Can anyone even afford Concerts anymore?

[@beyondartv]

Do you agree that concert prices are getting more & more insane?? Also, I know I could've gone into the ticket scalper angle, but the prices I talked about are all "face value", what the venue/promoter sold them for.

[@killerch33z]

yes the prices are absolutely ridiculous, and its so fucking annoying how you basically are forced to buy tickets as soon as they go on sale or else you have to pay resale

[@Mr_Mistah]

I haven't been to a concert since 2018 when I saw Imagine Dragons. $60 for a ticket. It was awesome but I'm not a concert guy. I'll be fine if I never go to a concert ever again.

[@jamesvancam]

​​@@Mr_Mistah I never went or paid for a concert, ever...

[@tylerpoirier3699]

All I'm gonna say is that I'm still bitter that my Hella Mega date, the ONLY Canadian date, was cancelled without an announcement, they just edited the name to US tour and then we got an email from the ticket provider with the refunds. I know its not their fault, but still, I live in Nova Scotia, and so even when people show up here, there is only 750 seats in the two smaller venues, and 10,500 seats in the arena, and so any big band is sold out immediately. Also about merch, I straight up cant afford merch anymore once you add the shipping and subtract all of the money in my account I need to pay for my university courses (essentially I cant let my bank account drop below 6000 or I start getting student debt).

[@firefox1033]

@@jamesvancam So your saying your a cheap ass? I'm sure there's some band you like that's still around playing shows. Do you even realize how increacently hard it is to make playing music your job? There's many bands I've met that have to skip meals just so they can use that to put gas in thier car to get to the next gig. If there's a band you like you should really consider supporting them. Especially if their a smaller band. I don't expect anyone to pay for every band they like. But you should atleast support your favorite and smaller artist. While being in a band has the potential to earn you lots of money. It gets harder to do so with every passing year. And most bands have to work extremely hard just to put food in thier mouth. Even bands like Kiss, Aerosmith or Metallica at 1 point struggled.

[@01uofmfanofficial]

Reminds of the interview with Kurt Cobain and him being surprised tickets being sold $50. Which is crazy to think about how much has changed since then

[@jamesvancam]

Same, me too! I thought I was the only one who though about this.

[@coolerheadsprevail9312]

@@Avery11010 I gave up going to popular concerts and plays years and years ago. I used to go to Great Expectations though PBS and museum exhibits (it sounds boring, but you'd be surprised). I did these things not because I'm high faluting, but because I cannot stand the super expensive ticket cost, plus the tax, plus the processing fee, plus the printing fee, plus parking, plus drinks, plus, plus, plus. All the nickle and diming is out of control. I always got pissed because of the bwllshjt processing because it's so hard to press buttons on a code that you do one time so that you can program an application on a computer. I forgot to mention that all of this was if you got lucky to get ticket because the scalpers and their bots would flood the website and get the majority of the ticket to sell them at exorbitant prices and stack all of the the fee as the cherry on top.

[@itsallenwow]

Please buy tickets directly from the venue if it's reasonable. I know most people don't like driving down to the location days before. But honestly you're saving yourself massively on the fees Jon was talking about from Ticketmaster. Not only that but your money goes fully to the venue instead of Ticketmaster, which is a huge benefit.

[@lololee24]

I didn't know this. Thank you for passing down this information.

[@Deb_Elle]

Some venues don’t have that option anymore unless if it is the day of the show.

[@ElliYeetYT]

Fair Concert Prices: **Exists** Ticketmaster: “We Don’t Do That Here.”

[@RockedNet]

I work in the industry but I'm still trying to buy concert tickets for Iron Maiden this fall. These will be the first concert tickets I buy in many years. Most tickets are already bought, Ticketmaster service charges are unfair, and the Stubhub/Seatgeek resale prices are over $1000 per ticket. It's brutal.

[@gamermoviedude5533]

This gets worse when you think about the price gouging for merch (which most of the time looks sick) and then venue food items (which I usually skip).

[@squarebarrel]

I started bringing sandwiches and pregame in the parking lot so I don’t have to pay for concessions. If they allow water bottles I’m set for the night.

[@Burtocd]

To be fair, food and booze sales is how most venues stay in the green. Likewise, a lot of bands, especially smaller to medium sized ones, make a solid portion of their income off of merch. I'd imagine that a solid chunk of ticket sales goes towards paying the roadies, tour bus rental, and fuel for said bus; especially with diesel being almost $6/gallon.

