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=> GENERAL DISCUSSION => Topic started by: sweetcell on July 30, 2010, 11:12:53 am

Title: State of the concert industry
Post by: sweetcell on July 30, 2010, 11:12:53 am
Quote
2010 By The Numbers (So Far)

It?s no secret ticket sales are down compared to previous years, but do you have what it takes to stare into the numbers for the first six months of 2010 without flinching? You do? Then grab hold of something nailed to the floor.

While compiling Pollstar?s Mid Year Business Analysis and charts we discovered an approximate 15 percent drop in key concert industy indicators. While some geographical areas are doing better than others, mostly because of higher employment figures, current economic conditions appear to be affecting all markets regardless of size.

But it?s not exactly a complete, across-the-board drop in ticket sales. Larger shows are feeling the economic pain more than their smaller counterparts. What?s more, club shows are still attracting respectably sized audiences.

http://www.pollstar.com/blogs/news/archive/2010/07/09/731238.aspx

Quote
Turbulent Nation
The Live Nation Entertainment investors meeting at Irving Plaza in New York July 15 was grand theatre on a Shakespearean scale, with Michael Rapino and Irving Azoff in the lead roles.

(...)

"Rapino noted from the stage that the sobering numbers was a buzz kill, and he pointed out that investors in the room were e-mailing to their home offices the bad news after the ninth Powerpoint slide showed flat revenue for the past two years. Before the two hour-plus presentation wrapped, LYV stock had dropped 16 percent ? a quick loss of $322 million in market value"

http://www.pollstar.com/blogs/news/archive/2010/07/22/732956.aspx
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: DeathFromAbove1979 on July 30, 2010, 11:39:06 am
Oh man, this doesn't effect me at all.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: Hieronymus on July 30, 2010, 11:53:16 am
Yeah, it's not like bands are gonna stop playing.

And I'm pretty sure DC's established venues aren't going anywhere or getting consumed by LiveTicketBastardNation.

Hopefully Seth can stomp on the Fillmore, too, 'cos that thing's owned by the devil, is in shitty Silver Spring, and is built inside JC Penney.

Plus that thing says clubs are doing all right anyway, and they're all that really matter.

But yeah, tell me what I, the consumer, have to be worried about.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: runwhiteyrun06 on July 30, 2010, 11:56:09 am
Oh man, this doesn't effect me at all.

It has hit me hard, I had to stop buying $250 Nickelback tickets.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: sweetcell on July 30, 2010, 12:35:38 pm
Oh man, this doesn't effect me at all.

you don't go to concerts?
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: Mobius on July 30, 2010, 12:54:45 pm
I don't know what the true state of the concert industry is, but just because an inherently flawed, cynical behemoth that is live nation has a drop in business doesn't tell me anyhing except less people are buying the shit THEY are serving
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: runwhiteyrun06 on July 30, 2010, 01:01:05 pm
Can someone answer this question: Are there fewer "big acts" now then there were in the past 30 years? So instead of having a ton of arena sized acts the current industry has a whole lot of mid sized acts that can fill 1,000-2,000 venues?

If so, I could see that hurting Live Nation because Live Nation seems to focus on bigger acts.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: Sir HC on July 30, 2010, 01:44:41 pm
Can someone answer this question: Are there fewer "big acts" now then there were in the past 30 years? So instead of having a ton of arena sized acts the current industry has a whole lot of mid sized acts that can fill 1,000-2,000 venues?

If so, I could see that hurting Live Nation because Live Nation seems to focus on bigger acts.

In that or another article they were talking about the number of big tours that cancelled shows or entire tours this year.  They blame the economy, I blame that they are crappy acts.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: sweetcell on July 30, 2010, 02:00:54 pm
HC - could be related: during tough economic times, people limit their concert consumption.  when times are good, $75 for a crap show seems fine.  in tough time, one has to choose - the crap acts are going to be cut first.

i don't know if that eagles/dixie chicks/(other country star) would have been canceled during good economic times.  it was a big line-up, there just aren't enough people who can spare $100+/ticket to fill a stadium these days.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: DeathFromAbove1979 on July 30, 2010, 02:35:37 pm
Oh man, this doesn't effect me at all.

you don't go to concerts?
Not Livenation ones.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: walkonby on July 30, 2010, 03:08:47 pm
i just paid forty dollars plus some service fees for front row widespread . . . that's all that matters in the state of the concert industry.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: sweetcell on July 30, 2010, 04:07:54 pm
DFA79N if you think this only affexts LN, and the rest ofthe industry is in a completely different bubble, you're naive. There are upsides (more acts in clubs) and downsides (less tours that might branch out to a club, your favorite act getting a big break opening for a major, band quitting b/c they see not even the big guys can make money, etc).

