Got Tickets to a Must-See Concert? Here's Why You Paid So Much
By: Madison Gray


With the economy being the way it is, it's difficult to justify the purchase of tickets at $200 a pop for good seats at a concert that doesn't even take place until next year. But because NewsFeed loves R&B songstress Sade to a point somewhere beyond fandom, and possibly to obsession, it makes it more than worth it to jump on the bandwagon to get tickets for her 2011 "Soldier of Love" tour.

Come on, the lady wrote the lyric: "If you were mine, I wouldn't want to go to heaven." Gasp and swoon.

Anyway, such an exorbitant ticket price leaves the curiosity over what exactly you're paying for when you buy concert tickets, which can make more money for artists than album sales in some cases. According to Gary Bongiovanni, editor-in-chief of concert industry trade publication Pollstar, it depends on the artist and the cost can vary significantly from one show to another.

"In general, most of that money goes to the artist," he explained. But assuming that 60% is taken in by the performer, the artist has to pay their own crew and staff. "Then there's transportation expenses, housing, then depending on the size of the tour there are buses, trucks, equipment, then there are agent and manager commissions."

From there, Bongiovanni said, the 30 or 40% left goes to staging the shows locally and that means renting venues like the Izod Center in East Rutherford N.J.; O2 Arena in London or the Staples Center in Los Angeles, then paying for advertising, security, catering, the actual cost of producing the show, and paying the promoter -- who actually gets a relatively small percent of the gross. "From the artists' standpoint, the more shows they work, the more shows they can amortize that cost over."

And this doesn't even include the booking, shipping, printing and other fees that are tacked on to the original price of the ticket, which can run as much as $70.

This means artists have to sell tickets to put people in arena seats. Bongiovanni said rockers AC/DC has the record for selling the most concert tickets. But the Rolling Stones, who have been giving retirement tours for nearly 20 years have the all time gross at $162 million for their 2005 "A Bigger Bang" tour.

http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/10/19/got-tickets-to-a-must-see-concert-heres-why-you-paid-so-much/

that article is a bot of justification for fleecing fans... plain and simple the increases in ticket prices dramatically increased in the late 1990's, and didn't reflect inflation or the costs associated with the costs of touring.
and the line about 20 years of retirement tours is BS too... the media are the only ones who have ever said that, so they are quoting themselves...

" ... plain and simple the increases in ticket prices dramatically increased in the late 1990's, and didn't reflect inflation or the costs associated with the costs of touring.   "

Correct Poi dog ..... !!!!!!


...and it was Don Henley and the Eagles who started all these exorbitant ticky prices with their " Hell Freezes Over Tour  " in the mid - 1990's .

Joey " Don " Henley ! ™

because people pay.......

" because people pay  ...... "

My ' Nizzle !!!!!!


J'Lo'kins !

mojoman wrote on Oct 19^th, 2010 at 5:51pm:

because people pay.......

alot like me have pretty much stopped going... the cost and the experience aren't meshing... shit, even guest lists and free tix and I still feel like I'm getting ripped off...

I stopped paying high TM prices this year due to the fact that my income is down! I've been lucky playing a game of chance and buying at the gate at showtime. Just about when the show is supposed to begin, 7 or 8 PM I end up paying a fraction of the cost. Yeah theres no guarantee but I paid
$20 for James Taylor-Carole King ($95 face)
$30 for Tom Petty ($65 face),
$25 Black Eyed Peas ($135 face)
$40 for Shakira ($200 face)
$20 for Blondie ($50 face)
$0 free ~ Ladies & Gents in NYC ~ 2 tickets, generous gift from a friend,
$0 free ~ Steve Winwood & Carlos Santana ~ generous gift from a complete stranger,
$30 ($100 face) YES and I snuck into the meet & greet, piece of cake!