[@gamermoviedude5533]

@@Burtocd You’re correct, but I’m just saying that the prices are still too large for some consumers, regardless of if they actually pay for it. I mean I I don’t mind some of these high prices because I still support artists by going to as many shows I can, buying show merch, and getting physical formats. Other people are not as lucky to do so and can miss out on stuff they love.

[@BlackPanda217]

There's also the problem of LiveNation merging with Ticketmaster and essentially holding venues hostage and artists signing contracts with those venues so that they can't sell their tickets anywhere else. So unless they want to play some random venue in the middle of nowhere, they have no choice but to sell their tickets from Ticketmaster. Since 2018, 80/100 biggest arenas in the U.S. used Ticketmaster. John Oliver also talks about this issue really well in his Tickets episode of Last Week Tonight.

[@donthaveabreakdown5608]

This is a benefit of listening to a lot of metal, most concerts the ticket price is far below a super mainstream rock band or pop artist. Good points in the video, John; it’s frustrating how expensive most concerts are getting

[@fadedidentity]

I'm noticing tickets across all genres are spiking. GA Floor tickets for Slipknot are $175+ taxes and fees

[@ChrisNorwood3]

@@fadedidentity I paid 110 to see Slipknot in 2019, thinking I had splurged and got a really good seat. I was facing the stage, sure. But I was 8 trillion miles away. Could have been anybody in masks and jumpsuits and I would never have known. haha

[@donthaveabreakdown5608]

@Rich Perez yeah that’s fair. I saw Bad Omens recently and while they killed it the venue was way too small and it was really killing the mood for me

[@donthaveabreakdown5608]

@@fadedidentity true; although Slipknot is gonna cost a lot more due to their popularity. But yeah it’s definitely happening in metal too

[@donthaveabreakdown5608]

@Rich Perez that’s fair

[@theshiningemerald4288]

I hate the fact that MCR are doing so many shows, but there so expensive for 2 people. It makes the less financially stable fans suffer and most shows are sold out. I hate being a poor MCR fan... The cheapest show I payed for was 15 bucks per ticket for Destroy Boys.

[@firefox1033]

It sucks being too poor to see a band you like. But at the end of the day a band is a business and they should charge as much as they can. I've been fortunate enough to see most of the favorite bands live atleast once. What I can say out of my many years of going to shows. Is that most artist I've talked to would do it for free if they could.

[@alexandrasuto9585]

I’m so sorry for you :(( Here in Hungary the venue where MCR is going to play next week has fix ticket prices meaning that regardless which band you are going to see, you are paying the same amount of money. Therefore, I was lucky enough to buy the concert ticket for 35$. It is just so unfair that someone needs to pay up to 100-200 bucks for the same concert in a different country.

[@devavenger101]

I’m donating plasma just to get tickets for Music Midtown in Atlanta this September! Just To See My Chemical Romance (and other acts)!

[@CDrOfficial02]

Yo that’s smart

[@kipper807]

I'll be there! Had the tickets for 2 years waiting!

[@Daoriginalfunkeymonk3y]

I was planning on doing the exact same thing for the Portland show

[@TheWolfGuardians]

My wife and I just paid about 200 dollars for nosebleed seats to see Kenny Chesney.... there's no excuse for these price hikes!

[@hayden.crompton4268]

This indeed needed to be said. Whenever I see those high prices I always get so disappointed and feel guilty if I buy them!!!

[@killerch33z]

Im very grateful that most Indie shows I go to, the tickets are less than $100 each. Is it sad I find that affordable? Sheesh!

[@alex_flamer]

No it's not sad. You like what you like and if they get big, they probably won't be as big as the legacy acts so they should still be affordable.

[@summercapps8239]

Hard to know what's the actual face value of a Ticket anymore when Ticketmaster givrs first dibs to the scalpers. Went to buy Harry Styles tickets during presale and the prices were outrageous. And every single ticket that was being sold said "verified resell." Meaning its basically scalping at that point. I don't deal with Tickermaster too often. I try to get tickets from the venue if I can

[@jeremysommer147]

As someone who only goes to EDM concerts, I’m so thankful that ticket prices aren’t super high. I paid $10 for Crystal Skies on the low end and $90 for Swedish House Mafia on the high end. Most prices fall between $20-$45, at least for the artists I like to see. That’s for GA tickets too. Not counting festivals since those have different pricing than concerts. But I definitely feel sympathy for fans of bands/artists who have extremely high ticket prices because there is just something so special about seeing them live

[@saintshaze3274]

Ive been to 9 shows so far this year (mostly metal / nu metal / metalcore) and they’ve all been really affordable under 70$ a ticket and that’s me being able to be right there in front of the stage , small venue tours are where its at now, cause stadium tickets prices are ridiculous now

[@alex_flamer]

I know a lot of people who aren't really into music and the show they see at a stadium seeing a big mainstream act is usually the only concert they go to in a year. Therefore, they don't mind the price. However, for someone like you and me who likes multiple artists, big and small, the price is definitely a problem. And yes I've also been to more than 10 shows already this year, but they were all at the club and theater level for non mainstream acts who don't get large shares of the music industry profits. (Imperial Triumphant, Rivers of Nihil, The Maine, Testament, Madeon, Disclosure to name a few.)

