Dear Sting, Stewart and Andy:

Please accept my apologies on behalf of all Charlottesvillians for not selling out your show at JPJ. We hope you won't think any less of us for not packing the place to capacity. We feel bad [Cover story, "Entertainment overload: Can so many music venues make it?" October 25].

But your ticket prices are too high, and when you add in babysitting, dinner, parking, and maybe a drink or snack inside the arena, most of us simply don't want to spend that kind of money for an evening out-- even on a top-shelf Police show.

Here's the core problem, guys: You're hitting us at a bad time. In the euphoria of Charlottesville getting first-class entertainment venues and our multiple venues being added to every major act's tour list, we've already blown our entertainment wad on Mick, Dave, Billy, Bob, Elvis, B.B., K.D., Kenny, Rod, Flea, Yo-Yo, Cinderella, Bozo, James, Dwight, Willie, Lyle, Phil, Bonnie, and Loretta-- to name just a few.

Even when Rod Stewart's crew threw free tickets out of airplanes over Charlottesville, empty seats at his show were still in abundance. We're broke. We're tired. We need a break.

It used to be that our little town had only one or two second-tier shows per year, if that. Now big name acts are rolling through non-stop, and our credit cards are showing signs of fatigue from being swiped so many times for sky-high ticket prices and add-on fees. I'm afraid that for many of us the thrill is gone. The novelty has worn off. We're having to make difficult entertainment choices-- should we stay or should we go?

Something else you should know: many locals support our local university's quasi-professional athletics programs, which usually involves forking over top dollar not only for tickets and parking, but also for popcorn, hot dogs, and sodas. Many entertainment budgets are blown right there (on concessions!).

Hey, if you see Coran, Kirby, or Prez Casteen backstage, tell them the residents of Charlottesville are stretched thin by our dizzying array of entertainment choices. Ask them if they could possibly ratchet schedules back a bit so we can catch our collective entertainment breath and pay off some concert debt.

As for me, I'm going to save a couple hundred bucks and catch the highlights of your tour on You Tube.

Hope you have a great show! Come again-- but please wait, say, 10 years before you return. No offense.

Taylor Bowen
Charlottesville

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