Just spent $2500 on 4 tickets in Philly. #### YOU Eddie One pair 40% more than the other for similar location? Scalpers pricing is more ethical. Who do you guys think you're ####### kidding? Don't #### a ####### man. There's not much more disrepectful...
I've been a 10C member off and on for ten years now (I am aware that this is not the longest membership, but this isn't a measuring contest) and I am absolutely appalled by the prices of tickets for this tour. The one thing that always stood PJ apart from all other bands was its connection to the fans, the determination to make it as great an experience as could be and the refusal to let its fans be ripped off and exploited in the name of capitalism (See PJ vs Ticketmaster).
The best example of this has always been the Ten Club, where we get rewarded for our loyalty by being allowed to buy tickets at a reasonable price, right down the front where the proper fans are, without needing to pay an absolute fortune for the privilege. These tickets for the Dark Matters tour UK dates are £160. ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY POUNDS. The cheapest tickets in the house are £120.
Pearl Jam, you have completely lost your way. You are not the band of the people that you once were, you will have lost the respect of thousands of fans with this blatant profiteering and the fact that you are doing this alongside Ticketmaster, of all companies, is frankly insulting.
I for one, will not be renewing my membership next time around and will be interested to see how many others will also leave.
I'm just disappointed.
Eddie in SPIN Magazine, January 1995....
If you have a $55 Rolling Stones ticket and there’s a $3 to $6 service charge, okay. But ours was an $18.50 ticket, and now all of a sudden it’s a $24.00 ticket. That’s not right. I just want people to be able to see our shows. It’s extremely important that it’s available to everyone, that if they’d like to attend they’re able to. Also, when you start having $50 tickets, all of a sudden you’re changing your audience. And that’s a frightening thought, playing only to people that can afford a $50 ticket.
With inflation, a $50 ticket in 1995 is now $102 in 2024. Tickets to this tour are double that. Not such a "freighting thought" anymore.
I love this reply. This is exactly the point that I was trying to make. The most common answers that I'm getting from people who disagree with me are "Don't buy a ticket then" or "Go watch another band". But that's not the point really, is it? The point is that this is Pearl Jam and Pearl Jam have changed.
Pearl Jam changed in 1998, more than 25 years ago. Since then they have changed/evolved as the music and concert business has undergone an evolution with the introduction of digital music, streaming, the emergence of technology/internet resellers, and the Live Nation Ticketmaster merger. Don't hate the players, hate the game.
I'm going to guess Europeans just mostly make far less money then USA?
If you stop looking at the premium pricing - I feel this tour was really fair for modern day standards and incomes here in the USA.
Noblesville is that way because it was a postponed show and has very limited seating left to start with. Most of the venue was already sold in 2023 and held on to.
$200 is normal for a US show? Wow.
Yes. Yes it is.
Depends on the band. I got a lawn ticket to Queens of the Stone Age last year for $50 including fees.
Lawn can always be had significantly cheaper than a seat from my experience. Apples to oranges.
I'm trying to remember what PJ lawn tickets to Camden in 2022 cost. My email says I paid $157. But I can't remember if that was just for me or if I got the tickets for both me and my friend.
That was for a pair. Last year lawn for Indy were $80 apiece
Okay I figured that may be the case. Well that's was reasonable then.
The best regulator will be empty seats and there will be more this time around. They won't win through that either and hopefully come back with a bigger world tour in 2025.
I've been a 10C member off and on for ten years now (I am aware that this is not the longest membership, but this isn't a measuring contest) and I am absolutely appalled by the prices of tickets for this tour. The one thing that always stood PJ apart from all other bands was its connection to the fans, the determination to make it as great an experience as could be and the refusal to let its fans be ripped off and exploited in the name of capitalism (See PJ vs Ticketmaster).
