FEATURE:
Justify Our Love
IN THIS PHOTO: The Queen of Pop, Madonna, captured performing earlier this year/PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
The Complex Issue of High Gig Ticket Prices
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IT can be difficult buying for the music fan…
in your life and figuring out what they want. One can ask them but, when it comes to a great gift, gig tickets are a pretty decent solution. I am determined to get out to some gigs next year and, as I live in London, I am spoiled for choice. The great thing about gigs is that you can meet so many like-minded people and bond in a safe space. There are a lot of terrific venues around London and, with quite a few closing down, I do wonder what the health of live music will be years from now. That said, we do have some brilliant venues we can enjoy; so many top acts will be playing next year. Many people avoid going to gigs because they think they are too expensive! With travel, drinks and food, one is already paying quite a bit out before the music starts. I actually think most venues are pretty reasonable when it comes to price, and one can buy a drink or two and not break the bank. I know London is especially expensive, but I think it is important to support live music and venues around the country. Whilst newer acts and most artists rely on the revenue from gigs to support their music and keep them going, the realities are not the same for bigger artists.
I am not going to single Madonna out, but she is one of the biggest artists ever and, since her teenage years, she has been grafting and working her way to the where she is. One has to tip their cap to Madonna and how far she has come. The Queen of Pop is current touring her Madame X album and is playing in the U.S. at the moment. She is performing some intimate shows at the moment. This review from a recent show in New York proves Madonna is still able to turn in legendary performances:
“Pop’s most rebellious star does just as she pleases during the first round of the ‘Madame X’ world tour at the plush Howard Gilman Opera House too. You might expect the world’s biggest pop stars to have their audience out the door by 11pm but, by the time the clock strikes that hour in Brooklyn, Madonna’s only just come on stage. Not that anyone minds – there are a few outbursts of impatient claps and cheers in the time leading up to her arrival but the overriding atmosphere in the venue is one of pure excitement as people – in their finest gowns, tuxes, and vintage Madonna merch – sip wine from plastic beakers and hover in the select zones were phone use is allowed (all mobiles are locked in pouches for the entirety of the show).
The late start is immediately worth it. The show is a mind-blowing riot of theatrics and powerful political messaging, opening with a quote from James Baldwin being banged out onto a screen laid over the stage by a silhouetted woman at a typewriter. Each key press thuds like a gunshot and is accompanied by a dancer jerking and flinching as if he’s been hit by a bullet. “Artists are here to disturb the peace” the message ends before the queen of pop emerges and launches straight into the autotune-heavy anti-gun anthem ‘God Control’.
As much as Madonna might do what she wants, she also recognises the need to crowd-please at least some of the time. As such, the setlist is littered with some of her biggest songs – an a cappella verse of ‘Express Yourself’ here, an early rousing rendition of ‘Vogue’ there. It’s ‘Like A Prayer’ that provides one of the most joyous moments of the night, though, transforming the opera house into Madonna’s own church. Moments later, she’s in the aisle, marching towards the exit as a defiant version of ‘I Rise’ brings the night full circle.
The crowd follows her to the door like her very own disciples as the house lights come up, jostling to get their phone pouches unlocked to tell the world what they’ve just witnessed – pop’s ultimate freedom fighter putting on one of the most powerful, empowering, and stunning gigs of the year”.
The tour is coming to the U.K., and fans will get the chance to see Madonna up close. Whilst prices for her more intimate shows would have been affordable to many, one only needs look at the ticket prices for her London dates to be taken aback! I understand major artists are going to be pricier, because of the costs of their tours. Think about all the dancers, personnel and effects that are involved in a typical set. Madonna is a worldwide sensation, so she is going to command a high price. The fact gig tickets are being advertised for hundreds of pounds is startling! I know it is nothing new, but one wonders how many people can afford that sort of cost. Obviously, thousands of people will go and see Madonna play, but it does make me wonder why ticket prices need to be that high. I know artists have very little to do with ticket prices, but one can see a massive artist like Paul McCartney and not have to pay the world. It depends on the venue; you can catch Macca in Europe and pay no more than £80 for a ticket. I wonder why big artists charge so much for a ticket. When you get to that stage, you do not need a lot of money and profit is not going to be top of the priority list. Upcoming artists rely on the money gigs bring in, but established artists are not in the same predicament.