[@rokomouth]

This is definitely an American problem, face value tickets in the UK are £70 tops for most arena size+ concerts, and even less so in the rest of Europe

[@jimbob2427]

For a Billie Eilish ticket at the o2 it was roughly £110 which is more reasonable than these prices

[@maximilianbarteder9311]

Hella Mega Tour in Vienna: 80€ (like 69 pound) BMTH, ADTR, Poorstacey and Lorna Shore in Vienna: 60€ (about 52 pound)

[@segullseagull3241]

Yeah I have to agree. I just paid €154 for best seat tickets to see Bruce Springsteen in Dublin. That doesn't seem so bad compared to US prices.

[@shakio2214]

US prices are definitely much worse but as someone from the UK I still find it awful that most tickets these days are goong for £70-£100. I am going to 12 gigs this year. 10 of them were over 70 quid, it all adds up and it"s so expensive. Miss the days when gigs were at least below £50.

[@jordynp7914]

Additionally, living in small countries ie me in NZ, small artists barely come here so we miss out on that and then no matter who comes, tickets are almost always extremely expensive.

[@wahtdookie]

My dad was looking at tickets for RHCP live and the tickets costed over $1000, and he wanted to take me, my brother, and my mom, but that would be way to much money

[@craigschuppe9896]

I've been thinking this for a minute thank you for bringing this to light

[@KremBotop]

Can you talk about when should singers just stop performing live? These last few months featured an infamous Bon Jovi tour where he simply lost his voice, and those gigs are still utterly expensive

[@beyondartv]

Planning a video like this actually!!

[@theseth455]

Not a huge Bon Jovi fan anyway, but I wouldn’t pay anything close to these ticket amounts if the show’s quality is this low.

[@bobthebuilderday6leader]

Yeah or artists should take longer breaks in between performances. I guess labels are just straining and pushing the artists to their limits for profit, huh. Not surprising, but it really sucks when you’re paying good money for a subpar performance.

[@eallison9]

I mostly go to indie shows and rarely pay more than 20$ per ticket. I kind of got tired of competing with bots for lawn tickets for mainstream artists.

[@CoffeePotGames]

i wanted to see RHCP this August bc they're literally performing in Toronto on my birthday but the tickets are like $500 for shitty seats in the back. not worth it at all.

[@MrBrezelwurst]

Damn, and here I thought 200-300€ for Foo Fighters a few years back was hella expensive. They played on my birthday too, but those tickets cost more than my birthday itself and I ended up rather playing lasertag with my friends instead

[@MichaelJoshuaWilliams]

I paid $90 for section 112 in Atlanta…

[@Jonezysmusiccentral]

That’s why I usually prefer going to smaller concerts at smaller venues. Usually metal. Small venues that aren’t controlled by Live Nation and Ticketmaster where I only have to pay 20-30 bucks a ticket.

[@roshanfey]

the perks of listening to heavier music for sure

[@onyxodyssey]

I'm kind of a concert snob- or at least, I WAS. I won't watch through phones or a Jumbotron. In 2017, I saw a popular classic rock three band tour and was in the 8th row for $75. A similar tour is coming and now 8th row tickets are $400. I'm priced out.

[@jon8021]

One of the few times I’m glad I grew up in the Bay Area in the 80s and 90s. Saw many of the now-legendary punk, metal, alt, grunge, jazz acts for mere pennies, relatively speaking.

[@CatelynnMarie]

i'm really glad you posted a video about this. it's a major problem. i understand about inflation, but it's definitely more than a bit much at this point. no one should have to pay outrageous prices to experience live music from their faves. no one should have to be put in a position of being forced to miss out entirely because of price. the fact nosebleeds are hundreds, it's just disturbing to me as someone who really respects and appreciates live music. makes me sad honestly too that people are out here having to shell out like 1k+ just to be anywhere near stage. plus the prices for honestly really cheaply made/ backburner merch, it's just not it

[@roshanfey]

YES thank you for speaking out about this. i especially feel you when you said you're starting to dread concerts - entertainment and the arts should not make you feel dread! and fans should not have to shell out ridiculous amounts of money just to support their favorite artists, have an amazing time, and support the arts in the industry. sites like ticketmaster know that the richer fans will shell out however much money just to see their faves for a few hours, and it exploits the fuck out of the rest of us for that as well. it's so predatory and disgusting. every day i see more and more why fans truly are the backbone of every band, how that connection and _trust_ can be so easily taken advantage of.