Bitch wrote on Oct 19^th, 2010 at 11:00pm:

I stopped paying high TM prices this year due to the fact that my income is down! I've been lucky playing a game of chance and buying at the gate at showtime. Just about when the show is supposed to begin, 7 or 8 PM I end up paying a fraction of the cost. Yeah theres no guarantee but I paid $20 for James Taylor-Carole King ($95 face) $30 for Tom Petty ($65 face), $25 Black Eyed Peas ($135 face) $40 for Shakira ($200 face) $20 for Blondie ($50 face) $0 free ~ Ladies & Gents in NYC ~ 2 tickets, generous gift from a friend, $0 free ~ Steve Winwood & Carlos Santana ~ generous gift from a complete stranger, $30 ($100 face) YES and I snuck into the meet & greet, piece of cake!

and you can even reduce the prices further... think about the extra online fees and your time spent online buying... and the stress involved with trying to get those tix too... you saved alot of money, time and stress, maybe even added a few days to your life...
if you want to go to a show, just go, show up, if you have some money, you will most likely get in very cheap.

They're so expensive for two reasons :

Once 'revolutionary' artists have got older, fatter, richer and greedier and turned into the people they once despised. To charge that amount of money in the current economic climate is taking the piss.

And there are enough people out there who will blindly stump up and not realise or care that they're being ripped off. If we dont pay it, they wont charge it. Its a matter of self discipline (and yep, I can speak from experience that I havent always practiced what I've preached - I've been as weak as anyone else!)

However, in the last couple of years I've set a limit that I'm not going to pay over £100 for a ticket to see anyone again - regardless of the size of venue. With very few exceptions, I'm even baulking at half that amount. There are probably about half a dozen acts in the world that I'd pay £50 to see anymore.

Supply and demand being what it is, theres no reason anymore to rush out and buy expensive tickets for shows at large venues when they go on sale. There'll always either be tickets held back despite the initial 'sold out' blurb, or else you'll get something on the day.

Most acts who charge a lot of dough I've already seen and don't need to see again. If I want to see them again, I'll find a way of doing so at a price I consider reasonable. Most acts that I havent seen yet but would like to won't be charging much anyway. Social Distortion, for example. Theyve a new record out in January, and hopefully they'll play over here - and I havent seen them yet, plus their gigs seem to be pretty cheap.

I've had a great year of concert going so far taking in shows that were mostly on a smaller scale and I think Dylan in Prague and the upcoming Arcade Fire show in Dublin are the only gigs where I've paid more than £35 for a ticket. Including fees. And a couple of the shows I've seen this year (most notably the Dave Rawlings/Gillian Welch and Old Crow Medicine Show double-header at the Belfast Open House Festival last month) have been amongst the most enjoyable gigs I've ever been at by anyone, even though I didnt know much of the material before I went.

Bitch wrote on Oct 19^th, 2010 at 11:00pm:

I stopped paying high TM prices this year due to the fact that my income is down! I've been lucky playing a game of chance and buying at the gate at showtime. Just about when the show is supposed to begin, 7 or 8 PM I end up paying a fraction of the cost. Yeah theres no guarantee but I paid $20 for James Taylor-Carole King ($95 face) $30 for Tom Petty ($65 face), $25 Black Eyed Peas ($135 face) $40 for Shakira ($200 face) $20 for Blondie ($50 face) $0 free ~ Ladies & Gents in NYC ~ 2 tickets, generous gift from a friend, $0 free ~ Steve Winwood & Carlos Santana ~ generous gift from a complete stranger, $30 ($100 face) YES and I snuck into the meet & greet, piece of cake!

Holy Christ. Well done. You've saved about $550-600 there. Over 8 events. Amazing.

($200 for SHAKIRA??? Good God. I know she's an absolute goddess and that arse shaking gets me every time, but for cryin' out loud..she'd need to be putting it in my face for me to pay that)

Britney Spears charged mega-bux & never sung a note live!

Gazza wrote on Oct 20^th, 2010 at 7:52am:

arse shaking gets me every time, but for cryin' out loud..she'd need to be putting it in my face for me to pay that)

Just imagine

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_N0OYPoYHB5w/Sa-6bVWfJBI/AAAAAAAACG0/ihaRTNMxCVA/69271_Shakira_ass_11_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg

Honky Tonk Man wrote on Oct 20^th, 2010 at 12:37pm:

Just imagine

I have. Frequently.

