New Wave Outpost Forum

ok so considering that current ticket prices here in the UK are approximately £25 plus booking fee (so around £30 in total...or around $50 according to current conversion rates)

how much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to a gig by your favourite band?


...btw red hot chilli peppers are charging an exortionate amount for their gig in london this year. approx $70 for a seated or standing ticket.

I voted "the cost doesn't matter", but that's only if I haven't seen the band before. If I have seen the band before, a few things can influence my decision to go.

1. The venue. I like 'em small and I prefer GA up front.
2. The nature of the tour, or what album they're supporting.
3. Whether or not I can get anyone to go with me.

Depeche Mode's US '05-'06 tour was an easy pass for me. I've seen them a few times before, they were playing a large venue, the cost to be up front was about $150 and up, their new album "Playing The Angel" wasn't a big hit with me, and none of my friends wanted to pay that much for a ticket. Concerts aren't much fun when you're alone, no matter who is playing.

Just my view on things.

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I'm stingy. Blondie came through here about 3 years ago to a real small venue. It would have been great, but the tickets were $70. I love Blondie more than any other band, but $70???? No thanks. I've seen Deb 2 other times - it's an ok show, but not for that much.

When I was in my teens or 20's, I probably would have saved up enough to go though...

The cost doesn't matter if I love the band... and if I get the seats I want. Example: Chris Isaak will be playing at Humphrey's By The Bay. I don't mind paying 100-150USD per ticket, if I get aisle seats that are closer to the front (front tix are reserved for dinner reservations and such). I missed my chance at getting them; the only seats available are middle of a row to the edge. I can't have that. I hate sitting behind people and not being able to see a performance, much less the person I bring with me - too inconvenient. I made an exception with Roxy Music years ago. Since this was a world tour and I wasn't gonna get another chance to see them again, I footed the 100USD per seat they commanded no matter where I was placed. Thankfully, the seats were on an incline part of the amphitheatre and most of the patrons were kind of enough NOT to stand up and dance or sing along like a pack of morons. Kraftwerk were also easy to judge. They were 50 bucks a ticket, so it was a no brainer... plus I got great center seats where we could see everything.

Almost every band I've seen in the last few years have been very reasonable. I don't go see supergroups - those are rips that I'd never pay for. I see current small bands and some of the old guard which typically aren't very costly. Basically I'll pay it if I can afford it and want to afford if I like the band enough - my guidelines are too variable to fit any of the poll specifics.

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fair enough blir...but what if a band you've loved for ages became huge and the tour prices went up?

thats happened with green day...who ive loved since their lookout record days and will always love them!

i'm still prepared to fork out the required price but only for them...

stiff little fingers played up here in scotland though! i missed it as had to go home for a visit!

It depends on the artist but I don't think I've paid more than $50 for a concert (or deejay).

I paid $60 to see Roxy Music in 2001. I paid about $45 to see Kraftwerk last year (excluding travel expenses). Both of those were well worth the money but at the top end of what I'm willing to pay. It's just not that important to me anymore.

In comparrisson, the first big stadium show I saw was Ozzy Osbourne, Diary Of A Madman tour in 1982. Tickets were $14 each. I saw DEVO a few months later for $12. Duran Duran in 1984 was around $20 which was extremely expensive.

[quote][i]Originally posted by obs[/i]
<br>It depends on the artist but I don't think I've paid more than $50 for a concert (or deejay).
[/quote]

yeah, me too.

I generally go by 2 categories:
1. There's pretty much only one group I'd pay more $$ for: Duran Duran. When they came here in 2003 for their '78-03 small venue tour, the tix were $ 50, plus fees. I've never paid that much before, but come on. It's Duran Duran! The venue was 5 minutes from my house. And it was TOTALLY worth it, and awesome.

2. Other than # 1, if a show is more than $20, I usually don't go. I'm a cheapskate. Like Ollie said, it's not that important to me anymore to see big-name or expensive shows.
However, I love to check out small venues and clubs and the groups that only cost $ 5-10 to go see: Epoxies, Ladytron, VHS or Beta, Leiahdorus, etc. I go alone a half the time, but I enjoy it.

I just can't get used to these exorbitant prices. I miss the early 80s when most shows were $12 a pop, or under.

[i]1. There's pretty much only one group I'd pay more $$ for: Duran Duran. When they came here in 2003 for their '78-03 small venue tour, the tix were $ 50, plus fees.[/i]

Yeah, the venue size plays a role too. I wouldn't pay $100 to see Depeche Mode in a stadium but if they played in a small club, I might.


[i]2. Other than # 1, if a show is more than $20, I usually don't go. I'm a cheapskate.[/i]

To me, it's not so much as being cheap as what I could do with the money. For $100, I could almost buy two of the DM Singles boxsets, which would entertain me longer than a concert would.


[i]I miss the early 80s when most shows were $12 a pop, or under.[/i]

When DM were last here, Adult was playing the same night at some nightclub, which I went to for about $15. I'm not even a big fan of Adult, but it was an excellent and intimate show, and a far better value.

i would still pay up to £100 to go see green day live as they're my favourite band ever!

for me it's not only the group but the experience too!

anyway thats probably why im always skint....

[quote][i]Originally posted by toe_jam_on_toast[/i]
<br>...but what if a band you've loved for ages became huge and the tour prices went up?[/quote]
Like in 1976 when Van Halen played a free concert at our high school and 15 years later it would have cost ya $220 for 5th row at the Pac Amp? And that's with HAGAR! [:D]

True story!

depeche mode is 150 bucks at the hard rock vegas....! going to the jones beach show ny for 95! see ya there! btw Corrosion nite in nyc is awesome!

I just found the ticket stub to the Psychedelic Furs Mirror Moves tour 1984. Cost me $11 and no "handling" fees.

Like many others, it depends on the artist and venue.

I was happy to drive 90 minutes to Boston and see Franz Ferdinand at Avalon for about $20 two years ago. I wouldn't bother at any price to go see them at the large arena they played recently/are playing soon (I forget when), even though I like the second album more.