USA Tour Ticket Prices

[bigcountry]

Hell I remember back in the mid to late 80's when most band changed from floor seats (chairs which could be thrown and I seen it happen alot) to GA and it was the cheapest ticket price level at times even cheaper than upper levels.

My how times have changed!!

I went to see Motley Crue on the Dr. Feelgood tour and got GA floor tickets beacause they where cheap and I was 5 feet from the stage, but I told myself never again by the end of the show. At other concerts I used to laugh at the folks down there because I had a seat and could go get a drink or the bathroom at anytime and come right back to the same spot, which is not so for GA floor.

To each there own, I guess I am a lazy ass when it comes to fighting my way to the stage and I am too damn old for that shit now anyway.

Edited October 1, 2011 by bigcountry

[GnR Chris]

I don't want to be the one to complain, but...

Last time I saw GnR was in 2006 in Worcester, MA at the DCU center. I paid 40$ each for GA floor tickets.

GnR is finally returning, 5 years later, to the same venue and the cheapest ticket you can even purchase is about $55 and that's for the upper balcony, the GA Floor tickets are $90 after fees.

I love GnR, they are my favorite band of all time, new and old, I'm obsessed, but that's absolutely ridiculous considering the 5 years we got of getting treated like shit, let alone the fact that GnR barely has a sellable market in the USA!

I just think prices are out of this world insane, granted I'll still be there, but I would have liked to have been on the floor, getting there early and in front row for my favorite band. I can't afford that however, so I'll be sitting a mile away.

People are probably gonna kill you for these comments, but I agree. I had a bunch of friends who wanted to go until they found out how much the tickets were. Everyone but two basically bowed out. It's a little disappointing considering if they had at least a cheaper nosebleed seat I think they can garner some new fans for the current lineup. It discourages people from seeing them, especially (like it or not) when these fans of the old know it's just Axl and not Izzy, Duff and Slash. I think venues would sell out quicker too.

Either way, cost wasn't gonna keep me from going. But it woulda been cool to load up the truck and go with a bunch of people to a rock show.

[GnR Chris]

Clearly you missed where I mentioned going to the same exact venue, two weeks ago, for a much more popular US act, had GA tickets and paid substantially less money.

Who was the band? What was their stage set-up, entourage, crew, etc? What is their contract with promoters/ticketmaster/livenation? You don't know why that band cost less, so you can't really make a comparison.

Plus, bands like Guns, Motley Crue, Aerosmith, Metallica etc all charge the same for tickets...

Motley Crue tickets were less than $20 by the lake here in Chicago two years ago. And I saw them with Aerosmith a few years back for around $40 in Tinley Park.

I've seen Poison and Def Leppard numerous times (once on the same bill) and have never paid more than $35.

Bon Jovi was about $71 and U2 was close to or at $100, both at the United Center in Chicago. Those were the two most expensive concert tickets I've purchased (aside from this Gn'R show).

I saw Scorpions for $10 last year in Milwaukee. And the other time in Chicago I saw them for about $30.

[GnR Chris]

I think fireworks during certain songs and the whole production will be AWESOME. But honestly, if they stripped it down to a tour without that pomp and circumstance and slashed ticket prices, I'd be happier.

Something akin to the Skin N' Bones leg of the Illusions tours after they lost an ass load of money.

[droezle]

I don't want to be the one to complain, but...

Last time I saw GnR was in 2006 in Worcester, MA at the DCU center. I paid 40$ each for GA floor tickets.

GnR is finally returning, 5 years later, to the same venue and the cheapest ticket you can even purchase is about $55 and that's for the upper balcony, the GA Floor tickets are $90 after fees.

I love GnR, they are my favorite band of all time, new and old, I'm obsessed, but that's absolutely ridiculous considering the 5 years we got of getting treated like shit, let alone the fact that GnR barely has a sellable market in the USA!

I just think prices are out of this world insane, granted I'll still be there, but I would have liked to have been on the floor, getting there early and in front row for my favorite band. I can't afford that however, so I'll be sitting a mile away.

it's not the band's fault, talk to ticketmaster about it.

+ it is easier these days/last years to download an album via not so legal channels. Bands have to earn the cash in some kind of way and ticketprices are a good option to do so.

[Apollo]

$90 + fees is the standard ticket price here, I don't know what you people are complaining about

They could do a free show and the haters would complain. It is what they do.

[Kill Devil Hill]

Or you can just buy the $33 tickets. Honestly, I think they're pretty cheap. The cheapest seat for Rush was $69.

I've never had a "good" seat at a concert before, yet I enjoy concerts all the same. Consequentially, though, the act has to have the ultimate energy. Which is why Maiden and Rush knocked my socks off, and why I expect Guns will as well.

