What Ticketmaster Doesn't Want You To Know: Concerts Were Cheap For Decades

[@joegug4751]

I’m tired of everything being a scam.

[@thedevilandhertrumpets4268]

Same. Same….

[@shadowspark220]

Me too, kid...me too. 😞

[@TheAmericanAmerican]

That's just Capitalism! 🤗

[@joegug4751]

That because you didn’t grow up in the 70’s and 80’s.

[@whois3581]

Stop falling for it and buying into it, and call out others that do. I've refused to pay more than $25-$50 for any show, and it's rare, especially if it's ticket master, which of course most are. And when your friend says, "well yea it sucks, but I really want to see this show", you call your friend a pathetic loser and shame him for being a sheep.

[@BeardOfRiker]

Ticketmaster being allowed to have their own secondary market to re-sell tickets and collect even more fees is insanity.

[@JoseAlfonsoContreras-g9l]

They probably got the business model from Cargill.

[@michaelfoxbrass]

@@JoseAlfonsoContreras-g9lbingo. Vertical integration.

[@girljinxed3331]

It benefited many corporate and political pockets so it got green lit 😫

[@roxaskinghearts]

@@girljinxed3331 so is selling children and

[@dwaiting883]

Legal Scalping. And the fees are so high to resell them, that you have to place the ticket you had to resell at a much higher price just to clear the new fees and tax they put on top of it. They provide a nice, convenient calculator to show you how much you will have to raise it to not eat shit. I remember I had to add like $50 to the ticket to clear it, rather than just a small processing fee. The fees are more than I paid for shows in the 90's.

[@solidsnake1806]

The bit where the CEO literally admitted their goal is to turn accessible life experiences into luxuries akin to designer bags made me sick to my stomach.

[@liam3284]

That is a good quote though, because everything, from the roof over our heads down seems to be going that way.

[@osurpless]

As per the typical MBA, it’s baked into the philosophy of the field they simultaneously denigrate. Mostly because they need to deflect from how poorly thought out their philosophy like “win-win situation” is…

[@bt7482]

Look what Live Nation is doing to Bonnaroo... More "luxury" tents for hundreds even thousands of dollars with the promise of a once in a lifetime experience only for the customer to show up and see a field of tents packed against one another so tightly that everyone shares in one persons farts.

[@cd3949]

​@@liam3284You will own nothing and be happy.

[@seriphyn8935]

@@osurpless Here to fistbump over the MBA denigration...they are, by far, the dumbest university-educated cohort while simultaneously being the most potentially competent and knowledgeable (within the specific framework of corporate capitalism). They don't see intrinsic value to anything, they can't even comprehend hiring other university-educated people who graduated in traditional subjects like history (strong writing and analytical abilities) or English (strong creativity), because every single soft skill now has to have its own diploma (there's literally a BA in Creativity now); god forbid they use their brains and imagine individuals might have these skills inherently/implicitly.

[@jimkulstad6832]

As someone who worked in the music business back in the seventies, both as a musician and in the production end of things, it is profoundly disturbing to see what corporate greed has done to the industry

[@richardwillford2418]

...and to the world.

[@huskiefan8950]

What corporate greed is doing to damn near EVERY industry. That's whats so hard about now......

[@busterbiloxi3833]

I guess things didn’t work out too well for you.

[@tarabooartarmy3654]

Funny how ticket scalping is illegal, but Ticketmaster can do whatever it wants.

[@BlitzkriegOmega]

That's the benefit of having a monopoly. You can't shut down the Blatantly illegal business Because if you do, you crash the entire live music industry.

[@fgoindarkg]

​@@BlitzkriegOmega By crash you mean release?

[@TheMysteryDriver]

Scalping is only illegal in certain states.

[@emeral311]

Ticketmaster is legalized scalping.

[@Assistint]

@@emeral311 just like lobbying is legalized bribing and tax avoiding is legalized tax evading 😂 The monetary system is the biggest and longest lasting ponzi scheme in human history. A minority group gets the majority to do ALL the labor.

[@Roger-vz7ol]

I honestly can't think of one business that is not plagued by monopolizaton. It is a ferocious cancer that is literally destroying this country. 🤬🤬🤬

[@mateogruszynski8362]

ive been thinking that watching these videos EVERY single industry is a monopoly

[@jackattack3429]

thats just capitalism i fear

[@jimbobbillybob]

Grocery stores? Cars? Phones? Computers?

[@Weewonton]

Another reason why america sucks and Europe does it better again

[@tw8464]

You're absolutely right

[@princesskaguya2000]

I am dumbfounded that artists can literally be forced to use a service they want nothing to do with. Crazy

[@allenlink8032]

No one is forced to do anything.

[@cheesyboygouda]

They aren’t forced though. They have a choice, don’t play. Boycott. It.

[@skyisreallyhigh3333]

@@allenlink8032 nO oNe Is FoRcEd To Do AnYtHiNg Yes, we are all literally forced to work, or we die, which isn't a choice.

[@allenlink8032]

@@skyisreallyhigh3333 You do not understand what literally means.

[@logannunya3139]

@@allenlink8032no no, they’re correct. You just refuse to acknowledge facts.

[@julianmilam]

Ticketmaster and Livenation are evil. I wanted to take my daughter to her favorite artist concert and it was over 800 dollars, like hell no, that's too much.

[@burneranonimo]

Read a comment from someone who said Shows were ruined “by Jews, like everything else” 😵

[@sgtslaughter573]

I can remember I used to pay 100 dollars to skip the line and vip now people are dumb enough to pay thousands 😂😂 there ain't a person on earth I'm paying to go see them

[@EB1878]

@julian, holy 💩 crap!! I've never known ticket prices to go that extremely insane. I feel your pain. I know when I was probably your daughter's age, (I was a preteen in the late 80's). I wanted to go see Kiss so badly... I remember being so heartbroken because I didn't tell my parents about the concert in advance, and I mean like when I seen that list of tour dates in Metal Edge magazine. Ticjets had sold out in less than an hour after going on sale I later found out. I had tape recorded a live call-in radio show to help support their H.I.T.S tour in '89. Paul and Gene stopped in the rock n' roll FM radio station a month or two before they were due to return to do a concert. I was living an hour from where the radio station was. I wish I had kept that cassette tape I had of that call in radio show, but I no longer have it. Oh man but being a young Kiss fan back then was filled with tumultuous highs and a few lows pre-internet days. I used to transcribe everything I could about Kiss on index cards that I'd carry oon my person. I did random interviews with strangers whenever they liked my Kiss shirt and gave me a compliment. And of course, I'd obtain their permission before jotting down their interesting stories about Kiss. And I compiled a lot of magazine info about them too throughout the years. I'll never forget the first generation Kiss Army fans that both gave me their 70's Kiss stuff they no longer wanted, and more importantly, imparting me with their knowledge. 😊 So, yep I feel your daughter's pain and disappointment. I think it's rotten that the music industry is so greedy that they can't at least bring the prices of tickets down for every income. The further this music industry continues with insane price gouging, the less and less those packed venues will be packed and not even at half.

[@axelvetter]

In July 2024 Taylor Swift played two concerts here in Hamburg, Germany. I met several Americans who had flown to our city to see her and spend a week in our city. I asked them why they didn't attend a concert in the US. They replied tickets were between US$ 1,300 and 2,500 in the States but US$ 200 in Germany so they actually saved some money while going on vacation.

[@Thesakuraharona]

That is insane!

[@CoercedJab]

@@Thesakuraharonanow think about big pharma control of US consumers…

[@yokaioni7863]

​@@CoercedJab That one, but we'll never kill that hydra too many big key players

[@jordanabendroth6458]

I was looking at Taylor Swift prices a while ago in London and in Vancouver BC because Vancouver is close enough I could do it over a weekend trip, Tickets in Vancouver were so much more expensive that it was close to the same price to fly to London from the US and go see her there than to drive a few hundred miles and see her in Vancouver BC

[@mateostenberg]

I was literally thinking, 87% of a Taylor Swift concert ticket could definitely get you to Europe XD

[@raccoontrashpanda1467]

Watching Ticketmaster destroy huge numbers of small live music scenes around the globe the past couple of decades has been really depressing.

[@logangodofcandy]

That was the intent of the US government

[@christopherknowles]

To be fair Livenation has upped a lot of standards in venues wrt safety, security, and technical issues. Dealing with scumbag thieving promoters and shitty unsafe venues prior to 2010 was a nightmare. Now there is a consistent point of contact, with people above them if they try anything. Now your tech and hospitality riders will get read and followed. Now you can advance the shows without calling and emailing 20 times with no response. Don’t get me wrong, I hate LN, but they are a necessary middle management role in live production and those people all need to be paid too.

[@SUPERFunStick]

You're not angry yet? You aren't awake or you're willingly complacent to corporations and govt killing our children's futures. This isn't a service fee it's extortion and hostility and needs to be illegal. Monopolies of all kinds and unlimited hostile destructive capitalism turns corporate and government greed into a literal attack on all of us and we all pretend it's not going to destroy humanity and the planet before our lives are over. How much longer do I have to sit helplessly while everybody else keeps paying these thieving killers to poison our water food and minds to passively allow these monsters to steal from all of us and destroy the planet and destroy the future from us all? This needs to end and it never will if we keep allowing corporate entities to pay for their selfish destructive legislature. Pay attention to lobbyists of all kinds. If there's corruption in your local area, I promise you it's bought and paid for. We know where to look now let's act

[@vonbek8118]

@@christopherknowles It's amazing that I went to hundreds of shows in the 1980s and 90s with no issues with security or safety.

