So when did concert tickets get so expensive?

[Ryback on a Pole!]

Epica are coming to Taipei next week and I figured I'd check ticket prices and maybe go.

£50 a ticket!

To see Epica! They're hardly a huge band. A decent band, but not the sort of band I'd pay £50 to see. £100 actually considering the wife would want a ticket.


Is that the normal price now? I haven't been to a concert in years but I was thinking it would be £15-£20 max. Is £50 to see a smallish, little known band like Epica in a small venue the norm? I thought £50 would be the price for seeing some big band. In fact Slipknot came to Taipei last year and I think tickets were around the same price, maybe a little bit more. Which is fair enough, I'm not a huge Slipknot fan but given they're one of the biggest rock/metal bands in the world £50 (or whatever it was, it was in that same ballpark) to see them is fair enough.

But £100 combined to see Epica? Is that normal, for all concerts to be so pricey? We're actually going to Manilla later this year and the air tickets combined are less than it would be for me to see a 2 hour concert (£40 each).

[The Legend of Groose]

Sounds about right to be honest. I remember wanted to go to The Legend of Zelda symphony when it was in town and it was about $70 (between £50 and £60). I had to pass because I just didn't have the money to go at that time. I also remember when Justin Bieber came to town, tickets STARTED at $100 (£80). To be fair, this was when he was at the prime of his game and every teenage girl had to see him.

[Ryback on a Pole!]

Apr 1, 2017 4:57:19 GMT -5 The Legend of Groose said:

Sounds about right to be honest. I remember wanted to go to The Legend of Zelda symphony when it was in town and it was about $70 (between £50 and £60). I had to pass because I just didn't have the money to go at that time. I also remember when Justin Bieber came to town, tickets STARTED at $100 (£80). To be fair, this was when he was at the prime of his game and every teenage girl had to see him.

That seems a lot for Bieber but, considering Epica are asking for £50 to see them by comparison it's quite cheap. Just £30 more to see one of the biggest selling singers on the planet. Likewise the LoZ Symphony seems like it should be a higher level than Epica.

In fact I've just had a look at Rock City (where I used to go to concerts in Nottingham) and their ticket prices seem to be in line with what I'd expect. £20 for Hell Yeah. £25 for New Found Glory... that's more in line with what I'd expect for bands at about that level of popularity and it's about what I'd pay.

So maybe it's just the venue/ticket place over here which is ludicrously expensive.

[Deleted]

I paid over $100 ($45 per ticket plus "processing fees") to see Christina Aguilera in 2000. Which I thought was insane, but this was her first tour as a headliner, coming off her Best New Artist Grammy. (And she gave a helluva show.)
11 years later, same venue, I paid about the same to see Amy Grant & Michael W. Smith.

[StuntGranny®]

I recently paid $100+/ticket to see Metallica in July. Last time I saw Metallica I paid roughly $60/ticket. We also saw Ghost at a small local venue a couple of years back and paid $20/ticket. Last year when they came back it was $35/ticket. So it does seem like ticket prices spiked somewhere along the way.

At this point, unless I REALLY love a band, there's no way in hell I'm going to a concert. Too expensive and the crowds almost always suck.

[The Unconquered Sun]

About the time concert promoters realized people would pay that much.

[willywonka666]

They say The Rolling Stones killed the tier ticket pricing plan, but not everyone is/are the Stones

[Deleted]

I paid 232 bucks for a Guns N Roses ticket. But I missed the sale and went on Stubhub. But I don't think I paid to see a show for less than 15 bucks. Even regular bar acts where they usually just play covers.

[ayumidah]

Yeah, sounds about right, especially if they're GA. I paid $35 for lower bowl seats to Shinedown and 5 Finger Death Punch last November.

Lowdough shows are now the 10 to 20 dollar events that end up at smaller venues, but larger venues are always kinda costly.

[Deleted]

I paid £50 ($62) to see Meatloaf a few years ago which I think considering the guy is a bonafied legend is fair and that's the most I'd be willing to pay for anybody

[Citizen Snips]

Think the highest I ever paid for just the ticket was for Bruce Springsteen, $95. Managed to score a ticket to see Tom Waits on his last tour, so I had to fly out to Columbus/get a hotel for the night but the ticket itself was only $70.

Just paid $70 for both nights of The Magnetic Fields "50 Song Memoir" show ($35 per night). All of this was money incredibly well spent.

[metylerca]

Granted I usually see bands like The Orwells, The Frights, Fidlar or The Growlers, but I usually get away with $25 per ticket.

Most I've ever paid was $150 per for pit at The Warfield for Faith No More's 2015 return.

[triplethreatmark]

I guess it depends what music you're into and the venues they play in. As a metal/hardcore guy, I haven't had to pay more than 40 dollars(after taxes and processing fees) for a show so far. Speaking personally, I also don't see the appeal of large arena type shows. Give me an intimate show at a small or medium sized venue any day.

[Deleted]

It's one of the main reasons I don't go to shows much anymore. When I was younger in the late 90's and early 00's I used to go to tons of shows. Most tickets were like 10 to 20 bucks. The most I ever paid was 30 and that was for front row Metallica.

It's ridiculous now, I couldn't afford to see Green Day a couple weeks ago.

[Cvslfc123]

I've shelled out a shit load to see various bands this year.

Download- £250
Metallica- £99
Guns n Roses- £97
Green Day- £85
The Killers-£60

[Raw is Doodie101]

That's was inflation does. All live entertainment prices have gone up. When I was a kid In the earlier 2000s, my dad could get two tickets to Raw for $100 bucks and we'd have great seats. I have spend $70 bucks now just to get into the lower bowl....