Live Music Suffers Rare Slump

[Lynch]

The biggest touring acts usually do charge a handful, and U2 is right up there. They're making more cash than just about anyone these days in the music biz.

The reason that U2 is one of the 'top grossing live acts' in the years that they tour is because they ONLY do stadium shows (as opposed to arena shows that most big/national acts do) and they charge a higher 'premium' than just about everyone else in the industry. Bring Bone Oh's ego and arrogance back down to earth to prices similar to many other artists that hvae been around as long or longer? You'd see their "top grossing act" status drop tremendously.

 

[ILoveJimmyPage]

The reason that U2 is one of the 'top grossing live acts' in the years that they tour is because they ONLY do stadium shows (as opposed to arena shows that most big/national acts do) and they charge a higher 'premium' than just about everyone else in the industry. Bring Bone Oh's ego and arrogance back down to earth to prices similar to many other artists that hvae been around as long or longer? You'd see their "top grossing act" status drop tremendously.

Please don't think for one minute that I don't realize that Bono is a complete douchelordtard. I hate how he slips in his political beliefs into just about everything. In fact, that's why I find U2 a little hard to stomach.

I can't talk though. I was willing to shell out $150 for Coldplay tickets a few years ago. Whoever's hot at the moment will usually charge more from my experience.

Now the Stones? Talk about never suffering from a live music slump. I don't think they ever lose their mojo when it comes to live shows.

 

[AboutAGirl]

Didn't read the whole thread, I'm sure everyone else has already stated this but the reason is OBVIOUS. It's because tickets are $500 now instead of $50 like 15 years ago or $5 like 30 years ago. I remember when bands like The Rolling Stones were the only ones charging $100 for tickets. Now $100 are the freaking cheap seats. Very few people want to drop a month's pay on one night of decent live music.

 

[LG]

I see U2 is getting some stick...I liked them when they started out and were releasing first class albums, the latter part of their career not so much.

Anyway, back in the early 90's I remember Barbara Streisand came out of retirement to do a series of concerts...or maybe it was a "one of". Anyway some tickets for her show were almost $2,000.00, there might have been a charity angle it's a long time ago. Anyway after a successful return she did schedule a few more select concerts and her tickets were astronomical, so the moral of the story seems to be if you can get away with it, charge the highest prices you possibly can and still sell them.

 

[Lynch]

I see U2 is getting some stick...I liked them when they started out and were releasing first class albums, the latter part of their career not so much.

Anyway, back in the early 90's I remember Barbara Streisand came out of retirement to do a series of concerts...or maybe it was a "one of". Anyway some tickets for her show were almost $2,000.00, there might have been a charity angle it's a long time ago. Anyway after a successful return she did schedule a few more select concerts and her tickets were astronomical, so the moral of the story seems to be if you can get away with it, charge the highest prices you possibly can and still sell them.

Babs, who I appreciate her talent and am a fan of some of her music but can't stand as a person (at least the person who says stupid shit in front of the media) gave her reason for the expensive tickets back then.

She said (and I'm paraphrasing here) that she hadn't toured in 20 years and if you took the price of a ticket and divided by the number of years since she last toured, the price-per-year wasn't so bad.

personally, I think that was snotty as hell, but that is how she "justified" the expensive tickets. I don't remember anything in the $2000 range, unless it was from scalpers. I do remember the average price of the tickets being like $300 or $400 though.

 

[AboutAGirl]

Babs, who I appreciate her talent and am a fan of some of her music but can't stand as a person (at least the person who says stupid shit in front of the media) gave her reason for the expensive tickets back then.

She said (and I'm paraphrasing here) that she hadn't toured in 20 years and if you took the price of a ticket and divided by the number of years since she last toured, the price-per-year wasn't so bad.

personally, I think that was snotty as hell, but that is how she "justified" the expensive tickets. I don't remember anything in the $2000 range, unless it was from scalpers. I do remember the average price of the tickets being like $300 or $400 though.

LOL WOW. So uh for every one ticket, she did 20 years of performances, right? lololol

 

[Magic]

Babs, who I appreciate her talent and am a fan of some of her music but can't stand as a person (at least the person who says stupid shit in front of the media) gave her reason for the expensive tickets back then.

Babs has made more money in the film industry than her music ! I personally wouldn't pay 10 bucks to see her sing but I will pay 15 bucks to buy a DVD where she is "Mrs. Focker!"


I wonder who sets the prices for the tickets to concerts? I am pretty sure the band/artist doesn't set the price..............

 

[Lynch]

The band has say over what they want in their show. From lights to stage props, to setup, etc blah blah blah. Then the promoters have to figure out what it will cost from start to finish from one gig to the next and present the band with that cost. From there, the band has to decide how much they feel the need from each show to make it worth their time (depending on the band of course) to go on tour, or if they need to cut costs because after their per-show-fee, the cost of the ticket may be deemed too high.


At least that's the way i understand it.

 

[LG]

^^That sounds about right...and they have to Make money now unlike the 60's-80's when labels underwrote these extravagant tours.

 

[Magic]

HUmmm.....I thought the managers would put together all the expenses vs. revenue...present that to the band members with an estimate of their gross earnings.......


Each concert venue has different seating and prices, though. Can you imagine how complex it would be to price an entire tour.