[@christopherknowles]

@@vonbek8118 How would you have felt yesterday evening if you hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch?

[@JeantheSecond-ip7qm]

Back in the 90s, some musicians I liked testified in front of Congress about the Ticketmaster monopoly. Government siding with corporations got us here.

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

100%

[@Demopans5990]

And it stifled innovation Guess why Japanese and Korean media is gaining American market share? Even the Chinese are getting in on the fun.

[@iExploder]

Government abdicating its responsibilities to the people to prevent monopolies is what got us here, yes.

[@MbisonBalrog]

Pearl Jam spoke out against Ticketmaster cuz own record company likely told them to do so. They all could make more money if no monopoly.

[@watamatafoyu]

So you're against a company making profit?! That was literally Congress's argument.

[@Nysvarth]

It's simple enough to resolve but requires integrety. 1. Ban ticket reselling - if your name isn't on the ticket, you don't get in 2. Artists should set max prices or boycott venues 3. Fans should refuse to pay ridiculous prices

[@terrylandess6072]

No tickets - pay at the door. This does annoy the entitled though.

[@IrateWizrd]

I think something like ticketmaster's verified reseller system could actually work, but only if you could only resell for the exact price you paid for so you could give someone the ticket if you can't make it.

[@T0MapleLaughs]

1. Probably not going to happen as it's a $6.5b market. Ultimately all made by the top corporate acts, which are geared toward the top corporate fans who can afford them. 2. Artists ultimately want the money. 3. Always an option. However there are still a lot of fans who will pay. Especially after being cooped up during the pandemic for years. It's also been a method to pick away at any pandemic savings, along with hotels, restaurants and almost everything else all jacking up their prices. A breakup of the monopoly would be welcome, but I'm not sure if prices will dramatically drop. 'Climate action' also has to be considered, as going out to these events was considered energy intensive.

[@dougaltolan3017]

What if you bought a ticket but circumstances change (too late for cancellation) and you can't go?

[@dougaltolan3017]

​@@terrylandess6072What if you have to travel a long way to the gig, where is your guarantee it's not a wasted journey?

[@ohiasdxfcghbljokasdjhnfvaw4ehr]

that guy is a true american hero. if you think you're too good to hold a plunger, then you don't deserve to be in charge of anyone.

[@nikkijubilant]

True

[@coolformproductions]

Well said 🙏

[@zaberfang]

That's literally a lot of wall street and west point people. Lol

[@TW0man4RMY]

Pre 1971.

[@kdavidsmith1]

​@@X9523-z3vthe consumer isn't to blame when the industry is run by a monopoly. When there are no other choices, you have to buy from them.

[@pierrenavaille4748]

I bought a ticket to see Led Zeppelin in 1977 for $10. That was the year Robert Plant's son died, and they cancelled the tour. They refunded my ticket and gave me 25 cents for my trouble.

[@GMHG777]

Saw Kiss in 1979 for 8$ in a massive arena, Rush in 1980 for 10$, absolutely insane !!!

[@loishauger7313]

My first concert was black sabbath in 78, and paid $12.50

[@goobah1389]

Genuinely curious, how did they go about giving the refunds back then?

[@pierrenavaille4748]

@@goobah1389 Cash. I went back to the box office and they gave me cash.

[@Poiutyxbnmc]

@@goobah1389most likely they hired men like Paul revere and one by one the men on horses with bags of money would mark off the ticket buyers name on the list.

[@THE_BEAR_JEW]

My dad told me he was able to see guys like RHCP, Beastie Boys, Spin Doctors, Jane's Addiction, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, etc for like $20 in the 90s. Crazy to think about how these days that might not even get you a beer at a concert.

[@zachary_attackery]

I got front row tickets for Aerosmith in 1993 for $18, all you had to do was be the first person in line at the CD store in the mall that sold the tickets

[@crisgadelhart]

Here in Brazil, the prices of live shows and festivals are even more ridiculous, as our population have less acquisition power, so it's literally this scenario: or you go to an Iron Maiden concert for $400 or you buy food for the rest of your month. Also this ridiculous inventions like "Premium" areas that excludes the real fans to the back of the venue, paid meet-and-greet, it's not just for the music anymore. You need to expend more and more money for "the experience" of being there. Also, this monopoly are crushing the smaller bands, because people will have no money to come to an smaller concert. It's literally killing the music industry right from the bottom.

[@mindlessnick]

I saw Daft Punk in Keyspan Park (NYC) 2007 $47.50

[@BataraKado]

$300 minimum to see any two bands in a 3000 capacity venue these days, its total bullshit, im a muso myself and wished it was never this bad for fans to enjoy live music..

[@michaelglidden4765]

Dude.. LaLuna(Portland) used to have $3 Tuesdays and $6 Thursdays(or something like that.?) just for new bands... I remember seeing Everclear, Presidents, Rev Horton Heat, Ad Rock brought a bed on stage and just mixed beats (who knows where the other guys were at?)... Moby, Counting Crows 7x, the "new alternative" for $13. Pond, Hazel, Crackerbash for $7... Mosh pits with no swastikas... The Dandy Warhols... What happened to the midsize venues that stopped development of the locals? Napster and Ticketmaster blew everything up. Scrounging up a few bucks for entry and a bowl of fries at 19 years old and couldn't get in the bar... looking for trouble... I'm still a dork, but that was so much fun!

[@Nachtlicht]

Im pretty young, so i do not remember that concert tickets were this cheap ever. it honestly baffles me, i thought at least big artists would have been very expensive forever. Thanks for putting things into perspective.

[@stacyfiske7903]

When I went to my first concert I was 15 years old (1996) the concert was 2 big names (Pantera and White Zombie) at one of the most acclaimed venues in the country (Red Rocks Amphitheater) and that ticket price was $25… I still have the ticket stub. 🥰

[@LilChuunosuke]

When my mother was young, poor, and eating bologna sandwiches every day so she could save up to buy a house, she still had enough money that she could afford to go to see Billy Joel live in concert during his prime. After inflation, the ticket cost her only $50.

[@bryanshoemaker6120]

Type O Negative.. $5 absolutely amazing concert. 1998 Lollapalooza was relatively expensive as far as shows are concerned and that was about 30-40

[@MachinedInWood]

@@bryanshoemaker6120I saw Metallica open for Ozzy Osborne on the Ultimate Sin tour. Tix were $20, max. Cliff Burton was playing bass for Metallica and Jake E. Lee was playing guitar for Ozzy. Prior to that, I saw Billy Squire open for Queen at the Boston Garden… I don’t recall even having plans to go to either show. It was just a “what do you want to do this weekend?” thing…

[@UndercoverNormie]

I fucking despise Ticketmaster.

[@tzardelasuerte]

It's capitalism. But you won't say it. Americans are afraid to say it.

[@joca6282]

​@@tzardelasuerteWrong, monopolies are FASCISM.

[@john_from_eastcoast.]

​@@tzardelasuertenooooo! You have no clue! 😂😂😂

[@Scott__C]

@@tzardelasuerte Yes, it's capitalism, but also it's the gutted taxes for the ultra wealthy. Reagan alone gave them a 20% or so decrease and it's been going on since then. They've used occasional small tax reductions for everyone else as an excuse to keep wages fairly stagnant over that time too.

[@UndercoverNormie]

@@tzardelasuerte Correct. I won't say it. Because that's a pea-brained take.

[@everythingmatters6308]

I'm a former musician. I've boycotted all concerts with Ticketmaster fees for 22 years. As long as others continue to support Ticketmaster with their consumer dollar they will continue to buy our politicians and thrive. The American public could put this evil corporation out of business in one year if they would simply all agree to a boycott.

[@anthonylove821]

I paid $25 to see bryan adams in 1994. Which wasn’t that long ago. That ticket today people would be paying at least $400. What a huge scam.

[@AndresSanchez-pp3ho]

It served you well as you are a famous working musician

[@jamestaylor3805]

​@@AndresSanchez-pp3ho to hell with fame and fuck anyone who values fame as some measure of a person's worth.

[@TheRightONe-et3gh]

the problem is: How many people know? How many people care to know? How many people care?

[@rickhill3071]

Ditto. Can't remember the last time I went to see an artist live. Ticketmaster exists because people continue to give them money.

[@steventaylor9962]

I used to wonder how my parents afforded all the concerts they would tell me about, cause they sure as hell didn't have money. Things make a lot more sense now.

[@YTTopia]

For real! I always wondered and now it seems so unfair.

[@Nightdare]

back then you had to be fast, instead of rich, to get hold of a ticket

[@EllyQueue]

Last live show I saw was RATM 2022 bc I was gifted tickets as faves. Back in the 80s and 90s me and my friends saw: LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Mc Lyte, Beastie Boys while teens in HS only jobs was mostly summer or maybe weekends. You could stand outside CBGB's and talk to average joe/jane people who just saw Blondie or The Ramones play. Sickens me that my 30something kids have to *save up* and sacrifice to see live music. SMH

[@c1ph3rpunk]

I don’t remember paying more than $20 for a concert ticket in the 80’s. As a teen I made $3.35/hr, minimum wage then, so it was a couple days work to be able to go to one and get a shirt. The only way to get tickets where I grew up was to go to the box office at the arena and wait in line, often camping out the night before. And honestly, that experience was part of it, I made a lot of friends along the way and had a good time waiting for the box office to open.