[@micheleperkins1956]

I'm at the point that I have a Muse fund. Not even kidding, I put money into it every week so I can go see them. I used to go to tons of concerts, now I'm really picky.

[@vSpr3dator]

i know this is late but i use to see 3 4 bands at big venues like blink and a day to remember for 60 bucks for pit tickets at the forum in los angeles back in 2016. i saw sum 41 for 45 bucks and this year saw limp bizkit with 4 or 5 bands for 100 that was the most ive ever payed. the hella mega tour was 300 at dodger stadium. i havent been able to see most bands lately due to it. i dont get why its so much.

[@kitkat261]

I was just checking out prices for mcr today, I was shocked at the lowest being over 200 plus fees. Another artist I wanted to see started at 65 for nosebleed seats. The venue also doesn't even allow bags of any kind, only wallets or nothing. Fuck that. Wish I had tried to see some of my faves years ago.

[@killahrabbit1400]

I was watching a video about Fugazi recently and the band sold tickets for $5.00, all ages, sold no merchandise, and played without a setlist (except for the first song). We are such a far cry away from that era.

[@TheBronxBunnyMan]

Less than two minutes into the video, and I just want to say this: when I bought my ticket to see Wristmeetrazor and SeeYouSpaceCowboy later this summer, THERE WASN'T EVEN AN OPTION FOR A PHYSICAL TICKET. The ticket is all I have left of some of these shows, besides the memories. When I saw Charli XCX in 2019, I could only afford that because of a Spotify discount. -_- the fact you mentioned the MCR fiasco that left me $150 less rich for practically bleachers, after saving up...... Also, that Blink/MCR tour, the year before was $37.50 for the Paramore edition of that tour.

[@roshanfey]

ugh, what's the point in not giving an option for physical tickets? they're the best type :/

[@jimbob2427]

Love the shirt!

[@alex_flamer]

Yes ticket prices are definitely through the roof. However, it does depend on who you're seeing and how mainstream they are. Legacy acts and top 40 pop acts are the most expensive because they need to maintain their status of being rich. (Same goes for the major label they're on.) However, underground acts aren't rich. They make just enough money to make a living through touring, merch sales, and are still able to put out an album and compilations every few years. Therefore, they don't charge much since they don't have such a big machine behind them.

[@amandac.s.9452]

I felt lucky when I got tix to see Måneskin in Philly for $55. As someone who's always been relegated to the nosebleeds, a post fee ticket of $73 to be in a more intimate venue with a great rock band seemed like a steal. I need to see what we spent on Hella Mega Tour in Pittsburgh, cause we were in the second to last row of the nosebleeds, and I want to say they were still $50-$100

[@beyondartv]

That is a steal, have fun at the show! I would totally pay that for an exciting act like them

[@RubyChiang]

There was The 1975 concert that I had wanted to go a year or few years back and I opted out of it after sawing the prices of the tickets. seriously couldn't understand why those tickets were the price they were.

[@michaelrock2265]

Agreed. Tickets are too expensive now Thank goodness small venues and free shows are still kicking it to this day

[@DarkLordPikachu]

Is this somewhat US specific? I’m from the UK and $300 each for Hella Mega Tour is insane? I paid just about 90GBP for standing in the UK for the same gig, and consider that super expensive as is!

[@lunajka]

i'm European (Polish) and i've been noticing it as well: in 2012 i went to Muse concert and paid 120 zł for the ticket, which was less than 30 USD. i had to miss their gig (btw they only play one gig per tour here) during the Simulation Theory tour since the chepeaset ticket cost almost 400 zł (about 95 USD). the increase in price was pretty insane, if you ask me. i know it probably doesn't seem much but remember that we earn less in Poland in comparison with USA or western Europe. on the other hand, a month ago i went to the White Lies gig and the tickets only cost 100 zł (less than 25 USD) and i must say, i really respect them for this kind of affordable prices - i legit paid more for merch than for the ticket lol. it was a 2 hours gig in quite a big club and i loved every second of it.

[@BobSaxon-ou7ww]

Queen with Adam Lambert in 2018 was 273 per ticket side stage 15 rows up Lower bowl.

