I was angry about ticket prices....

24

Comments

  • Shyner
    Shyner Posts: 1,226
    Pearl jam seems to help out alot of causes that are important. Ticket prices should escalate with inflation. Trust the jam. 
  • High Fidelity 2000
    High Fidelity 2000 New Mexico USA Posts: 4,439
    The OP speaks the truth. I think the prices are a little crazy (let's admit it, if they played more shows in between Seattle and Boston, maybe they could cut their costs a little bit). My sister is probably going with me, she wanted to see them again after seeing Let's Play Two in the theater and she hasn't seen them since 2003, and when I told her the prices her reply was "yeah let's go, $25 more isn't a big deal"... told her they would probably be about $100 last week. It's crazy but taking a breath and having perspective and figuring a poster and a shirt cost $35 each... it's all relative. It's the 2 year increase that still doesn't make a lot of sense.
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  • JimmyV
    JimmyV Boston's MetroWest Posts: 19,598
    $188 to $247 in two years is not inflation people.
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  • JOEJOEJOE
    JOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,822
    JimmyV said:
    $188 to $247 in two years is not inflation people.
    You are correct.....not much has changed in 2 years except for artists charging closer to the perceived market value of their tickets.
  • riley540
    riley540 Denver Colorado Posts: 1,132
    The shows will sell out no matter what. Pearl Jam is a band as well as a business. Lots of people need to get paid to put on these shows! 
  • JimmyV
    JimmyV Boston's MetroWest Posts: 19,598
    JOEJOEJOE said:
    JimmyV said:
    $188 to $247 in two years is not inflation people.
    You are correct.....not much has changed in 2 years except for artists charging closer to the perceived market value of their tickets.
    And I don't disagree based on prices we are seeing for 2018, particularly at ballpark shows. But anyone arguing that inflation is the reason is off base.
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  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,667
    I was never angry. I'm just quite disappointed that I don't feel like I can responsibly afford it anymore.
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  • JOEJOEJOE
    JOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,822
    PJ has a monopoly on selling their services, so price is driven by market value, not cost.
  • lolobugg
    lolobugg BLUE RDGE MTNS Posts: 8,195
    JimmyV said:
    CopperTom said:
    There is $40 per ticket Fenway fee.
    This fact is getting lost in the discussion.
    Except wrigley is up 30% in 2 years.  Did Wrigley's fee change?  

    Like I said, the price is the price and I do think they are giving more of a cut to ticketmaster to obtain more fan club and verified fan tickets.


    that is what I have been saying.

    it's not a coincidence that TM gets involved and the price jumps that much.

    I am an OG. I remember the Ticketmaster fight. their percentages are insane. they wanted $6 on a $20 ticket back in the day. you do the math..... those service fees add up quick.

    I guess they made a deal with the DEVILs to get more fanclub tix.

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  • nicknyr15 said:
    All I have to say is u2 tickets are 331 plus fees for first 10 rows in the 200 sections. So...... 
    So... that is the EXACT reason that I didn't go and see them.
    I can say for U2, while the prices to the general public are astronomical, they took care of fan club members this year. They don't do a lottery, but did the verified fan thing with Ticketmaster. I have only had U2 fan club membership for three or four years. I was put in a what they called the "Experienced" draw and got GA floor for $102 including Ticketmaster fees.  When it went public those seats were the crazy pricing mentioned above, so it was kind of cool they threw the fan club members a bone. I have no issue with PJ charging what they charge, they routinely keep prices down for all, when they could easily charge more.  
  • risris
    risris Posts: 84
    I can only say that you have to compare value of acts you have seen.

    For U2 in Vancouver for the Joshua Tree tour, I paid $175 and was left so unimpressed.  Yes they played the Joshua Tree front to back but with such an extensive library of great music they played 11 other songs and were done in 2 hours.   Not to mention missing the opening act because of the headache of getting into the building. 

    For Metallica a couple of months later, 2 opening acts including Avenged Sevenfold plus 2 plus hours of their stuff and playing their classics and for the same price as U2 I definitely enjoyed it more.

    When it comes to Pearl Jam, they are the best value for the money out there.  3-3.5 hours on stage. 30-35 songs.  An ever changing setlist that is never the same.(U2 and Metallica essentially played the same setlist for their tours night after night) On their 2016 NA tour they played 170 different songs for 26 dates!!!!!!!!!  Metallica 2018: 51 songs in 67 dates.  U2 in 2017: 31 songs in 58 dates.

