The thrill of attending a live concert, feeling the energy of the crowd, and witnessing your favorite bands perform in person is an experience like no other. However, as the popularity of live music continues to rise, so do the ticket prices, leaving many fans struggling to afford the opportunity to see their beloved artists live. It’s an issue that has sparked widespread concern and frustration among music enthusiasts, but amidst this trend, some bands are taking a stand, going above and beyond to make their concerts accessible and affordable for their fans.
Over the years, ticket prices for concerts have skyrocketed, often reaching exorbitant levels that seem out of touch with the average fan’s budget. It’s not uncommon to see ticket prices well into the triple digits, leaving many music lovers unable to afford the experience they long for. This unfortunate reality has created a barrier between artists and their fans, as the cost becomes prohibitive for many who would love nothing more than to witness their favorite bands live.
However, amidst this disheartening trend, there are bands that recognize the importance of keeping their shows accessible. These artists understand that their fans are the lifeblood of their success, and they strive to create an inclusive environment that allows everyone to share in the magic of a live performance. Bands such as The Cure – most notably, Robert Smith have their fans back every step of the way.
On Reddit, a discussion started about ticket pricing. Many bands and artists were not willing to drop their ticket prices or do much to ensure that their fans were able to afford their shows. On this list, it is speculated that Taylor Swift, Depeche Mode, Tool, and Bruce Springsteen were all outed for not wanting to help out fans.
The original poster stated: “Robert Smith tried to lead the way on pricing, but no one seems to want to follow. The Cure pricing was approximately $130-$30 for tickets, no dynamic pricing, only resale through verified Ticketmaster, no secondary site tickets accepted. They also cancelled 7K tickets that made it onto secondary sites, and when Smith complained about fees, Ticketmaster paid $1 million and refunded $10 to all ticket buyers.”
They continued: “Smith lost millions because of it upfront, but the tickets are hotter than any other rock band touring this summer. And it’s not just Tool, Springsteen, Swift, Depeche Mode, most major artists were not willing to give up the extra money so fans can pay less. And the band controls 100% of the pricing on every ticket sold. For the Cure tour, one ticket went to dynamic pricing for Mansfield at like $1400. Smith posted about it, the amount was refunded.”
Tool fans were rather silent.
One fan said: “It’s especially gross because all the shifting in the music economy is detrimental to poorer and younger artists. Streaming has reduced artist income from music so the richest of the rich artists who know they can command the live touring market with obscene prices are charging obscene rates to maintain their ludicrous incomes.”
Leave it to Robert Smith to do all he can to help out the fans.
A Cure fan stated: “Smith is the man. We got two tickets for Mansfield that came with fees higher than agreed. Smith got wind it was happening and negotiated with TM. We got a $10 refund! Idk how he did it, but it proves TM will give in to musicians. I’ve had a ton of fun going to smaller shows this year. I found a couple small venues that have great shows without TM bullshit. Some live nation venues I won’t be returning to (looking at you Leaderbank Pavilion), the experience sucks for the cost.”
Lastly, another fan chimed in to honor Robert Smith’s work.
They said: “Massive Cure fan here…Nothing but total respect to Robert Smith and his fight against ticketmaster and looking after the fans. He is a darling and a treasure of the UK. And live, most importantly, they are only playing short of 3 hours on this current tour! The final encore they do is nearly an hour alone! But at the same time, I’m not expecting elite artists to challenge the way their business is done.”
