Jackalope Tales – Empty Seat Blues

Jackalope Tales – Empty Seat Blues

From Jackalope Tales on Radio Misfits by Charles Mooney, Lisa Umbarger

June 3, 2026 · 53 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the phenomenon of empty concert seats and the various excuses used by the music industry to explain cancellations.

What happens when nobody buys tickets, but nobody wants to admit it? This week on Jackalope Tales, Charles and Lisa catch a nasty case of Blue Dot Fever—the mysterious industry illness that strikes when concert seats stay empty and record labels suddenly discover “scheduling conflicts,” “unforeseen circumstances,” and “logistical challenges.” From mysteriously canceled tours to last-minute show pullouts, they dig into the rumors, excuses, and corporate fairy tales that appear whenever ticket sales flatline. Was it really a routing issue, or was the venue emptier than a gas station salad bar at midnight? Charles explores the dark art of cancellation spin, while Lisa examines how publicists can turn a financial disaster into a heartfelt statement about “prioritizing the fan experience.” Because in the music business, nobody ever says, “We couldn’t sell enough tickets.” They just quietly pull the plug and hope nobody notices the blue dots. Grab a seat while you still can. Apparently they’re available. [Ep 141] Become a J-Lope and follow us on social media. You can find us on Facebook , Instagram , X.com , TikTok , and check out our YouTube page for more exclusive content! Produced…

People in this episode

Hosts: Charles Mooney, Lisa Umbarger

Topics covered

  • concert cancellations
  • music industry
  • ticket sales
  • public relations
  • excuses
  • fan experience

Keywords

  • Blue Dot Fever
  • cancellations
  • ticket sales
  • music business
  • publicists
  • fan experience
  • logistical challenges

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