Concert Ticket Prices... how can we afford them?

JennyOmanHill

trying hard to be mindful
Joined
Nov 12, 2001
Posts
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The thread on favorite/best concerts had me thinking about the very many I have enjoyed throughout the years.

I just received a notice regarding two upcoming concerts at Madison Square Garden and I'm now in shock!:eek:

Paul McCartney @ Madison Square Garden
April 26, 2002
Tickets: $54.50 - $254.50
ON SALE: March 11, 9am

and

The Who @ Madison Square Garden
July 31 - August 1, 2002
Tickets: $58.50 - $254.50

Now, mind you.... these guys are legends to most of us, but really??:confused:

However, the Circus is coming! Top price for that is almost $50!!

How does anyone afford concerts in this day and age?
 
Svedish_Chef said:
Out here, $30 for a CD and $60 for a concert.

Well....
In NYC, a good CD is about $20!!

Those "$60" seats in this case mean last row of the area!!:rolleyes:
 
I mentioned on another thread about tickets to Carrot Top I bought........They were 28.50 each plus a handeling fee = 78.00 bucks for two.................:(
 
The last concert I went to go see was the king'singers on Saturday. The tickets were around 25 each, and were the second to last row. It didn't really matter though, we had a great veiw from the balcony, and the accoustics of the Theater where they sang allowed us to hear just find. Alot of the concerts I attend are college hosted, or are sponsered by one of the radio stations around here. Jenny, alot of what you see is markup for location. The Concert Hall of Saint Mary's College to see Patrick Ball, and the same concert if it ever could get hosted in The Garden, would be two very different ticket prices. But then again, alot of the concerts I go to are hosted at my college, so I get a big discount (I get in free) by ushering.
 
Absolutely ridiculous IMO.Between the "high prices" and "scalpers" prices one has to be pretty damn picky as to who they want to see these days.What I have found to work for myself is to wait until the day of the show and shop/find tickets at the venue.I know if one really wants to plan this doesn't work very well at all,and in larger cities I couldn't really say seeing how I don't know the market for tickets,but if you are only concerned with getting in and seeing a show at a decent price it works just fine in the city in which I live.I have a friend I attend most shows with and we do this about everytime,we've found the times we get in for $5 when scalpers are stuck with an abundance of tickets far outweigh the need to run out and pay for over-priced tickets as soon as they go on sale.
 
Look at the two groups you mentioned...

Ancient.

They are marketing to a segment of the population who can afford to buy thier latest re-released, re-recorded, newly packaged with never before released practice sessions from 1966...

They don't care about you. It ain't the band. It's the infra-structure that has grown up around entertainment...

I say we go back to traveling medicine shows!
 
SINthysist said:
Look at the two groups you mentioned...
Ancient.
They are marketing to a segment of the population who can afford to buy thier latest re-released, re-recorded, newly packaged with never before released practice sessions from 1966...
They don't care about you. It ain't the band. It's the infra-structure that has grown up around entertainment...

I say we go back to traveling medicine shows!

Well, even though I'm "ancient" as well, I still cannot afford much, but I think you hit a good point. I feel, as they have already done with sports in NYC, that ticket prices are geared for the coporations to buy up as a whole. I know from my years working at a law firm how many "extras" certain corporate clients would give to certain cases (then would hear later on how different attornies had "ring side seats" to many high profiled events).

They have outpriced a lot of fans, but will likely wind up taping the dang things and selling them on video a few months later!:rolleyes:

I like your idea, bartender, but in a venue like MSG, it seems the scalpers will eat the tickets before selling them for less!

Colleges still provide a good way to see a lot of entertainers!:rose:
 
If you can't afford to further line a superstar's pocket, get out and support the local struggling artist in the tiny club with $6 tickets and twenty heads in the audience.
There's someone performing out there you will enjoy as much or more than the superstars.
 
The biggest problem I see with ticket prices like those mentioned is the impact it has on newer groups. Its one thing to pay tons to see The Who but when they leave town and some less know band comes along much of the concert going revenue left with the Who. When I was a bit younger I would go to 5 or 6 concerts a year without having to go completely broke in doing so. I don't see how I could do that now.
 
But the people who pay to see the Who, for example, care not one wit for the new bands.

As for those lonely clubs, believe me, I worked in them for many years, and there is a reason most of those rooms have 20 people. Most of those bands suck so bad, and they don't even realize it, because they are chasing that dream of being a star and getting Who prices for thier product...

Not to be cynical (SINical) or anything...
 
My friends and I tend to go a a lot of concerts , especially come summer.

We are not rich and don't have money to simply throw away on concert tickets but the way we tend to get our concert tickets is that we go outside of TicketMaster. We tend to go to small concert ticket outlets. They get an array of tickets and then sell then from there... one might think their tickets would be more expensive but all the times we need tickets we have gone to them and they get us excellent seats for a very good price.

Plus after some time you get to know your ticket guy and you develop a thing , we LOVE our ticket guy "Bret". He rocks. :)
 
I've noticed a trend in ticket sales. If they're classic performer's, the tickets are REALLY expensive. Take Springsteen, for ex. He was here with the E Street Band a few years ago. I was SO thrilled. Then, the guy said, tickets are 75 bucks a pop. Sorry, Boss. However, like was said, if they're little known artists, tickets shouldn't be that bad. If I remember correctly, the most I've ever spent on a Lila McCann ticket is 20 bucks. And, let's face it, not many people know who Lila McCann is. It's mainly about ego, I think. Bruce probably just thought that since he's been making huge hits for so many years, people would go to see him, know matter what the price. Hey, Bruce. Is that your head getting bigger?
 
The problem is that these shows are not standing room only. for sro shows, the tickets are at least $30 dollars cheeper, and you are almost garented a good seat. I saw Meatloaf at a sro how and it was $20.00 for my ticket. Had a great view too, right up against the stage. :D
 
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