I'm pretty sure you've opined on LN shows here- i.e. You have been to LN events. I'm on the crackberry so I can't search right now.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: hemisphire on July 30, 2010, 04:20:37 pm
The Lefsetz take:
http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2010/07/28/state-of-the-touring-industry/
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: atomicfront on July 30, 2010, 05:18:24 pm
By the time a band gets big enough to play big arenas they usually have started to suck anyway.

I don't care if Live Nation has less of draw. I have seen a ton of bands at the Ottobar in Baltimore and the Black Cat in DC that are better than anything they have playing at Nissan Pavillion/Jiffy Lube Live.  I have bought tickets for Arcade Fire, MGMT, My Morning Jacket, and Virgin Fest at Merriweather this year.  Probably will go see Vampire Weekend for the openers. Might see Keane.

I don't care if the concert industry dies.  There are enough great bands in Baltimore alone.  I am sure if things get bad enough bands from Brooklyn will be heading to Baltimore to play all the time.  I have seen great shows in private apartments in places like Copycat building and the Annex.  Shows where it is "5 dollars if you have it".  Bands will play music if they get paid big bucks or next to nothing.  Probably play better with less money. Look how badly Radiohead has become since they got a bunch of money. 

 So I couldnt' care less if Live Nation goes out of business.  Probably would be great for me if they did. 

I don't want to see a band at a giant sports arena anyway.  How is that enjoyable. 
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: Bombay Chutney on July 31, 2010, 08:14:06 am
"Live Nation also promises to be more consumer friendly..."

"The company also wants to start collecting service fees on all tickets bought at venue box offices ? the one place consumers previously could go to circumvent many of the added fees."

Thanks, friend!

Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: azaghal1981 on July 31, 2010, 05:40:23 pm
Rapino and Azoff; a match made in scummy tool heaven.


I cannot think of two people who could possibly be more perfect for each other.

Looking like they're going down in flames together, too. Hopefully they are eventually found dead together in some crazy sexual position gone wrong.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: ggw on July 31, 2010, 06:12:54 pm
I like how they dropped the name "Fillmore" from Irving Plaza earlier this summer.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: hutch on July 31, 2010, 07:24:28 pm
Rapino and Azoff; a match made in scummy tool heaven.


I cannot think of two people who could possibly be more perfect for each other.

Looking like they're going down in flames together, too. Hopefully they are eventually found dead together in some crazy sexual position gone wrong.

geez louise!
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: DeathFromAbove1979 on August 02, 2010, 12:35:56 pm
DFA79N if you think this only affexts LN, and the rest ofthe industry is in a completely different bubble, you're naive. There are upsides (more acts in clubs) and downsides (less tours that might branch out to a club, your favorite act getting a big break opening for a major, band quitting b/c they see not even the big guys can make money, etc).

I'm pretty sure you've opined on LN shows here- i.e. You have been to LN events. I'm on the crackberry so I can't search right now.
Sure, Ive been and Im aware that it will affect....probably every concert ever, what can I do? Just my tickets at the door when i go to another show, or one of the many times Im in the area. Or just not go. Maybe youre the one whos naive.

How about that?
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: sweetcell on August 02, 2010, 01:12:57 pm
Just my tickets at the door when i go to another show, or one of the many times Im in the area. Or just not go.

i have no idea what you're saying there. maybe those sentences are lacking a few words?  or an underlying thought?
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: sweetcell on August 02, 2010, 11:54:59 pm
a symptom of the times: flogging the same old act in too-big a venue (which happens to suck donkey balls)  http://www.livenation.com/event/15004488A5B54EB9 - click on "use the map" link to see how many seats are still available.  show is 5 days away.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: hutch on August 03, 2010, 01:48:00 am
a symptom of the times: flogging the same old act in too-big a venue (which happens to suck donkey balls)  http://www.livenation.com/event/15004488A5B54EB9 - click on "use the map" link to see how many seats are still available.  show is 5 days away.


huh? this is their NEWEST act and by the way played Merriweather just last year and sold it out!