The best example of this has always been the Ten Club, where we get rewarded for our loyalty by being allowed to buy tickets at a reasonable price, right down the front where the proper fans are, without needing to pay an absolute fortune for the privilege. These tickets for the Dark Matters tour UK dates are £160. ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY POUNDS. The cheapest tickets in the house are £120.
Pearl Jam, you have completely lost your way. You are not the band of the people that you once were, you will have lost the respect of thousands of fans with this blatant profiteering and the fact that you are doing this alongside Ticketmaster, of all companies, is frankly insulting.
I for one, will not be renewing my membership next time around and will be interested to see how many others will also leave.
I'm just disappointed.
Eddie in SPIN Magazine, January 1995....
If you have a $55 Rolling Stones ticket and there’s a $3 to $6 service charge, okay. But ours was an $18.50 ticket, and now all of a sudden it’s a $24.00 ticket. That’s not right. I just want people to be able to see our shows. It’s extremely important that it’s available to everyone, that if they’d like to attend they’re able to. Also, when you start having $50 tickets, all of a sudden you’re changing your audience. And that’s a frightening thought, playing only to people that can afford a $50 ticket.
With inflation, a $50 ticket in 1995 is now $102 in 2024. Tickets to this tour are double that. Not such a "freighting thought" anymore.
I love this reply. This is exactly the point that I was trying to make. The most common answers that I'm getting from people who disagree with me are "Don't buy a ticket then" or "Go watch another band". But that's not the point really, is it? The point is that this is Pearl Jam and Pearl Jam have changed.
If the band used this pricing model there would be instant sellouts but tens of thousands of people who want to go would be shut out. Many of those people would be willing to offer 2x-3x, maybe 5x face value to get tickets. Many ticketholders would then decide that they'd rather take the cash than go to the concert. In that situation, the ticket resellers and resale platforms are capturing the majority of the profits even though they are contributing nothing of value to the performance. TM and the artists see that and decide to capture that revenue for themselves, which can only be done by raising prices
I've been a 10C member off and on for ten years now (I am aware that this is not the longest membership, but this isn't a measuring contest) and I am absolutely appalled by the prices of tickets for this tour. The one thing that always stood PJ apart from all other bands was its connection to the fans, the determination to make it as great an experience as could be and the refusal to let its fans be ripped off and exploited in the name of capitalism (See PJ vs Ticketmaster).
The best example of this has always been the Ten Club, where we get rewarded for our loyalty by being allowed to buy tickets at a reasonable price, right down the front where the proper fans are, without needing to pay an absolute fortune for the privilege. These tickets for the Dark Matters tour UK dates are £160. ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY POUNDS. The cheapest tickets in the house are £120.
Pearl Jam, you have completely lost your way. You are not the band of the people that you once were, you will have lost the respect of thousands of fans with this blatant profiteering and the fact that you are doing this alongside Ticketmaster, of all companies, is frankly insulting.
I for one, will not be renewing my membership next time around and will be interested to see how many others will also leave.
I'm just disappointed.
Eddie in SPIN Magazine, January 1995....
If you have a $55 Rolling Stones ticket and there’s a $3 to $6 service charge, okay. But ours was an $18.50 ticket, and now all of a sudden it’s a $24.00 ticket. That’s not right. I just want people to be able to see our shows. It’s extremely important that it’s available to everyone, that if they’d like to attend they’re able to. Also, when you start having $50 tickets, all of a sudden you’re changing your audience. And that’s a frightening thought, playing only to people that can afford a $50 ticket.
With inflation, a $50 ticket in 1995 is now $102 in 2024. Tickets to this tour are double that. Not such a "freighting thought" anymore.
I love this reply. This is exactly the point that I was trying to make. The most common answers that I'm getting from people who disagree with me are "Don't buy a ticket then" or "Go watch another band". But that's not the point really, is it? The point is that this is Pearl Jam and Pearl Jam have changed.