[@ameliasparkles13]

I have been disappointed and concertless for years, for a few reasons, but the prices of tickets is definitely one of the biggest one 😔 (not counting lockdown times)

[@Hcatz123]

Haven't seen the video yet but I've been trying to buy RHCP tickets and the thing that hurts the worst? The fees. The fucking extra fees. I can save yknow $200-$300 for a decent ticket, hell I'll splurge on pit if I have too, but the fees is what kills me

[@alex_flamer]

Are you talking about the Chili Peppers with the Strokes and Thundercat? Yeah, I'm not going to that. That would clearly fall in the classic rock category which is the most expensive. And yes, fees are ridiculous!

[@Hcatz123]

@@alex_flamer yup that's what I'm talking about. I managed to find a good deal from Seat Geek (I went to Hella Mega at the same venue and I know it pretty well from other events) but $400 ish tickets for two people jumped to $600-$700 due to fees alone!

[@GoodvibesXD]

Luckily I'm going to see wolf Alice again this October tickets weren't too expensive $47 per ticket but the more popular artists have ridiculous prices

[@beyondartv]

They’re much more reasonable and they also use eTix in the states at least, much better and far less fees

[@elisteele9373]

My best ticket "steal" would be spending $62 all in for the Hella Mega Tour. About $20 for each and good seats for a stadium show too

[@Kirarala]

Recently we paid like $130ish for the Trinity of Terror concert. The tickets were like $40 each, but those service fees man. Hate Ticketmaster so much

[@DeathMachineJoe]

Thanks for speaking up on this. We need more people like John Oliver or Pearl Jam to call out Ticketmaster for their thievery, which should be illegal. Since I’m into metal most of the time, I don’t always have to worry too much about expensive ticket prices, but even the fees for a $25 or $30 ticket can be extremely ridiculous. The most I’ve paid (and ever will pay) for a single Ticketmaster ticket was over $200 to see Porcupine Tree this fall. Yeah sure it’s a 2nd row seat, but I didn’t even have to pay that much for a singular ticket to see Tool a few months ago.

[@lena-trajkovic17]

This list is seriously missing kpop concerts, that shit is insane; mostly because of resellers, relying on young fans and FOMO, but i have heard of some tickets that go above $1000 and even more, and not to mention fansigns and fans pilling albums in order to get into fansigns… I got tivkets for black veil brides this year for a mere price of €26, i couldn’t believe i got that good of a price for a 2022 concert… Great video as usual!

[@lopa4473]

I noticed this trend too. It‘s everywhere these days. It’s like you are being forced to commit to just one „hobby“ financially. It’s part of your Identity afterall.

[@oliviascales5846]

Great video! Jon Oliver also has a really good segment on this issue and the role Ticketmaster has played in the drastic price changes

[@hazzahannah]

I literally did art commissions just to save up to see Paul McCartney live. Tickets for 3 costed about almost $400. I saved up about $200 and plan to split the price between me and my parents, but it still wasn’t enough and my dreams of seeing him live were crushed… but hey! Thank God tribute bands exist and plan on seeing The Fab Four on the 25th 🤪✌🏻 But yeah something’s gotta be done w ticket prices cuz it’s kinda ridiculous now :/

[@enidp1277]

One other thing I've been noticing here in Canada with concerts the past few years is there have been so much less shows. Artists used to come to 5+ cities in Canada now they only go to Vancouver and Toronto, Montreal if you're lucky. 5 years ago you could see bands like the 1975 and twenty one pilots in Ottawa and now you have to go to Toronto to see anyone which is something you can only afford every couple years if at all.

[@clifisboring]

$10 at door basement shows are where it’s at

[@ThatOneSceneDude]

Don't forget gas to drive to the venue, paying for parking, food, and any 50 or 60 dollar shirt you wanna buy.

[@lucretiamacevil362]

My brother graduated in '87, and his yearbook has an average price list in it: concert $17.50 (date night $20, gas $1.15 movie $4). I recently paid over $100 for a Rammstein ticket.

[@DanceLouisDance]

For me it's the prices, amd the fact artists only come to Louisville, Indianapolis, or St Louis, which I'm all about 2-3 hours away from.

[@Mr_Mistah]

Fortunately for me it's an hour drive if I want to see a concert but I despise driving into the city

[@DontstopIfIfall]

Oh I feel this hardcore. I'm in Des Moines so most of the time I end up in Minneapolis, Kansas City or Chicago for shows (3-6 hours away).

[@mbumtaia8822]

John Oliver did a piece on this topic. Ticketmaster essentially holds a monopoly on live experiences. They own live nation and force venues to sign deals that makes Ticketmaster the only option to book tickets from.

