Rediculous costs of concert tickets

[Scooter79]

Anyone else agree that concert ticket prices are getting way out of hand? As an example we got tickets to the Police at Telstra Stadium - $150. I can kind of justify that being at Telstra. I wanted to get Dream Theater tickets but they're $130 for the Hordon Pavilion! Anyone who has ever been to the Hordon near Fox Studios knows it's not the best sounding venue. We also got Keith Urban tickets which is also at the Hordon. $95. Not too bad. We saw him at Acer Arena and he puts on an awesome show. Bon Jovi tickets at Acer arena cost us $140 each. We also wanted to get tickets to Jimmy Barnes/Joe ****er at Bowral (A day on the green) and they were over $200 per ticket. It's getting out of hand. I remember seeing Van Halen in '98 at the sydney entertainment center for about $50! So in less than 10 years isn't it a bit much for average ticket prices to have risen by more than 100%?


.... why does the swear filter work when I try to say Joe ****er?

[Haydz]

i agree with you the prices for concerts are way to expensive now they just charge what they want.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Everyone needs to get paid. The amount that the venue charges as well as the hired help. It costs a lot of money to put on a concert these days. Gone are the days when a PA and a disco ball was all you needed.

[Scooter79]

Everyone needs to get paid. The amount that the venue charges as well as the hired help. It costs a lot of money to put on a concert these days. Gone are the days when a PA and a disco ball was all you needed.

I totally understand that. Tour promoters are making loads of money and it's all about supply and demand. Crosby, Stills and Nash tickets are currently on sale for up to $200 per ticket. Generally the way it works is artists set the price on how much they want to get paid per show. Then theres to cost of the venue. Venues set their price to include staff and security as part of the hire. Then the promoters set the final price in order to get their cut off the top. My understanding is promoters are giving themselves a bigger and bigger cut each time. Take for example Bon Jovi. Average ticket price about $140. Acer Arena holds maybe 35,000 at full capacity? There's about $4,900,000 gross for one show alone!

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

It's all about perspective. If going to concerts is what you enjoy then it's reasonable to say that you are paying a fair price for your entertainment. People spend more on things they enjoy that I wouldn't pay 2 cents for.

[Dayvo]

My wife and i went to see the Eagles " Farewell 1 tour " in 2004 and paid $400 a ticket . It was the best night out and will do the same when the tour next year.

[vtdemon]

It's the Venues I think. I listen to a lot of punk rock and indie music, so most of the time when I go to see a band (although they aren't as big and famous as The Police) it's usually at a venue that houses only a couple hundred people, and $40 is usually an expensive show.

The funny thing is most of the bands I go to see play with 2 or 3 other bands, all the bands on the bill are not on major labels (Sony BMG etc) and just about fund their whole tours themselves through merch sales and stuff like that. I know which bands I'd rather hand over my hard earned to!!!

But yeah, see the same bands at a festival or support for a major band at a major venue and the ticket prices skyrocket.

So I figure with the amount of people that have to be hired on to work a concert from doors open to doors close at a large stadium venue like that (bar staff, house sound/lighting, security etc) for a few hours at night time, mostly on weekends. It'd get expensive just to pay the army of workers. Plus power, public liability etc etc.

I hardly ever pay those sort of prices for a concert, Roger Waters in feb this year was an exception, he was totally worth it.

[stocky]

i remember going to ozzfest one year. $50 for a good 12 hours entertainment with big name bands. i dont understand some of these concerts being worth $150

[Sabbath']

^ I hate you stocky, i really do


I paid $45 to see KISS, Rod Laver, 10 Rows from the seating front, dead centre. Was some 2 ticket for $90 deal. Cheapest i've seen.


But yes, other than that, some of the prices are crazy.

[tonza]

mate i'd sell my left testicle to see dream theater live anywhere, but thats just me, maybe im too big of a fan. I think they are quite ridiculous, but then again, for the dedicated fan, too much for a ticket will ever be enough.

i remember paying about $120 to see slayer live in brissie, but that again was well worth it cos it was...well...****IN' SLAYER!

[stocky]

^ I hate you stocky, i really do


I paid $45 to see KISS, Rod Laver, 10 Rows from the seating front, dead centre. Was some 2 ticket for $90 deal. Cheapest i've seen.


But yes, other than that, some of the prices are crazy.

now that i think about it, australia really is over priced. when i lived in america, i went to a few other cheap concerts. i saw some big bands, and tickets cost me around $25. we get ripped over here, but i guess we have to pay for the bands having to travel overseas most of the time

[Scooter79]

mate i'd sell my left testicle to see dream theater live anywhere, but thats just me, maybe im too big of a fan. I think they are quite ridiculous, but then again, for the dedicated fan, too much for a ticket will ever be enough.

i remember paying about $120 to see slayer live in brissie, but that again was well worth it cos it was...well...****IN' SLAYER!

I been a DT fan since i was in year 8 in 1994. Got all their albums and even some of their side projects. But what it comes down to is do I go to the concert or do I pay the mortgage? Go the concert or buy that new sander and polisher which I need. Plus it's going to cost me $60 in petrol just to get to and from the concert. Slayer would have been cool. Was it the original lineup?

[azkwazere]

i paid $130 the other week for....

BON ****ING JOVI TICKETS! YEAH YEAH YEAH!!!!

aZk.

[hsvpunk]

we can all say its expensive, but if we really wnat to go, we will pay whatever for them. Heck, im just about to fork out a fair bit of cash to go to Soundwave Festival, and V Festival.