Fair enough. But ‘95 was a long time ago and the whole world has changed. I hope nobody tries to hold me to every word I said 30 years ago. important to remember that Stone in the clips from Congress explicitly mentions that they have mostly teenage fans who they were looking out for. Not really the case anymore. people also seem to forget they lost that TM fight in ‘95. Pretty resoundingly. They’ve been TM again since ‘98. But a lot of fans would prefer they continue that losing fight forever. TM sucks, totally agreed. But if PJ couldn’t stop ‘em in ‘95, and the Swifties couldn’t in 2022, then they aren’t getting stopped. Life’s like that sometimes and you have to choose your priorities.
I've been a 10C member off and on for ten years now (I am aware that this is not the longest membership, but this isn't a measuring contest) and I am absolutely appalled by the prices of tickets for this tour. The one thing that always stood PJ apart from all other bands was its connection to the fans, the determination to make it as great an experience as could be and the refusal to let its fans be ripped off and exploited in the name of capitalism (See PJ vs Ticketmaster).
The best example of this has always been the Ten Club, where we get rewarded for our loyalty by being allowed to buy tickets at a reasonable price, right down the front where the proper fans are, without needing to pay an absolute fortune for the privilege. These tickets for the Dark Matters tour UK dates are £160. ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY POUNDS. The cheapest tickets in the house are £120.
Pearl Jam, you have completely lost your way. You are not the band of the people that you once were, you will have lost the respect of thousands of fans with this blatant profiteering and the fact that you are doing this alongside Ticketmaster, of all companies, is frankly insulting.
I for one, will not be renewing my membership next time around and will be interested to see how many others will also leave.
I'm just disappointed.
Eddie in SPIN Magazine, January 1995....
If you have a $55 Rolling Stones ticket and there’s a $3 to $6 service charge, okay. But ours was an $18.50 ticket, and now all of a sudden it’s a $24.00 ticket. That’s not right. I just want people to be able to see our shows. It’s extremely important that it’s available to everyone, that if they’d like to attend they’re able to. Also, when you start having $50 tickets, all of a sudden you’re changing your audience. And that’s a frightening thought, playing only to people that can afford a $50 ticket.
With inflation, a $50 ticket in 1995 is now $102 in 2024. Tickets to this tour are double that. Not such a "freighting thought" anymore.
I love this reply. This is exactly the point that I was trying to make. The most common answers that I'm getting from people who disagree with me are "Don't buy a ticket then" or "Go watch another band". But that's not the point really, is it? The point is that this is Pearl Jam and Pearl Jam have changed.
If the band used this pricing model there would be instant sellouts but tens of thousands of people who want to go would be shut out. Many of those people would be willing to offer 2x-3x, maybe 5x face value to get tickets. Many ticketholders would then decide that they'd rather take the cash than go to the concert. In that situation, the ticket resellers and resale platforms are capturing the majority of the profits even though they are contributing nothing of value to the performance. TM and the artists see that and decide to capture that revenue for the themselves, which can only be done by raising prices
I am beyond upset at the prices of the tickets I just bought. I was in DC years ago when you were fighting for the fans and the ridiculous prices that Ticketmaster was charging. I just bought tickets for CFG and it was $2000 for 4 tickets in nosebleed seats. I had an opportunity to buy closer, but they were over 800 a piece before the jacked-up fees. I hope you have the fight left in you to do something similar as Robert Smith when the Cure recently toured and refunded us to bring the price down. Friends were able to get Ten Club presale and paid less than half of what we did (which is till too much), and they are on the floor - just not right! Thanks for hearing me out
I really wish people would stop blaming the band for the cost of goods and services in 2024. I’d be willing to bet that they are not making much more profit per show than what they were 10 or more years ago. It takes significant infrastructure to put on a tour that travels the world, and these prices actually compares favorably to many other concert experiences.
Pearl Jam changed in 1998, more than 25 years ago. Since then they have changed/evolved as the music and concert business has undergone an evolution with the introduction of digital music, streaming, the emergence of technology/internet resellers, and the Live Nation Ticketmaster merger. Don't hate the players, hate the game.