[@filipmagath8775]

300 USD for a single ticket, are you sure you got that right? for the european part of Hella mega tour i paid 2090 CZK which is 85€ which is 90 USD. AND that is the price for whole 4 day event with 116 bands including GD, FOB, Weezer and names like Sum 41, Royal Blood, skillet. silverstein, biffy clyro..... most recent ticket i bought was for simple plan/sum 41 show and it cost me 50 € = 54 USD

[@cheesebuger13]

I work at two venues myself and a benefit is. It having to pay to sometimes hear concerts. I recommend checking out local bands and smaller artists for cheaper shows. I paid 22 bucks to see Stand Atlantic and I'm seeing them in two weeks.

[@TheCoasterCraze]

The 500+ for Springsteen was for his Broadway show which isn’t really a tour so imo shouldn’t count. His ticket prices for actual tours are still crazy high but nowhere near that amount

[@markjames8664]

He’s made efforts over the years to keep ticket prices down, given that he could have gotten pretty much anything he wanted.

[@efficiencygaming3494]

Yeah, concert prices are out of control these days. It's totally unacceptable that you have to pay more than what the experience is worth if you want tickets, and price gouging needs to be illegal yesterday. It truly sucks. Makes me regret not going to concerts more often when the tickets were more affordable.

[@theyburninhell7352]

I don't really know whether the prices are getting out of control. Four years ago I paid 23,70€ for a State Champs ticket, a week ago I paid 25,55€. I think that's still reasonable. I hate big venues. As soon as a crowd passes the 1,500 mark I'm out in most cases so I usually don't have to think about whether I really want to spend more than 30 bucks on a ticket.

[@beyondartv]

It’s very different in the states price wise

[@KarenOtte]

It depends on who owns what in your city and who’s running everything especially online that it seems like they can get their tickets cheaper but if you’re not clicked up with them, you can’t

[@slashmaster2]

Another thing I REALLY don't understand. How can the price be going up when every other person is holding a phone up recording it so everyone else who isn't there can watch it for free!🤔

[@Chilean1995]

i was on latinoamerican Green Day tour 2010 Chile, the ticket on the FRONT 25 dollars !!!!

[@shilo.R.A]

I live in Israel and since we don't get many big artists here (small country, and also this BDS bs) I feel like the prices are way higher than they should be. I mean, there's a Big Thief show soon and this one's quite affordable actually, but Nick Cave will be here soon too and his ticket prices are somewhere between 120 dollars to about 200.

[@thelastnic]

I agree, several shows this year not going due to high ticket prices and to make it worse, it was discovered some artists pull tickets and then put them out on resale. Can search this topic, (The Guardian ran one story) Metallica is one act that was doing it. So artists pull tickets, then have them resold on the secondary market. If you have to make payments for tickets then don't go, it's not worth it.

[@conormanning8745]

Do yourselves a favor and be on the lookout for cheap local bands in/around your area. Invite some friends, I promise it can be a magical night. A band by the name of The Velvet Teen persuaded me and became one of my all time favorites. Knowing they grew up in my city just inspires me and gives me a sense of community in the music scene. No Star was their first song to stun me, and the ever changing sound of their discog has kept me engaged. Despite being unrecognized, their drummer is up there with the greats. They only have around 5,000 monthly listeners on spotify. Amazing band. I will have none of this expensive ticket bullshit. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BANDS

[@bobthebuilderday6leader]

I’m not even American but where I’m from ticket prices are insane as well. Supporting indie artists/bands, and attending smaller scale local music festivals are the way to go.

[@maximilianbarteder9311]

I'm so glad I live in Europe hearing about ticket pricing in the US. This Sunday I've been to the Hella Mega Tour with my tickets I've bought in 2019 for 77,99€ + 2€ in fees, wich adds up to about 85 USD. This was the most expensive concert I've ever been too. My first ever concert was also a Green Day show (with All Time Low and The Baseballs as opening bands) in 2013 in Vienna. My tickets were 45€ (I think it they were actually like 55€ but I got a discount) back then. If you compare those two concerts ticket prices feel pretty stable over here. Last Week Tonight did a great segment on ticket pricing and fees Ticketmaster charges a few months ago, so if anyone who reads my comment hasn't seen it yet, you should check it out.