[@c1ph3rpunk]

@@TC-zf1ji Pink Floyd, Momentary Lapse of Reason, massive show, lights, lasers, screens, backup singers, 1987, $25.

[@DaftyBoi412]

I'm so glad you used the word "shittier" in a rather formal documentary style video. It's the only apt. word for what they make things!

[@spacecadet35]

It is useful when describing the officially recognised process of "enshittification"

[@seanmolloy6188]

Ticketmaster is the ultimate scum of the earth and is ruined everything they've ever touched. I stopped going to any kind of venue of any sort that Ticketmaster was involved with because the nickel and dime you with fees every step of the way till the tickets are twice the price of what they should be.

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

Yeah they do. It's out of control.

[@RealHomeRecording]

As the old saying goes money talks and bs walks. If more people deprive them of money the ticket prices would be a lot cheaper.

[@logankrastel9609]

Same dude. I've always been one to vote with my wallet. Unfortunately unlike every other time I've done it where i both had a viable alternative and eventually most of those companies rolled back whichever stupid decision made me switch away from them or at least made a notable amount less than they would've otherwise. With me refusing to use ticket master i feel like I'm still losing just losing less than if i did use them. Music is a huge part of my life and yet i haven't been to a concert in 7 years. i used to go to ones monthly but the enjoyment and magic has been trampled to death by Ticketmaster

[@RealHomeRecording]

@@logankrastel9609 I just buy concert Bluray discs at this point. Or watch videos that people post to KZbin. I know it's not the same experience but screw it...I'm better off supporting local bands anyway!

[@scottyjordan3036]

I was in the guys house (Manson). His wife just died at the time. House was looking older. Looks like he spent all the money on her clothes.

[@SamAsm367]

I remember when Pearl Jam challenged Ticketmaster in congress. I didn't think anything of it because when I was a kid, that's what artists did. I think something of it now.

[@tompatchak8706]

And now PJ tickets cost more than my car payments

[@jonferrin5694]

Them, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, STP all my fave bands as a kid/teen growing up. Was so f**king pissed at ticketmaster because I didn't get to see Pearl Jam live until I was almost 30 years old. Best show ever at PNC Park opening for the Rolling Stones. Too bad at $80 it was expensive then but not nearly the outrageous $200-300 for worst seats available most shows are now 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

[@fadenmac8092]

Pearl Jam got nowhere against Ticketmaster, but Metallica shut down Napster MP3 sharing. Money always wins.

[@MbisonBalrog]

Pearl Jam did this because the record company (which is a corporation) that owns them told them to. That record company and probably other record companies wanted more money for themselves by breaking up Ticketmaster monopoly. They themselves likely can get more concert goers if tickets cheaper with more retail competition, or Ticketmaster was charging the band/record company fees for their services.

[@MAN-ON-THE-HORSE-MUSIC]

​​​@@MbisonBalrogif this was true why were Pearl Jam the only band on the label who refused to play ticket master venues, why were Pearl jam the only band to arrange their own tours charging well below the average cost for tickets even at that time, also selling the band merch at discounted prices, it had nothing to do with the label an was a fight the band chose to take on. As for getting more people at gigs is also nonsense, a venue has a capacity an they were selling out huge venues and ended up having to play smaller venues as they were the only ones not controlled by ticketmaster, its well documented that the ticketmaster fight cost the band a lot of money.

[@gregmckenzie4315]

I played in a band when I was much younger. The only future I saw in that path was lots of traveling, late nights in smoke-filled rooms, people who want to fight with the band, and low pay. Now I support locally-owned venues, local talent, and low-cost options to hear and see our local musicians. We need to use our musical events to build local communities. It is just as important as voting.

[@tina-mariecrocker5687]

Well said ❤

[@Summerpeach1]

100% Support local musicians and everything else for that matter

[@fuckcensorship69]

More important than voting, as voting doesnt really change much. How you spend your dollar is a much more powerful vote

[@gregoryporch8395]

Too many people on the ground had a different attitude about local artists turning a profit and have for 2 decades. Plenty of fans supported the presale ticket model, blatantly not caring how exploited local musicians were by it.

[@gregmckenzie4315]

​@@gregoryporch8395 Thanks Greg. I don't blame the fans. When I was younger I was not tuned in to the dark side of live concerts. If the promoters/organizers could offer a live music event with world renowned performers I was interested. But I have not attended a large live concert in several decades. The crowds make me nervous. I would rather see locals getting that support.

[@martingarrison2762]

You guys do amazing work. Please keep doing what your doing. Assuming your not about to run out of stories about anti competitive corporations.

[@untitledpnk]

This is why I no longer go to big shows. Local shows, local venues; buy the tickets directly from the venue. And buy merch.

[@dgehosky]

Exactly... $12.00 to see Hodge Podge, Be Nothing, Imp Cru and Sandcastle at Century, a 100 year old local pub hidden away somewhere in Philadelphia...

[@MatthewHolevinski]

I don't think either of you fully grasped the entire point of this whole video.

[@wannabecarguy]

I hope this breaks ticket master. Your favorite artist can't perform around a camp fire without ticket master getting involved.

[@thealternative9580]

@@MatthewHolevinski Even club and theater shows can run 35-150$ depending on the artist

[@dingleberry3662]

@@MatthewHolevinski was it to talk about monopolies? like DTE, consumers, etc being able to charge whatever prices they want because there's no competition?

[@MrManAmong]

I used to walk up to ticket windows at venues all the time and buy same day tickets to games and shows with ease. Then Ticketmaster started taking over and venues with empty seats wouldn't let you buy tickets at their own booths. This never made sense to me. I'm glad they're getting taken to court.

[@dmitripogosian5084]

What is funny, sometimes you can come to the venue booth, and they will still charge you service fee

[@suzybearheart530]

​@dmitripogosian5084 Yes!!! In the early 2000s, I used to go right to the box office when those fees started popping up. Saved a bunch of money. I can't remember when it changed but once I went to the box office and suddenly it was just as expensive as buying online. It was a sad day for my broke ass 😂

[@dmitripogosian5084]

@@suzybearheart530 Yep, I remember when I first used Ticketmaster in the 90-s and saw service fee add-on, they at least would mail you the ticket by ordinary mail, so it was like, ok, maybe. Now It is just ridicuoulus. Month ago some circus came to my not very large town, put tents in a parking lot. Online (did not look like Ticketmaster, but obviously circus does not run its IT), tickets are like $40-$50 plust $10 service fee. I walked to the tents in the parking lot - tickets are $40-$50 ..... plus $10 service fee. What the heck, there is no middle man, the girl in the booth obviously from the circus itself. Since when by something comes with add-on fees ? Soon supermarkets will charge service fee.

[@davidcox3076]

Used to have to call for tickets. Then I moved up to the big city and could stop by the box office at the venue. And pay for the privilege in fees. Nuts.

[@Space.Ghost.]

​@@suzybearheart530buy tickets at the box office. Bring contraband in to sell at the show. Take profits to fund next weekend's adventure, wash rinse repeat, that was my 2000s.

[@sseltrek1a2b]

"attending a concert has become a "luxury"..."...this is disgusting on every level, and shows how incredibly selfish some human beings actually are...(the pain in that small venue owner's face at the prospect of having to sell off his place of livelihood/passion was heart-breaking...)...

[@willhoren9200]

Agreed. Music is not a luxury; it's a necessity. It's deeply human.

[@dragonmartijn]

You have to admit music is socially and culturally done. All great artists are dead or very old.

[@mkjjoe]

@@dragonmartijn that's missing the point, besides being incredibly biased and defeatist

[@BulyssesBwachowski]

@@dragonmartijngood point guess we better all lay down in the middle of the street. Go read a book

[@LorNrocks]

These concert venues, theme parks, movie theaters, etc need to realize that we are rapidly approaching a point where people cannot afford to go to them. Which sucks for a lot of reasons but also means that lots of workers at those businesses are getting laid off or reduced hours. This is hurting everyone but the CEOs and their c-suite.

[@PeterMayer]

I believe we saw Genesis here in 1978 for $6.50 with a 50-cents service charge from Tickettron. The year before in 1977, my senior year, we drove from Cincinnati to national and saw Genesis for $4!

[@jjuniper479]

Literally what's the point of anti-trust when they're the ones who APPROVED THIS MERGER

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

I mean our politicians are jokes. It's obvious who they work for and take money from.

[@watamatafoyu]

Anti-trust means the biggest corporations get to eliminate their competition. /Murica

[@juqual78]

The point is to get them push through

[@juqual78]

​@@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999I would argue that.We're also jokes for allowing it to happen

[@CaptainCraigKWMRZ]

Think for just a second and ask why anyone would want to be in politics? To make MONEY dumba$$. Wake up people!

[@jaywhitaker1147]

So tired of all the greed, I use to love going to concerts but now can’t go see ANYONE that has broken the veil of obvious talent without having to throw down about $300+ for tix and a few drinks.

[@poet_of_the_apocalypse9850]

You’re going to the wrong shows then

[@SeppelSquirrel]

​@@poet_of_the_apocalypse9850Name 3 shows to go to then.