Complicity and conspiracy is unethical, period, despite the number of ways they can be rationalized. The truth is, scalper pricing is arguably, and almost obviously, more ethical from the buyer POV. The band and Ticketmaster's "we want the fans to be treated fairly prize-wise." is complete ##### ########, period.
I am beyond upset at the prices of the tickets I just bought. I was in DC years ago when you were fighting for the fans and the ridiculous prices that Ticketmaster was charging. I just bought tickets for CFG and it was $2000 for 4 tickets in nosebleed seats. I had an opportunity to buy closer, but they were over 800 a piece before the jacked-up fees. I hope you have the fight left in you to do something similar as Robert Smith when the Cure recently toured and refunded us to bring the price down. Friends were able to get Ten Club presale and paid less than half of what we did (which is till too much), and they are on the floor - just not right! Thanks for hearing me out
The best way to protest outrageous prices is not to buy them rather than posting on a board that no one will read. I know it's easy to get caught up in moment and let fear of missing out take over, but TM's business model depends on desperation. They create an artificial sense of scarcity and jack the prices as high as possible when tickets go on sale months before the show because some will take the bait. If people don't bite and the show approaches, the unsold floor tickets that were initially $800 apiece will come down to $200.
I've been a 10C member off and on for ten years now (I am aware that this is not the longest membership, but this isn't a measuring contest) and I am absolutely appalled by the prices of tickets for this tour. The one thing that always stood PJ apart from all other bands was its connection to the fans, the determination to make it as great an experience as could be and the refusal to let its fans be ripped off and exploited in the name of capitalism (See PJ vs Ticketmaster).
The best example of this has always been the Ten Club, where we get rewarded for our loyalty by being allowed to buy tickets at a reasonable price, right down the front where the proper fans are, without needing to pay an absolute fortune for the privilege. These tickets for the Dark Matters tour UK dates are £160. ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY POUNDS. The cheapest tickets in the house are £120.
Pearl Jam, you have completely lost your way. You are not the band of the people that you once were, you will have lost the respect of thousands of fans with this blatant profiteering and the fact that you are doing this alongside Ticketmaster, of all companies, is frankly insulting.
I for one, will not be renewing my membership next time around and will be interested to see how many others will also leave.
I'm just disappointed.
Eddie in SPIN Magazine, January 1995....
If you have a $55 Rolling Stones ticket and there’s a $3 to $6 service charge, okay. But ours was an $18.50 ticket, and now all of a sudden it’s a $24.00 ticket. That’s not right. I just want people to be able to see our shows. It’s extremely important that it’s available to everyone, that if they’d like to attend they’re able to. Also, when you start having $50 tickets, all of a sudden you’re changing your audience. And that’s a frightening thought, playing only to people that can afford a $50 ticket.
With inflation, a $50 ticket in 1995 is now $102 in 2024. Tickets to this tour are double that. Not such a "freighting thought" anymore.
I love this reply. This is exactly the point that I was trying to make. The most common answers that I'm getting from people who disagree with me are "Don't buy a ticket then" or "Go watch another band". But that's not the point really, is it? The point is that this is Pearl Jam and Pearl Jam have changed.
I think that reply is insanity and shows there is not a clear understanding of how inflation works. Everything is up by that much, cost of equipment, travel costs, crew costs, insurance costs, ticketmaster costs.
1995 pearl jam fans were poor early job stages or teens: minimum wage $4.25 an hour for comparison....
2024 pearl jam fans are in the the peak earning stages of your career between 38 and 55 for the majority of the demographic.
I think the band does their best to control pricing - Fees are like $30 this tour...so ticket price is actually like $145 or $155...then fees, then tax..
You can vote for less taxation and you can vote to control inflation. So you can be disappointed in the band or you can do something about it.
