Ok here’s my two cents.
It’s not the bands setting ticket prices so much as it is greedy fucking ticketmaster. In the last ten years prices have about doubled.
It’s sad when you can’t afford to buy a ticket to your favorite band. ...A band that you have spent money on by buying their every album release. It’s sad and wrong.
Prices keep getting higher. Who’s to say they won’t stop getting higher? TM is taking advantage. Call it capitalism whatever, but it’s just plain wrong to me.
I mean I just looked up two lawn tickets to a show I semi wanted to go to. Freggin $70! For lawn tickets! To me, two lawn tickets should be $45 tops.
If we don’t flex some consumer muscle somehow, ticket prices are only gonna go higher. But it seems to me people think they don’t have any power (which is wrong, i think they do) or they don’t give a shit.
There’s other ways for a band to make money, than by touring. Look at the Ten box set...bands can get creative with money making without raising ticket prices. Anyway, nowdays bands don’t make that much touring anyways....it all goes to the venue and TM.
Soon concerts will become an elitist activity. It’s going to blow. No average Joe will able to afford tickets. It’s going to be nothing but rich snobs at shows. Doesn’t sound like fun to me.
Ok here’s my two cents.
It’s not the bands setting ticket prices so much as it is greedy fucking ticketmaster. In the last ten years prices have about doubled.
It’s sad when you can’t afford to buy a ticket to your favorite band. ...A band that you have spent money on by buying their every album release. It’s sad and wrong.
Prices keep getting higher. Who’s to say they won’t stop getting higher? TM is taking advantage. Call it capitalism whatever, but it’s just plain wrong to me.
I mean I just looked up two lawn tickets to a show I semi wanted to go to. Freggin $70! For lawn tickets! To me, two lawn tickets should be $45 tops.
If we don’t flex some consumer muscle somehow, ticket prices are only gonna go higher. But it seems to me people think they don’t have any power (which is wrong, i think they do) or they don’t give a shit.
There’s other ways for a band to make money, than by touring. Look at the Ten box set...bands can get creative with money making without raising ticket prices. Anyway, nowdays bands don’t make that much touring anyways....it all goes to the venue and TM.
Soon concerts will become an elitist activity. It’s going to blow. No average Joe will able to afford tickets. It’s going to be nothing but rich snobs at shows. Doesn’t sound like fun to me.
Exactly. Its about being accessible to your fans.
For now, I'll buy tickets and just make it work. But at a certain point, I won't be able to afford tickets any more.
It would seem travel expenses are playing a factor too, because I noticed the Seattle shows were ten bucks cheaper (per ticket) than the other shows.
Personally, I think its not so much that we're complaining, its that we are letting the band know that they are getting close pricing out some of their fans. Maybe Ticketmaster is to blame, or concert promoters or oil companies for high gas prices, but the band should know that not everyone can afford eighty bucks a ticket, even if they can't do anything about it.
Is a PJ show worth any amount of money? Absolutely. It doesn't mean we all have that amount of money.
The whole fucking world is overpriced. Especially if you have no work since Feb. I'll still be at both Philly shows and the third if it happens. Here's a small sample of history for you:
Pink Floyd '75 $7.50 ,'77 $8.50 '80 $15.00 That Wall show was THE best concert value known to modern man.
Stones '72 $6.50 '75 $9.50 '89 $17.50
I have a 9x11 manila envelope of stubs to the present day from my first show (Stones '72) and the one thing that is clear....shit keeps going up.
I was surprised that last night's Green Day show at the Spectrum had a max price of $49 (pit/GA) before fees, with tickets in the upper deck even cheaper.
"They said ... timing was everything
made him ... want to be everywhere
there's a ... lot to be said for nowhere."
I was surprised that last night's Green Day show at the Spectrum had a max price of $49 (pit/GA) before fees, with tickets in the upper deck even cheaper.
The jump from around $55 per ticket in 06 to like $80 per ticket this year is way out of proportion.
Was it? Many people still bought tickets to multiple shows.
yup. supply and demand, people. for me these concerts are worth every penny...i can't imagine a better way to spend $80. nobody is making you purchase tickets.
Well said. I couldnt agree with you more.
I cant believe how many people are complaining about ticket prices.