Jagger ain't daft enough to expect the silly money in a recession.  Saw Brian Jones' Rolling Stones in 1965.  Paid equivalent of approx USD0.50.  Even that was hard to find in 1965 but was magnificent life changing value!!    Meantime I'm thrilled to be off to Reverend Peyton and the Big Damn Band in London tomorrow for around GBP8.  It can be done!!

Hot pic of Shakira....whoever that is....anyway...I'd tarp it!

" Supply and demand being what it is, theres no reason anymore to rush out and buy expensive tickets for shows at large venues when they go on sale. There'll always either be tickets held back despite the initial 'sold out' blurb, or else you'll get something on the day.

Most acts who charge a lot of dough I've already seen and don't need to see again. If I want to see them again, I'll find a way of doing so at a price I consider reasonable.  "

** " ? " **

Paul McCartney is a MAJOR exception to all this as there are usually no decent seats left even BEFORE tickets go on sale to the general public  .  His entire South American Tour has now COMPLETELY Sold Out ! :

" And Coming tour - South America dates

Sunday, November 7 - Porto Alegre, Brazil - Beira Rio Stadium (SOLD OUT)
Wednesday, November 10 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - El Estadio Monumental Of River Plate (SOLD OUT)
Thursday, November 11 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - El Estadio Monumental Of River Plate (SOLD OUT)
Sunday, November 21 - São Paulo, Brazil - Morumbi Stadium (SOLD OUT)
Monday, November 22 - São Paulo, Brazil - Morumbi Stadium (TICKETS ON SALE SOON )  "

www.maccareport.com





J. " Snuggles " Fly !  

Joey likes that Sir Paul smokes a lot of http://www.rocksoff.org/herbie2.gif

My dog is still  :weed :weed :weed

Bitch wrote on Oct 19^th, 2010 at 11:00pm:

I stopped paying high TM prices this year due to the fact that my income is down! I've been lucky playing a game of chance and buying at the gate at showtime. Just about when the show is supposed to begin, 7 or 8 PM I end up paying a fraction of the cost. Yeah theres no guarantee but I paid $20 for James Taylor-Carole King ($95 face) $30 for Tom Petty ($65 face), $25 Black Eyed Peas ($135 face) $40 for Shakira ($200 face) $20 for Blondie ($50 face) $0 free ~ Ladies & Gents in NYC ~ 2 tickets, generous gift from a friend, $0 free ~ Steve Winwood & Carlos Santana ~ generous gift from a complete stranger, $30 ($100 face) YES and I snuck into the meet & greet, piece of cake!

Impressive. I have to think about hanging outside a venue sometime. I know I get into football games cheaper just waiting around.

"  Joey likes that Sir Paul smokes a lot of http://www.rocksoff.org/herbie2.gif


<    ---- This is certainly true !!!!!



" My dog is still  .... ** "

Bingo ..........  your avatar looks like it just spent three weeks inside the Sensi Smile Coffee Shop in Amsterdam  .



O'kins

Joey wrote on Oct 20^th, 2010 at 8:33pm:

"  Joey likes that Sir Paul smokes a lot of http://www.rocksoff.org/herbie2.gif <    ---- This is certainly true !!!!! " My dog is still  .... ** " Bingo ..........  your avatar looks like it just spent three weeks inside the Sensi Smile Coffee Shop in Amsterdam  . O'kins

I follow him around...... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqjpX-mQjKA

I caught STONE TEMPLE PILOTS w/ BRMC last nite for 10 bucks!!!

Anyway...I think all this stuff started w/ MADONNA...I remember  the headlines when she charged a WHOPPING 80 bucks for her show (in NYC) ...can't recall the tour

Sometimes I buy tickets online, if I really want to make sure I get in. Ringo, McCartney, Clapton & Winward, Dylan, Further. For those I paid between $65 - $150. If it's a show I really cant miss, I buy from TM, which ends up costing more because I charge it to my credit card and end up paying interest! So if I have $25-$50 in my wallet, I just go see whoever is playing locally. I gotta say, Shakira was a last minute whim, and the guy I bought the ticket from paid $400 from a scalper! That was the best show I've seen in a while! Shakira is smoking hot, she sings with intensity, dances like a pro, has a great band, and she is sexy as hell! The crowd was completely wild for her! I'm just a casual fan but I was really impressed with her. Check her out if you can, she is an excellent entertainer!

