.

I have a theory that I conjured up by myself. You see, I haven’t read about it or heard it on the radio, but I have an idea why the concert tickets you buy today are costing a hellavu lot more than they have in the past. And I have three ways for you to fight back and help change these circumstances.

It’s not uncommon to see a poster announcement of a famous artist coming to town to play at your favorite theatre. The ad tells you the time and date of the show, when the tickets go on sale but not the price range for seats. Oh no, for that you need to visit their website and hold on to your wallet.

When did ticket prices for concerts start rivaling Broadway shows? I trace it back the Eagles’  “When Hell freezes over” tour in 1994. The Eagles were selling tickets at an astronomical(at that time) $100 per seat, which was unheard of in most circumstances before a scalper took over. It was believed that these were their last shows, the reunion retirement party to end all parties. The reasoning seemed to be that they were never going to perform after this as the Eagles so they were going to fund their 401k’s for life! Idealistic hippies had sold out to get their AARP cards. The reunion tour went on for two years.

I can’t blame anyone in our society from making it big and cashing in. If I had a talent that people were clamoring to see, I would probably do the same. Many others artists cashed in following the Eagles , raising ticket prices while playing the big arenas and stadiums. Big crowds, higher ticket prices and album sales all added up to huge paydays for acts who could command the price. Let’s face reality, that horse has escaped the barn.

However, there’s a bigger culprit to blame for higher ticket prices. The collapse of the Album/CD market as a revenue stream is affecting us all, not just the artists. In the past, musicians went out on tour in support of a new collection of music. They would show up at large venues around the country and perform 50 to 100 dates showcasing the new music while satisfying their fans with their greatest hits. Their music would be played on the radio and fans around the world went out and bought the new music. It didn’t matter if you lived in a place where the band was NEVER going to play, you could have the music in your own home. Those Album/CD sales kept concert ticket prices somewhat in line because the artists relied on that revenue more than the live concert revenue. The rationale was to go out on tour to drive up the Album sales. The touring was a necessary evil, a means to an end.

Over time, many consumers began to believe that all music was supposed to be FREE and shared by all. The revenue that artists relied on began to quickly disappear and changed the “Record” industry and the artists they served. Frankly, only a few bands were able to rely mainly on live concert revenue to feed their lifestyles (Grateful Dead, for example). The Dead gave away a lot of their music by allowing people to tape the shows as they were happening. The only rule the Dead had was that the individual taping the show couldn’t make a profit off of the recording. It was to be shared freely. This concept was credited with much of the band’s success as the music spread and the desire to see the band live produced the most loyal fans in rock and roll. But I digress…

The phenomena of accessing “free” have been more of a negative, in my opinion. Who amongst us doesn’t want to get paid for the work we do? We are not charities to be funded and neither are the artists we love to listen to. Because of the free music phenomena, ticket prices have been raised to help offset the lost revenue. We’re paying for the new music whether we know it or not when we buy a ticket to a concert. In addition, established artists are returning to smaller venues to recapture the feel of what it was as a performer in their younger days. If an artist decides to tour small 1000-2000 seat halls around the country rather than the Coliseums and outdoor Amphitheaters, they still want to get paid. As fans, we get a more intimate experience and we need to be prepared to pay for it.

What is the solution to high ticket prices? Support your local music scene! There are clubs and bars around town showcasing musicians and their original material. Charleston has a vibrant music scene supporting local artists. Admission is reasonable. If you like their act, buy their music at the show! You can usually get CDs at shows from anywhere as little as $5 for an EP to $10-20 for a full album/CD of new music. If you like their music, buying it at a concert cuts out the middle man and puts more in the performers’ pocket. You can then burn copies for others to discover. Perhaps they will join you at the next show that artist plays!

Another way to stretch your concert dollar is to attend festivals. The Woodstock Music and Arts Festival in 1969 has wrought a whole new generation of music festivals that provide much more for a relatively good price. It’s not unusual to spend $100-150 for a one day ticket to see upwards of 10 bands. That’s getting your money’s worth in today’s world. Today’s music festivals are well run and the musicians start on time most of the time!  You may not think you have the attention span for more than 2 artists. However, if you are open to new sounds and give these artists a listen, you may be surprised at what you hear. Besides, everyone was an opening act at one time and somebody had to ‘discover’ them!

This is just one man’s opinion and I welcome yours. If you would like to comment on anything you read, please do. I look forward to hearing from you.

If you would like  I would appreciate if you   register and look forward to your feedback.to receive a notice when a new article is published rather than relying on a social media post, please go to wordpress.com. You will land on “This is Reader”. On the left, under “Streams”, click on “Followed Sites”…click on “Manage” and write in Doyoubelieveinmagic…enter your information and you’re done.