Concert Prices these days..

[Kapo_Polenton]

So, I grabbed 4 tickets to see GnR in Ottawa this summer. Yes I am aware that you could own half of Canada with a thousand U.S dollars these days but after taxes and service charge, I was in 960$ Canadian for 4 tickets. They are decent tickets but by no means close to the stage. They are about mid stadium on one of the lower levels. Is it me or could ticket sales actually be what ends up killing the industry. I remember going to see big ticket shows for like 30-45$ in the late 80's. Am I imagining that? Then in the mid to late 90's things went up into the 50's and 60's dollar wise. Now in 2016 we are hitting the 200's on average? Yes there is inflation and for sure the cost of touring has gone up but these guys were already making millions on tour in the early to mid 80's.. now they make millions in one night off one show. I am being extremely picky these days as to who I go see, usually festivals are best bang for the buck but now and again I can't pass up a great band and these guys have been firing on all cylinders. Maybe they are making up for all the lost revenue no longer brought in by album sales because everyone rips it off on the internet. I just feel a lot of these artists are greedy. Whatever happened to giving a little back to the people that put you there in the first place. I guess after decades of being worshipped, it starts to go to their head. Thoughts?

 

[mchn13]

No that's fucking rediculous. I think it's more likely they're taking advantage of the age group that wants to see these bands again. 4 -16 year olds aren't gonna come up with a grand to see a concert anywhere.
And they're greedy shitbags.

 

[neilli]

GnR aside, don't forget that bands aren't making anything like they were on music sales now, so live is where they make their revenue..

 

[harddriver]

It has been an ever-increasing fact that most artists make little from actual album sales these days with all the downloading and the I tunes. Yes I agree with you they seem to be making up for it on the touring and merchandising end of things and as long as people continue to pay these high prices the ticket prices will continue to go up until sales decline.

Seen some big shows the last three years, Black Sabbath, VH, AC/DC mainly because I know soon they won't be touring and that will be the end so I figured since I had never seen them live I had better go. Sabbath was $150.00 and AC/DC was $100.00 and VH was about the same they weren't the best seats either, but they were great shows and I really enjoyed them.

Not everyone is the Rolling Stones with the Immortal Keith Richards leading the way and will be touring when he is 357 years old...

 

[Knockout]

blacksheeprocks in Colorado Springs, I never paid more than $15 to see Cannibal Corpse, Soulfly, Act of defiance, D.R.I, Whitechapel, Queensryche (next Monday, $18), Hellyeah, Mashroomhead, Gwar
No more than 100 people at each show, cheap drinks, awesome venue

 

[dirtyfunkg]

If people are willing to pay it, why shouldn't they charge it?

Only way the prices would go down is if people didn't purchase them.

It's a somewhat inelastic demand. People are willing to pay for tickets no matter the price (to a point). Their job is to find out what that point is, and price just below it.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

No that's fucking rediculous. I think it's more likely they're taking advantage of the age group that wants to see these bands again. 4 -16 year olds aren't gonna come up with a grand to see a concert anywhere.
And they're greedy shitbags.

Good point, and I was 14-16 once too and had to save up cash from my shit paper route to by albums or go to a concert with my older brother. Even then sometimes he paid for part of my ticket in the early days because he made tips at the gas station. The only way anyone under 18 is going nowadays is if their parents buy them a ticket. I do feel a bit dirty for paying 240$ of my cash to see them but I also know they likely won't be around forever and I saw AXL with his imposter band so I want to see the real deal together one last time. After that though yeah, shutting down the concert expenditures. I like to think that if i were one of these guys, I would want to make my shows available to all salary brackets.

 

[AlxStl99]

My 1st 2 concerts. I think Crue was $12 & VH was around $15(2 of the biggest bands in '84). It's not so much the bands it's the promoter's, ticket companies, & venues like...Live Nation, AEG, Contemporary Productions(local defunk), MetroTix & of course Ticketmaster(which the band never see's a penny of their fees & surcharges). This is why I don't go to concerts anymore. I was at the GnR Riverport Riot & was the only time I've seen GnR. Slash's Snakepit & Velvet Revolver have been to STL several times, but I'm afraid the cost of only 2 tix & the price of everything else that goes along with going to a concert these days will most likely keep me from going. I'd rather spend my hard earned money on something I enjoy more & can rationalize the $$$ spent. The Stl Cardinals

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Yeah, I think there was like 50$ of service charge and 7.50$ to deliver my download... lol 7.50$ when they are sending me a confirmation email anyway. So let's do the math...let's say 24,000 in the seats and probably 3,000 on the floor easy... 27,000 x just 7.50$ download fee= 202,500$ just to manage downloads. That is just one show. Well done ticketmaster... well done!