[@ACSuperstar]

​@@poet_of_the_apocalypse9850 bullshit. The only bands you can see for less are club bands. We want to see bands we're actually fans of. It used to be $25 - $45. Now it's stupidly ridiculous.

[@ACSuperstar]

@jaywhitaker1147 I feel you!! I'm so sick of it! I guess being poor, or even middle class, means we're just excluded. When it comes between paying rent/mortgage, electric bills, or going to a concert - once a year - we have no choice but to pay our bills and forget about the concert. A concert now is like paying for a whole vacation, 20+ years ago. Sickening.

[@amasterofbation]

It’s not always that expensive. There are plenty of great bands playing smaller venues that costs way less that you could go see

[@braviafeed]

I saw Bowie for 22 bucks, Prince 20 bucks, U2 22.50, The Police 18.50. I will never pay 200-300 to see ANYONE...I'll stay home with my memories.

[@Redmenace96]

Me, too.

[@flavorice11]

good for you boomer

[@amandab8433]

YES! My first concert was Duran Duran in 1984. I remember me and my friends lining up in front of Tower Records at 5am. With tax my ticket was $12.50, and I still have it. Nowadays same band, and I missed them because resellers wanted $195 for nosebleed seats. My daughter loves Kpop, and a few years ago wanted me to pay $1850 so she could see her favorite group BTS. Of course I didn't. It's crossed my mind to buy one of those SNIPER bots just so I'd get half a chance to get tickets for myself and family. Not to resell, but just to see shows of bands we like. So sad it's come to that.

[@sarge-T.O.]

heard that.

[@xephael3485]

​@@flavorice11it's not just about boomers... Ticketmaster has even taken over smaller venues. There needs to be a revolt. I believe Pearl Jam refused to use ticket master for a bit

[@NoMoney001]

There’s no “corporate greed”. There’s just “greed” and it’s unfortunately a powerful thing.

[@keith3362]

Ticketmaster is pure evil. And DYNAMIC PRICING is absolutely ridiculous. It would be great if we could boycott Ticketmaster and livenation.

[@nikibordeaux]

I HATE dynamic pricing.

[@bulkvanderhuge9006]

A boycott is easy to do, just don't but the tickets. Problem is getting everybody else to do the same thing.

[@nikibordeaux]

@@bulkvanderhuge9006 I, for one, don't buy tickets from them. But it's kinda easy for me, since I'm not into Pop music.

[@Anya_Ingenue]

@@bulkvanderhuge9006 That's what a boycott is, genius.

[@bulkvanderhuge9006]

@@Anya_Ingenue No kidding. That's why I mentioned it, dummy

[@adziak]

Core problem - monopoly. Tickets should be available to purchase directly from artist, label not a third party.

[@Spectre-wd9dl]

Tickets should be sold by the venue. Period.

[@Krooksbane]

Core problem, Capitalism

[@adziak]

@@Krooksbane No, capitalism is based on competition. Worldwide economies struggle with oligopoly and monopoly in various sectors e.g Energy sector, digital ad sector (Google's monopoly), cloud services (AWS). There is not enough competition because big control the majority and law is favoring them while small companies struggle to widen their horizons and acquire bigger slice of the marketshare. This is called corporate based economy.

[@adziak]

@@Spectre-wd9dl Why not by the artist themselves? Direct sells no middleman.

[@Spectre-wd9dl]

@@adziak the artist didn't build the building or pay the mortgage, clean the floor afterwards, pay for the utilities. It doesn't make sense for the artist to sell tickets.

[@CarysCreatesThings]

I’m an artist currently living in London. A friend of mine from the US is touring Europe soon, and she’s booked no UK dates. I won’t name her, but she’s an independent artist who’s been performing for over 25 years. She’s always been pretty DIY and handled her own bookings, and she has a big enough fan base to have sold out small to mid-sized venues in London and other UK cities over the years. Apparently the mid-sized venues who used to book her now do everything through Live Nation, and she was told she wasn’t a big enough name to warrant the ticket prices they’d have to charge with LN’s markups. It really sucks. They’re ruining the live music industry.

[@CoercedJab]

No they’re not. It’s a controlled demolition/centralization of an art form…

[@CarysCreatesThings]

@@CoercedJab So they’re not ruining the live music industry, they’re just demolishing it? Isn’t that the same thing?

[@smithynoir9980]

​@@CarysCreatesThings Yes, it is. That person just likes to feel unique and special.

[@N4CR]

She needs to hire sports fields, local halls etc and do outdoor events in summer.

[@CarysCreatesThings]

@@N4CR We don’t really do that in the UK. We have music festivals, but they now massively underpay artists too. I doubt they’d even cover her airfare.

[@limbodog]

So... Is there maybe a website that tracks non-ticketmaster venues and services that we can drive money to?

[@thomasfucillo]

Fun fact: seats were first come first serve back in the 70’s, no assigned seating, and front row was for family and friends of the band.

[@melvinjames1077]

Yes, I remember standing in line to get my ticket for Led Zeppelin 1977. I didn’t get to pick my seat.

[@MisterV619]

Late 70's to early 80's in San Diego the seats were marked and assigned. True fans spent a couple of nights in line at the box office of the venue to get front row seats. We earned those seats by putting in the effort to wait in line. We got to meet other dedicated fans in line, make friends, network and socialize. Without ticketmaster, ticketron and definitely before the internet. It was a great time to be alive.

[@paulvickers7441]

I’m a musician… been one for 35 years.. I will never pay to see any gig where live nation and ticket master are involved. If that means not seeing a live act again, so be it. I won’t compromise, I just simply won’t play ball. Fuck them completely.

[@Seetheren]

I agree. I have literally never been to a venue where either one has put on a show and never will. I get tired of being the sucker who shells out money to these corporations. Only to a certain extent will I play the game but for the most part I rather just watch it all burn down. So much of the blame goes towards politicians allowing corporations to flourish. Ancient Rome suffered from some of the exact same problems. Greed will always be the greatest vice of humanity.

[@sle2470]

I haven't been to a live concert since I was a teen in the 80's. I just can't afford it anymore.

[@Seetheren]

@@sle2470 I agree. Maybe for some, paying hundreds or thousands to see an artist is worth it. However, what those people seem not to understand is they are just feeding the monster and hurting the villagers.

[@AbsurdCats]

I agree.

[@thedevilsadvocate5210]

Just shows you how meaningless boycotts are. The still make billions without your support. Think of all the products you don't even use that make billions.

[@FancyHattt]

Just bought a couple tickets on Ticketmaster, GA was $36, I needed two so $72. At checkout my total was $120 for “service fees” that’s INSANE For reference these tickets are for the current Knocked Loose tour.

[@neoinuyashafight]

It's so crazy how they do that BS. Like for me when I went to go see $uicideboy$ a couple of times. I went to see them in 2022 and got GA floor for $100, but with service fees, it turned to $150. Then I went again in 2023. Mind you, it was at the same stadium. Now, the GA floor ticket was $150, but with services fees, it went to $200. Looked at going again this year(didn't end up buying), but now the GA floor tickets were $200, but again, with the service fee, it came out to $250. So, every year for the past 3 years, the tickets have gone up $100. It was the same ticket, same venue each year and arguably the worst line up this year but more expensive.

[@janodjano5828]

There is a way around this, at least in my area ( it’s a secondary market)

[@MusicalRadiation]

I thank the European Union for not allowing this kind of stuff as much as in the US. Yes, Ticketmaster has an iron grip on our market too, and yes they heavily inflate prices here, but they're only allowed to do so within certain margins. If not, they will get a fine from the EU that's more than what they would've get from extra "service fees"

[@fillerbunnyninjashark271]

Yet y'all pay for it. I will not pay for anything by life nation or ticket master... Still pay 10 bucks for concerts

[@elisedv7674]

STOP buying tickets from TicketBastard! I'm sorry but if you want to keep music alive, you have to stop supporting anything to do with TM. Go see live LOCAL music - before it's too late!

[@csbsrich]

This is a great video. Ticketmaster and Live Nation should be featured on American Greed

[@woIf]

7:50 "Do you think ticketmaster is entitled to a profit?" When have companies EVER been "entitled to profit"? I must've somehow missed that bit of the bill of rights... What a crazy world we live in where food and water are luxuries, but profit is an entitlement.

[@woIf]

I was going to say healthcare and housing, but really, we aren't even there yet. As an animal welfare zealot myself, I find it SHOCKING our species has no better welfare than the average shelter mutt.

[@trianglemoebius]

On top of this, the whole point of the free market is that no business is "entitled" to anything; those with the services and acumen to earn a profit will succeed, and those without such fail. This is what allows the invisible hand to work, and in turn leads to a kind of 'survival of the fittest' which ensures consumers get (or at least can get, if they so choose) the best product for the lowest cost. This entire attitude of companies being "entitled to profit" is what's killed all that. Specific companies literally are not allowed to fail, so why should they even bother trying not to? Why should Ticketmaster care about competition if said competition can fail and they literally cannot?

[@guitarexpert2245]

@@trianglemoebius what the hell are you talking about

[@liam3284]

Indeed. Read any text book about competitive market capitalism, and profit should not exist beyond the margins. But in today's economy, profit is the first to get paid and the last to be laid off.

