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"Concert" Ticket Prices


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I get it, we are all getting older. 

I get it,  my kids think I'm cheap.

Finances and budgets have always been a thing for me.   I can rationalize paying $X,XXX for said USA Hamer guitar but I won't buy a cup of coffee for $5 or a $10 hot dog.  ZFG for the "experience factor".  All I "experienced" was I overpaid for something.   "Fixed Income" isn't designated to one age bracket, it should be a reality for anyone who spends money at any income level.   There is a "fixed" amount I will pay for an item or a  service.  In my mind, there has to be a rationale provided for that service.   For an item, I have to be able to see the rationale for the value of the item. 

I have seen several comments on this board and others were individuals have stopped supporting their favorite bands; national acts or due to the pricing of tickets.     

Recently, I  was going to buy tickets for a "Classic Rock Band" who's tickets I felt were priced in line given the following factors; Number of "original members", "haven't seen the band before", "catalogue that I wanted to hear live" and yada yada yada, you get it.   I was gonna sit my ass in the cheap seats  but when I went to checkout I was shocked to see the price per ticket. WTF?  I thought maybe I had hit "3" versus "2" tickets by accident, nope. Returning to  the "checkout page" and reviewed the breakdown.  The venue service fees were almost $20 per ticket.  Add taxes to the ticket and the additional  "convenience charges" and I was over $100 per ticket.   Parking for the same event was over $30 (WhoTF came up with the number $32?) per car and that was general parking!  I mean, come on this is not the STONES man!  VIP parking was $50 ( If you owned a Lexus you could park free).  I probably agonized for a couple of minutes not buying those tickets then closed the page.   Didn't go. Bummed.  I am resigned I will never see this band, that was less than 90 days ago.

Then "Taylorgate"  happened. While doing absolutely nothing  to resolve the issue of egregious fees being charged by service companies,I guess it raised the issue to have a higher rotation of TMZ or whatever so it got some "awareness".  

Some artists have commented about the fees and it's great to see artists like The Cure's Robert Smith and others attempt make the ticket companies change their pricing and polices however, Greed and the C-Suite guys are always gonna get their Euro of Flesh. 

I have always supported local music and local music venues.   I have several acquaintances who I attempt to watch perform on a regular basis, that may also have to change.    There are several very good "tribute bands" in the area at local venues and for one of my local favorite artists, the ticket prices were $50 each plus fees. Passed.   I saw two of the band members recently and they commented they didn't see me at the show.  We talked a while  and they commented attendance was less than they had anticipated and without breaking a stride stated well the tickets were pricey.  

While inflation may play a role, the fact that $50 including fees per ticket for a local music venue might be standard in the future.

In retrospect, my father was one of the worst businessmen I ever met in my life.

He  got out of the full service gas stations, not because he could see the market would move to self serve.   He got out because as he stated "No one is gonna pay over a $1 a gallon for gasoline."  

Shit, I truly have become my father.  

Hamerica

 

 

    

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Every thought you have expressed has run through my mind many times. 

In December I totalled up what I paid for tickets and fees during 2022.  Parking and gas were not included.  Many shows were $15 to $25 club shows.  Alice Cooper, Journey, and Iron Maiden were among the expensive shows.  This year I am holding off for a reason.  It would be nice to afford things like car repairs, groceries, and property taxes again. 

Metallica have priced themselves out of what I want to pay to see them.  Ozzy Osbourne lost me years ago, but I checked on his tickets out of curiosity.  He ain't worth it!  One Ozzy ticket in the last couple of years was about as much as the total amount paid on all past Ozzy tickets I bought.  I loved Rush, but the ticket prices versus location made a difference on whether or not I went from one tour to the next. 

Having said all that there has been a great indulgence that I may or may not regret.  Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have told me I must buy their tickets one last time this year.  I cannot resist. 

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2 minutes ago, princeofdarkness56 said:

Been there for years. When it feels like I’m getting my pocket picked I pass. I pass on a lot of things these days. 

Same.   Tickets up close on big tours are ridiculous.  Tickets to watch a video screen are ridiculous.  Dealing with the hassle and added expense of parking and people - ridiculous.   I’m happy to go to the Sellersville Theater or Starland Ballroom to catch a tier c act when I absolutely need to catch a live show. 

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My first concert, 1974 - BTO, Leslie West and some opening act I forget (probably Rush B)) - was $4.50.

The last big show I was at - ZZ Top - I won VIP tickets from a radio station. Don't even know what the tickets prices were. It was their Triple X tour.

I don't miss it. The high of seeing a live performance was far outweighed by the hassle of seeing a live performance. It became un-fun.

And my wife is in a constant state of sticker shock. She still shops in the '80s - her expectations are about half of reality.

I'd rather see locals and hang out, talkin' shit. Waaaay more fun. I can see the big guys on TV from the comfort of my couch.

I'm old, and it's OK.

 

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1 minute ago, hamerhead said:

I don't miss it. The high of seeing a live performance was far outweighed by the hassle of seeing a live performance. It became un-fun.

