touring the Album-In-Full and Butlins shows they get offered several times a year. I reckon with PG / crew programming the 35 songs in off days as per his instagram and working up roughs at soundchecks, we'd be looking at 10 days actual rehearsal at most, with no video or staging component, and they likely own their equipment and studio - and it's probably the Dreamworld set up - it's only lights (which is cheap as chips), venue hire (not likely to top £10k/night), and say 500 shirts a night (£25-50 profit per item - lets say £15k/night), 300 books (£5 profit per 100 lyrics, £15 per Volume, let's say £4k/night), 100 posters (£15 profit per poster so £1.5k/night), + £600k ticket sales, we're looking at gross of £720ish k over the 5 nights on a £200k/max outlay in terms of costs in my opinion.

Nah. For one thing, you've got a drummer and a keyboardist learning 35 songs they've never played (and probably never heard before). There's more than 10 rehearsal days there for a start.

[markreed]

If they only did things for a 'very good profit', they'd be constantly touring the Album-In-Full and Butlins shows they get offered several times a year. I reckon with PG / crew programming the 35 songs in off days as per his instagram and working up roughs at soundchecks, we'd be looking at 10 days actual rehearsal at most, with no video or staging component, and they likely own their equipment and studio - and it's probably the Dreamworld set up - it's only lights (which is cheap as chips), venue hire (not likely to top £10k/night), and say 500 shirts a night (£25-50 profit per item - lets say £15k/night), 300 books (£5 profit per 100 lyrics, £15 per Volume, let's say £4k/night), 100 posters (£15 profit per poster so £1.5k/night), + £600k ticket sales, we're looking at gross of £720ish k over the 5 nights on a £200k/max outlay in terms of costs in my opinion.

Nah. For one thing, you've got a drummer and a keyboardist learning 35 songs they've never played (and probably never heard before). There's more than 10 rehearsal days there for a start.

Are you genuinely suggesting they haven't practised the songs thoroughly before the first full band rehearsal? If so, I don't think you've played live.

[NotInvisible]

Are you genuinely suggesting they haven't practised the songs thoroughly before the first full band rehearsal?

No, I'm suggesting they got paid to learn them.

The easiest way to tell your math is off is to observe that virtually no one makes this sort of a show a staple, which would obviously be the case if it was easy money. The other notable stumbling block is that scaling these numbers to arenas results in figures far higher than we know them to be. I'm sure they didn't lose money on the Obscure shows, but neither of them are buying a sports car off the back of it.