Re: Ticket Prices in Europe
Date: December 24, 2004 23:25
The Menace of Mayfair Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I always heard that ticket prices in Europe were
> extortionate! But I'll tell you, when The Stones
> played The Tacoma Dome on 6/11/02, a p*ss-poor
> seat halfway back and 1/3 of the way up on the
> side went for US $300.00!! I've seen a live
> concert at The Tacoma Dome and I can tell you that
> that seat's price was a HUGE ripoff!!!!!
>
> I did hear from a Stones head friend of mine that
> the concert was dynamite, though. But not for
> three hundred dollars. Sheeee.... I paid $20.00
> in '75 for my ticket and I was right up front. I
> paid $20.00 for my '81 ticket and I was close
> enough to hear and to see. In '81 I was bored to
> tears. It was turning into AND NOW, LADIES,
> GENTLEMEN, MY LORDS, VALUED STOCK HOLDERS! LAS
> VEGAS PRESENTS THAT FAMOUS 60s ACT, THE STROLLING
> BONES!
>
> QRA MGY
ticket prices for European shows were always pretty reasonable until 1999. A little bit more expensive than mpst major acts, but by no means ridiculous. £35 - £40 or so. Certainly good value, I thought.
After they first brought in the high prices experiment for a few US shows in 1998, and then did a full tour in '99 at those prices, it was natural they'd try it in Europe eventually.
The ticket prices on the Licks tour in the US were quite similar for the most part to those on the No Security tour (aside from the $40 tickets behind the stage on NS). The main difference I found on the Licks tour were that while the price range was mostly the same, there were less tickets available at the 'cheaper' range in 2002/2003 - that ticket you mentioned going for $300 in 2002 would have probably cost around $125 or possibly even $90 in 1999.
Additionally they kept the first ten rows in 1999 at $90, whereas in 2002/2003 they were the most expensive.
Menace, I've a theory about your friend's insistence that he still saw a great show despite the crappy location. No one is going to willingly admit feeling stupid and ripped off for paying that amount of money for an appallingly overpriced seat. We snap up the tickets regardless of price when they go on sale as we're so keen to get in the door, and then if they turn out to be miles away, wonder to ourselves after the event if we're out of our minds. But do so quietly..lol. Everyone else knows we're out of our bloody minds, but WE don't like admitting it.
At the last Wembley show last year, I was in row 18 of Block C on the floor - halfway between the b-stage and the back of the arena - in a £150 seat. The row behind me was row 1 of Block D, and their tickets cost £85. There was NO gap between my row and their's, other than the usual miniscule distance between rows!!