[@loganmedia4401]

@@trianglemoebius That's hilarious. Are you trying to refer to the regularly misrepresented Adam Smith? The one mention of an invisible hand in a book that was about so much more? What actually allows markets to work is substantial regulation by an outside party.

[@smf8989]

as someone who spends every day at an indie venue, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PIECE! Every day is a labor of love.

[@jerlewis4291]

I remember back in 2008 my girlfriend wanted to go and see Brad Paisley. I went online and Ticketmaster had seats for $42-$89.00, and a $39.00 surcharge for each ticket, which all goes straight to them. Compare that to 1984 when I got front row seats to David Bowie for $28.00, which included a $2.00 surcharge for arena maintenance. This is a monopoly and it needs to be broken up.

[@magsteel9891]

The fees are really offensive

[@HardRockMaster7577]

In 2017, a new venue opened and ZZ Top tickets had the price that went to the band, around $45, printed on the tickets, but with the added fees, it was another $40. The bands like ZZ Top aren't greedy, but everyone else involved is.

[@spencerlukay5809]

*criminally charged with forced reparations

[@Tie509]

About $100 inflation-adjusted for front row tickets. Wow. That would be at least $2000 today.

[@nipsu6757]

It will be broken up when people are not ok with it. Crazy thing is, people are clearly ok with all of this, because they will pay. Customers are all ok with this. This can be said as long as this is going on. 😐

[@robertthweatt1900]

"...is now a luxury good." Took the words out of my mouth! Heard them in my head just before you said them.

[@who2u333]

Ticketmaster is like the prescription benefits manager of the music industry.

[@marks7192]

Omg.....100% who2...

[@Kadillac_Kim]

@@who2u333 this is the most accurate take I've ever read.

[@Addease]

GOLDEN

[@antemiakavillari4720]

🎯

[@ithmiths]

Look up “blackrock industries and what they own”

[@blackfoil5992]

I sell building supplies to Live Nation and their response to everything is “cost is not important; only time.” They will pay insane amounts of money to ship practically nothing. It’s insane.

[@sp4st1337]

i hope you are charging a huge service fee

[@slowgold20]

and yet those of us who work skilled labor jobs for live nation venues and productions fight tooth and nail just to have a union contract, and even then what we end up with typically the lowest paying work in the region.

[@schuylerkrizay6192]

@@slowgold20 define skilled labour

[@slowgold20]

@@schuylerkrizay6192 riggers, stage carpentry, technicians, hands

[@Landshark583]

​@@schuylerkrizay6192 it really doesn't matter what he does. Live Nation is a middle man which are always unnecessary and are in position to manipulate both sides while doing the least amount of work. Grifts and cons arent skills either

[@Frankbug]

in France concert tickets prices are capped. Guess what happens? Rich Americans buy plane tickets and come see the concert here because it’s CHEAPER to do that than seeing it in the USA. 😢 crazy.

[@robertruschak7083]

Prices will go up up up and up

[@Ogobana]

Same in Switzerland. When Taylor Swift gave her concert in Zürich, we had a lot of visitors from de US. It was cheaper to book a flight, stay overnight in a hotel in Switzerland and go to the concert than buying a ticket in the US. Crazy world😅😅

[@skyDN1974]

Americans are also going into debt to go overseas to see Taylor Swift because it’s still cheaper than in the USA

[@dilwodan]

Just like with medical procedures

[@hughjass7101]

yeah then your african "newcomers" rob and violate them. vive la francais eh?

[@rp9760]

Ticket-bastard and Dive Nation. I quit going to your event years ago. Excellent report.

[@manuelruiz9189]

Back in 1988, when I wasjust 23 years young someone told me "this country is going to implode. I'm an old lady, I'm not going to be around to see it, but you will because you're young." She went on to say "and you know what's going to be its downfall? Selfishness. Selfishness is going to destroy this country." Everything I see and hear these days makes me believe that woman wasn't a mortal human being, but an angel prophesying the future.

[@SixOhFive]

You know what I would have told that lady to her face? I would have told her, “thanks captain obvious.”

[@manuelruiz9189]

@@SixOhFive It wasn't as obvious back in 1988.

[@paulvickers7441]

To be fair though, the Bible has actually been saying this for about 2000 years, so she might have just read the Bible, maybe

[@mustang8206]

Well considering she said that almost 40 years ago and this country hasn't collapsed, I don't know about that

[@mustang8206]

​@@manuelruiz9189It wasn't obvious that people are selfish and selfishness is bad? Maybe you were just dumb back then

[@aspcia]

The reselling is giant joke. Tickets that could be 30 bucks turn into 100s. It's like someone walking into a grocery store, buying all the milk, then putting them back on the shelves and now ppl have to pay 20 bucks for a gallon. How is that even legal. Resells should only be for the same price purchased.

[@l-l]

THIS

[@pwoeckener]

reselling goes away if people stop agreeing to buy tickets from them. It's honestly that simple.

[@jmorrisey79]

​@@pwoeckener exactly. But the people who can afford it and only care about making sure they get to do what they want will continue to pay whatever they need to.. and then they get an ego boost by the exclusivity of being able to say they were there and could AFFORD to be there.

[@SirskiMula]

I can’t fathom people not turning on the U.S. government yet. It’s obviously all their fault, they let the rich do as they please and the rest get slapped around and say thank you. Y’all talk big but don’t walk big.

[@j.p.8811]

@@pwoeckener It's not that easy when they have a monopoly on the market so if people want tickets they have to go to them

[@CaptHowdy-ym8px]

My ex was a band manager. She’d call up the different venues and set up the shows with each venue to figure out the tour schedules. She was actually really good at being a manager. Several of the groups she managed were either starting out or she was with when they got signed and became a known band. Kind of like a B+, A- band in popularity at their peak with one or two records that sold enough to make the band members lives and their grand kids lives comfortable forever if they didn’t blow it all. She made sure the bands made money as well as the venues. A small band with a $500 budget starting out would get somewhere between $8-$15k after a summer tour after expenses. Pretty much the bands would be paid from a portion of ticket sales (could go from 60% to 20% of ticket sales depending on the venue) and then a larger portion of merchandise sales (usually 90%). Then promotion of the band tour at each venue also took up her time. The more well known venues helped and could get them air time on local radio stations. Ticketmaster and LiveNation really killed Indy venues and Indy bands being able to play around the country at your local venue. They either will block bands from being able to play at venues through contracts or won’t let bands play where they want, again through contracts. If things were to change mid sized to Indy venues need to get together and refuse to use Ticketmaster and Live Nation even the bands that are under their umbrella. Promote more Indy bands and mid sized to newly famous bands (that don’t have Ticketmaster). Sucks when those venues disappears. Really hits the neighborhoods and ruins the local music scenes.

[@Everthus4]

I think i'm lucky man, because i met in my life and are friend of many local music bands. I watch their struggle. How hard it is for new band to play, to even cover costs. I have no idea how to make their life easier, but know for sure, there is UNLIMITED potencial in thousands of bands around every country. We are talking about entire new waves of music, new genres, new styles, new view. Because every decade or time have something new. And i used to love concerts. In my medium size city, we have few local venues, where even small indy bands could play, and it was special every time. And some of them become really popular with time. It is really good feeling every time "hey, you know what? I know them before they become famous".

[@before120]

agree 100%

[@nikibordeaux]

And Spotify is the other evil for small Indie bands and artists.

[@Here4TheHeckOfIt]

Very true! I was a teenager going to concerts that cost $5. I saw David Bowie with Siouxsie & the Banshees for $20. Needless to say, I saw alot of shows. It's insane how much tickets cost these days, but since records/CDs aren't being produced as much, and streaming services pay the artists pennies, shows are how musicians make money. Things change for the worst sometimes

[@CompComp]

We can't afford to have any fun. You're lucky to have all your bills paid. Why is our generation so miserable? We work to survive. That's depressing AF

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

We work too long without our dignity and rights protected in the workplace in many cases. And the cost of living far outstrips most wages today. Something's gotta give.

[@angelofdeath275]

it makes me feel like were really really hated for simply existing. I wanna pay bills, have fun and have a life. why is that hard?

[@sortasurvival5482]

Thats bs. We dont rely on big corporate for fun. Small bands, small venues, local events. If there was ever a reason to build up communities, this is it. Block parties, bbqs, improvised bike rides with boomboxes... As those before us said, damn the man.

[@andybaldman]

Blame your parents’ 401k’s.

[@dramatyst5661]

You're parents failed you if you are struggling as an adult LOL . I work with a few younger kids and they complain they have no money but are in debt cuz they have cars they can barely afford 😂 stop making dumb life choices you have no one to blame but yourself.

[@bobbies1562]

It's very upsetting that we are at this place. When I was younger, concert tickets were cheap and easy to get. You got them directly from the venue. Pearl Jam tried to tame that monster: now we know why. The monopolies in the US make it cheaper to buy a concert ticket in Europe, fly there, and pay for a hotel, than it is to buy a ticket here. How has Europe avoided these greedy companies? Their countries' ticketing should be the model.

[@luigivincenz3843]

when the Cure toured the US this year, Robert Smith stated they will have their own ticketing price system to combat Livenation because the band knew the fans were being gouged.

[@T--xk3hf]

Haven't you heard what happened with the Oasis concert tickets?