"  Ringo, McCartney, Clapton & Winward, Dylan, Further. For those I paid between $65 - $150. "


I would like to nuzzle you  ...... Bitch !!!!!!!!!!

What .. ?!!! .. !!!! . !   :    .... Oh , sure ! :


http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s209/leepullen/ATT00011-1.jpg?t=1287263693

Bitch wrote on Oct 20^th, 2010 at 11:04pm:

Sometimes I buy tickets online, if I really want to make sure I get in. Ringo, McCartney, Clapton & Winward, Dylan, Further. For those I paid between $65 - $150. If it's a show I really cant miss, I buy from TM, which ends up costing more because I charge it to my credit card and end up paying interest! So if I have $25-$50 in my wallet, I just go see whoever is playing locally. I gotta say, Shakira was a last minute whim, and the guy I bought the ticket from paid $400 from a scalper! That was the best show I've seen in a while! Shakira is smoking hot, she sings with intensity, dances like a pro, has a great band, and she is sexy as hell! The crowd was completely wild for her! I'm just a casual fan but I was really impressed with her. Check her out if you can, she is an excellent entertainer!

Oh dont get me wrong. She's a good entertainer and I think she's genuinely talented. I'm just surprised to read that someone who isnt a 'veteran' act and who has a relatively young audience demographic is asking that kind of money for a concert ticket.

She's playing here in December. Tickets have been on sale now for a few weeks at £44 to £55 and they're still available according to TM.  Although I notice there is something called a "She Wolf Early Access - Standing Package' which costs £170 !!

Gazza wrote on Oct 21^st, 2010 at 6:02pm:

Although I notice there is something called a "She Wolf Early Access - Standing Package' which costs £170 !!

Perhaps for that price she does some sserious arse-shaking in your direction?

Honky Tonk Man wrote on Oct 21^st, 2010 at 6:17pm:

Gazza wrote on Oct 21st, 2010 at 6:02pm:  Although I notice there is something called a "She Wolf Early Access - Standing Package' which costs £170 !! Perhaps for that price she does some sserious arse-shaking in your direction?

wolf puss?

mojoman wrote on Oct 21^st, 2010 at 6:52pm:

Honky Tonk Man wrote on Oct 21st, 2010 at 6:17pm: Gazza wrote on Oct 21st, 2010 at 6:02pm:  Although I notice there is something called a "She Wolf Early Access - Standing Package' which costs £170 !! Perhaps for that price she does some sserious arse-shaking in your direction? wolf puss?

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a71/Rich232/shakira.jpg  :P http://www.notejode.net/cantantes/shakira/fotos/Shakira%20Maxim%20Ass.jpg  :blankfriggingstare1

Does she have a "butter face"? All i have ever seen are pictures of her dorsal qualities.

Paranoid Android wrote on Oct 21^st, 2010 at 8:02pm:

Does she have a "butter face"? All i have ever seen are pictures of her dorsal qualities.

Butterface ? Nah.


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9Bx0L3n3uAo/S9rTO-OOHCI/AAAAAAAAHZk/0L1grdv5ajE/s400/shakira.jpg

" there is something called a "She Wolf Early Access - Standing Package' which costs £170  "


" wolf puss ? "


Ah yes ,    .... some good ol' fashioned 1979 WOLF !!!!!!!



Everybody say , " Ooooooowwwwwooooooooh !!!!! "





http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2008/first_dogs/first_dogs_07.jpg !!!!!


http://dingo.care2.com/pictures/c2c/galleries/albums/188/745420200/_archive_/gray-wolf-howling-at-moon.jpg !!!!

Ticket prices are so far out of hand it's got to the point of an almost ridiculousness. $200.00 to see a concert??? Just for simply a seat? No hotel for the weekend or back-stage passes to meet the band???


The writer of this short article tells only half of the truth. Sure, today concerts are an organized business. A corporate affair.  Yes stages, techs, crews are larger than they were thirty years ago... (for the big acts anyway). Sure there are hotel accommodations to be made for permanent crew and all that BUT...