Pearl Jam changed in 1998, more than 25 years ago. Since then they have changed/evolved as the music and concert business has undergone an evolution with the introduction of digital music, streaming, the emergence of technology/internet resellers, and the Live Nation Ticketmaster merger. Don't hate the players, hate the game.
Complicity and conspiracy is unethical, period, despite the number of ways they can be rationalized. The truth is, scalper pricing is arguably, and almost obviously, more ethical from the buyer POV. The band and Ticketmaster's "we want the fans to be treated fairly prize-wise." is complete ##### ########, period.
I've never been one to complain about 10C, Pearl Jam, etc - I've seen it on here a lot in recent years - moaning about the length of shows shortening, lack of touring, etc. But I think I've reached a point now when I do have to moan. I am very disappointed most of all with the ticket prices. £160 for front standing in London - I am almost ok with, and being able to get these without any hassle through 10C. But £160 for rear standing too, £160 for GA in Manchester?! And dynamic pricing driving up these prices even further! I paid £90 in total for 2 days at Hyde Park just 2 years ago! I'm disappointed they elected to play in a stadium, I'm disappointed in the dwindling 10C member benefits (after the Christmas single disappearing, then the magazine and now having to pay for the 10C T-shirt!!).
An accumulation of all this has finally worn me down. I don't know who to blame, but what I do know is that this band 30 years ago took Ticketmaster to court for charging extra fees on top of ticket prices, and these tickets have a £25 fee per ticket. I will be going to London and Manchester (sacrificing a Foos show in the process) because I love the band so much. But it leaves a very bitter taste in my mouth and I have never felt this way about Pearl Jam before.
Cardiff 06/06/2000
Reading 27/08/2006
Wembley 18/06/2007
Shepherds Bush 11/08/2009
Manchester 17/08/2009
Hyde Park 25/06/2010
Manchester 20/06/2012
Manchester 21/06/2012
Leeds 08/07/2014
I'm going to guess Europeans just mostly make far less money then USA?
If you stop looking at the premium pricing - I feel this tour was really fair for modern day standards and incomes here in the USA.
Noblesville is that way because it was a postponed show and has very limited seating left to start with. Most of the venue was already sold in 2023 and held on to.
$200 is normal for a US show? Wow.
It's low tbh. At my local venues, Creed is charging $300 for the pit. RHCP, Green Day, Blink 182 are all charging around $500-600. And that's in a market much smaller than NYC, LA, Chicago, etc.
I just want to know when concerts became such a rich man's game. Pearl Jam fans always show up but it ruins the entire ####ing vibe at so many shows I've been to lately. People in the lower bowl seated for the whole show. Young adults on IG the entire time taking pictures in front of your line of view. And so on. It just sucks.
I'm going to guess Europeans just mostly make far less money then USA?
If you stop looking at the premium pricing - I feel this tour was really fair for modern day standards and incomes here in the USA.
Noblesville is that way because it was a postponed show and has very limited seating left to start with. Most of the venue was already sold in 2023 and held on to.
$200 is normal for a US show? Wow.
It's low tbh. At my local venues, Creed is charging $300 for the pit. RHCP, Green Day, Blink 182 are all charging around $500-600. And that's in a market much smaller than NYC, LA, Chicago, etc.
I just want to know when concerts became such a rich man's game. Pearl Jam fans always show up but it ruins the entire ####ing vibe at so many shows I've been to lately. People in the lower bowl seated for the whole show. Young adults on IG the entire time taking pictures in front of your line of view. And so on. It just sucks.
Rhetorical question I know but since the pandemic ended people have been willing to pay top dollar for live events
I just want to know when concerts became such a rich man's game. Pearl Jam fans always show up but it ruins the entire ####ing vibe at so many shows I've been to lately. People in the lower bowl seated for the whole show. Young adults on IG the entire time taking pictures in front of your line of view. And so on. It just sucks.