DC-9/24/96
Philly-8/28/98, 8/29/98, 9/1/00, 9/2/00, 4/28/03, 7/5/03, 7/6/03, 10/3/05, 5/27/06, 5/28/06, 6/19/08, 6/20/08, 10/27/09, 10/28/09, 10/30/09, 10/31/09, 10/21/13, 10/22/13, 4/28/16, 4/29/16
Jones Beach-8/25/00
PSU-5/3/03
Irvine-6/2/03
San Diego-6/5/03
Hershey-7/12/03
Reading-10/1/04
The Gorge-9/1/05
Vancouver-9/2/05
AC-9/30/05
E. Rutherford, NJ-6/1/06,6/3/06
Bonnaroo-6/14/08
VA Beach-6/17/08
MSG-5/20/10,5/21/10
Baltimore 10/27/13
The ticket prices have inceased so much over the last few years because the album sales have gone down. You can stand up to ticketmaster when Vitalogy is flying off the shelves. But since Binarual, Riot Act and Avocado all failed to sell 1 million copies in the US, you have to get paid somehow.
The ticket prices have inceased so much over the last few years because the album sales have gone down. You can stand up to ticketmaster when Vitalogy is flying off the shelves. But since Binarual, Riot Act and Avocado all failed to sell 1 million copies in the US, you have to get paid somehow.
That's a good point and could explain the disparity between PJ and Green Day's prices.
But I have to admit to being a little uncomfortable with $90 as the cheapest ticket, as it prices out kids. I remember scraping together the $16 or whatever to get a behind-the-stage ticket to Aerosmith at the Spectrum when I was little. Had I not gone, I might not have ever gotten into modern rock (Pearl Jam).
"They said ... timing was everything
made him ... want to be everywhere
there's a ... lot to be said for nowhere."
The ticket prices have inceased so much over the last few years because the album sales have gone down. You can stand up to ticketmaster when Vitalogy is flying off the shelves. But since Binarual, Riot Act and Avocado all failed to sell 1 million copies in the US, you have to get paid somehow.
I agree. And I was just thinking that I read in a magazine...Rolling Stone I believe, that said that bands really aren't making money unless they are touring. It also mentioned that the COST of bands actually touring are greatly increased due to gas prices and stuff like that. Venues are asking more, transportation of equipment costs more etc. It's the increase in overall cost of just friggin living. It all trickles down to us. I just kind of feel that more goes into it than just the band wanting overcharge the fans in order to make a buck.
The ticket prices have inceased so much over the last few years because the album sales have gone down. You can stand up to ticketmaster when Vitalogy is flying off the shelves. But since Binarual, Riot Act and Avocado all failed to sell 1 million copies in the US, you have to get paid somehow.
I agree. And I was just thinking that I read in a magazine...Rolling Stone I believe, that said that bands really aren't making money unless they are touring. It also mentioned that the COST of bands actually touring are greatly increased due to gas prices and stuff like that. Venues are asking more, transportation of equipment costs more etc. It's the increase in overall cost of just friggin living. It all trickles down to us. I just kind of feel that more goes into it than just the band wanting overcharge the fans in order to make a buck.
yeah but the highest priced ticket to Green Day is only $50. Dave Matthews' tickets range from $40-$75....those bands have the same gas and transportation expenses that Pearl Jam does.
yeah but the highest priced ticket to Green Day is only $50. Dave Matthews' tickets range from $40-$75....those bands have the same gas and transportation expenses that Pearl Jam does.
Green Day's costs have to be even higher, as they have a pretty elaborate stage set up with video and pyrotechnics.
"They said ... timing was everything
made him ... want to be everywhere
there's a ... lot to be said for nowhere."
yeah but the highest priced ticket to Green Day is only $50. Dave Matthews' tickets range from $40-$75....those bands have the same gas and transportation expenses that Pearl Jam does.
Green Day's costs have to be even higher, as they have a pretty elaborate stage set up with video and pyrotechnics.
nope, I just got that price from ticketmaster. Green Day tickets for MSG next week range from $30-$50.
imo the decline of album sales does not in any way relate to the cost of a concert tickets today...sure they want you to believe that, but...
# 1 bands never made much money on album sales ever..mostly it was everyone else BUT the band making $
# 2 if green day and tool etc can charge $60 then can't PJ ?
please dont take this post the wrong way...cause ive said earlier in this thread PJ are still less than what im willing to pay, so glass 1/2 full this time around(for now)
yeah but the highest priced ticket to Green Day is only $50. Dave Matthews' tickets range from $40-$75....those bands have the same gas and transportation expenses that Pearl Jam does.