We are not paying fifteen dollars a ticket anymore either. As well there is corporate sponsorship that helps out today where as in the seventies there was not.  

No matter how you look at it ...they are over priced incredibly. I can see paying $50.00 maybe $60.00 for real good seating but that's it....and yes, even I have paid up to $150.00 to see The Stones. This bull about paying $120.00...$130.00...$150.00 for prime seats is non-sense. Voodoo Lounge had a great concept. :

25.00 for upper level. $40.00 for better seats and like 60.00-65.00 for prime seating ... everyone had a chance to see the show. That was a large scale tour, with corporate sponsorship, broke records...the whole nine ...yet it was affordable by all. There was pricey seats and cheap seats. The pricey seats were simply only just that though...."pricey". ..not totally ball backbreakingly out of hand. As well there were a few cheaper options.

Why don't they follow that model to it's entirety anymore? I suppose the main reason is they simply don't have to with large acts. Nine times out of ten the tour does well....because people pay it.

Concerts make loads of money and all the talk about more over-head today and higher scale staging is quite true. HOWEVER there is sponsorship, renting vs. buying equipment (in the older days you had to buy much of it and sell it after....now you can rent many items/equipment) and other factors that cut into things yet the tickets keep going up and up till now it is totally out of hand.

All the overhead does not compensate for how high ticket prices have become simply because the whole business has changed to the point that while overhead and staging costs much, much more than before still the major concert tour has money coming in from different angles as where before it didn't has near as many. It's a shame. We are getting ripped every major tour. I am not expecting to pay $20.00 anymore like it is 1981. I realize prices go up. But paying the amount to that basically of a car payment ($200.00) is absurd. It is one night. A "concert". A good time, a show. A two/two and a half hour ordeal.... It should be kept in perspective to the outrageous prices.


Ian

Corporate sponsorship is no panacea.

More acts than not tour without it, and many of them - Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam and Phish to name but a few - manage to keep their tickets costs down and still turn a tidy profit.

I'd imagine that Phish's "staging costs" are comparable to acts charging considerably more, so that rationale goes pffft.

Not as many people as some might think are actually willing to paying those inflated prices anymore.
Just ask Rihanna, The Eagles and Jonas Brothers. They all canceled shows due to low ticket sales.

The ridiculously overpriced Lilith Fair tour tanked BIG this summer.
A slew of dates were canceled, and it played to less than half-filled houses most everywhere else.

Sales for NY area stadium shows by The Eagles and Bon Jovi were so sluggish that discounted package deals were offered, and in the case of The Eagles, the pricing was also restructured - the expensive seats suddenly weren't so expensive.

My local shed was offering deeply discounted tickets for virtually every show on their schedule.
I bought $10 tickets for The Dukes Of September a few days before the show.
People sitting behind us paid $65 when they initially went on sale.

Same deal with Brooks & Dunn.
Not a fan of theirs, but Merle Haggard was opening.
Got my 10 bucks worth - and then some - from Merle & The Strangers, and bailed long before B & D hit the stage.

Of course there are acts that are immune to these problems. For now.

The days of needing to get tickets day of sale are over for me.
I'll wait for the inevitable "Great Seats Just Released!" or discount offer e-mails.

And there's always somebody outside the venue with an extra or two that's willing to shake hands with Mr. Jackson...

The long-term "excuse" for us had always been long distance & the value of our dollar against the U.S. Now that our dollar is more or less equal (and in a few weeks, will probably be worth more!) it will be interesting to see if any major acts flock here next year. Ac/Dc raked it in earlier this year in their "welcome home" shows. U2 is up soon. And they are not charging alot. But... i wouldnt see them unless my tix were free. I aint a fan & i despise "in the round" shows.

Major acts like Madonna & McCartney baulked at past Aussie tours because our dollar was pretty low & they'd have to charge astronimical prices to tix. Madonna has only toured here once & McCartney bailed a few years ago because ticket sales were poor (not many pensioners could afford to see him). Though the fool blamed the Bali bombing for his cancelling!

So, all being good, is there a chance that the Stones might START a tour here?

I for one cannot see why not. Get the machine oiled up and treat us to make up for the 22 years they didnt come here.