There are many old tired acts that Live Nation is flogging but I'd hardly call Kings of Leon one of them (as much as they may not be my cup of tea)...
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: azaghal1981 on August 03, 2010, 07:36:05 am
^Well, you're wrong.


And it hurts to see Built to Spill, a band who Kings of Leon don't deserve to be in the same city with much less headlining over opening for them.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: sweetcell on August 03, 2010, 07:58:45 am
a symptom of the times: flogging the same old act in too-big a venue (which happens to suck donkey balls)  http://www.livenation.com/event/15004488A5B54EB9 - click on "use the map" link to see how many seats are still available.  show is 5 days away.

huh? this is their NEWEST act and by the way played Merriweather just last year and sold it out!

There are many old tired acts that Live Nation is flogging but I'd hardly call Kings of Leon one of them (as much as they may not be my cup of tea)...

i meant that they've been flogging them non-stop for over two years now.  they're over-exposed.  it's impressive that they've been able to achieve this status so quickly.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: Sir HC on August 03, 2010, 08:28:13 am
^Well, you're wrong.


And it hurts to see Built to Spill, a band who Kings of Leon don't deserve to be in the same city with much less headlining over opening for them.


I give KOL credit for the show at Merriweather having the same band they had open for them at Fletchers years back open for them there (they liked the band).  That is why I went to that show.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: Hieronymus on August 03, 2010, 08:49:09 am
a symptom of the times: flogging the same old act in too-big a venue (which happens to suck donkey balls)  http://www.livenation.com/event/15004488A5B54EB9 - click on "use the map" link to see how many seats are still available.  show is 5 days away.

I guess people are just that afraid of being shat on by pigeons.

On second thought, that pigeon-bombing story was probably a secret publicity stunt to try and make people give a shit about Kings of Leon. Overexposed is right.

Less "state of the concert industry" more "state of people's pockets." Jiffy Lube-sized shows naturally rely on a larger sample of the socio-economic spectrum. Therefore in a period of downturn they'll get hit harder. Duh.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: azaghal1981 on August 03, 2010, 08:54:46 am
Are there really that many acts that can be counted on to fill venues that big around anymore? I think I can count them on one hand.

Shed shows will probably go the way of stadium shows in the next 10 years.

There may be two or three tours in sheds per year but their days of being the norm are numbered IMO.


It may also have more to do with the internet making more music accessible to the public, fragmenting the public into smaller niches than the inability of people to afford bigger shows.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: walkonby on August 03, 2010, 09:48:39 am
i just like the built to spill boo hoos.  there are plenty of bands that have been around just as long as built to spill and don't open for other "popular at the moment" acts . . . because those bands don't suck like built to spill.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: hutch on August 03, 2010, 11:48:06 am
well this is a great gig for built to spill..

the music biz is littered with the corpses of great artists who were also rans...i mean: nick drake? even a guy like nick cave.. if there was any justice he'd be selling out arenas not playing- visit after visit- the 930 club...

the issue with jiffy lube is that live nation's roster of summer acts with a few exceptions some of which for the DC area they've taken from IMP (Pearl Jam, Iron Maiden and Kings of Leon) sucks donkey balls...not to mention people would rather get a root canal than drive out to bristow



Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: DeathFromAbove1979 on August 03, 2010, 04:16:09 pm
Just my tickets at the door when i go to another show, or one of the many times Im in the area. Or just not go.

i have no idea what you're saying there. maybe those sentences are lacking a few words?  or an underlying thought?
1. Or just get my tickets at the door for a future show when Im at 930 Club for another show.
2. Or get my tickets one of the other times Im in the area surround the 930 Club
3. Or just not go to the show
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: killsaly on August 03, 2010, 07:02:23 pm
not to mention people would rather get a root canal than drive out to bristow
After trying to get there for the rainy few years ago Radiohead show, I have vowed to never try that crap again.
Title: Re: State of the concert industry
Post by: kosmo vinyl on August 03, 2010, 08:49:34 pm

the music biz is littered with the corpses of great artists who were also rans...i mean: nick drake? even a guy like nick cave.. if there was any justice he'd be selling out arenas not playing- visit after visit- the 930 club..



I'd hardly call Nick Drake an also ran, seeing as he's been dead for 26 years.  Try cult artist who will influence other musicians for decades to come...