Recently, I learned that Rihanna cancelled her scheduled concert performance in my city. This is the latest in a string of cancellations. The news came a day after I learned that the Lilith Fair show in my city was also cancelled, a tour which has also been rife with canceled shows. Countless artists have been canceling shows left and right this summer. Music promoters haven’t come right out and said it, but I can’t help but believe that the bulk of the cancellations are due to poor ticket sales. After all, we are in the midst of a trying economic cycle. However, all concert tours are not suffering. According to Pollstar, Lady Gaga, James Taylor/Carole King, and Justin Bieber are fairing quite well, so I don’t believe that the economy is the sole reason for slow ticket sales.
Recently, Gawker.com noted that concert ticket sales have dropped to an all time low and cited ticket prices and “old” artists as possible reasons. I am an avid concert goer. It isn’t uncommon for me to attend a show a week. On occasion (such as this past week), I attend multiple shows during a week. But even though I may attend my share of shows, I pass on many. Gawker made some very good and valid observations, but here is my list of reasons why concert attendance may be declining:
- FEES. Ticketing fees are pricey, dare I say exorbitant. At times, the fees are so high that it actually factors into my decision to see a show. An additional $15 can push me off of the fence, so to speak, when I’m contemplating catching a particular show. A few dollars to process my transaction is reasonable and doable. $15 in convenience and processing fees is not. I’ve been known to visit a box office or two to purchase tickets so as not to be assessed a fee. You may call it cheap, but I call it money management.
- VENUE. I don’t care what anyone says, a venue can make or break a concert experience for me. Thought has to be put into the type of music that an artist performs and if the venue is suited. For instance, it is ridiculous to have an artist like Natalie Merchant or Brian Culbertson perform in a venue where 70% of the space is standing room only. The music is suited for that. If I have to be on my feet, I may as well dance. Personally, I generally prefer small to mid-size venues. The sound is usually better and I feel that the artist is better able to connect with the audience. Don’t get me wrong, large venues have their place, provided that the right artist is there. Let’s face it, U2, Calle 13, and Usher SHOULD be performing in arenas. They have proven that they can fill arenas and their music is probably better suited for this type of venue than many other artists. But really, it doesn’t matter how popular she is and how many fans she may have, SADE + large arena = NOT GOOD! (her music is better suited for a more intimate environment)
- ARTIST LINE-UP. This one gets me more times than I care to mention. I swear, sometimes I think that little to no reasonable thought is put into who should support whom on tour. Today, I had to pass on an upcoming concert. I’d been dying to see a particular act for year and I found out that they’ll be here in 6 weeks. Great news, right? Yeah, that’s what I thought until I learned that they are set to open for an artist that does nothing for me. NOT ONE THING. So I guess that I’ll find something else to do that evening. (Now you’re probably thinking “just leave early”. You’re right, I can do that, and I might, but in my mind, I’ll be thinking that I paid for half a show. After all, money doesn’t grow on trees. Oh wait…) Recently, Mayer Hawthorne opened for John Mayer in a few cities. I thought to myself “Really??? I don’t get it.” To me, those two artists have a totally different core audience. As crazy as I thought that was, it was nothing compared to hearing that Drake and Hanson were on the same bill. What?! WHAT?!?!?! Is this how fans felt in 1981 when an up-and-coming R&B artist named Prince opened for The Rolling Stones? Or better yet, when U2, Big Audio Dynamite, and Public Enemy toured together? Odd pairing for sure.
- THE ARTIST. Have you ever gone to a concert and been completely bored by the artist’s performance? (mental note, will never catch them live again) Do you like an artist’s music but would not consider catching a live performance? (great CD for a lazy Sunday afternoon, but I think that I’ll pass on the show) Or, are you just not a fan of most of the artists out touring these days? At the end of the day, the slump in ticket sales boils down to whether fans (or cursory listeners) feel compelled to spend their money, time, and energy at a concert. If there is not enough interest in the artist, their music, or the performance, there will be no ticket purchase and no show.
In addition to some big name artists faring pretty well, I do find it interesting that this year’s Coachella and Pitchfork Music Festivals sold out and Bonnaroo and was a near sell-out. (Final numbers for Lollapalooza aren’t in since it starts August 6th.) People still want to see live music. I think that these festivals provide more bang for the buck. If you do the math, there is the potential of seeing a many artists for what could be as little as $15 each. It costs me that much just to cover parking at some venues. As we’ve become a technologically plugged-in, mobile society, the way that we consume our music has evolved. Could this also be true for the live music scene? Will live concert simulcasts become the norm? Will artists use social media as a way of providing fans with one-of-a-kind concert experiences? I honestly don’t know, but I do believe that over the next 18 months, we’ll begin to see changes in this area.
Do you attend live concerts? If not, why? Why do you think there has been a rash of concert cancellations?