Green Day's costs have to be even higher, as they have a pretty elaborate stage set up with video and pyrotechnics.
nope, I just got that price from ticketmaster. Green Day tickets for MSG next week range from $30-$50.
I meant gas and transportation, etc. I'm saying it's really cool how cheap their tickets are, considering.
"They said ... timing was everything
made him ... want to be everywhere
there's a ... lot to be said for nowhere."
I meant gas and transportation, etc. I'm saying it's really cool how cheap their tickets are, considering.
oh I got ya. I thought you meant that Green Day's prices couldn't be that low because of the stage show. So what you're saying is that Green Day's show costs more to put on that Pearl Jam's yet they charge half the price for a ticket.
The ticket prices have inceased so much over the last few years because the album sales have gone down. You can stand up to ticketmaster when Vitalogy is flying off the shelves. But since Binarual, Riot Act and Avocado all failed to sell 1 million copies in the US, you have to get paid somehow.
I agree. And I was just thinking that I read in a magazine...Rolling Stone I believe, that said that bands really aren't making money unless they are touring. It also mentioned that the COST of bands actually touring are greatly increased due to gas prices and stuff like that. Venues are asking more, transportation of equipment costs more etc. It's the increase in overall cost of just friggin living. It all trickles down to us. I just kind of feel that more goes into it than just the band wanting overcharge the fans in order to make a buck.
yeah but the highest priced ticket to Green Day is only $50. Dave Matthews' tickets range from $40-$75....those bands have the same gas and transportation expenses that Pearl Jam does.
I hear ya.
Maybe it's more of a volume thing then. They have more actual tour dates, so Green Day etc, they make more money that way. PJ has fewer tour dates and so if they didn't charge a certain amount, they wouldn't make jack squat and as a result it wouldn't be worth it to tour at all. Hell, I dunno. I'm just talking out of my ass anyway.
I also look at it like everyone deserves a raise. Hell, if my boss would give me one, I'd sure as hell take it. Its whatever the market bears as someone noted.
I'm old though. I remember paying $1.92 to see Van Halen at a small arena. So, talk to me about ticket prices going up.
yeah...everybody deserves a raise. especially millionaires!
and um ill tell that to my boss who declined to offer up anything this year! and another person i talked to recently was given the "take a 10% pay cut and keep your job" story
times are tough and tickets prices are going up up up
The ticket prices have inceased so much over the last few years because the album sales have gone down. You can stand up to ticketmaster when Vitalogy is flying off the shelves. But since Binarual, Riot Act and Avocado all failed to sell 1 million copies in the US, you have to get paid somehow.
how does Radiohead manage to give their CD away, and still keep tickets around $50? NIN did it too. I'd even argue that as of right now, Radiohead is even more relevant than Pearl Jam so you could see if they were charging $83 a ticket- but they don't. I guess they don't need to be paid all that much, they make a ton of money as it is, and do it because they love it and not get paid. I loved when Pearl Jam was like that.
Maybe it's more of a volume thing then. They have more actual tour dates, so Green Day etc, they make more money that way. PJ has fewer tour dates and so if they didn't charge a certain amount, they wouldn't make jack squat and as a result it wouldn't be worth it to tour at all. Hell, I dunno. I'm just talking out of my ass anyway.
Yeah, I think that's exactly it. Completely understandable from Pearl Jam's perspective, and I'm grateful they tour at all, but it sucks for the young/poor.
I guess the other part of this discussion to consider is scalping. If PJ had $40 balcony tickets, some kids who can't afford $80 would get in, but also a bunch of scalpers would make boffo profit. The higher face value ensures more of that profit goes to the band.
"They said ... timing was everything
made him ... want to be everywhere
there's a ... lot to be said for nowhere."
plus, I kind of think it's a dick move to charge more for tickets than you ever have in your whole career when you know that the nation is struggling with job loss and fear of job loss. For example, the Cleveland Cavaliers (who have Lebron James) and have sold out most every game for the past 3 years, didn't raise their ticket prices because according to their owner "didn't want to kick their fans when they were down". Despite raising payroll to record levels, they kept their prices the same because they knew their fans were hurting.