Rhetorical question I know but since the pandemic ended people have been willing to pay top dollar for live events
This is the current view of part of the rear section at Tottenham's stadium in London. Every block in the rear of the stadium is the same - there are thousands of unsold tickets. So no, I don't think people are willing to pay top dollar
I'm going to guess Europeans just mostly make far less money then USA?
If you stop looking at the premium pricing - I feel this tour was really fair for modern day standards and incomes here in the USA.
Noblesville is that way because it was a postponed show and has very limited seating left to start with. Most of the venue was already sold in 2023 and held on to.
$200 is normal for a US show? Wow.
Depends on the artist, but thats the trend I've been seeing lately. I've seen a lot of shows worse seats starting at $200-300 these days.
Current pricing certainly isn't cheap. But it could be a lot lot higher. See U2, Guns n roses, Bruce etc
I just want to know when concerts became such a rich man's game. Pearl Jam fans always show up but it ruins the entire ####ing vibe at so many shows I've been to lately. People in the lower bowl seated for the whole show. Young adults on IG the entire time taking pictures in front of your line of view. And so on. It just sucks.
Rhetorical question I know but since the pandemic ended people have been willing to pay top dollar for live events
This is the current view of part of the rear section at Tottenham's stadium in London. Every block in the rear of the stadium is the same - there are thousands of unsold tickets. So no, I don't think people are willing to pay top dollar
It also tends to be most pronounced with the best seats. Deep pockets want to be in the front row, not at the rear of the stadium. Here's an example I came across this morning. They're not all selling on the sides, but the center section in front of the stage is mostly sold out
I'm going to guess Europeans just mostly make far less money then USA?
If you stop looking at the premium pricing - I feel this tour was really fair for modern day standards and incomes here in the USA.
Noblesville is that way because it was a postponed show and has very limited seating left to start with. Most of the venue was already sold in 2023 and held on to.
$200 is normal for a US show? Wow.
Depends on the artist, but thats the trend I've been seeing lately. I've seen a lot of shows worse seats starting at $200-300 these days.
Current pricing certainly isn't cheap. But it could be a lot lot higher. See U2, Guns n roses, Bruce etc
I paid £100 per ticket to see Guns n Roses at the same stadium two years ago. The same ticket this year for PJ is 60% more expensive.
$200 probably is normal for a band of this caliber. Obviously there are lots of well known bands you can see for less. But the trend is to charge more for shows, and people are willing to do it. Honestly, who here wouldn't? Would anyone here open a restaurant, sell out every single night, have huge demand, and not raise prices when you are turning away customers every day? Or make a little extra money so your kids can continue the same lifestyle you've given them even after you're gone? The price sucks, but I don't blame them for it.
I'm going to guess Europeans just mostly make far less money then USA?
If you stop looking at the premium pricing - I feel this tour was really fair for modern day standards and incomes here in the USA.
Noblesville is that way because it was a postponed show and has very limited seating left to start with. Most of the venue was already sold in 2023 and held on to.
$200 is normal for a US show? Wow.
Depends on the artist, but thats the trend I've been seeing lately. I've seen a lot of shows worse seats starting at $200-300 these days.
Current pricing certainly isn't cheap. But it could be a lot lot higher. See U2, Guns n roses, Bruce etc
I paid £100 per ticket to see Guns n Roses at the same stadium two years ago. The same ticket this year for PJ is 60% more expensive.
Having seen both bands multiple times in recent years, I've always had to pay more for GnR tickets than for equivalent seats for PJ. Maybe PJ miscalculated or maybe GnR would charge the same or more in 2024
$200 probably is normal for a band of this caliber. Obviously there are lots of well known bands you can see for less. But the trend is to charge more for shows, and people are willing to do it. Honestly, who here wouldn't? Would anyone here open a restaurant, sell out every single night, have huge demand, and not raise prices when you are turning away customers every day? Or make a little extra money so your kids can continue the same lifestyle you've given them even after you're gone? The price sucks, but I don't blame them for it.