 

[AlxStl99]

People are NOT buying albums. Bands make money from shows. Whats the disconnect here?

The disconnect is the exorbitant amount in fees tacked on to the already inflated tix prices. Again the bands are not really playing for an astronomical amount. It's the promoters that set the ticket prices, collect form ticket sales to pay the band, venue, etc...(which they add on several fees), the venue has to be paid(which they over charge now), your cost for parking, etc...etc... The cheapest seat are $35ea. So for 2 ppl to go out will easily set you back $250 for a concert for 2(cuz i'm drinking several $9.50 beers, parking, food & drinks for my girl). Most expensive seats will set ya back around $780 for 2. FOOK THAT!!!

TYPE Standard Ticket
TICKET PRICE $35.00 x 2
SERVICE FEE $10.00 x 2
FACILITY CHARGE $5.09 x 2
SUBTOTAL $100.18

TYPE Standard Ticket
TICKET PRICE $275.00 x 2
SERVICE FEE $25.00 x 2
FACILITY CHARGE $15.97 x 2
SUBTOTAL $631.94

 

[mchn13]

People are NOT buying albums. Bands make money from shows. Whats the disconnect here?

The disconnect is the exorbitant amount in fees tacked on to the already inflated tix prices. Again the bands are not really playing for an astronomical amount. It's the promoters that set the ticket prices, collect form ticket sales to pay the band, venue, etc...(which they add on several fees), the venue has to be paid(which they over charge now), your cost for parking, etc...etc... The cheapest seat are $35ea. So for 2 ppl to go out will easily set you back $250 for a concert for 2(cuz i'm drinking several $9.50 beers, parking, food & drinks for my girl). Most expensive seats will set ya back around $780 for 2. FOOK THAT!!!

TYPE Standard Ticket
TICKET PRICE $35.00 x 2
SERVICE FEE $10.00 x 2
FACILITY CHARGE $5.09 x 2
SUBTOTAL $100.18

TYPE Standard Ticket
TICKET PRICE $275.00 x 2
SERVICE FEE $25.00 x 2
FACILITY CHARGE $15.97 x 2
SUBTOTAL $631.94

no one is FORCING YOU to go to the show.

I went and saw Gojira for $30. great fucking show.
Meshuggah for $30. Great fucking show.

go to the show you can afford.
and I don't drink alcohol...so that means nothing to me.

Dude. The disconnect is the turds charging that much to see a show. I agree if you can afford and want to spend $200, by all means have at it. But, I feel it's short-sighted on their part. You're taking advantage of the people who do want to see you, but limiting your audience to those who can afford to, so you're not going to gain anyone in the long run.
One of the cool things when I was a kid was going to see a show that I didn't know the opener or maybe the main act, and got turned on to some badass bands, that I later bought their shit. You just like playing devils advocate man.

 

[AlxStl99]

You're not seeing the concern that Kapo is posting about. GnR is reportedly making $3mil per show. Tix range from $35 to $275. Lets just average it at $115 x 65,000 plus the $15 avg in fees per ticket = $8,450,000 - $3,000,000(GnR). That Nets $5,450,000 for promoters, venues, & tix sellers. WTF GREED GREED GREED.

Stop being so patronizing Reza!!!

 

[AlxStl99]

Again the band is asking $3mil they pay all their crew outta that. It's not the band it's the promoter, tix seller, & venue. $5,450,000 for all of them when GnR only asks for $3,000,000 how do you not see that? SMH

Plus GnR is prolly making another 500,000 to 750,000 in merch a night.

 

[Rick Lee]

Since about 1988 I have rarely bought tix from TM or at the box office. I almost always get them on the street, sometimes as the first song is starting, when the price really goes down. I have never, and I mean never, not totally scored great seats for, at worst, face value by waiting until the last minute. If a great deal pops up on CL or Stub Hub beforehand, I'll take it. I have also gotten in the first few rows for face value a few days before the show when TM does their sporadic releases. Got 7th row in front of EVH's mic on 2012 tour, bought it from TM three days before the show. Took me about 20 refreshes before something good popped up. But they do pop up. Done the same for Rush many times too. If I were filthy rich, I'd still never pay those crazy prices to get good tix on the first day they go on sale. Someone else is always willing to do that and then sell at a discount when plans change. Always.

 

[AlxStl99]

Cost of the crew a night prolly doesn't cost them more than 250,000 a night(tax write off). Gas, transportation, and any other expenditures all tax writes. So Say GnR do 200 shows this tour(over 2 1/2 years, which is going to happen easily). Say 2 mil net per show / 4(only 4 OG members) = $100,000,000 Million per OG. I think the band is doing ok. So 200 shows x 5,450,000 for promoters, tix sellers, venues = 1,090,000,000 BILLION things that make ya go hmm

 

[AlxStl99]

Peace out. Enjoy the concert Kapo!!!