[@TheWRCS]

That’s me with Ghost, I’d love to see em in August, but with these gas prices idk

[@samduymelinck]

Luckily I often go to smaller venues. I had to pay just €19 per ticket to see Knuckle Puck with Hot Mulligan and Bony Macaroni in Eindhoven, NL. In September I'll also be seeing Polaris in Tilburg, NL for just €30, and in December I'll be seeing Against the Current in the same venue, also for just €30. On the other hand, there's also a few concerts I'll be attending that were way more expensive. Kensington in Amsterdam, NL cost me €55 per ticket (still not that bad considering how big they are here) and Coldplay in Brussel, BE was €100! per ticket

[@JohnnyRecently]

Tickets skyrocketed after Covid. Gawd.

[@entertainmentfanaticreviews]

I remember seeing Green Day back in 2017 front row for $100 each but then at Hella Mega I paid $150 for the seats behind General Admission but that tour makes more sense because of 3 Big Bands but geez.

[@EthanDJC]

i’m in a small indie band myself and i feel guilty if gig tickets are more than £5😂

[@pinkmenace6836]

concerts are some of my favorite experiences that i’m willing to drop some money but these days with bots it’s hard to even get anything that’s not extremely jacked up due to resale :/

[@danielleivars3620]

I'm not sure whether to feel smug because i went to a Royal Blood concert in the UK and my ticket was only just under £40 (with The Amazons as the support act)

[@boomerpatrol2838]

a few months late to the party but i recently bought tickets to bring me the horizon, after service fees and taxes the tickets ended up being 30 dollars more then what was listen, its bullshit.

[@archiecook55]

I used to go to a lot of concerts, now I definitely go much less frequently, and ticket prices are definitely a big factor in that. I think the problem is Ticketmaster has a monopoly on the industry and it needs to be regulated.

[@jakebyrne7223]

Hella mega in Ireland was like 90 euros each plus about 15 euro in fees, I think MCR last week was like 70 euro plus fees. These are a bit more than last time greenday played during rev rad I think it was around 70 quid. But while I think festivals in Ireland have shot up in price but concerts seem fair inflation not too high but the fees get higher every year

[@hellofrominside8524]

I can’t remember what I paid for two decent bleacher seats to the hellamega tour last year but I saw Guns N’ Roses in 2017. About $300 for two people two rows from the back of TD Garden

[@davidleary4524]

I love going to concerts but this is out of control. It's price gouging just like with gas and everything else. Garth Brooks is charging $99 for all tickets for his stadium shows. It sucks if you can't get the best seats but it's better than knowing you're going to have to pay like $550 for the best tickets for someone like Gaga (and that's not even for the pit!)

[@DontstopIfIfall]

Most club/bar shows are still reasonable it seems, thankfully. Arena tours and festivals are wild though (thanks to scalpers/dynamic pricing). I've seen Manchester Orchestra, Jawbreaker and The HU this year and none of those tickets were over $50/each. I'm also seeing MCR at Riot Fest, but I usually go there anyway cause it's a blast!

[@thegenderlessbat]

I am so glad you said this. Theirs so many bands I still wanna see this year but I’m trying to save as much money as I can… AND TICKET MASTER IS NOT HELPING

[@CapitalCCapitalC]

Recently spent $1k for Silk Sonic Vegas residency tix. Great show but not eligible for resale. Cmon I gotta have an out for that $ amount.

[@Ravioli-uw9uy]

1000$????!

[@iron___]

I've gradually transitioned from stadium/arena shows and started going to more club shows due to price increases (haven't been to a show since 2019 due to pandemic). Chvrches and Foster the People were still pretty cheap at a club, at least in 2018-19 timeframe.

[@CameronMcKee]

It's honestly ridiculous. First off it's hard enough to get through the queue, then the prices are just insane when you finally get to checkout with fees, tax, etc. I waited online for Lorde ticket, one of my favorite artists ever, fully prepared to drop some money to see her. I was like 2 hours early in multiple lines across various cities 3 hours away. Somehow still ended up super far back in line. FINALLY get through and the only thing available is resale for $250+ PER TICKET! Fast forward a couple months and My Chem is coming literally 45 minutes away, my literal favorite band ever and one whom I've been wanting to see but the initial tickets a couple years ago were like $200 and I couldn't swing it. I finally just bit the bullet on these new tickets for this summer since I know the show will at least be fun and I'll lose my voice during it lol but they were still well over $100 per ticket, not including fees. It'll probably be the last concert I go to

[@rosetheflower2000]

I very recently saw MCR here in The Netherlands. Bought a GA standing ticket for €61,60 for a venue with 16500 capacity (on ticketmaster, no less!). It's so unfair that people in some countries are subjected to extortionate prices and stupid-ass fucking fees. Parkway Drive, same story. €50 for a GA ticket.

