[dreyfuss]

I thought so but couldn't remember for sure

[prz]

I think 60 is more than fair. I could be wrong but 10 years ago we were paying around 50 for the Hip right? So its not bad at all.

[Tthip]

(Yes, I know it is The States and different)
I remember a couple of years ago at Grape Jam - I believe that tickets were $8.00. And $14.00 if you wanted to camp.
It was something amazingly low like that.

[stevball]

I'm new and I have an opinion on this!

1/4 of a million dollars gross over 4 shows is a GREAT pay out for the band, regardless of expenses

I can see the Drive By Truckers at the same venue for $18.50

Pearl Jam's 2.5hr show was $50

I think TTH are charging a bit to much...They should be around $45

Being my fist post I should also say that TTH are among the leaders as to how to treat their fans, it's just this ticket price issue is a little hard to swallow...especially with service charges included

If we get 2 sets perhaps all will be forgiven

[The Horrible Esthete]

The only way we can even begin to argue that the ticket prices are too high is if they don't sellout. Somehow, I don't think they'll have trouble filling these venues for each gig.

C'mon people. The demand is there. Why should they charge less? Just to be "nice"? Are they supposed to just leave free money on the table?

That's insane.

[Billy]

The whole arguement that other bands or artists are charging more is silly to me. All that tells me is that ticket prices are way out of line and the Hip are following suit because they can. Why aren't CD prices rising at the same rate that ticket prices are? Because they just can't do that with the competing technologies that are available.

Just because they can charge an inflated amount doesn't make it ok. It's a shame that so many have simply come to accept that we need to be paying out of our asses for a concert because that's just how it is and every band is doing it so it's justifiable. It infuriates me that not only are bands taking advantage of this, but so are Ticketmaster and as consumers all we can do is bend over. Bullocks! We don't accept inflated gas prices so why do we accept inflated concert prices?

[The Horrible Esthete]

Billy, please.

How can you complain about the ticket prices being overinflated, yet still buy them??

cratch:

Comparing it to gas prices is ridiculous -- are you seriously equating the cost of entertainment to a staple of everyday life and a fixture in national & global economies?

Ticket prices are established according to what the market will bear. If you think they are "inflated" you don't have to "accept" it -- exercise your right to refuse to purchase them.

:roll:

[LoftyPines]

Ticket prices are established according to what the market will bear. If you think they are "inflated" you don't have to "accept" it -- exercise your right to refuse to purchase them.

:roll:

A good example of that is the "The Who" concert here in London this weekend. The show isn't sold out. This isn't due to lack of interest, it's due to the outrageous ticket prices.

I think half the city would be there if they could afford or were willing to pay the ticket price.

[Billy]

Billy, please.

How can you complain about the ticket prices being overinflated, yet still buy them??

cratch:

Comparing it to gas prices is ridiculous -- are you seriously equating the cost of entertainment to a staple of everyday life and a fixture in national & global economies?

Ticket prices are established according to what the market will bear. If you think they are "inflated" you don't have to "accept" it -- exercise your right to refuse to purchase them.

:roll:

As a consumer it is the same thing to me as both are obviously overpriced. (gas price and ticket price)

Regarding not buying tickets, as I have said, the Hip mean more to me than ticket price. I didn't buy more than 2 nights though...not for lack of want but for lack of funds.

Carry on...

[crazykid]

A good example of that is the "The Who" concert here in London this weekend. The show isn't sold out. This isn't due to lack of interest, it's due to the outrageous ticket prices.

I think half the city would be there if they could afford or were willing to pay the ticket price.

I was gonna use this exact example..

I would have love to go and see The Who - but over $100 ticket - no thanks.

[stevball]

A good example of that is the "The Who" concert here in London this weekend. The show isn't sold out. This isn't due to lack of interest, it's due to the outrageous ticket prices.

I think half the city would be there if they could afford or were willing to pay the ticket price.

I was gonna use this exact example..

I would have love to go and see The Who - but over $100 ticket - no thanks.

So the hip are possibly heading down that slippery slope

$72 with service charges is a hell of a lotta cash for a 2 hour show. No matter what way u slice and dice it

[Spycouple]

Billy, please.

How can you complain about the ticket prices being overinflated, yet still buy them??

cratch:

We complain about politicians but we still have to vote, right?

Comparing it to gas prices is ridiculous -- are you seriously equating the cost of entertainment to a staple of everyday life and a fixture in national & global economies?

I wouldn't underestimate the role that cultural production plays in national and global economies. We're well past the Industrial Age of staple concerns such as fuel and bread and circuses. Of course, substitute "entertainment" for "circuses" and, well, same deal.