Gig prices have doubled since the 1990s, and artists are not powerless when it comes to setting prices. Ed Sheeran may divide people, but he has managed to keep his ticket prices low, despite the fact he is one of the most popular artists in the world. He is not a big fan of V.I.P. tickets and understands how important it is to make gigs accessible and open to all. Artists are not selling as many albums as they used to; with streaming, there is less money being made in general. I can appreciate the fact artists need to make money, but how can some acts justify charging hundreds of pounds for a gig ticket?! Whilst there are plenty of affordable gigs, there are cases where enormously popular artists are pricing out loyal fans. This NME article from earlier in the year references The Who and how they were criticised for charging exorbitant amounts when fans came to see them at Wembley:
“When The Who recently announced a one-off concert at Wembley Stadium with the Kaiser Chiefs and Eddie Vedder supporting, many fans were left reeling when they discovered even the nosebleed seats were nearly £80 while the best seats on the pitch were over £200 a pop.
One fan wrote: “The Who charging circa £230 for front block at Wembley is disgusting. All they’re doing is ripping off their loyal fans that have probably seen them many a time. Plus to make the pitch all seating when they know everyone will stand is obscene. Just comes to pure greed.”
So why are promoters hiking their prices up so much? And how much do the artists have a say in setting ticket prices?
Gideon Gottfried, UK and European editor for US concert industry trade magazine Pollstar argues that there are a number of factors affecting the primary ticket market. Firstly he points out that artists rarely make money from albums any more with the rise of online streaming. In this sense, older acts like The Who, who last released a studio album 13 years ago, also tend to make comparatively less than contemporary artists like The 1975 and Taylor Swift from album sales.
IN THIS PHOTO: Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who/PHOTO CREDIT: Rick Guest
“I’ve spoken to promoters who say artists have a right to be greedy these days because live entertainment has become their sole income and recorded music doesn’t bring much revenue any more,” he explained. “But it is quite astonishing to see some of these prices from certain heritage acts. My only explanation is that they know people are gonna pay it, so they charge it.”
Jon Chapple, news editor at international live music business magazine IQ, also points out that live music is currently in a “boom period” and prices are soaring as a result.
“Ultimately, I think, it’s capitalism at its most basic,” he said. “The prices are growing as demand grows. And while there are fans who can afford to pay those high prices, the majority of acts will continue to charge them”.
There is plenty of evidence to suggest gig prices are getting too high. I was eager to see Madonna in London next year, but prices are too rich for my blood. There is high production costs involved in the biggest shows, and the major artists have a lot of crew and people on the road. Once wages are paid and every aspect of a tour is budgeted for, the artist themselves needs to be paid. I can understand why streaming has reduced income for artists and why, for that reason, touring is the primary source of income. Many would argue the fact there is clear supply and demand. The only reason artists can keep touring is because people want to come and see them. The titans can fill out stadiums and big venues because they have legions of fans that are desperate to see them. Whilst few fans actively grumble about the high price of tickets, one wonders whether that is because they would pay anything to go. It brings me back round to the issue of necessity and financial need. Consider the fact thousands of people will go to a gig and, if they are charged £70 or £80 for a ticket…that is a mighty taking! Venues will take their cut and all the crew will get paid.
PHOTO CREDIT: @chazmcgregor/Unsplash
Once everyone has been paid and accounted for, the artist will still get a very handsome pay-out. Major artists often perform dozens of gigs during a single tour, so that is going to be a lot of money in their pockets! I know the big artists cannot cut their ticket prices right down, but there are too many cases of major artists charging far too much for a ticket. Maybe diehard fans will put their hand in pocket, but what of the younger fan or new convert? This article shows how much fans of particular artists are willing to pay. If an artists has dominated Spotify and is immensely popular, there is that enormous demand for tickets. If that artist plays two or three gigs in the same city, they will charge less for a ticket; if they are just doing the one date per city, supply and demand means the average ticket will be more expensive. Even if artists try and stop resale of tickets and V.I.P.s, the average fan is still paying too much. Is the cost of that ticket representative of true value for money?! Whilst paying a lot of money for a once in a lifetime gig might seem reasonable, I wonder whether it is really…
PHOTO CREDIT: @chazmcgregor/Unsplash
WORTH that sacrifice.