2023: The Change In Concert Going
This isn’t about how bad Ticketmaster is, it is about how bad the concert going experience is. When I was in my 20s I would go to four or five concerts a week, in my 30s, 40s, 50s, twice a week, till I began rocknyc in my late 50s and upped it back to 3 or 4 concerts a week, until 2020 and the pandemic…
Today, at the age of 66, I am a little over the concert going experience. (All prices include fees)
This Wednesday I have a ticket to see the terrific K-Punk popsters Otoboke Beaver, sold out gig at Le Poisson Rouge… but I am in no mood to stand in the middle of a mosh pit on my legs for hours… So, slowly, I realized it was a waste buying tix to concerts I didn’t plan to go to…
Saturday, March 4th, 2023 – SZA at Madison Square Garden was an instant sell out. I got a nosebleed off what remains the best value Stubhub for $200, at the moment she is up to $240 even while she added Sunday (Same prices)
Saturday, March 18th, 2023 – Dawes at Beacon Theatre was going for rate card at $55 a tix.
Monday, April 3rd, 2023 – Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band at Barclay Center was part of that bad craziness where the algorithms went boncker and it was $4K for last row. My last row cost me $250 all included, at MSG the same tix is $620, the Barclay gig is $300, two late August shows at MetLife have just been added. But this is Springsteen country, I read where tix were changing hands for $10 in the midwest.
Saturday, May 20th, 2023 – Caroline Polachek at Radio City Music Hall should be the pop of our 21st century pop drops, $60
Sunday, May 28th. 2023 – Taylor Swift at MetLife and not just the dreaded MetLife but prices that will curl your hair. I got a terrible seat for $400, it is currently going for $550.
Sunday, July 30th, 2023 – Beyonce at Metlife, a nosebleed for $200
Tuesday, August 8th, 2023 – Sam Smith at Madison Square Garden wasn’t sold out and I got a nosebleed for $60
Saturday, August 26th, 2023 – Madonna At Madison Square – not unlike Paul McCartney in 2017 when I decided to game the system as he had a handful on concerts in the area, until finally the prices collapsed and I gave away my seats. Madonna kept adding New York gigs till she couldn’t sell em out. I got mine for $116.
I didn’t go Paramore for $200 though I might have at $60. A video of their current tour is at the top…