Maybe it's more of a volume thing then. They have more actual tour dates, so Green Day etc, they make more money that way. PJ has fewer tour dates and so if they didn't charge a certain amount, they wouldn't make jack squat and as a result it wouldn't be worth it to tour at all. Hell, I dunno. I'm just talking out of my ass anyway.
I guess the other part of this discussion to consider is scalping. If PJ had $40 balcony tickets, some kids who can't afford $80 would get in, but also a bunch of scalpers would make boffo profit. The higher face value ensures more of that profit goes to the band.
Comments
Depends on how you look at it.
#1) It's a business + the shows still sell out = NOT OVERPRICED
#2) Pearl Jam fought against Ticketmaster to lower ticket prices + make fun of bands with expensive tickets = Tickets are WAY over-priced
They've lost their morale high ground so to speak, that's all. Still worth it for me though!!!
It’s not the bands setting ticket prices so much as it is greedy fucking ticketmaster. In the last ten years prices have about doubled.
It’s sad when you can’t afford to buy a ticket to your favorite band. ...A band that you have spent money on by buying their every album release. It’s sad and wrong.
Prices keep getting higher. Who’s to say they won’t stop getting higher? TM is taking advantage. Call it capitalism whatever, but it’s just plain wrong to me.
I mean I just looked up two lawn tickets to a show I semi wanted to go to. Freggin $70! For lawn tickets! To me, two lawn tickets should be $45 tops.
If we don’t flex some consumer muscle somehow, ticket prices are only gonna go higher. But it seems to me people think they don’t have any power (which is wrong, i think they do) or they don’t give a shit.
There’s other ways for a band to make money, than by touring. Look at the Ten box set...bands can get creative with money making without raising ticket prices. Anyway, nowdays bands don’t make that much touring anyways....it all goes to the venue and TM.
Soon concerts will become an elitist activity. It’s going to blow. No average Joe will able to afford tickets. It’s going to be nothing but rich snobs at shows. Doesn’t sound like fun to me.
Inside Ticketmaster's Empire - July 09 Rolling Stone Magazine
http://www.ivykennedy.com/trash/RS7.09.htm
For now, I'll buy tickets and just make it work. But at a certain point, I won't be able to afford tickets any more.
It would seem travel expenses are playing a factor too, because I noticed the Seattle shows were ten bucks cheaper (per ticket) than the other shows.
Personally, I think its not so much that we're complaining, its that we are letting the band know that they are getting close pricing out some of their fans. Maybe Ticketmaster is to blame, or concert promoters or oil companies for high gas prices, but the band should know that not everyone can afford eighty bucks a ticket, even if they can't do anything about it.
Is a PJ show worth any amount of money? Absolutely. It doesn't mean we all have that amount of money.
the band sets price limits with the promoter so more than anything the price of a ticket is determined by the band and no one else
PJ are not at the top of what i would pay to see any band, yet. having said that they are fast approaching that figure
i cant wait to get home from work and make this my desktop background at home...thanks for posting
2006: Camden 1&2, East Ruth 1&2
2008: BONNAROO, MSG1, MSG2, Hartford
2009: Philly 1, 2, 4
2010: Hartford, MSG1, MSG2
2012: Made in America
2013: BK1, BK2, Hartford
2015: Global Citizens
2016: MSG 2 (ISO MSG1)
EV Solo: NJPAC 2008; Tower Theatre, PA 2009; Hartford 2011
Pink Floyd '75 $7.50 ,'77 $8.50 '80 $15.00 That Wall show was THE best concert value known to modern man.
Stones '72 $6.50 '75 $9.50 '89 $17.50
I have a 9x11 manila envelope of stubs to the present day from my first show (Stones '72) and the one thing that is clear....shit keeps going up.
made him ... want to be everywhere
there's a ... lot to be said for nowhere."
And a good show it was.
Go to stub hub, you can pay all you want.
Well said. I couldnt agree with you more.
I cant believe how many people are complaining about ticket prices.