[@luci_lene]

No, what happened? ​@@T--xk3hf

[@hameley12]

​@@T--xk3hf I wasn't born during that era but yes. I heard plenty about them and other artists combating the ticket system. My uncle got us kids into listening to his music. I frickin' love the older rock bands over the faux-bands today. They don't even play instruments anymore and few of them are able to come to the front of the stage with the singer and sway and dance. They are hiding behind a curtain or the 'band" is prerecorded. Oasis, Led Zeppelin, Blur, amongst others were the real deal. I still own vinyls, cassette tapes and CDs; which were bought from the artists themselves. When they came to town, some of them, we'd wait out front for them to walk outside and we'd asked them kindly without screaming if they could sign our piece. Which they did happily. While other fans hawked and yelled all over the place. Seriously? They guys didn't have their headphones anymore to cover their ears from all that fanfare. Great memories!

[@hameley12]

​@@T--xk3hf Note: It's better to support the artist over the middleman.

[@scottkidwell3601]

Support independent venues and artists/ bands as much as you can, especially locally. It's a community effort.

[@dcore64]

YES!!!!!!!

[@StarStarYT]

Had my first concert at the Crowbar. I hope everything goes good for Tom and everyone there. Still remember that concert to this day!

[@Talik13]

Fuck yeah. I'm 32 seconds in and Tom is my new favorite person! He's the kind of guy who deserves to be a boss. That's the attitude you should have if you own a business. Not these rich boomers who buy a business and are on vacation over half the year because they're retired and think that owning a business is a great way to get passive income.

[@dregenius]

It's the Landlordification of everything, and it needs to end. In fact, we should start with actual landlords!

[@andromedaspark2241]

The goal that is touted is to own assets so you don't have to work, but they never talk about the people doing the actual work to feed into that system letting the owning class lounge and consume. People taking others labor because the system lets them take all the resources is destroying this country.

[@ArchThaBoss]

And at one point in time you could find thousands of toms all over the country. Small business owners doing what they love and providing a service to their community. Now everything has been monopolized and our lawmakers allowed it to happen. You don’t have an alternative to anything.

[@RealHomeRecording]

​@@ArchThaBosswrong... We the people allowed it to happen. We allowed corrupted election systems to happen. We allowed criminal politicians to go unchallenged.... Current America is the result.

[@genesmith4019]

And yet you buy Amazon LoL

[@wintergloom5695]

If you ever want to know why anything is expensive in America just look for the middle man. 9 times out of 10 there's probably some corporate leech causing the inflation of prices.

[@johnwayneasgenghiskhan4699]

in this particular case [and many others] it was a couple of greedy ass Jews.

[@JC-ex3gp]

Ceos?

[@itsenergybob8917]

Just look at the insurance industry. Purely in the middle.

[@Dead_Goat]

eh, musicians today are extremely greedy. Venues are also extremely guilty. Musicians largely determine the ticket price. The problem promoters are usually in control rather than the musician.

[@wintergloom5695]

@@Dead_Goat By what metric are musicians greedy? Maybe if they are popular like Taylor Swift I'd agree. Most bands playing in local venues make all of their revenue from touring. They don't make money off of record sales anymore due to streaming services and record labels taking most of the profit. Most bands would operate at a loss otherwise and even then the majority of their income is from merch sales from the tours, not the venue payment itself.

[@kyleshpak9286]

“The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There’s also a negative side.” - Hunter S Thompson

[@chemical_leek]

that quote's literally written on the wall outside the bathroom in crowbar lmao

[@iguess2739]

oy vey what an anti semantic comment

[@m.f.3347]

​@@iguess2739?

[@ronanzann4851]

I finally got shed of the "music business" after over 50 years........but OH MY GOD...I'd forgotten about that quote from Thompson !

[@dubatomic1]

Not actually said by HST. Real quote: “The TV business is uglier than most things. It is normally perceived as some kind of cruel and shallow money trench through the heart of the journalism industry, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs, for no good reason. Which is more or less true. For the most part, they are dirty little animals with huge brains and no pulse.” ~HST

[@mafiousbj]

Ah yes, the middleman supposed to make everything more convenient until they don't, while making it more expensive for everyone else in the chain 😂

[@crankytank]

Recently a farmer in my small rural northern MN city told me about how his friend, another farmer, went to sell his grain and was getting paid LESS for the same thing now than in the 1970s. He had receipts from back then still and compared them. On top of being paid less, they're now being fined for noxious weeds in the bales... This is something most people don't know about, but really gets to the nitty gritty of why food costs have risen! Please do a story about farmers and how they're very necessary, but being left out to dry!

[@joejo4549]

It's something like x20 the profit of the merchandisers compared to the people who actually grow the crops..

[@andyharpist2938]

A farmer told me the flour milling comany rang to tell him his grain had been found to contain some weeds and they were reducing the amount they would pay him. He replied that "the grain lorry had not left his farm yet as it had broken down." This is a microcosm of the world.

[@bvalt1]

This is why I seek out independent venues, and small clubs to see local artists, and buy their music directly from them!! This is the best thing you can do to support artists everywhere!!

[@andyharpist2938]

It's a great idea. Sometimes its rubbish and sometimes it's like finding gold. Hendrix played at our town's corn exchange one time. I could have turned up and listened.

[@bonniegaither3994]

Yep. The fees for the concert that I went to see were half the price of the ticket. So I bought two tickets and it was like buying three tickets.

[@Tryp-j9d]

SUCKER!!!

[@hakikitosunpasabenim3088]

Then don’t buy it! Show your reaction!

[@KaritKtana]

Same!! Getting to the checkout page is like a punch in the gut

[@Demopans5990]

Fly a drone in, record the concert, and pirate the venue for little cost When legal means grow too expensive, it's time to sail the high seas

[@Rollermonkey1]

The fees for the recent Pearl Jam show in Seattle were 100-150% the price of the tickets themselves. So two $100 tickets totaled out to over $500 with tax. I didn't buy tickets. Too many fees are now based on percentages, instead of a flat rate per ticket and it's completely out of control.

[@kevc6115]

Ireland & the EU are now launching a major investigation into TM after price gouging for Oasis concerts. TM & LN need to be broken up! As a life long musician n my 50's, I remember affordable prices, going to awesome indie venues and hearing my fav artists. This generation are figuratively getting 🪛, fans, venues, artists and everyone in the industry as a whole.

[@Draregkoeliekalie]

The EU really is our best. The EU is the only big government that still at times stops these mega corporations from exploiting people

[@RigtheousPerpetrator]

I really miss the days where we’d skate down to our local record shop in town, grab some albums, some threads, maybe a poster or a few stickers and score tickets to shows all in one stop. I’d give anything to have those days back

[@jzubs]

@@aprilpheles3912 gotta love the inapplicable relation to race and corporate greed... do us all a favor and dont interact with anyone please

[@SPG8989]

@@aprilpheles3912 me too, it was a better world

[@ToastPop92]

Wow, to think how much all that would cost nowadays is depressing. Most kids, even adults don't have that kind of money to throw around on stuff like that anymore :[

[@longiusaescius2537]

@jzubs HBD exists

[@longiusaescius2537]

@aprilpheles3912 kino playlist

[@CeruleanSky1111]

I stopped going to live concerts when they started to become a “luxury item”. Who TF can afford paying hundreds or even $1000 for a ticket when they can’t pay their mortgage payment or rent payment, car payment, utilities, or put food on the table. Absolute insanity!

[@johnwayneasgenghiskhan4699]

Part of the problem is that the younger generation born on the other side of the rift accept it as normal, having no idea how things were before the massive corporate takeover,

[@HardRockMaster7577]

No concert today, is better than the live music concerts I went to in the 70's.

[@davefb]

Yeah, I never bother with that sort of gig. They're not even the best experience.. Watch smaller bands in smaller venues.

[@erato1]

I bought tickets to take my daughter to a show at Tom's venue. Turns out that my tickets were a resale and they were fraudulent. I seriously thought that we were not going to be allowed in. They are so good with the fans that they had us wait a few min but we got in. Truly a great bussiness.

[@Missunderstood103]

Americans are beyond sick of this monopolized grift.

[@orionsshoe2424]

You sure?

[@ickebins6948]

It's working pretty great as far as I can tell.

[@thetelepath8245]

Then its time to start questioning capitalism! This is just a direct consequence of the system.

[@MtJochem]

@@thetelepath8245 I wouldn't go that far. Free capitalism maybe, but the us is still a controlled market. Monopolies can and have been broken up in the past. I hope the country finds back its bearing with respect to this and breaks up many of the current monopolies. I'm looking at you Google.

[@PauLtus_B]

@MtJochem why wouldn't you go that far? The video above is a perfect example of how crazy it's been allowed to get.

[@jmalmsten]

Recently, Taylor Swift played here in sweden. And one thing that was reported on over and over was that... American fans found that buying a concert ticket here in scandinavia, plus hotel and a transatlantic return flight and food, and everything... Was still way cheaper than going to see that same artist domestically in the US. I mean. Taylor Swift is not my kind of music. But.. damn. This whole thing is a horror scenario that I really hope does not take the same stranglehold internationally. Otherwise. Only other option I see is to have the whole live music system collapse to the point where noone goes to see the shows and no artists doing live shows. This. This is the reality of deregulated economies.

[@Scott__C]

And the sadder part is few of those people will see the great sights there, just fly over for the show and then back afterward.

