The Cure’s Robert Smith comments on Ticketmaster services fees: “I am as sickened as you”

UPDATE: Robert Smith actually got Ticketmaster to lower their service fees for some tickets on The Cure's tour (and offer small refunds)!

Tickets for The Cure's North American tour went on Ticketmaster Verified Fan sale on Wednesday and frontman Robert Smith seemed to be a man of his word in regards to trying to keep ticket prices reasonable, with prices ranging -- in a very informal poll conducted by this writer -- from well under $50 for lawn seats at outdoor amphitheaters to the $175 for primo seats.

Those prices, of course, are before the various service fees tacked on at the end, which can sometime double the cost. Or in the case of one twitter user who shared their receipt, fees exceeded the ticket price:

Service fees aren't new, but this went viral, and last night Robert Smith took to Twitter, to register his displeasure. "I AM AS SICKENED AS YOU ALL ARE BY TODAY'S TICKETMASTER 'FEES' DEBACLE," he wrote. "TO BE VERY CLEAR: THE ARTIST HAS NO WAY TO LIMIT THEM. I HAVE BEEN ASKING HOW THEY ARE JUSTIFIED. IF I GET ANYTHING COHERENT BY WAY OF AN ANSWER I WILL LET YOU ALL KNOW."

He also wrote a bit more about The Cure's attempts to keep their tickets off the secondary market. "I HAVE BEEN TOLD: StubHub has pulled listings in all markets except NY, Chicago, Denver (IE. CITIES IN STATES THAT HAVE LAWS PROTECTING SCALPERS). PLEASE DON'T BUY FROM THE SCALPERS - THERE ARE STILL TICKETS AVAILABLE - IT IS JUST A VERY SLOW PROCESS."

Smith finished with,"I WILL BE BACK IF I GET ANYTHING SERIOUS ON THE TM FEES," adding, "IN THE MEANTIME, I AM COMPELLED TO NOTE DOWN MY OBVIOUS RECURRING ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM THOUGHT... THAT IF NO-ONE BOUGHT FROM SCALPERS... THEN..."

Tickets for The Cure's tour, which includes three nights at Madison Square Garden, are currently still on Verified Fan sale (you had to sign up for the ticket lottery) with any remaining tickets going on sale to the general public at a later date.