Philly-8/28/98, 8/29/98, 9/1/00, 9/2/00, 4/28/03, 7/5/03, 7/6/03, 10/3/05, 5/27/06, 5/28/06, 6/19/08, 6/20/08, 10/27/09, 10/28/09, 10/30/09, 10/31/09, 10/21/13, 10/22/13, 4/28/16, 4/29/16
Jones Beach-8/25/00
PSU-5/3/03
Irvine-6/2/03
San Diego-6/5/03
Hershey-7/12/03
Reading-10/1/04
The Gorge-9/1/05
Vancouver-9/2/05
AC-9/30/05
E. Rutherford, NJ-6/1/06,6/3/06
Bonnaroo-6/14/08
VA Beach-6/17/08
MSG-5/20/10,5/21/10
Baltimore 10/27/13
Pearl Jam bootlegs:
http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
That's a good point and could explain the disparity between PJ and Green Day's prices.
But I have to admit to being a little uncomfortable with $90 as the cheapest ticket, as it prices out kids. I remember scraping together the $16 or whatever to get a behind-the-stage ticket to Aerosmith at the Spectrum when I was little. Had I not gone, I might not have ever gotten into modern rock (Pearl Jam).
made him ... want to be everywhere
there's a ... lot to be said for nowhere."
I agree. And I was just thinking that I read in a magazine...Rolling Stone I believe, that said that bands really aren't making money unless they are touring. It also mentioned that the COST of bands actually touring are greatly increased due to gas prices and stuff like that. Venues are asking more, transportation of equipment costs more etc. It's the increase in overall cost of just friggin living. It all trickles down to us. I just kind of feel that more goes into it than just the band wanting overcharge the fans in order to make a buck.
yeah but the highest priced ticket to Green Day is only $50. Dave Matthews' tickets range from $40-$75....those bands have the same gas and transportation expenses that Pearl Jam does.
Pearl Jam bootlegs:
http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
Green Day's costs have to be even higher, as they have a pretty elaborate stage set up with video and pyrotechnics.
made him ... want to be everywhere
there's a ... lot to be said for nowhere."
nope, I just got that price from ticketmaster. Green Day tickets for MSG next week range from $30-$50.
Pearl Jam bootlegs:
http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
# 1 bands never made much money on album sales ever..mostly it was everyone else BUT the band making $
# 2 if green day and tool etc can charge $60 then can't PJ ?
please dont take this post the wrong way...cause ive said earlier in this thread PJ are still less than what im willing to pay, so glass 1/2 full this time around(for now)
I meant gas and transportation, etc. I'm saying it's really cool how cheap their tickets are, considering.
made him ... want to be everywhere
there's a ... lot to be said for nowhere."
oh I got ya. I thought you meant that Green Day's prices couldn't be that low because of the stage show. So what you're saying is that Green Day's show costs more to put on that Pearl Jam's yet they charge half the price for a ticket.
Pearl Jam bootlegs:
http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
I hear ya.
Maybe it's more of a volume thing then. They have more actual tour dates, so Green Day etc, they make more money that way. PJ has fewer tour dates and so if they didn't charge a certain amount, they wouldn't make jack squat and as a result it wouldn't be worth it to tour at all. Hell, I dunno. I'm just talking out of my ass anyway.
I also look at it like everyone deserves a raise. Hell, if my boss would give me one, I'd sure as hell take it. Its whatever the market bears as someone noted.
I'm old though. I remember paying $1.92 to see Van Halen at a small arena. So, talk to me about ticket prices going up.
end ass talking.
let me guess, we will now be pointing to Paul McCartney tickets when people say Ed solo show tickets are too much
and um ill tell that to my boss who declined to offer up anything this year! and another person i talked to recently was given the "take a 10% pay cut and keep your job" story
times are tough and tickets prices are going up up up
how does Radiohead manage to give their CD away, and still keep tickets around $50? NIN did it too. I'd even argue that as of right now, Radiohead is even more relevant than Pearl Jam so you could see if they were charging $83 a ticket- but they don't. I guess they don't need to be paid all that much, they make a ton of money as it is, and do it because they love it and not get paid. I loved when Pearl Jam was like that.
Yeah, I think that's exactly it. Completely understandable from Pearl Jam's perspective, and I'm grateful they tour at all, but it sucks for the young/poor.
I guess the other part of this discussion to consider is scalping. If PJ had $40 balcony tickets, some kids who can't afford $80 would get in, but also a bunch of scalpers would make boffo profit. The higher face value ensures more of that profit goes to the band.
made him ... want to be everywhere
there's a ... lot to be said for nowhere."
Signed the New York Yankees
how did that work out for them?