Concert ticket rant

[DLgal]

I will occasionally see some of those bands who had their last hit record 20-30 years ago do a TV special or appear as part of some awards show. Seems like the vocalists don't have the harmony they had when popular and most of the original band members have been retired for several years and their replacements have turned over multiple times. Think most would be hugely disappointed seeing them in a live concert when the popular songs are now sung by other people and don't sound anything like what we remember. Paying top dollar for those groups would be a huge waste of money.

I don't understand the phenomenon of band member replacement. Just retire the band when most of the original vocalists have left.

 

[_19disnA]

^^ Me either, using the name of the band when few/none of the original members are still involved makes no sense to me. Perhaps if it is entirely an instrumental group you can get away with a few replacements playing the popular tunes we remember. Anything involving vocals just isn't the same once there is turnover of the originals. Some of these older bands seem to reappear as a way to supplement their retirement income.

 

[bcla]

I don't understand the phenomenon of band member replacement. Just retire the band when most of the original vocalists have left.

I saw some piece on it - might have been on 20/20. Some end up buying rights to the band name and perform as the band. But it's really weird when there's absolutely nobody performing who was part of any of that band in its heyday. In particularly, I remember one band where the name was purchased, and how the lead would talk about being in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, although they specifically only induct individuals who are part of the bands and have sent cease and desist letters to bands where there are no individuals who were inducted.

I've seen some who try to trade on the name vaguely without actually using it. There is an act touring as the Wailers Band with one of Bob Marley's former guitarist. There's a couple of former CCR members touring as "Creedence Clearwater Revisited". And just last weekend I saw Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew perform mostly songs from Talking Heads. Harrison was of course a fixture, and Belew was considered a member for a short period. He doesn't look like he can, but man he can still play the guitar. I wasn't aware that he was the one singing "Psycho Killer" since I didn't get a good luck.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

I bought seats this morning for John Mellancamp tour in April 2023.

3 Tickets $1107
Fees $180
Total $1287

I hate fees. But I like stub hub and vividseats- have scored some great tickets to things last minute.

Last month Bill Maher
1 Ticket $99.50
Fees $ 25.53
Total $125.13

Next month Denver Broncos
2 Tickets $1670
Fees $ 421.62
Total $2019.62

Does selling an expensive ticket require more work than selling a cheap one?

Why do the fees go up with prices? Seems like issuing tickets is a fixed cost?

But what do I know? I’m the idiot who pays the fees anyway.

 

[jerrywilliams]

Something nice to look forward to. John Mellancamp is a legend.
I will check with the event tickets center customer service on this source if they have some offers.
I haven't been on a live concert for many years now , so would like to visit one in the nearest future.

 

[_19disnA]

Next month Denver Broncos
2 Tickets $1670
Fees $ 421.62
Total $2019.62

So it's roughly $1,000 per person to see that football game? Does that include being part of the coin toss as well for that price?................LOL.

 

[BrianL]

So it's roughly $1,000 per person to see that football game? Does that include being part of the coin toss as well for that price?................LOL.

And that doesn't even include parking!

 

[DisneyDebbie]

My husband just bought a ticket to see John Mellencamp in the Spring also, I was maybe going to go, but the tickets were about $300/each and I didn't want to spend that much for both of us.

We are seeing Aerosmith in Vegas and while those tickets are only around $150/each, the price of flights and a hotel boost it up to one of our most expensive concerts ever! lol

 

[shh]

My husband just bought a ticket to see John Mellencamp in the Spring also, I was maybe going to go, but the tickets were about $300/each and I didn't want to spend that much for both of us.

We are seeing Aerosmith in Vegas and while those tickets are only around $150/each, the price of flights and a hotel boost it up to one of our most expensive concerts ever! lol

Love Aerosmith, but had to laugh a bit at "only $150" - that's so far beyond what I'd ever pay to hear a band play music. $20-25 is my limit, which is why I enjoy lots of free local bands or cover bands. I love when theme parks host concerts - as that's a great value to me - enjoy the parks/vacation with a concert thrown in. Universal's Mardi Gras or Sea World's spring events, for example.

That's just me though - I have a hard time spending on myself for anything.
I'm sure it'll be an awesome concert!

 

[DLgal]

Love Aerosmith, but had to laugh a bit at "only $150" - that's so far beyond what I'd ever pay to hear a band play music. $20-25 is my limit, which is why I enjoy lots of free local bands or cover bands. I love when theme parks host concerts - as that's a great value to me - enjoy the parks/vacation with a concert thrown in. Universal's Mardi Gras or Sea World's spring events, for example.

That's just me though - I have a hard time spending on myself for anything.
I'm sure it'll be an awesome concert!

So there is no band or musician that you absolutely LOVE that you would pay more than $25 to hear live?

Nothing wrong if that's true, but seeing a favorite perform live, especially in an intimate space like the Dolby Live Theater at Park MGM (where Aerosmith plays in Vegas) is a really special experience. I saw my favorite artist in that theater and it still gives me goosebumps when I think about it. I paid $1500 for 2 seats on the floor in the 4th row and it was money WELL spent. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[DLgal]

We are seeing Aerosmith in Vegas and while those tickets are only around $150/each, the price of flights and a hotel boost it up to one of our most expensive concerts ever! lol

The Dolby Live Theater at the Park MGM is the best convert venue I've ever been to. It's amazing. Seeing Aerosmith there is going to be SO good!

 

[shh]

So there is no band or musician that you absolutely LOVE that you would pay more than $25 to hear live?

Nothing wrong if that's true, but seeing a favorite perform live, especially in an intimate space like the Dolby Live Theater at Park MGM (where Aerosmith plays in Vegas) is a really special experience. I saw my favorite artist in that theater and it still gives me goosebumps when I think about it. I paid $1500 for 2 seats on the floor in the 4th row and it was money WELL spent. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Oh I totally get it - everyone has splurges that are worth every penny of the spend to them because of the thrill of the experience and those things are often so different from person to person. So I'm definitely not judging that.

But to answer your question, honestly no - I would never pay more than that for any live show, as much as I may love the performers - and there are many I do love a lot. (Would have answered differently in my teens, '20s and '30s- went to lots of concerts, but they also were much more affordable then, with minor, if any, extra fees.)

I also tend to get too easily aggravated by others: seems I'm always stuck next to the 3-4 girls all singing at the top of their lungs and drowning out the performers - or right behind people holding huge tablets or totally blocking my view some other way. No biggie if I'm spending 20-25/ticket - but a BIG deal if I'm investing hundreds plus fees.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

So it's roughly $1,000 per person to see that football game? Does that include being part of the coin toss as well for that price?................LOL.

I don't want to see anyone grouching about Disney prices again after seeing that.

 

[Scotgirl]

Oh, and in a way, I lament the discontinuation of paper tickets. I liked to save them as souvenirs. It’s just not the same even if you can print at home on a sheet of paper.

I suppose you can save electronic tickets on your phone, but what fun is that?

My husband has his first ticket in a frame on our hall wall - ACDC in 1980 and the ticket cost was £3.50! Around $3.78 at today's lamentable (for us) exchange rate.

 

[BrianL]

My husband has his first ticket in a frame on our hall wall - ACDC in 1980 and the ticket cost was £3.50! Around $3.78 at today's lamentable (for us) exchange rate.

Dang, and I bet ACDC in 1980 absoultely ROCKED!

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

I had to give up with a those darn fees! Such a joke that Ticketmaster is allowed to operate the way they do.