For me I feel like the eternal question a lot of acts are asking is "what's prohibitive enough to keep would be scalpers away from buying up the entire inventory while also not upsetting the fans?" The alternative to what's happening now - a band Pearl Jam's caliber releasing a bunch of $50 tickets onto the free market - is just going to result in the band getting less than they could in addition to more fans getting hosed by having to resort to the secondary market to procure tickets where the prices will be even more expensive than this. I'm sure this is all well researched and of course the idea is to make money but I don't really think it's as sinister as a lot of folks make it out to be. The easiest solution is playing bigger venues.
$200 probably is normal for a band of this caliber. Obviously there are lots of well known bands you can see for less. But the trend is to charge more for shows, and people are willing to do it. Honestly, who here wouldn't? Would anyone here open a restaurant, sell out every single night, have huge demand, and not raise prices when you are turning away customers every day? Or make a little extra money so your kids can continue the same lifestyle you've given them even after you're gone? The price sucks, but I don't blame them for it.
The ticket sales speak volumes. $200 in America might be acceptable, but £160 in London definitely isn't.
I've been a 10C member off and on for ten years now (I am aware that this is not the longest membership, but this isn't a measuring contest) and I am absolutely appalled by the prices of tickets for this tour. The one thing that always stood PJ apart from all other bands was its connection to the fans, the determination to make it as great an experience as could be and the refusal to let its fans be ripped off and exploited in the name of capitalism (See PJ vs Ticketmaster).
The best example of this has always been the Ten Club, where we get rewarded for our loyalty by being allowed to buy tickets at a reasonable price, right down the front where the proper fans are, without needing to pay an absolute fortune for the privilege. These tickets for the Dark Matters tour UK dates are £160. ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY POUNDS. The cheapest tickets in the house are £120.
Pearl Jam, you have completely lost your way. You are not the band of the people that you once were, you will have lost the respect of thousands of fans with this blatant profiteering and the fact that you are doing this alongside Ticketmaster, of all companies, is frankly insulting.
I for one, will not be renewing my membership next time around and will be interested to see how many others will also leave.
I'm just disappointed.
I thought you were going to complain about PJ Premium and pay $1,000 for a ticket. But complaining about $200 a ticket. We adapt in life and this is one of those things you adapt to.
While tickets are certainly pricey this tour I can afford them. In 1995 a $20 ticket was way outside of my price range. It's all a matter of perspective.
Anything you lose from being honest You never really had to begin with.
Sometimes it's not the song that makes you emotional it's the people and things that come to your mind when you hear it.
I've been a 10C member off and on for ten years now (I am aware that this is not the longest membership, but this isn't a measuring contest) and I am absolutely appalled by the prices of tickets for this tour. The one thing that always stood PJ apart from all other bands was its connection to the fans, the determination to make it as great an experience as could be and the refusal to let its fans be ripped off and exploited in the name of capitalism (See PJ vs Ticketmaster).
The best example of this has always been the Ten Club, where we get rewarded for our loyalty by being allowed to buy tickets at a reasonable price, right down the front where the proper fans are, without needing to pay an absolute fortune for the privilege. These tickets for the Dark Matters tour UK dates are £160. ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY POUNDS. The cheapest tickets in the house are £120.
Pearl Jam, you have completely lost your way. You are not the band of the people that you once were, you will have lost the respect of thousands of fans with this blatant profiteering and the fact that you are doing this alongside Ticketmaster, of all companies, is frankly insulting.
I for one, will not be renewing my membership next time around and will be interested to see how many others will also leave.
I'm just disappointed.
I thought you were going to complain about PJ Premium and pay $1,000 for a ticket. But complaining about $200 a ticket. We adapt in life and this is one of those things you adapt to.