[Sabbath']

Actually, tell a lie, cheapest show i've ever been to was Metallica at Myer Music Bowl. Stood outside the fence and listened, along with about 300 other people, which then turned into a riot, with bottles being thrown at the police cars, the fencing being dragged down, and concrete barriers being overturned.

Best...Concert...Ever

[stocky]

Actually, tell a lie, cheapest show i've ever been to was Metallica at Myer Music Bowl. Stood outside the fence and listened, along with about 300 other people, which then turned into a riot, with bottles being thrown at the police cars, the fencing being dragged down, and concrete barriers being overturned.

Best...Concert...Ever

you did that too? hahaha i was there. nearly got run down by own of those highway patrols cars that were driving on the grass. i remember there was a window on the right side of the stage you could see through and get a decent view of the stage from outside

[Sabbath']

Ahaha, i was kinda up near the entrance, almost got kicked by a riot horse.
And the bloody hired security were going off their heads, we were standing at the fence, not touching it and they were coming round and kicking us through the fence, so some guy started hanging off the fence trying to pull it down, then some random came up with a set of pliers and cut the wires. That sent the security guys over the top,then everybody was trying to pull the fence down while calling the security a bunch of dog cun%s, and asking "Is this what you did to Hooksey" oh yeah, and one of them said to my mate "If i ever see you walking down the street im going to smash your face in"

Good times...Good Memories.

[Bax]

I was happy with 30 bucks for Butterfly Effect, Dead letter circus and Chevelle.

80 for muse.

Id say 100 is my limit unless I really really love them.

[MasterOfReality]

Yep, they are going up.

I paid $150 (8 rows back from stage, dead centre) to see Black Sabbath at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre (yeah yeah Heaven & Hell, but in reality Black Sabbath), paid $100 for Iron Maiden in the same venue but silver tickets only, paid $130 for Dream Theater at Riverstage in Brisbane.

I also remember paying around $100 to see Yngwie Malmsteen last year at the Enmore.

Compare this to the $70 (mosh pit) I paid for Megadeth in 2001 at the Enmore Theater, $80 (10 rows back from stage) for Deep Purple at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre.

Hell, even Metal For The Brain was under $100 I think, back in 2003.

[commsirac]

cheapest show i've ever been to was Metallica at Myer Music Bowl. Stood outside the fence and listened, along with about 300 other people, which then turned into a riot, with bottles being thrown at the police cars, the fencing being dragged down, and concrete barriers being overturned.

Best...Concert...Ever

sort of same here......but it was Status Quo, dont remember any riot.

[Grennan]

I dunno, for some concerts you will pay whatever they ask to go see them. When Iron Maiden announced their tour i made up my mind that if i didnt get tickets via Ticketek i was gonna look for scalpers... All in all 150 bucks to see Maiden im estatic.

Here in melbourne i dont mind some of the prices. Concerts at the Hi FI Bar at usually around the 50 dollar mark which i think is pretty reasonable (their 8 dollar beers arent) However with that being said other places that are pathetic venues charge 100-120.

Ill go back to my original statement though, if your a fan, youll pay what it takes to see the band. Im waiting for AC/DC to do some sort of show in Australia... Ill trade my car to see that show. Hell ill even put my guitars in the boot and he can have them to.

[VLDavo]

also insurance costs for some arenas are getting very pricey and someone has to pick up the tab ...

[Scooter79]

....$80 (10 rows back from stage) for Deep Purple at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre.

This is what I mean. Deep Purple at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in '99 cost $55. Big jump in 2 years from $55 to $80

[ProphetVX]

Anyone else agree that concert ticket prices are getting way out of hand? As an example we got tickets to the Police at Telstra Stadium - $150. I can kind of justify that being at Telstra. I wanted to get Dream Theater tickets but they're $130 for the Hordon Pavilion! Anyone who has ever been to the Hordon near Fox Studios knows it's not the best sounding venue. We also got Keith Urban tickets which is also at the Hordon. $95. Not too bad. We saw him at Acer Arena and he puts on an awesome show. Bon Jovi tickets at Acer arena cost us $140 each. We also wanted to get tickets to Jimmy Barnes/Joe ****er at Bowral (A day on the green) and they were over $200 per ticket. It's getting out of hand. I remember seeing Van Halen in '98 at the sydney entertainment center for about $50! So in less than 10 years isn't it a bit much for average ticket prices to have risen by more than 100%?


.... why does the swear filter work when I try to say Joe ****er?

To be fair to Dream Theater they wanted to do two shows in Sydney but their label wouldn't let them do it. They'd pull the crowds for 2 sold out gigs at the Horden with cheaper tickets, but wouldn't sell out the entertainment center.

Bands don't make much money from touring these days, promoters take a fair chunk of the pie. At small venues, which the Horden definitely is, on a world scale, the prices need to be higher to support the band.

Personally I have no problem paying $130 for a band like Dream Theater, I'm just stoked that they've finally made it to our shores, and due to the expensive ticket prices there is no support and they're playing over 3 hours in their set as a result.

Unfortunately it's just a result of Australia being so remote, we need to pay big bucks to see big bands.

I have a massive problem with bands selling tickets for like $150 or more at venues like the SFS, SCG, Entertainment Centre etc etc. Smaller venues when they're a large band I can understand however.

[Troy711]

will drop pants for metallica tickets. soo unhappy about last time they were here. i had about 10 mates lined up to go and i couldnt get onto ticketeks website. that afternoon arsehole scalpers were selling tickets on ebay for double the price