This.

It is highly unlikely that, even if the tickets were free, I will ever go to another concert or sporting event again.

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Many years ago, when my parents would visit in Los Angeles, I would offer to get tickets to a big sporting event. Lakers, Dodgers, USC (COLISEUM) or UCLA (ROSE BOWL!) football.

My dad? "Nah...I can see it better on TV (with replays), sit in a more comfortable chair, avoid the long hike from the parking lot and not overpay for a nice drink!"

I have long since become my father.

On the saving grace side, we did take them to smaller venues for world class musical  (pop, blues, jazz) acts, dinner and drinks with a very affordable price for 4 of us.....Sometimes right up front where my Energizer Bunny wife managed to get herself invited up to sing and dance.

Maybe the only thing I miss about LA would be the small clubs.

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As if he had been looking over my shoulder, my father just called mentioning that Joe Satriani (a name he remembers me mentioning in the '80's) will be appearing in Atlantic City at the Borgata (a casino my Dad frequents semi-often) and was, I think, trying to gauge my level of interest.

He said that he was eligible for some advanced-level seating or pricing or something to that effect.  I don't remember because I'm not interested in going.
Thinking back on the conversation he mentioned that Satch is appearing there in June (the month in which my birthday also makes an annual appearance) and I think he was looking to gift me a pair of tickets, as he has been known to do.

I looked up the pricing just now, and at $150 average a pop, I'm glad I expressed my reluctance to go to any more live events.
 

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I know its not a popular thing to say around here, but I was a full on deadhead from the mid-80s until Jerry passed in '95.  A few years go I was able to bring my daughter to see Dead and Co. for an expensive, but not unreasonable price, and had a great time.  This is their last year of touring, and as much as I wanted to do the same with my son, the prices are just too stoopid to comprehend. Sorry kid.

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28 minutes ago, G Man said:

I know its not a popular thing to say around here, but I was a full on deadhead from the mid-80s until Jerry passed in '95.  A few years go I was able to bring my daughter to see Dead and Co. for an expensive, but not unreasonable price, and had a great time.  This is their last year of touring, and as much as I wanted to do the same with my son, the prices are just too stoopid to comprehend. Sorry kid.

Might be cheaper to get him a "Very Jerry" guitar.....

wolf2.jpgwolf.jpg

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With age comes the wisdom that tells me what I need to know. 

I don't like crowds.

I don't like drunks.

I don't like people standing up in front of me. I've stood at enough concerts to not need to anymore. Let me sit.

I don't like crowded, drunk people standing up behind me spilling their beer on me and the mrs.

I Really hate the added fees Ticketscrewer adds. Greed has killed everything I believe in.

Trouble is I waited years for a venue halfway close that would bring in the bands I want to see, now Ticketscrewer has screwed thatup!

Get outa my yard and take your dog with you.

Rant over.

 

Edited by duncans
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6 hours ago, hamerhead said:

I'd rather see locals and hang out, talkin' shit. Waaaay more fun. I can see the big guys on TV from the comfort of my couch.

I'm old, and it's OK.

I think you read my mind. 

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Pretty much everything stated above is why I don't go to big concerts anymore. Our state fair gets some good acts at decent prices, as do the casinos sometimes, but the casino concerts start too late, - It's too hard to be out that late anymore!, I don't like driving home past midnight anymore.  I should have gone to see Billy Idol with Steve Stevens last summer (or was it the summer before?) at the state fair.

 

  There are venues that sidestep the reasons why I wouldn't go, for example:

 Tonight my wife and I are going to Jazz Alley in Seattle to see Victor Wooten and 3 of his brothers (Regi, Futureman, an Joseph). I got put on the email list for advance notice, and got a table right square up front (it's all seated, dinner beforehand), 7:30 show. Total for the 2 tickets was $101.   Parking is validated/free in the secure covered hotel lot next door.  Dinner is reasonably priced and not bad at all, dinner and a drink each should be under $100 total.  The crowd is all old and well behaved, and it's a bit under an hour drive.  Same place we saw Simon Philips/Protocol, and Tower of Power (TOP was quite a bit more expensive, but there's a lot of guys to pay in that band).  

  I'll still go to this sort of concert. 

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My perspective is different because of what I've been doing for an occupation regarding guitars and music. No braggadocio intended; I got lucky. That said, I would still work at concerts, even ones where the Missus and sometimes the Princess came along. If I was a paying audience member, I'd probably have the same rants as duncans above.

I would get hassled occasionally from some audience members about taking photos, but that was only for the first three songs.

I'm interested in monitoring how more and more bands (and their fans) are handling the transition to "classic" status, and to what extent it becomes nostalgia-mongering. 

Most likely, however, my concert days are over due to permanent health issues for the Missus and me (for me, it's Parkinson's), and we'll both turn 73 this annum. 

Considering what I've read here, IMO the sentiments expressed are reasonable. I may not miss concerts as much as I thunk I would. 

