Cost of Living
Ticket Prices Have Hit the Roof, but at What Cost to Music Fans?
I can’t help wishing I was back among the hippies in those free festival days
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Live music ticket prices are super-expensive, and fans pay. But why? Whether you go to a festival or concert, you must turn out your wallet. Things weren’t always this way, though.
We’re watching a festival documentary showing Hawkwind at Stonehenge in the 70s.
“I’m there somewhere,” says my husband, leaning toward the screen and popping on his glasses.
I scour the standing stones littered with fans, addicts, and flower children. Smoke rises from a bong as lithe, white-robed women with loose ringlets float between fresh-faced enthusiasts.
A lone long-bearded biker eases into the crowd as the band plays.
“How much were tickets?”
“Nothing.”
Wide-eyed, I stop to think. Free live music!
Today, a Taylor Swift concert ticket, front-row seat mind, costs £300. Sky News report that “nosebleed” seats are £50, plus fees. Billie Eilish (2025) tickets are £145 for fans who don’t mind standing.
“Were lots of gigs gratis?” I ask.
“Sure. Plenty.”
I check it out. The first ever Glastonbury Festival held at Worthy Farm in the UK was (almost) complimentary. At £1, equaling around £15 today, revelers gained entry plus milk.
Woodstock (1969, Bethel, New York) ticket prices were $120 in today’s money. $18 at the time. For a three-day event, that’s cheap. Not on the house. But not bad. Not like ticket prices now.
I’m younger than my festival-loving husband Lee. But I still remember when paying for live music wasn’t like shutting your fingers in the door. What changed?
Fans don’t take a stand
Fans want to attend live gigs. To be fair, they’ve always loved music. But it’s possible they’re willing to put up with skyrocket prices because they endured a few years of not going out due to the coronavirus lockdowns.
We can’t 100% blame a virus for this head-in-the-sand eagerness, yet it may play a part. Some folks know experiences like traveling and attending music events mean a lot to them now. There’s nothing like the appreciation we experience when a withdrawn privilege returns.
I can’t help but wonder whether we’ve gotten into a sheep-like mentality, too. We were given many directives on how to behave during lockdowns. Fear enforced the rules, and people became accustomed to them. Now, they might endure unfavorable circumstances without kicking up a fuss.
Just a thought.
Performances are expensive
Booking agent Matt Hanner says, “There’s a growing number of people that are happy to spend a large chunk of their disposable income on going to a major music event.”
I’m confused, though. News reports on the TV suggest fewer people have disposable income to spend. They’re visiting food banks and signing up for government support.
Still, it’s good to know some folks do earn more money than they need for groceries.
Large scale, fancy shows may also create rising ticket costs. Big venues cost big money. But music performances were often expensive to produce years ago, before the price rise.
Take Pink Floyd concerts, for instance. Lee informs me they involved laser shows and huge theatricals. If he’s remembering them correctly (some people don’t recall the 70s and 80s) such masterpieces cost a pretty penny to produce.
Then again, haven’t electricity costs shot up? Imagine paying for stage lights now. And, of course, the musicians themselves need to be paid the going wage.
I checked out Musicians Union.
About payment, they say, “Single performance fees for musicians in groups performing in pubs and clubs of up to three hours: £154.50 per musician,” and, “For musicians in groups performing at functions of up to four hours: £206.00 per musician.”
These prices apply to everyday musicians. Not famous ones like Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa who earn much more.
When considering event costs, we must remember the extras fans don’t often think about when they hand over cash.
For instance, bands pay for overnight stays, travel, porterage, and subsistence (meals). Then there are legal issues, like contracts and insurance. Plus, can you imagine how much tax Swift hands over?
Sky news report Taylor “is personally earning between $10m and $13m (£8m — £10.5m) on every stop of her Eras Tour, according to Forbes. She is reported to take home a whopping 85% of all revenue from the tour.”
Not so bad, after all.
Back on the TV screen, a band I don’t recognize drift between standing stones. Lee’s given up looking for himself amid the flute-players, dancing hippies, and weed smokers.
“You’re lucky to have been born in time to see famous bands for free.”
“Yeah. I miss it.”
Me too. Even though I wasn’t there.
Rather than complaining, I’m lamenting having missed the era of freebie music. I want to sit among the standing stones while Hawkwind bash out tunes and other popular artists of the day do their thing now and then.
For now, I’m resigned to attending little low-price local festivals and gigs in bars while ticket prices soar.
