Concert Ticket Prices - Not a Rant - Just an Observation

Concert ticket pricing has been terrible the last several years. Ticketmaster, AXS, and Live Nation have pretty much locked down the market. Every Live Nation owned venue uses Tickemaster because they're essentially the same company. They utilize dynamic pricing and block out sections of tickets in certain venues/markets for resellers/corporate/VIP situations. Some artists have tried to push back on that situation but don't have much control unless they're heavy hitters. Even smaller venues have raised prices simply because they have to. 

Artists make diddly squat from streaming, and many can only afford to do limited tours, which means fewer venue options for touring revenue. I recently went to see the New Pornographers play a small venue in Baton Rouge, and it was $75/ticket. The place may have held 200 people. 4 years ago I saw the same band at Tipitina's in New Orleans, and ticket prices were $50.

The last big arena show I went to was Radiohead's 2016 Moon Shaped Pool tour. Tickets were $150 for the nosebleed section. Meanwhile, I saw New Order's 2023 NOLA show at a mid-sized venue that seats 1800 people. Tickets were $90 through artist presale, while the secondary ticket prices were $300! Thankfully I got the presale price.

I also recently saw an article where several top artists were canceling shows due to slow or disappointing ticket sales because they booked venues that were too big to sell out and prices were insane. 

The last few years, I've been selective about the artists I want to see live because I know they put on a great show and won't cost a mortgage payment. I also happen to live in Louisiana where music festivals of every shape and size happen year-round. Jazz Fest - despite climbing ticket prices is still a great value for the number of acts you can see on a day or weekend. Festival International is completely free, and you can see acts from around the world that you won't ever see touring stateside.

Where I live now in Lafayette, the venue options for the bands I like are practically non-existent. Even if we did have the venues, the market is so small it's not worth doing a show. I still try to go to Jazz Fest if the lineup is worth the effort for a weekend trip back to NOLA.

In the meantime, I've resigned myself to watching mediocre "live" shows on youtube if I'm interested enough. Otherwise I just enjoy listening to music on my system at home. 

Frankly, I don’t get why Rush is charging that much. I used to respect them, but c’mon you are RICH why are you charging $$$$$ for shows? Pure greed. I said NO.

@mapman You might have missed the point of the song "Wondering Why". It has more to do with the writer being amazed that this woman truly loves him despite their differences and his deficiencies. It is probably their biggest single. It is not my favorite song of theirs by a long shot. Sounds too pop country for my tatse,

I also do not find my hi-fi to be a substitute for live music. Not remotely comparable. As a matter of fact, I generally do not even like live recorded music on the hi-fi. There are very few live albums I find worthwhile. 

@drmuso I agree with you about live vs studio recordings. I will say this though, Marcus King and the Red Clay Strays are strong live.

I'll also point out again that neither the ticketing agencies nor inflation comes close to accounting for big act ticket prices. Several people have pointed out that these prices are to make up for the poor pay the musicians get for streaming. I would agree with that point. The music business has always been 'The Machine'. The model has changed with streaming but the end point is the same. The internet changed nothing in that regard. However, if that is truly the cause of high ticket prices then I feel better about paying the higher prices. 

But, neither the music industry nor the artists could charge what they are charging if there wasn't a large enough demographic willing and able to pay for those tickets.What that says about the culture and the economy I'm not smart enough to say.

Also, for a band like this, they put in the blood, sweat and tears. They had been touring regularly for 6-7 years before their breakthrough. 

I do not think any bands are going to try to buck the system. If they are small, rising acts they either play along or never get big. If they are big established acts there is just too much money involved and Pearl Jam is the cautionary tale for all of them. None of them are bigger than the machine.

Finally, this isn't really anything new. In my mind it started with the Eagles farewell, or comeback way back probably in the 90s. Average ticket prices of $200. At the time it was shocking and unheard of. They still packed them in.

The reason for ticket prices being so high here in the USA (BTW the same artist in Europe charging $300 here is under $150 in Europe, might be cost of living related but frankly I doubt it?)

One of the real reasons can be found here: Live Nation & Ticketmaster Monopoly 

Also the absolute 'greed' of venues (many take 25% plus of merch sales for giving space at the venue), also doesn't help ticket or merch prices.

Basically you have open racketeering going on and, until the recent Federal Court decision, nothing being done about it! Just 'milk the punter'. Yes starter bands and small venues don't sign exclusive contracts with Ticketmaster but they are prone to the same disease. Often when venues change to a 'new' ticket agency prices increase sharply too. What's also appalling to me is many artists choosing to keep touring because they can fleece fans even though their on stage performance is a hollow shell of a true concert. Wish I knew the real solution going forward but my artist nostalgia and fandom for new bands is now strictly down to voting with my wallet. Too much, then no pay!

I will go ahead and say it. It must be Trumps fault