Ticketmaster and Live Nation have destroyed the concert experience. But it didn’t use to be this way. Today, Oasis and Taylor Swift tickets might go for thousands of dollars, but back in 1955, you could see Elvis Presley in concert for less than the modern-day equivalent of $20.
Given how accessible music is, how accessible musicians are on social media, the fact that you probably have to travel to the venue, shit like COVID, eardrum shattering PA systems that make ear plugs a requirement, what is the appeal today even? And then it costs a thousand bucks?
I understand fun, but I feel like you could get a better deal if you’re just looking for a good time.
It was still more than we wanted to pay, but we just paid $80 apiece to see Squeeze on their 50th anniversary tour and it was worth every penny. Squeeze is one of my all-time favorite bands and I have never seen them live before. They were close to as good as they were back in the 70s and 80s.
Boy George opened for them with no introduction and no name on the marquee. I had to look up who it was. Suddenly it made sense why there was this guy who alternated between bitching about the sound mix and talking about how amazing the 1980s was in between reggae songs opening for Squeeze. I could have lived without that. His hype man was good though. No idea why neither of them bothered to say who the front man for their band was though.
Anyway, Boy George aside, it was a great show and I do not regret it at all.
I call shenanigans, flying squid generally only live 1 year in the wild.
Generally.
I don’t care about social media, I live in a big city so I rarely travel for a concert, sometimes I get sick sometimes I don’t and ofc it sucks when I do, I agree having to wear earplugs sucks…
The appeal is that I’m a metalhead and I feel like a metal concert is one of the only places where, within some rules, I can go batshit crazy. It’s cathartic. I don’t even have to get in the pit necessarily, it’s enough that I can scream until I have no voice.
I can still get the occasional 30-40 euro concert ticket for a smaller band, but that’s rare.