That's not how much a ticket costs in London. It's all relative, £160 is massively overpriced and that is shown in the thousands of tickets unsold today. They're charging 25% more than AC/DC, a week apart and 60% more than GnR charged two years ago. I'm not going to get into a debate about US ticket prices, because I don't live in the US.
Comments
One pair 40% more than the other for similar location? Scalpers pricing is more ethical.
Who do you guys think you're ####### kidding? Don't #### a ####### man. There's not much more disrepectful...
Pearl Jam changed in 1998, more than 25 years ago. Since then they have changed/evolved as the music and concert business has undergone an evolution with the introduction of digital music, streaming, the emergence of technology/internet resellers, and the Live Nation Ticketmaster merger. Don't hate the players, hate the game.
Pearl Jam bootlegs:
http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
2005 - Calgary, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Kitchener, Montréal, Ottawa
2006 - Verona, Torino, Pistoia
2007 - Munich
2013 - Calgary
2014 - Vienna
2016 - Quebec, Ottawa, Toronto N1, Toronto N2, Pemberton
2018 - Padova
2022 - Frankfurt, Krakow, Quebec, Ottawa, Hamilton, Toronto
important to remember that Stone in the clips from Congress explicitly mentions that they have mostly teenage fans who they were looking out for. Not really the case anymore.
people also seem to forget they lost that TM fight in ‘95. Pretty resoundingly. They’ve been TM again since ‘98. But a lot of fans would prefer they continue that losing fight forever. TM sucks, totally agreed. But if PJ couldn’t stop ‘em in ‘95, and the Swifties couldn’t in 2022, then they aren’t getting stopped. Life’s like that sometimes and you have to choose your priorities.
What a concept.
1995 pearl jam fans were poor early job stages or teens: minimum wage $4.25 an hour for comparison....
2024 pearl jam fans are in the the peak earning stages of your career between 38 and 55 for the majority of the demographic.
I think the band does their best to control pricing - Fees are like $30 this tour...so ticket price is actually like $145 or $155...then fees, then tax..
You can vote for less taxation and you can vote to control inflation. So you can be disappointed in the band or you can do something about it.
They have not said that for many years.
An accumulation of all this has finally worn me down. I don't know who to blame, but what I do know is that this band 30 years ago took Ticketmaster to court for charging extra fees on top of ticket prices, and these tickets have a £25 fee per ticket. I will be going to London and Manchester (sacrificing a Foos show in the process) because I love the band so much. But it leaves a very bitter taste in my mouth and I have never felt this way about Pearl Jam before.
Cardiff 06/06/2000
Reading 27/08/2006
Wembley 18/06/2007
Shepherds Bush 11/08/2009
Manchester 17/08/2009
Hyde Park 25/06/2010
Manchester 20/06/2012
Manchester 21/06/2012
Leeds 08/07/2014
London 17/07/2018
Hyde Park 08/07/2022
Hyde Park 09/07/2022
Pearl Jam bootlegs:
http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
This is the current view of part of the rear section at Tottenham's stadium in London. Every block in the rear of the stadium is the same - there are thousands of unsold tickets. So no, I don't think people are willing to pay top dollar
Current pricing certainly isn't cheap. But it could be a lot lot higher. See U2, Guns n roses, Bruce etc
It also tends to be most pronounced with the best seats. Deep pockets want to be in the front row, not at the rear of the stadium. Here's an example I came across this morning. They're not all selling on the sides, but the center section in front of the stage is mostly sold out
Honestly, who here wouldn't?
Would anyone here open a restaurant, sell out every single night, have huge demand, and not raise prices when you are turning away customers every day? Or make a little extra money so your kids can continue the same lifestyle you've given them even after you're gone? The price sucks, but I don't blame them for it.
You never really had to begin with.
Sometimes it's not the song that makes you emotional it's the people and things that come to your mind when you hear it.
I'm not going to get into a debate about US ticket prices, because I don't live in the US.