Early Tuesday morning, word got out that Kanye West would play a surprise show at the 550-person capacity Bowery Ballroom for later that night. The Bowery Ballroom is a fraction of the size of the arenas West will be selling out over the next year, and tickets for this unique experience were priced at $100 (with $6 in fees on Ticketmaster, of course), about fifty dollars more than the least expensive ticket to West's last concert at Madison Square Garden.
The show sold out in about 15 seconds, and after rumors that Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj would be making guest appearances, tickets were being hawked on Craigslist for literally thousands of dollars.
All of this hoopla begs the question: What will people pay more for at concerts? The concert industry has had its share of ups and downs lately, but the rise of specialized, or tiered ticketing has been one of its biggest recent successes. Promoters and artists have identified three things that can affect a ticket's price: merchandise, the unique qualities of the show itself, and intangible experiences, which often include admission to exclusive pre- or post-show parties, early access into the venue, and meet-and-greets with the artist.
Major artists across multiple genres are taking advantage of tiered pricing. And even though they tend to offer a lot of the same things, they are always careful to emphasize features that are in step with fans' expectations.
Artists like Weezer, for example, tap into their fans' overwhelming adoration of their first two records. Over the next few months, the band will be playing two-night residencies in each market they visit, performing one of their first two albums, in their entirety, per night.
An ad for Weezer's not-at-all-accidentally named Memories Tour
Fans of Weezer know the band rarely plays songs from their 1996 album Pinkerton, let alone all of them, front to back. This alone is enough to boost the price of admission; tickets to their Boston performances are roughly $75 a pop, much more than the average of $40 or so from their previous tours. Additionally, Weezer is offering VIP packages that include tangible (guaranteed premium seats, autographed CD, an exclusive shirt) and intangible (backstage tour, meet and greet / photo-op with Weezer, early entrance to venue) perks. While these additional items raise your evening's bill from $75 to $295 ($495 for both nights), the diehard Weezer fan is all but guaranteed an incredible time.
There's more than one way to approach presenting an iconic album, however. Before concert packaging became commonplace, fans of Dashboard Confessional felt deeply connected with frontman Chris Carrabba's music and raw live performances. On Carrabba's upcoming tour, which celebrates the ten year anniversary of The Swiss Army Romance, views the idea of special packages from another angle.
To accompany and promote the tour, limited edition shirts, posters, and a deluxe re-issue of the album containing seven inch vinyl discs and elaborate packaging have been released. Purchasing each item a la carte would cost $209, but for ten dollars less, you can get all those items and a chance to hang out with Chris Carrabba on the night of your local show.
The face time isn't guaranteed, but Carrabba's fans, who are particularly invested in his music, would probably prefer the specialness of a one-on-one interaction to a mass meet and greet.
Younger artists can't tap into their fans' nostalgia, so they are forced to pursue other avenues. For example, Lady Gaga, whose general admission floor tickets cost around $88, offers VIP packages with far fewer perks and far more emphasis on exclusivity, which are a hit for her celebrity-obsessed fans. For about $150 more, the Little Monsters Zone package will throw in a laminate, an “exclusive merchandise item," early admission to the arena, and “onsite event management staff." An additional $200 will get you a premium seat off of the floor and access to a “Pre-show disco" with appetizers and a cash bar, all part of the Gold Hot Seat package.
While all of the previously mentioned artists are big league successes, most independent and smaller musicians can apply these lessons on a smaller scale. Dr. Manhattan, for example, who released an album on Vagrant Records in 2008, promoted their release playing small stages on that summer's Warped Tour. The band was selling two types of shirts: factory printed ones for ten dollars, and hand made shirts made specifically for Warped Tour for $15.
What's important to remember is that people are willing to pay more money for something exclusive, unique, or special. While those shirts made by Dr. Manhattan may not be worth much monetarily, their purchasers will associate the shirts with seeing the band at their local Warped Tour stop, talking with them at their merch table, and an overall memorable experience that will always be rekindled when that shirt is worn.
The show sold out in about 15 seconds, and after rumors that Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj would be making guest appearances, tickets were being hawked on Craigslist for literally thousands of dollars.
All of this hoopla begs the question: What will people pay more for at concerts? The concert industry has had its share of ups and downs lately, but the rise of specialized, or tiered ticketing has been one of its biggest recent successes. Promoters and artists have identified three things that can affect a ticket's price: merchandise, the unique qualities of the show itself, and intangible experiences, which often include admission to exclusive pre- or post-show parties, early access into the venue, and meet-and-greets with the artist.
Major artists across multiple genres are taking advantage of tiered pricing. And even though they tend to offer a lot of the same things, they are always careful to emphasize features that are in step with fans' expectations.
Artists like Weezer, for example, tap into their fans' overwhelming adoration of their first two records. Over the next few months, the band will be playing two-night residencies in each market they visit, performing one of their first two albums, in their entirety, per night.
An ad for Weezer's not-at-all-accidentally named Memories Tour
Fans of Weezer know the band rarely plays songs from their 1996 album Pinkerton, let alone all of them, front to back. This alone is enough to boost the price of admission; tickets to their Boston performances are roughly $75 a pop, much more than the average of $40 or so from their previous tours. Additionally, Weezer is offering VIP packages that include tangible (guaranteed premium seats, autographed CD, an exclusive shirt) and intangible (backstage tour, meet and greet / photo-op with Weezer, early entrance to venue) perks. While these additional items raise your evening's bill from $75 to $295 ($495 for both nights), the diehard Weezer fan is all but guaranteed an incredible time.
There's more than one way to approach presenting an iconic album, however. Before concert packaging became commonplace, fans of Dashboard Confessional felt deeply connected with frontman Chris Carrabba's music and raw live performances. On Carrabba's upcoming tour, which celebrates the ten year anniversary of The Swiss Army Romance, views the idea of special packages from another angle.
To accompany and promote the tour, limited edition shirts, posters, and a deluxe re-issue of the album containing seven inch vinyl discs and elaborate packaging have been released. Purchasing each item a la carte would cost $209, but for ten dollars less, you can get all those items and a chance to hang out with Chris Carrabba on the night of your local show.
The face time isn't guaranteed, but Carrabba's fans, who are particularly invested in his music, would probably prefer the specialness of a one-on-one interaction to a mass meet and greet.
Younger artists can't tap into their fans' nostalgia, so they are forced to pursue other avenues. For example, Lady Gaga, whose general admission floor tickets cost around $88, offers VIP packages with far fewer perks and far more emphasis on exclusivity, which are a hit for her celebrity-obsessed fans. For about $150 more, the Little Monsters Zone package will throw in a laminate, an “exclusive merchandise item," early admission to the arena, and “onsite event management staff." An additional $200 will get you a premium seat off of the floor and access to a “Pre-show disco" with appetizers and a cash bar, all part of the Gold Hot Seat package.
While all of the previously mentioned artists are big league successes, most independent and smaller musicians can apply these lessons on a smaller scale. Dr. Manhattan, for example, who released an album on Vagrant Records in 2008, promoted their release playing small stages on that summer's Warped Tour. The band was selling two types of shirts: factory printed ones for ten dollars, and hand made shirts made specifically for Warped Tour for $15.
What's important to remember is that people are willing to pay more money for something exclusive, unique, or special. While those shirts made by Dr. Manhattan may not be worth much monetarily, their purchasers will associate the shirts with seeing the band at their local Warped Tour stop, talking with them at their merch table, and an overall memorable experience that will always be rekindled when that shirt is worn.
