One last POV not posted. Every day on this forum there is another former "fan" who bails from supporting their fav. band. This just highlights what a short "shelf life" some of these groups have. What you don't generally think about is how many years they spent sleeping in broken-down, filthy vans while they drive from venue to venue opening for "headliners" often for little more than two or three free beers and gas money.
IF they are lucky enuf to emerge from from the bottom of the pile, they usually have to put their derriere's in overdrive, and tour nonstop. Even if the van/bus is bigger, the food still sucks, no comfy beds/thus no sleep, far away from family/friends/loved ones, no exercise - AND they're NOT making alot of money in the beginning..promoters/labels/management gets first shot at the cash. If you think your new favorite group isn't on tour, just check out their website. They're probably doing the same in Japan, Europe, etc, virtually non-stop. So I think the "short shelf life" panic factor - and the fickleness of fans - combined with a high burn-out rate - also jacks up the ticket prices: Not everyone becomes a U2/Rolling Stones/Bruce Springsteen - with fan bases who now have multiple platinum credit cards and second homes... so tick-tick-tick; 15 minutes of fame is up pretty fast.