There has been a string of tours being called off and changes being made by big-name artists which has sparked questions about whether the post-pandemic live music boom could be cooling. It is noted that consumer spending fatigue has met elevated ticket prices which caused an issue. Popular stars such as https://www.alternativenation.net/jennifer-lopez-drops-sad-madonna-bombshell/“>Jennifer Lopez, The Black Keys, 311, Justin Timberlake, Dead & Company have struggled to sell tickets and have had been forced to cancel shows.
https://x.com/alzero26/status/1796896296172937381
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez recently announced that she was canceling her 2024 tour and noting her desire to spend more time with her family.
https://x.com/JariPeltola/status/1794958661108076662
The Black Keys
The Black Keys announced they were canceling a stadium tour in favor of a series of shows at smaller venues. The band called off the entire North American leg of their International Players Tour, originally set to run this fall at arenas. The reason for calling off was not mentioned. The tour, which also included a just-completed European run, was set to begin in September at BOK Arena in Tulsa and conclude with a November 12 date at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, with a total of 31 performances.
Dead & Company
Dead & Company have been performing throughout the summer of 2024 while they continue their residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas. It has been noted that the lineup of artists touring with Dead & Company in 2024 includes past Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart, as well as John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti, and Jay Lane.
There are still plenty of opportunities to see the former Grateful Dead band members and their fellow artists in concert. It’s worth noting that the average Dead & Co show for $74 Face value was $250+ for most seats.
Standard original tickets to see Dead & Company’s 2024 concerts are pretty expensive. However, they vary depending on the date, location, seating selection, and demand for each show. As per Dead & Company’s website, original tickets began at $395 for GA and P1, $295 for P2, $195 for P3, and $145 for P4—all taxes and fees included. However, not all of these options are still available for each show date.
On Ticketmaster, the least expensive available original standard tickets begin at $136 before taxes for Dead & Company’s 2024 Sphere shows on May 30, July 4, July 5, and July 6. Generally, resale ticket prices are comparable to or less expensive than the available standard original passes.
The average Dead & Co show is selling $74
Face value was $250+ for most seats.
Whos the bad guy the primary or the secondary market?#PaysToWait pic.twitter.com/iGjyf7JvDc
— doitbigchicago (@doitbigchicago) May 17, 2024
Justin Timberlake and 311
Meanwhile, Justin Timberlake has also recently canceled specific show dates. On the other hand Pop-rock band 311 announced it had canceled upcoming European tour dates due to the “rising costs of touring overseas,” which made completing certain portions of the tour “unfeasible.”
Why ticket sales have slowed down?
A slowdown is certainly noted. SeatGeek said in an email that the average resale ticket price to attend a summer concert is down to $213 from $257 around this time last year. The company noted that some of the decline could be attributed to the absence of megatours on par with Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” and Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” outings last year.
Artists whose popularity has crescendoed appear to be in great demand — and high prices. The average resale price for Olivia Rodrigo’s “Guts” tour is $571, and the next-highest is $409 to see Morgan Wallen, according to SeatGeek data first reported by Axios.
Several among those tours are being sold through Ticketmaster and its parent Live Nation. And prior to facing accusations that it is a monopoly, a claim it denies Live Nation reported its biggest first quarter ever, with $3.8 billion in revenues. Its concerts business alone was up 26% to $2.9 billion, while “estimated fans” globally were up more than 20%, and up 42% in North America.