[GunsNRevolvers2]

Or you can just buy the $33 tickets. Honestly, I think they're pretty cheap. The cheapest seat for Rush was $69.

I've never had a "good" seat at a concert before, yet I enjoy concerts all the same. Consequentially, though, the act has to have the ultimate energy. Which is why Maiden and Rush knocked my socks off, and why I expect Guns will as well.

It's not $33 though..it's like $50 after fees.

[RussTCB]

$90 + fees is the standard ticket price here, I don't know what you people are complaining about

They could do a free show and the haters would complain. It is what they do.

This.

I was made fun of on another forum yesterday for even buying tickets. It was assumed that the tour will fail so bad that I could just get free tickets to the shows I want to go to. I made the argument that Guns N' Roses are my favorite band so I bought to tickets to support them.

Having said that, I really don't get why Detroit would be $35 more than every other stop on the tour but I'll be buying tickets anyway!

[Kill Devil Hill]

Or you can just buy the $33 tickets. Honestly, I think they're pretty cheap. The cheapest seat for Rush was $69.

I've never had a "good" seat at a concert before, yet I enjoy concerts all the same. Consequentially, though, the act has to have the ultimate energy. Which is why Maiden and Rush knocked my socks off, and why I expect Guns will as well.

It's not $33 though..it's like $50 after fees.

Not when you get them at the venue. Fuck Ticketmaster.

[RussTCB]

Or you can just buy the $33 tickets. Honestly, I think they're pretty cheap. The cheapest seat for Rush was $69.

I've never had a "good" seat at a concert before, yet I enjoy concerts all the same. Consequentially, though, the act has to have the ultimate energy. Which is why Maiden and Rush knocked my socks off, and why I expect Guns will as well.

It's not $33 though..it's like $50 after fees.

Not when you get them at the venue. Fuck Ticketmaster.

I just went downtown Detroit to a venue to buy tickets for the upcoming Rich Robinson show because of this very thing. The tickets were $28 through Ticketmaster or $17 at the goddamn venue! WTF! Obviously I didn't have that luxury for the Chicago, but I'm definitely going out the The Palace to buy my Detroit GN'R tickets when they go on sale.

[Lines&Noses]

I remember having the same thoughts last year when they came back to the UK. At first I thought it was because Sterling is weaker against the dollar than it was last time they toured.

Its currently circa 1.6 was nearer 2 to 1 last time, but perhps not.

It's always a dilema you think (correctly imo) that you are getting screwed on the ticket prices, but you don't want to miss your favourite band.

Well I found that on ebay I was able to get tickets last minute (only a few and only last minute) for about half the price I would have paid ( I bought two and sold one so I think net I ended up paying circa £25 for standing ticket for the show approx $40). The fact that it was the show with Duff just made it all the more sweet.

I think it was the veunue/promoter selling the tickets too because the same seller ID was back on selling more tickets at a similar price later.

You can do the same thing by just showing up at the venue and playing chicken with the touts (this works especially well is venue if half empty) at the end of the day when the lights go out the tickets in their hand will be worthless.

[Lines&Noses]

Also its interesting that someone mentioned Pearl Jam's war with ticket master back in 1992.

Back then there was no internet so bands could not easily sell tickets direct to fans? But what stopping them from doing it now?

[Val22]

I don't think the ticket prices were expensive at all.

The top price was $71 here in Dallas, but with ticketmasters convenience charges of $13 a ticket, plus sales tax, the top ticket was $95. I still don't think that's alot at all.

I paid $150 a ticket to see Linkin Park with it's Project Revolution tour.

I've also paid $150 for Lady Gaga.

I actually think the GNR prices are very reasonable. I really thought they'd be higher, so I'm happy.

Besides, I would pay anything to see Axl live just once.

[RussTCB]

Also its interesting that someone mentioned Pearl Jam's war with ticket master back in 1992.

Back then there was no internet so bands could not easily sell tickets direct to fans? But what stopping them from doing it now?

Everything.

Ticketmaster is tied in with Live Nation. Live Nation has deals in place with every major venue out there. So unless GN'R want to play a corn field somewhere, they and every other major act has to play Ticketmaster's game. It's the same exact issue Pearl Jam ran into way back when. Except Pearl Jam was trying to fight the idea in it's infancy and everyone laughed at them. Now we're all stuck with the system the way it is.

My point is that Ticketmaster fees are evil and all, but I still don't understand tremendous price differences from city to city. I bought Floor seats for Chicago for $94 each included Ticketmaster fees. I'm seeing the same tour two weeks later in Detroit and in the same tickets are $125 even before Ticketmaster intervenes. It makes no sense to me whatsoever.