[@TingleTalks]

That is true. I did the math one day, idr which country I did in particular, but I looked up the prices for the tickets (floor seats), round trip flight, and hotel to stay for a few days and enjoy the different country. All of that was still a little be cheaper then for me to get a ticket for night at a venue a little under 2 hours from me.

[@asdfhiuh]

"This is the reality of deregulated economies." -No. This is the reality of fans that have a lot of excess money, or no brains.

[@crescentcrab]

I wouldn't go that far. The economic model will fail sooner or later. It's inevitable. I agree with this part. Live music will never die because the solution is a lot more simple if people, myself included did something

[@luigivincenz3843]

when the Cure toured the US this year, Robert Smith stated they will have their own ticketing price system to combat Livenation because the band knew the fans were being gouged.

[@JusticeAlways]

The reason why we chose to be entertained by local talent... Right here.

[@mikemann1960]

How are you doing Shipmate? Hopefully, everything is going well for you and your family. C.V.N. 75

[@gregsells8549]

Lucky to live in Austin, the Live Music Capital of the World. But what used to cost, say, $3 or $5 is now $10 to $20, or higher in a premium venue. Concerts used to be secondary to record sales as a source of income, but in the age of streaming, live appearances are more than making up for the pittance artists earn from Spotify and the like.

[@ChintanCG]

All the local stuff is controlled by TM too

[@Invertedworldx]

These monopolists need to rot in jail. That said what a superb video this was. I was an avid concert goer and as of the last few years changed my tone 1 being a place no one visits and 2 prices that make me throw up. So sick of this.

[@jamescoker2773]

Maybe it's time for musicians, promoters, and venue owners to form a co-op and break up the monopoly.

[@HeadNtheClouds]

They are being sued

[@PermanentWater]

@@HeadNtheCloudsreally? Who?

[@davids.9834]

Grassroots is the answer. We need to all vote with our wallets or this is going to end in one of two ways. #1 everything is monopolized, capitalism dies, and we end up with a plutocracy. (this is the direction we are going in now). #2 people get fed up, say screw it, and we take a hard left turn to socialism, capitalism dies, and now the government controls most things. PICK YOUR POISON..

[@dcore64]

💯

[@HeadNtheClouds]

@@PermanentWater the government is trying to break them up. I don’t know the details.

[@gpk1982]

Granted it’s gotten worse recently but this Ticketmaster mess has literally been going on for like 15 years. It’s clear that our monopoly laws do not work & it’s completely ridiculous at this point.

[@frevazz3364]

It’s not that they don’t work its that they are not being enforced. The justice department can easily breakup Ticketmaster if the will was there.

[@AmandaabnamA]

Yes, since I was in middle school, so my entire adult life concert prices have been exorbitant. I literally would go to Apple as a kid and wait on line to hear some artists I loved play a few songs

[@robertthweatt1900]

​@@frevazz3364they are now trying. But they have to deal with the Courts the Republicans started stacking under Reagan .Democrats went along for far too long. Long uphill battle.

[@JamminJ-xe2bd]

Corporate greed is killing a lot of things that were once good. They are vultures.

[@ragingjaguarknight86]

Vultures at least so some good like clean up the world by eating carrion. Corporate greed is way worse than any vulture.😡😤

[@lukasdiaz-ames9285]

Tom is a local hero and Crowbar is a very wonderful establishment! I hope this sheds light on the issue and things change for the better.

[@Sammy_lovvve]

This is literally illegal around the world… we got Taylor swift tickets for like $100 bucks in Melbourne Australia 🇦🇺

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

That's super fair. Sadly here, criminal mega corps control all.

[@Sammy_lovvve]

That sucks 😢… you guys get so screwed on everything

[@diegomagellan]

Aussie or Murican?

[@MbisonBalrog]

Well, OZ has less people so less demand.

[@watamatafoyu]

OZ has better anti-monopoly laws so less price-gouging.

[@FlawlessRhythmGG]

No way. Been going there for like 10 years now. Thanks for putting Tom in the spotlight. He and his venue are a real treasure.

[@MKrealife]

Where is Tom's venue? What's it called? I'd like to support his efforts.

[@nervoustriggers]

​@@MKrealifeThe Crowbar in Ybor City (Tampa), FL,!

[@MKrealife]

@@nervoustriggers Thank you!

[@BigJoker]

I hate that I missed out on decades of live music. It's one of life's greatest pleasures and it's basically been captured.

[@derontchi]

Where do you live? I live in a medium-sized city (about 450k people) and we have a wonderful network of small, independent venues because the community values them and supports them. It’s been done and it’s still being done. If you can find something like this in your area, not only are you having a good time for not a lot of money, you’re also supporting local artists and venues while upholding the remnants of our once great live music scene

[@emilyadams3228]

It's also been captured by leftists, which is infinitely worse.

[@mattruffner2463]

sorry to hear that buddy. im 48 and i will not go to any concerts anymore. i used to go to 4-6 concerts a year

[@bks252]

This is so true. I play in a cover band south of Atlanta. We struggle to find venues to play at and for a decent pay. Even smaller venues are having their entertainment booked through promotion companies. If you don’t have a booking agent, forget it. It sounds silly but it’s very frustrating for a small time band. We find venues that have live music and often the music sucks and you know you’re better but they have a connection through a booking agent that’s getting 15% of their pay. Often times the owners of these places find it easier to just let someone else handle booking because they have so much more on their plate, like the gentleman said near the beginning. It costs money to even hire a booking agent up front. They want you to make a professional demo video that can cost up to $1K and it’s through the person they use so you know there’s coercion between those two. We often end up booking ourselves for not much money. It didn’t used to be this way. Sad.

[@elinys2843]

‘Made in the USA’ used to be a quality label. Nowadays it’s a guarantee many are duped for a few to profit.

[@puddles5501]

made anywhere is just trash now. welcome to neofeudalism, here's you pickaxe.

[@mxspokes]

Ticketmaster and Live Nation also threaten artists with blacklisting if they book shows in venues not connected to their networks

[@markherring3513]

So an opening acting on a major tour couldnt do a quick side gig in a small hole in the wall venue on a day off? That was a common practice bitd.

[@mxspokes]

@@markherring3513 not without risking future tours

[@Gordonhermederme]

“Live music has become a luxury good” Damn that’s cold.

[@frevazz3364]

That is a correct statement.

[@Space.Ghost.]

Cold isn't the first word that comes to mind. Sick is.

[@Dead_Goat]

live music as always a luxury good if it was not some random band in a hole in the wall which is still possible to see today for free. The venues and musicians demanding record profits are the problem here.

[@prslespaul]

Simple. Boycott Ticketmaster. Done... People keep saying capitalism is the problem without even realizing the consumer is who wields the power. Companies cannot exist without customers. Therefore the bigger issue is that our culture, who is now the majority, no longer have the integrity, self control or will to stand their ground, but rather complain in comment sections while still buying the stuff they're complaining about.

[@SeekerGoOn2013]

I haven’t been to a concert with TM involved in over 20 years. Not enough to stop them - yet. ($50 is my top ticket price)

[@Aharon-v4h]

Musicians also used to make money off of album sales for decades and nobody buys albums anymore. They rely on ticket sales for tours now. It’s just unfortunate that the venue and ticketing agencies take the majority of the sale.

[@dcore64]

That's right! Thank Napster for that. Support artists. They are the soul of the nation.

[@johnwayneasgenghiskhan4699]

This is why the best thing you could possibly do for any touring artist [especially independent ones] is buy their merch at the show. That's what actually puts gas in their tanks and food in their bellies.

[@AnarchistMetalhead]

@@johnwayneasgenghiskhan4699 at venues that take cash for merch i do some larger festivals are prepaid chip only, and charge significant fees on the merch, not really interested in that

[@liam3284]

napster was one thing, but the streaming services are where the music is, but the money for artists isn't.

[@dcore64]

@@liam3284 Napster was the first site that encouraged stealing music in a nutshell. Guy went to jail and committed suicide I believe. Don't wish that on anyone. He did a hell of a lot of damage to the music industry however, artists in particular. Along comes www. Record companies were ripping us off originally and they lost their arse's when that happened. couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of a holes. In the beginning the industry was run by music savvy entrepreneurs. They sold for fortunes and retired in the early 80's. They realized you had to let the cream rise to the top, handful of very good artists got through. In the 80's Corp's took over. Their philosophy was if you could have 5 bands that made millions how about 500 bands that made billions. Resulting in bands like oh say Winger (sorry Kippie), who should have been a local band at best. The industry collapsed under the weight of mediocrity leaving the dogshit biproducts you see now. It was a lot more than Napster but fans expect free music now. They should expect free beer, pot and cars too? Fan's really are the one's who killed it. I hear all the time, they don't make songs like they used to. This is why!

[@danedefense2046]

Corporations are turning everything into a luxury.

[@elliotalderson4568]

You and I are cogs in the corporate machine. Anytime anyone tries to complain or critique capitalism, they are labeled a Marxist or communist or some other nonsense. This video is a very easy way to see how capitalism directly affects us all and how a regulatory or medium change can help us all. That's not communism. That's what our government is for.

[@twangyyy18888]

Its actually crazy because its supposed to be entertainment for peasants

[@twangyyy18888]

Sitting alone in a house with a tv is the best form of luxury

[@hostilebogeyinbound]

Just in case you were wondering why all of the bands you used to love growing up play tons of live shows overseas.

[@liam3284]

An easy equation for them, fans pay less, while bands get paid more. Less stockholders "clipping the ticket".