[@ChrisNorwood3]

I wanted to go to that concert inside a volcano with Bush, STP, Black Eyed Peas and Sting for 27 dollars. Only problem is flying there costs 2K. So.....nope.

[@alex_flamer]

Lol a volcano?

[@ChrisNorwood3]

@@alex_flamer It's called Atlantis Concert For Earth.

[@WitchyWhale]

It was only 70 dollars to see the Indigo Girls when they came to Charlotte earlier this year. I guess the price depends on the artist.

[@merlesstorys]

This year, I’ve planned three tickets so far, all seated, in Germany, and honestly I don’t know if I’d be willing to pay more than a hundred bucks for a ticket. I’m going to see an established punk-rock band twice for 65€ both, I think, with pit tickets only costing 70€ at most. The other time I’m just paying 50€. Also… it’s still similar to what they were a years prior and especially prior to the Crisis.

[@deadman7624]

I totally get your point but I can’t relate. I’ve been to many shows already this year (~40) but they’re mostly smaller punk shows. I do a few bigger shows oer year (MCR and Riot Fest this year) but not many. I’m just happy that the shows I go to are reasonably priced since they’re one of the only places I feel myself

[@yourescum497]

That’s why you listen to underground music! I’ve been to tons of shows and festivals. It’s always better to see up and coming bands in small venues! Merch is definitely more expensive post Covid. But just went and saw Alexisonfire and Underoath for 20 bucks on tour. Glassjaw for 25. Charlie XCX for 25 at a small venue.

[@markjames8664]

I recently saw The Warning with Hero the Band opening in a small Boston venue where front row was maybe six feet from the stage. Tickets were around $30 for GA I believe (I bought a VIP package). It would have been an amazing show for $200 or $300. These young bands are putting everything they’ve got into every show, something you don’t always get from big name acts.

[@marginalhero4783]

I use to go to shows all the time, in my teens and 20's, I was a concert junkie. Good times. It's weird that I was able to afford doing that while working part time in university but now working a career job, I can't justify paying concert tickets. I remember thinking 80 bucks for a Tool concert seemed like a lot. That was 20 years ago. It must also be more expensive in Canada than what your chart says because every ticket I've looked into recently have been 300-400 dollars. And I'd like to go with my wife, so double that.

[@Aetherspace_]

i bought tickets to see stray kids this summer. the maximum face value price for floor seats was $179. because of ticketmaster jacking up the prices, i spent $340 on a nosebleed seat..

[@trevensasstheautisticman]

You just did the reference to Smooth by Santana and rob Thomas at the very start of the video

[@squarebarrel]

I’ll agreed ticket prices are expensive. I used to go to shows 2-3 a year. I started declining the insurance they want you to buy per ticket. I bought Smashing Pumpkins/Jane’s Addiction tickets and they wanted $35 for 1 ticket. Oh hell no. Ticket itself was reasonably priced at $125 with all the other fee it was $145. It would of been well over $200. Then they want to tack on Parking in some places. Not to mention I started bringing a sandwiches and save money that way. But I actually have a separate savings account for Taylor Swift tickets because those are well worth every penny.

[@Zeus-sb7tj]

Prices have to go up, these artist are not making money off sales from their music alone. These are streaming times and music sales will forever be low because of streaming services that pay their artists dust.

[@theseth455]

One of several reasons why streaming really hurt the music industry. Jon actually made a full video essay on this too back in 2018. The effects have now officially been confirmed in 2022.

[@Zeus-sb7tj]

@@theseth455 I have to check it out! Thanks 😃

[@robvickers2126]

Absolutely spot on mate.

[@MichaelJoshuaWilliams]

I paid 125 for floor of Hella Mega last summer in Atlanta. Nowhere did I see a $600 ticket. Sounds like you bought verified resale and got ripped the fuck off.

[@artvjon]

I said $600 total. $300 each, with fees. Bought on artist pre-sale, not resale. Venue fees / other random fees were like $80 a ticket.

[@charliehanley1503]

This issue seems to be in the U.S mostly, $600 for Hella Mega Tour tickets whilst where I am it was €190 for golden circle

[@alex_flamer]

I didn't really care about the Hella Mega Tour. However, there was a similar tour this year that I did go to for only $40 after fees. The Bay Strikes Back tour with three legendary thrash metal bands. Took place at different general admission theaters across the country.

[@gonzaloamide]

That's just crazy. Here in Spain is much chepaer. A regular show could never top 100€ and the regular show goes from 45 to 60€ I'll say. Sum41 + Simple plan 42'5€ for instance.