Ticket prices are established according to what the market will bear. If you think they are "inflated" you don't have to "accept" it -- exercise your right to refuse to purchase them.

:roll:

Yeah sure markets are deadly efficient in what they do, i.e. finding buyer and seller at a price point, but come on now...

Just because you throw a market system into the equation doesn't mean that it'll somehow lead to some sort of "well, the whole world will be better for it" utopia. That's no different than a socialist argument for "workers owning the means of production" (not to get all polysci), or "accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal saviour" (not to get all theological). Market dogma is no better than any other kind.

As much as markets can be used to achieve an efficient transaction between buyer and seller, they can also be used to only include limited participation (i.e. exclude others). This leaves the whole notion of "consumer democracy" in the land of wishful thinking along with the idea that prices are determined by buyers and sellers with "perfect information".

When considering what is gained in revenue by setting a high price that is only attainable by a smaller segment of the market, the question that should follow is "what is lost when its only these transactions that take place"?

It's safe to say the Microsoft could've easily charged even a nominal fee for Internet Explorer back in the day, probably up to the cost of Netscape's product at the time. Due to Microsoft's position in the industry, the market would bear it, no question. But they ended up giving it away for free. How come? Some sort of socialist leanings in the company maybe? Ahhh.... no.

I'm not suggesting "free" concerts for all while pissing on the principles of market capitalism, just pointing out that markets don't take in all the info that might be useful in determining the "best" price. So when a $60 price is what the market can bear in dollar terms, this price may not lead to the diversification in the seller's market that would ultimately reduce the risk having the high-payers bolt for some other product.

Economic lingo aside and back to the concert thing, the cost that a high-priced ticket strategy has, IMO, is that the audience loses the ability to take in a number of performances over time, even if it's by the same band. That makes it challenging to appreciate the artists' work not only in relation to other acts or other forms of entertainment, but also in relation to their own performance history.

For example, I was able to see Tool's first show in five years back in April of this year, and would've love to see what kind of show they're putting on now, whether in a stadium such as GM Place or outside in a venue like the Gorge. But $80 per ticket not only prices me out of seeing a number of shows. But far more importantly, it prices out anyone who isn't a die-hard Tool fan willing to spend that kind of $$$ because they know what they're going to get.

So the only new people who show up at Tool shows end up being the concert reviewers with comp tickets, rather than people who want to take a chance on seeing a band they've heard others say "well, you have to see them live to really appreciate what they do." I think the artist loses something there that doesn't show up in the ticket price.

My $.02 (determined by the going market rate)

-jf

[The Horrible Esthete]

Billy, please.

How can you complain about the ticket prices being overinflated, yet still buy them??

cratch:

We complain about politicians but we still have to vote, right?

This is a fallacial counter-argument. The dynamic of market viability for live entertainment is in no way comparable to that of popular elections.

Comparing it to gas prices is ridiculous -- are you seriously equating the cost of entertainment to a staple of everyday life and a fixture in national & global economies?

I wouldn't underestimate the role that cultural production plays in national and global economies. We're well past the Industrial Age of staple concerns such as fuel and bread and circuses. Of course, substitute "entertainment" for "circuses" and, well, same deal.

You aren't seriously trying to argue that the setting of ticket prices according to market demand has a comparable influence on the Canadian and global economy to that of the price of a barrel of oil, are you? Are you?

As for the rest of your diatribe, all I can say is you are making it far, far more complex than it really is, spycouple.

Concert ticket prices are not established by throwing darts at a pinwheel. It is fixed at the highest possible price where all interested parties are certain that the seats will still get filled, while not jeopardizing future sales.

Period.

If certain bands / promoters / agents / labels make mistakes in calculating such, then they risk missing out on potential revenue.

Will this happen to TTH because they ask fans to shell out a total of $75 for 16 shows?

I think not.

It's not nearly as risky as turning out something as soft as "In View", however.

[boot]

I've heard the argument made that ticket prices for concerts are going up to compensate for increased digital downloads / piracy (with less money ending up in the artist's pocket, regardless of whether it's a legal or illegal download).

As we pay less for our music, we pay more to see it performed live. What did you pay for a new CD 5 or 10 years ago? $18.99? What will the new Hip CD cost this year? $13.99? $9.99 on iTunes? Factor in inflation, and the difference is magnified further.

I'll agree with the earlier posting... I don't mind paying 2x$60 = $120 to see the Hip in concert. When there's another $20 in service charget tacked on top, I do start to have a problem...

[GBV]

i agree that $60 plus charges is steep. while club shows are generally cheaper because the bands that play there are generally less known, they also cost way less to put on.