[@one80srocker89]

They aren't even close to the original bands in most cases.

[@loso9043]

interesting. media likes to portray that chart topping artists are cancelling their tours because they’re not selling enough tickets as if it is only their fault, when in reality people do not wanna spend an upwards of $250 to be in nosebleed seats. it’s better to watch the concert for free on youtube, which unfortunately doesn’t support those artists. monopolization literally ruins everything. unfortunate.

[@Thesakuraharona]

Hmm.... maybe Google should dip their toes into this. Produce a concert video with artist and charge $5 to watch online. Or they could make it free and put in ads (but most of us block those so maybe not...)

[@Fishy-i2g]

@@Thesakuraharona You mean Google that was recently found to be a Monopoly? THAT Google? Did you even think before you typed out your comment? You can't reduce monopoly by increasing it.

[@RickyIcecubes]

I remember seeing Pantera, Sepultura and Type O Negative at Hara Arena in Dayton, OH back in 1994. A general admission ticket was $8. You can't even go see a local band for $8 these days.

[@Earth_Rocker]

TON!🖤💚🖤💚

[@RickyIcecubes]

@@Earth_Rocker Hands down the best 8 bucks I ever spent. Saw a lot of what would become metal history that day.

[@-WolfMan-]

METALLICA 1992 - Front Row Floor ... $18 NOW you gotta add some Extra zeros at the End of That!!

[@kawnah3519]

Omg I’m jealous. I live there and I have to travel to columbus to see anyone I have interest in and it’s always $70+ not including fees 😢 maybe it’ll get better in the future? Idk

[@Kadillac_Kim]

Thank you for covering this. I'm in the industry as an independent promoter and music/arts nonprofit owner. I do this for free (I'm very lucky i have a good paying second career) because I'm desperate to keep the live music scene alive. There are so many of us fighting but every week it feels like there is this looming, insurmountable threat and I fear we're losing the fight. My heart broke when i heard that venue owners voice crack a little when talking about not renewing his lease. I feel that every time a band doesn't make enough money at the door to fill their gas tank to get to the next show... Ticketmaster is a huge problem, but the economy as a whole sucks and when people can't afford groceries they're not going to go spend the cash for even a $10 cover and cheap beers. Venue owners I've talked to in my city say attendence is down nearly 40% from this time last year and everyone is laying off staff, meanwhile their rent and overhead is skyrocketing. There are just so many things stacked against independent venues and artists. What I'm most afraid of is losing out on the future evolution of music and art because nobody but the wealthy can afford to get into this industry, be it small business owners or musicians, leading to an even more homogeneous arts culture.

[@WhatWillYouFind]

The Technocratic Feudal lords have deemed all of us destitute and no longer being worthy of living as we were promised growing up as kids. The only option for such a totalitarian company, is an even heavier handed Judicial response. I can dream. I'm in my mid 30s and all I have seen is government and people bending over for these sycophant, immoral unicorn math economy. I hate it. This is NOT the world I was told I would find after school.

[@donnyramay2635]

I lived in Austin for years. The city used to be live music capital of the world. I worked at Austin City Limits and SXSW setting up stages. Even stage staff was not allowed to watch the venues as they charged hundreds of dollars for a wristband. You worked your ass off setting up the venue but not allowed to enjoy it. Austin became a city for the cool rich kids from California.

[@sortasurvival5482]

Guess we gotta bring back garage shows for a decade... ppl will always make music and gather. Its just gonna go underground for a bit...

[@BulyssesBwachowski]

@@sortasurvival5482I keep seeing this everywhere and it’s a terrible response. Becoming mole people is what people tried for decades. It didn’t help and the weeds have taken over the yard. We must rise up together and fight (I said *FIGHT* not VOTE)

[@ThaJay]

@@donnyramay2635 What the hell staff being kicket out of the building before the show starts is so completely idiotic I don't even know where to start.

[@techiebliss]

This is true. When I was a kid in the 90s, I remember my parents buying their concerts ticket through the customer service line at the grocery store, usually around $20-$30. Even when I was 20 in the early 2000s, it was still about the same cost but you could order via phone or internet by that time.

[@71sk8erdude]

I LOVE Crowbar, Tom is the nicest dude! He is always looking out for the talent and making sure everyone has a great time, I'm sad to hear that the venue will close in 2 years :( Thank you for the memories Tom!

[@dmdport745]

Yeah Tom is amazing! Hearing that hearts my heart.

[@HPkobold]

The only reason why this is happening because there is no regulation for this

[@johnpoole3871]

There are. They just aren't being applied.

[@TheSoulFallen]

There are plenty of regulations. This is word for word illegal. Our government needs to be held accountable for not doing it's job.

[@rampaginwalrus]

@@TheSoulFallen I'm not sure what you mean. How can it be illegal? Why would the nobility be held to the same laws as the peasantry? Obviously, our benevolent and generous corporate overlords deserve better treatment in return for all the sacrifices they make to support us. We should be thankful to them, really. Imagine being a libertarian

[@TheOG-GG]

There need to be more and properly ENFORCED. Regulations save lives.

[@beng4647]

​@@rampaginwalrusImagine thinking liberal means left wing

[@miladyhelen]

When I told my my son I saw Metallica in 1988 (plus Van Halen plus Scorpions plus Dokken) for like $40 he looked at me in complete disbelief.

[@ANunes06]

To be fair, I come from the days of cheap concerts and I'm also blinking in shock at just that lineup. Was that all one show?

[@miladyhelen]

@@ANunes06 yup sure was. Monsters of Rock 1988, Foxboro MA.

[@ANunes06]

@@miladyhelen nice

[@briansweeney2950]

Must've been fucking legendary man

[@96bobbob]

From the mid-80s to early 90s, for between $15-30, I got tickets in the UK for Nirvana, Queen, ACDC, Van Halen, Guns N' Roses, Aerosmith, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Scorpions, Iron Maiden, Rush, ZZ Top, Whitesnake, Meatloaf, Bryan Adams, Beastie Boys and many more. I used to see a big band practically every month, even when I was a student. Now I might see a band like that once a year and mainly support smaller venues seeing up and coming artists.

[@robdave1974]

Ticketek in Australia is doing the same thing. They have affiliated scalper sites who get back door access to tickets to sell at triple the price. These are claimed as ticket resellers, but NO-ONE wants to go to a concert, THEN literally minutes later DOSENT want to go but prepared to sell their now UNWANTED tickets for over triple the price.

[@rabalajoie]

I saw almost a of hundred shows of my world-famous favorite bands in the early 2000’s. Those shows were never over 20$ CAD. They usually were “cash only” admissions. I really miss those times.

[@DLizana1]

As a small venue owner, this is a breath of hope. Well Done! We are struggling... but change will come!

[@barbraarchives5604]

Break them up! I was shocked to see a decent seat to a 90s artist going for $350 this summer. VIP tickets were over $2000. I can’t afford to treat myself to that experience. At least a big screen tv will operate on my wall for more than one evening.

[@thystaff742]

I really don't see how they sell seats. Most of the young fans can't afford $250 when they're working part time for low pay.

[@alquinn8576]

I prefer smaller venues, since many large-venue players are overhyped bullshit or has-beens from the 80s and 90s that have high demand due to nostalgia rather than current performing prowess. If you go to a concert like that, you mostly just see cell phones being held up anyway; people are there to show to their friends they were there on social media, rather than to simply _be_ there. The last concert I went to was Jenny Hval (Jenny is a genius) and cost just $20. The best stadium show I went to was Lorde ($200 for third row center seats at Pepsi center), though the best stadium show is not going to be as good as decent show at a smaller venue imho.

[@voidface8827]

@@thystaff742 Some people save up for months and months. Due to the internet finding somewhere to stay is thankfully easier than I imagine it was in the 90s I think it’s part of why being “in the pit” is so popular among young fans. It’s the only affordable option.

[@schokococoa575]

@@thystaff742credit cards and payment plans. Do not underestimate a foolish person’s ability to waste money, especially if they don’t own it.

[@ipeefreely9865]

As a music lover and concert attendee, this frustrates me. There are so many classic artists that I saw, when I was younger that weren't expensive, overpriced, luxury services. The CEO making $138 million dollars is absolutely insulting tobthe talented artists, independent venue owners, and those who are responsible for the event planning and set up. I really hope LiveNation and Ticketmaster are required to slip up. I haven't been to several concerts recently because I refuse to pay several hundred dollars.

[@mlogsdon1740]

I can't wait for the government to force ticketmaster to break up. $300 for a single ticket for a band that no ones really heard of is obscene.

[@alquinn8576]

If ticketmaster is broken up, one of two things will happen: 1) ticket prices will be lower but you won't be able to secure a ticket 2) ticket prices will not change, but the revenues from a ticket sale will be shared in a different manner between the entities involved

[@donmaidonmai]

I wouldn't hold my breath. They have corporate interests in mind, clearly, not consumers'.

[@hugokatz]

​@@alquinn8576so that's the way it was done.

[@Dead_Goat]

No one is forced to use ticketmaster. They choose to because they get mor money. These people are greedy all the way down to the musician.

[@PauLtus_B]

@Dead_Goat That subject is covered in the video above. You just don't have the option to not use ticketmaster.

[@bentaylor5481]

This is why I refuse to go to any Ticketmaster concerts.