[batman007]

I think its a fair price. Some research I did. All with fees and taxes. (Random areans)

Judas Priest- $40.48-$92.97

Bog Segar-$110.35

Katy Perry- $83.60

Journey-$122.65-$162.00

Jay Z and Kanye West-$69.95-$284.15

Taylor Swift-$25.00-$85.25

Paul Simon- $55.00-$125.00

Sting- $65.50-$176.50

Keith Urban-$58.85-$81.10

As time the years go by, the prices will get higher. Just like about everything in our world.

[Kill Devil Hill]

Journey-$122.65-$162.00

Holy shit! I was actually planning on taking my mom to go see them since she's manically into Journey, but, on second thought, never mind. She's also a huge Guns fan, so I'll just stick with them.

I'm surprised with the Keith tickets, too. I expected his tickets to be a little cheaper. Still, based on YouTube videos, he puts on a fantastic show, so I'm sure it'd be worth every penny.

[Gagarin]

If you want to read more about why ticket prices are the way they are, why the pricing structure is the way it is, and why tours with half-filled arenas are considered sucessful, and why none if very few of the 'popular' stars of today can't sell their way out of a paper bag, go to http://lefsetz.com and read through his archives.

It's not just music piracy making prices higher (artists have relied on touring for income LONG BEFORE MP3s), it's not just inflation, it's not just the artists, it's not just the promoters, it's not just Ticketmaster. The whole business model is fscked up.

Oh, and I paid basically the same for GA in Chicago as I did in 2006.

[iwillleaveaxlalone]

I don't want to be the one to complain, but...

Last time I saw GnR was in 2006 in Worcester, MA at the DCU center. I paid 40$ each for GA floor tickets.

GnR is finally returning, 5 years later, to the same venue and the cheapest ticket you can even purchase is about $55 and that's for the upper balcony, the GA Floor tickets are $90 after fees.

I love GnR, they are my favorite band of all time, new and old, I'm obsessed, but that's absolutely ridiculous considering the 5 years we got of getting treated like shit, let alone the fact that GnR barely has a sellable market in the USA!

I just think prices are out of this world insane, granted I'll still be there, but I would have liked to have been on the floor, getting there early and in front row for my favorite band. I can't afford that however, so I'll be sitting a mile away.

it's not the band's fault, talk to ticketmaster about it. Why do you think Pearl Jam went on the crusade that they did back in 1992.

actually, its because of all you "dowloading motherfuckers" no sales on CD's, for all bands means higher venue prices. They will get theirs one way or another, you can count on that.

[Kill Devil Hill]

Downloading's the bomb when you're broke.

[GnR Chris]

I think its a fair price. Some research I did. All with fees and taxes. (Random areans)

Judas Priest- $40.48-$92.97

Bog Segar-$110.35

Katy Perry- $83.60

Journey-$122.65-$162.00

Jay Z and Kanye West-$69.95-$284.15

Taylor Swift-$25.00-$85.25

Paul Simon- $55.00-$125.00

Sting- $65.50-$176.50

Keith Urban-$58.85-$81.10

As time the years go by, the prices will get higher. Just like about everything in our world.

Where did you see that price point for Journey? I've seen them a couple times and the tickets were like $10-$20 *and* they were the opener.

[sweetness]

Most I'd pay to see this band is $50, if it was the real GNR well that's a whole other story

[GunsNRevolvers2]

I saw Journey over the summer for 40$ with Foreigner opening, pretty sweet show, was high as all hell as well, totally worth it. just chiming in on that matter.

[Lines&Noses]

Also its interesting that someone mentioned Pearl Jam's war with ticket master back in 1992.

Back then there was no internet so bands could not easily sell tickets direct to fans? But what stopping them from doing it now?

Everything.

Ticketmaster is tied in with Live Nation. Live Nation has deals in place with every major venue out there. So unless GN'R want to play a corn field somewhere, they and every other major act has to play Ticketmaster's game. It's the same exact issue Pearl Jam ran into way back when. Except Pearl Jam was trying to fight the idea in it's infancy and everyone laughed at them. Now we're all stuck with the system the way it is.

My point is that Ticketmaster fees are evil and all, but I still don't understand tremendous price differences from city to city. I bought Floor seats for Chicago for $94 each included Ticketmaster fees. I'm seeing the same tour two weeks later in Detroit and in the same tickets are $125 even before Ticketmaster intervenes. It makes no sense to me whatsoever.

OK explains a few things, but if the venues can sell the tickets more cheaply directly why not the band?

+ if U2 can put on their massive show for $60 you gotta wonder where the extra money is going?