Back in 1993, frontman of American rock band Nirvana, Kurt Cobain’s mind was blown by the fact that artists like Madonna charged what would be, by today’s prices, around AUD $177 per ticket to her shows. Fast track to 2023, and music fans are willing to pay up to USD $2,071 for a VIP ticket to see Canadian artist The Weeknd.
Concert ticket prices seem to be rising all the time. According to Live Performance Australia CEO Evelyn Richardson, some of the reasons for the increased ticket prices are rising production costs, skill shortages and changes in consumer behaviour. Still, fans from Down Under know better than most to take advantage of the few times their favourite artists perform here. But given the currently soaring ticket prices, how much are fans willing to pay to see live music?
University student Hollie Mitchell has spent over $700 on concert tickets since January 2021. She tells upstart that the memories are worth the money and she has no regrets.
“The atmosphere of a concert is very unique,” she says.
The student says she loves “how dynamic it is and everyone’s there to enjoy themselves. And it’s ultimately a really good time and I think that it’s worth it”.
Across the six concerts experienced by Mitchell in the last two and a half years, she discovered that it is the atmosphere of the audience in the venue that attracts her most to live music.
“There’s no judgement,” she says.
“You can dance, you can sing and depending on who you see, I think the artists can definitely control a lot of how the environment sort of goes, how it sort of feels.
“Buying the cheap seat is worth it because you can still get to be there and enjoy the energy. You don’t have to have the most expensive ticket, you don’t have to have a front row seat in to have a good time, so it’s okay to buy cheaper tickets.”
Ticket to a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert with guests Nirvana and Pearl Jam for only $19.50, 1992. pic.twitter.com/ST4Jgc6R2n
— Classic Rock In Pics (@crockpics) August 23, 2023
Sometimes “cheap” seats are not an option. For example, some fans became upset when tickets to see American popstar Taylor Swift increased drastically in price. Tickets to her 2015 ‘1989 World Tour’ had cost on average AUD $192. In 2018, those prices jumped to AUD $640. Many were not willing to fork out for tickets, leaving arenas with hundreds of empty seats, while Swift’s previous tour sold out within minutes.
But in 2023, as Taylor Swift brings a new tour to Australia, fans are clearly not letting soaring ticket prices stop them from seeing their favourite artist, with the ‘Eras Tour’ selling out the MCG three times over in just under two hours.
Concerts nowadays could be described as a luxury item, as prices are expected to continue to rise significantly. Live Nation Entertainment recorded AUD $4.8 million in revenue globally in the first quarter of 2023, a 73 percent increase in the last year. Mixdown reported a 19 percent increase in ticket prices purchased through Live Nation globally in 2022.
Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino told MixDown he is convinced that fans are willing to open their wallets for the experience as the company would focus on the market. He expects prices to increase as there is more demand for concert tickets.
“The common theme we are seeing around the world is that live experiences are a high priority for fans,” a Live Nation financial report said.
Fans do have something going for them though with the Major Events Act (2009) protecting buyers from being ripped off purchasing a resale ticket when a concert is declared as a major event. The laws for Victoria state that you cannot advertise resale tickets for more than 10 percent above face value.
No matter what the cost, some fans are willing to spend hundreds of dollars to see some of their favourite artists live. Die-hard Harry Styles fan Savannah Brand attended both of the singer’s Melbourne concerts in February 2023. Her love for the British popstar led her to consider purchasing tickets for both the Perth and Sydney shows.
Brand spent around $500 for a single general admission ticket. Her second ticket, plus merchandise, food, and transport resulted in a total spend of around $1,200 across the two nights. Like fellow Styles’ fan Hollie Mitchell, it was also the atmosphere among the fans that drew her into seeing the shows on multiple occasions.
“If I had the money, I would have gone that level both nights,” Brand tells upstart. “I’ll definitely go back in a heartbeat, and I would probably spend that money again.”
Photo: Taylor Swift Speak Now – Pittsburgh by Ronald Woan available HERE and used under a Creative Commons License. This photo has been modified.