As I told you in another post, the most expensive ticket to Macca (sold out) is USD 1.200.- in a 60.000 people stadium here in Buenos Aires.
It's a record price never seen before!

" As I told you in another post, the most expensive ticket to Macca (sold out) is USD 1.200.- in a 60.000 people stadium here in Buenos Aires.
It's a record price never seen before ! "

BEST MACCA YET !!!!!!!!


www.Maccareport.com

Macca could play free in my backyard....and I'd close the drapes and pull the electric plugs. Uncle Albert indeed........

gimmekeef wrote on Oct 22^nd, 2010 at 12:56pm:

Macca could play free in my backyard....and I'd close the drapes and pull the electric plugs. Uncle Albert indeed........

You will not be greeted. :forfucksake

Here's the real explanation of why concerts cost so much:

Back in the day when tix were $20-$50, fans and scalpers (touts) would buy them. The scalpers would charge and get $100-$300 for those tix. This went on for years.

Then someone or some group said..."ya know what, if people are paying those crazy prices to scalpers, why don't we get a piece of that pie and charge that price ourselves?"  


Plain and simple why concerts cost so much.

left shoe shuffle wrote on Oct 22^nd, 2010 at 12:05am:

Corporate sponsorship is no panacea. More acts than not tour without it, and many of them - Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam and Phish to name but a few - manage to keep their tickets costs down and still turn a tidy profit. I'd imagine that Phish's "staging costs" are comparable to acts charging considerably more, so that rationale goes pffft. Not as many people as some might think are actually willing to paying those inflated prices anymore. Just ask Rihanna, The Eagles and Jonas Brothers. They all canceled shows due to low ticket sales. The ridiculously overpriced Lilith Fair tour tanked BIG this summer. A slew of dates were canceled, and it played to less than half-filled houses most everywhere else. Sales for NY area stadium shows by The Eagles and Bon Jovi were so sluggish that discounted package deals were offered, and in the case of The Eagles, the pricing was also restructured - the expensive seats suddenly weren't so expensive. My local shed was offering deeply discounted tickets for virtually every show on their schedule. I bought $10 tickets for The Dukes Of September a few days before the show. People sitting behind us paid $65 when they initially went on sale. Same deal with Brooks & Dunn. Not a fan of theirs, but Merle Haggard was opening. Got my 10 bucks worth - and then some - from Merle & The Strangers, and bailed long before B & D hit the stage. Of course there are acts that are immune to these problems. For now. The days of needing to get tickets day of sale are over for me. I'll wait for the inevitable "Great Seats Just Released!" or discount offer e-mails. And there's always somebody outside the venue with an extra or two that's willing to shake hands with Mr. Jackson...

_________________________________


Nice input. However I said "9" out of ten times the major acts clean house. It's true. If you've looked at ticket prices over the past twelve years 90% of those major tours, with high ticket prices, were successes. It can certainly be done quite easily and promoters know that. It is more than likely if things are managed properly they "should" get away with it.... promoters realize they get away with it "most" of the time. Not always (especially within the past three years due to the economy)...but the majority of the time the major acts make a load of money. Sure...maybe not as much as The Stones but they make their millions and the tour is a success. This is what I was saying.

I realize certain bands refuse corporate sponsorship. This adds to what I was saying. By bands not having corporate sponsorship and pulling off successful tours is more testimony to our initial analysis of us being raked.


Ian

"  Then someone or some group said..."ya know what, if people are paying those crazy prices to scalpers, why don't we get a piece of that pie and charge that price ourselves?"  * "


<  ----- Don Henley ?!   ... !!!!!



Shakira ?!  ... !!!! :

|
|
V


http://www.documentingreality.com/forum/attachments/f3/6038d1166565865-i-could-stare-shakiras-ass-all-day-4637028_shakira_booty_shaking_skills.gif !!!!

I think another reason ticket prices went up is because the bands arent making as much money thru record sales anymore, due to the internet, so they have to make their majority of income from touring.

Bitch wrote on Oct 23^rd, 2010 at 9:31pm:

I think another reason ticket prices went up is because the bands arent making as much money thru record sales anymore, due to the internet, so they have to make their majority of income from touring.

I agree!