 

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I just turned 60. Last concert was ZZ Top at the State Fair last summer. Who else would I like  to see? Blackberry Smoke, Jason Isbell maybe, DBT, Joe Bonamassa, Dirty Knobs, Nugent again, Kentucky Headhunters again ( cause Greg Martin is a friend)…Debbie Davies, maybe some other blues players. I’m kinda done with National acts other than these.  I can still enjoy the shows but I do hate having to be on high alert watching for drunken idiots or protecting my wife….but that is anywhere there is a crowd these days…,and I,live in small town Midwest America.

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I still go to shows. In September 2021 I flew from L.A, to Kentucky to go to the Louder Than Life Festival. My favorite band Metallica was headlining 2 nights. On the first day I got there right when the place opened and got to the rail, where I stood for 9 hours waiting for Metallica. During that time I was almost crushed to death several times and had over 200 crowd surfers go directly over my head. Got kicked in the face a couple of times. But I hung on and saw Metallica from the very front row of a crowd of 100,000. Did I mention that I had just turned 60 when I did this. Just wanted to see if I could still hack it. Second night I got there late, started at the back, and fought my way to the front during the set.

Saw Metallica again from the rail at the mellowest place ever. The Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood Fl. last December. You can literally walk up to the rail and be right in front if you get there early.  I paid $600 to see them do the old school setlist (all songs from '85 or before) just like they did the first time I saw them in 1985. Totally worth it. These are just a couple of my recent stories.

Now Metallica has the Black ticket to cover the whole leg of a tour. Up to 14 shows for $1000, I plan on going to 8 this summer.

But yeah concerts are expensive and I probably should stop doing this.

Edited by rickrock999
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I'm the complete opposite: I'll attend live shows, big and small, until I can't walk any more because I still love a bunch a of bands, although I do prefer smaller venues when possible.  Luckily New Mexico gets some great acts in the casinos.  I am a little more picky about the large shed shows but this summer, we'll see Eric Church and Ghost at it because they both kick ass live.

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I've pretty much forgone live shows save for a few special ones at smaller venues. Post Modern Jukebox last year and Steve Morse this month. Same venue, 1300 seating capacity.

Even in the last 10 years, I've not really gone to any major acts in the huge venues, opting for smaller, more intimate venues for acts like Kings X, Steel Panther and Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath. I think Ghost, Alter Bridge and the Generation Axe tour were the last acts I saw in medium-sized venues (2500- 3100 capacity).

I just don't have the inclination to shell out the $$ and put up with the crowds, the parking and all that shit. Not for any of the bands that are out there these days.

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I still go to somewhere around 35-40ish shows a year.  Very few arena shows (okay, 2019 was a HUGE exception there).  I won't go to the outdoor shed here because it's a horrible experience, so I miss some of the big bands (I'll miss Ghost there this summer).  Most of the shows we hit are at clubs or small theaters.  We see a pretty good mix of newer acts and classic acts - as my buddy says, I don't know how long they'll be able to do it, or how long we'll be able to, so I'm gonna see them while I can.

What has boggled my mind the past few years is how many people pay to see these things - sometimes biggish money - and then talk through the whole show.  It happened at John Mayer - we had four people behind us who didn't shut up all night.  But it's older people, too.  When we saw Rick Derringer's 50th anniversary thing a few years ago, there were three older guys in the front row who sat w/their sides to the stage talking.  No regard for anyone around them, either.  And it happens with bands of all types in venues of all sizes.   It's why we buy the seats we do at one venue - opera box seats (the John Wilkes Booth seats, as I call them) that minimize how many people are around us.  And every time she goes, my wife says, "More expensive, yes.  Worth every penny."

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Go to church for organ concerts. Prices are low and no comparison to band shows in clubs and upwards. We had done that last year quite a few times. Organ concerts can be quite rocking. Organs in a large church sound big. 

But, I still prefer club shows before big venues. I haven‘t counted really, but may visit up to 20 shows a year or so.

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Just pulled the trigger on 2 tix to Stanley Jordan does Jimi, $73 for two 'dinner reservation' tickets, a table right smack up front (see my Wooten post). I was surprised to still find a front row table, because tickets have been available for a few weeks.  With dinner/drinks it will be under $200, - and the wife deserves a date night once in a while.  

  - and now Jeff Lorber with Paul Jackson Jr this coming thursday: a 'cocktail' table next to the side of the stage was still available for $72 (for 2). We'll give the non-dinner drinks only 'cheap date' a try. 

  There's a small private University near us, about a mile away. Ages ago, we went to a play there at it was quite good (Tartuffe, as I recall), we intended to go to more of that local sort of stuff, but kids complicate things. Last fall I started looking more closely at their jazz band calendar, and we've been a to 2 or 3 of the jazz band performances, most are free, and quite good, another is coming up in about 2 weeks.  

  It's worth searching around locally, there can be a few hidden gems that are easily overlooked.

Edited by Jimbilly
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