    I'll take Pearl jam any day of the week.
  • Zod
    Zod Posts: 10,896
    That's how I feel about U2 and Metallica.   I've seen U2 5 times and the last time was the Vancouver show before the last one.  Innocence and Experience tour.  They played half the show in this metal cage thing, and you couldn't see them perform from most of the venue.   I felt I'd seen enough u2 at that point.  I finally got to see my favourite U2 song (stay) at Edmonton 2011, so going to a show after... I felt I was done going to U2 shows.

    Metallica is a band I go to once every couple of tours.  It's generally the same set, sub in some new songs for whatever album they're touring on.  Rinse/Repeat.  If I skip a tour I don't feel like I miss anything.   This last tour was pretty expensive and ramped up to stadium so I passed on it.

    Similar with Foo Fighters.  They're pretty good live, but you can skip a tour or two and it doesn't feel like you missed anything.  Going this year because I skipped the last tour and I feel like seeing them.

    If I miss a PJ show, and they play something epic it would bug me.  I don't get that from other bands.  Probably because the setlists aren't too varied, and they don't dig deep enough to play some rare non-single cut off a 20 year old album.

    In regards to ticket prices.  They're all going up.  They keep going up, but I noticed a big price spike around 2 years ago.  Those of us that go to other shows can see its happening all over the place (and often far worse than PJ).  People that only go to PJ shows kind of get caught unawares.

    It's how bands make money now.  They don't sell albums (even if they release one).  It's all concerts and merch that drives the industry now.  The music doesn't really sell (which is kind of sad).  
  • riley540
    riley540 Denver Colorado Posts: 1,132
    Pretty much every live act plays the same set list night after night. That’s why some of us are willing to see Pearl Jam 3 or 4 tines in a row. It’s conpletely different. 
    Mom not a U2 fan, but did catch metallica. Not too impressed. I knew what was coming the entire time. For $180
  • TA243471
    TA243471 The Great Northwest Posts: 1,251
    if any deal they cut includes me, as a 10 club member, having this good of odds of getting a ticket.....name your price.  I want in the doors, and I don't want those other bastards adding to my price.  I'm ok with a deal with the devil, as long as my price gives me this many chances at getting the shows that I want.
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  • I was actually ok with the prices. Just really excited to see them for the first time!
  • Yep, they've gone up, but we're still willing to pay.... also bands make their money from touring rather than selling records these days don't they? 
  • CantKeepmedown
    CantKeepmedown Portland, Maine Posts: 3,119
    Honest question.......is there any chance Def friggen Leppard and Journey sell out Fenway?  At those prices?  If so, I think I need to reevaluate everything in my life that I thought I knew.

    When I heard about them going on tour, I figured they'd be hitting sheds/arenas and thought to myself, "that might be fun to get a group of people to go to" and figured tickets might be $60-70.  This is unbelievable.  
  • cincybearcat
    cincybearcat Posts: 16,832
    edited February 2018
    JimmyV said:
    CopperTom said:
    There is $40 per ticket Fenway fee.
    This fact is getting lost in the discussion.
    Except wrigley is up 30% in 2 years.  Did Wrigley's fee change?  

    Like I said, the price is the price and I do think they are giving more of a cut to ticketmaster to obtain more fan club and verified fan tickets.
    ...
    Belly aching?  Perhaps you should read what I wrote.  That the tickets are up 30% in 2 years and it's not due to Wrigley fees.  And that I think the price includes more fees going to ticketmaster so that 10C could secure more fan club tickets and verified fan tickers.  I'm OK with that.
    Post edited by Kat on
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  • Jvfireman416
    Jvfireman416 Posts: 95
    edited February 2018
    JimmyV said:
    CopperTom said:
    There is $40 per ticket Fenway fee.
    This fact is getting lost in the discussion.
    Except wrigley is up 30% in 2 years.  Did Wrigley's fee change?  

    Like I said, the price is the price and I do think they are giving more of a cut to ticketmaster to obtain more fan club and verified fan tickets.
    ...
    Belly aching?  Perhaps you should read what I wrote.  That the tickets are up 30% in 2 years and it's not due to Wrigley fees.  And that I think the price includes more fees going to ticketmaster so that 10C could secure more fan club tickets and verified fan tickers.  I'm OK with that.
    Its not you in particular its the forum in general.
    Post edited by Kat on