 

[Rick Lee]

Cost of the crew a night prolly doesn't cost them more than 250,000 a night(tax write off). Gas, transportation, and any other expenditures all tax writes. So Say GnR do 600 shows this tour(over 2 1/2 years, which is going to happen easily). Say 2 mil net per show / 4(only 4 OG members) = $300,000,000 Million per OG. I think the band is doing ok. So 600 shows x 5,450,000 for promoters, tix sellers, venues = 3,270,000,000 BILLION things that make ya go hmm

Are you joking? 600 shows in 2.5 yrs? That's a show every other day. I don't think any band has ever done that for that long and certainly not guys in GnR's age group. They might do 150 shows, which would be a ton. And tax write-offs aren't free money from the money tree in the backyard unless you're in the 100% tax bracket and have a 100% profit margin. ABBA were offered $1 billion to regroup and tour, they'd probably sell a lot more tix for more shows than GnR ever will (at this stage in their respective careers). Ain't even close to $3.27 billion.

 

[AlxStl99]

Yeah I meant 200 shows was typing & adding the math in my head & trying not to make typos. Oh well. Figures at that rate is still outrageous. 100,000,000 Mil per OG after the tour. 1,090,000,000 BILLION for the promoters, tix sellers, & venues(That's after the bands cut, but not including their expenses). Still Egregious!!!

Not discounting the crew cost, transportation, gas, equipment. Just saying they recoup some of that in the tax write off expenditures, which in return they pay less taxes too. That's all.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

People are NOT buying albums. Bands make money from shows. Whats the disconnect here?

The disconnect is the exorbitant amount in fees tacked on to the already inflated tix prices. Again the bands are not really playing for an astronomical amount. It's the promoters that set the ticket prices, collect form ticket sales to pay the band, venue, etc...(which they add on several fees), the venue has to be paid(which they over charge now), your cost for parking, etc...etc... The cheapest seat are $35ea. So for 2 ppl to go out will easily set you back $250 for a concert for 2(cuz i'm drinking several $9.50 beers, parking, food & drinks for my girl). Most expensive seats will set ya back around $780 for 2. FOOK THAT!!!

TYPE Standard Ticket
TICKET PRICE $35.00 x 2
SERVICE FEE $10.00 x 2
FACILITY CHARGE $5.09 x 2
SUBTOTAL $100.18

TYPE Standard Ticket
TICKET PRICE $275.00 x 2
SERVICE FEE $25.00 x 2
FACILITY CHARGE $15.97 x 2
SUBTOTAL $631.94

no one is FORCING YOU to go to the show.

I went and saw Gojira for $30. great fucking show.
Meshuggah for $30. Great fucking show.

go to the show you can afford.
and I don't drink alcohol...so that means nothing to me.

Because I don't want to see either of those bands and music at the end of the day, is meant to be accessible. Obviously there is no disconnect because I know exactly why they charge such prices... but factor this in. Say you sell a CD or album in the old days and make 5$ from it. You tour and charge 30$ a ticket. Ok. Now fast forward you no longer make 5$ from your album but you charge 8 times the ticket price? Greedy as fuck because everyone wants a cut. Put bands aside, you are seeing similar prices for Vegas shows, Cirque du Soleil, Broadway etc... clearly nobody is forcing me to go to a show. I am merely pointing out that they are making this less about the fans and more about the $ the band can make. What is a ticket going to cost in South America I wonder? I bet you they aren't starting at 78$ U.S or 120$ Canadian. Why? Because I guarantee those 50,000 people they jam in their stadiums don't have that cash or will put up the cash we do to go. Anyway, at the rate you buy and demo 4k amps, I am pretty sure you could afford a floor seat or two on the tour.

 

[Rick Lee]

Mrs. Lee recently went home to China to visit her folks. She was dying to go to a pop concert in her hometown, some singer none of us have ever heard of. You might imagine that Chinese pop stars who only sing in Chinese really only tour in China, maybe Taiwan and, if they come to the US, do a few one-off shows in CA and Vegas. And, as Chinese are infamous for never paying for downloaded music (you should hear Mrs. Lee's defense of this), you might imagine that those stars only make their money from touring. Nanjing isn't even one of China's bigger cities, but is about the size of NYC. Concerts there regulary sell out 50k seat stadiums. Mrs. Lee still paid the equivalent of $100 per ticket for her and her mom to attend and those weren't the best seats. She can afford it because she makes good money in the US. But that is some serious money for people making Chinese salaries and those pop stars always sell out huge venues. I think she paid that much to see this singer in Vegas a few years ago at Caesars Palace. When there's no money to be made in album sales, that's how concert tix are gonna be.