There I was sitting in third period trying to buy Tate McRae tickets, all excited expecting nothing to cost more than $150; this was presale after all. Yet, I spent $270 that day on obstructed view tickets. Absurd prices are one of the many issues I have with concerts.
As an avid concert-goer, I have experienced a lot, leading to a long– almost too long– list of pet peeves. The first item on that list is ticket prices.
Prices
Unless you are David Bowie coming back from the dead, tickets for your show should not be more than $100.
This might offend some of you, but nobody deserves $760,000 a minute for a three-hour show! That is how much Taylor Swift makes per minute at a concert. I went to The Eras Tour twice and looking back on it, the ticket prices were insane! I paid $400+ to be on the last row of the floor and not be able to see anything besides the screens (those were face value, just imagine resale prices!). Yes, the show was incredible, but it was not a $400 experience.
Pricing is not the artist’s fault, but they are aware and should do something about it. Take Chappell Roan, for example. She witnessed the reality of her ticket situation and got her team involved. They took down most of the bot tickets and re-opened sales for fans with reasonable prices. This should be the standard.
Most times, though, the biggest issue is the fees, which is a Ticketmaster problem. Unfortunately, the majority of mainstream artists use Ticketmaster. Fees range from $60-80 per ticket. So if you think you are getting a deal for your $100 nosebleed seats think again; they will be 180, the same listed price as a lower bowl. At that point why even try saving?
Along with the crazy ticket prices, there is an issue with merch prices. I always buy a piece of merch at every concert I go to as evidence it was real. However, a $40 t-shirt is unacceptable. The average cost of production for a t-shirt is 50 cents to $3. Do you see the problem?
On top of the money I paid to see you sing, you dare charge me $40 for a shirt, and $25 for a poster–a piece of cardstock with your face on it. Absolutely not.
Venues aren’t innocent either. I have never attended a show where water has cost less than 6 dollars. Last summer I saw Dominic Fike at an outdoor venue during a heat wave (it was 105 degrees outside), I spent $24 on water. There is no reason a liquid that is responsible for keeping me alive and preventing me from passing out should cost more than a dollar. On top of that, the paramedics will act like you committed a major crime if you pass out. Excuse me for not wanting to pay my life savings on a bottle of water.
Camping Culture
I have a bone to pick with whoever decided that sleeping on the streets for days was the appropriate way to prepare yourself for a general admission show. Camping should not be glamorized. Most times teenagers end up in sketchy allies with hopes of seeing their favorite artist up close.
The reason I am so against this is because if everyone showed up on time this would not be an issue. Camping is so unnecessary and dangerous. Most times venues aren’t in charge of camping so if someone gets hurt or in trouble they have no help.
The worst thing about camping culture is the shame. Some fans online will bully you for not camping. First, that is unnecessary. Second, some people have lives and cannot take multiple days off work or school to sleep on the streets.
Stemming from camping culture come the hardcore fans, the ones that will follow somebody on tour. It is not normal to see the same artist five plus times in different cities on the same tour. How does someone have that kind of time and money? Nowadays doing something like that will cost at least $2,000: the transportation, hotel stays, food, merch and tickets add up and end up being expensive.
Kindly please go home! Waste your money on seeing them once with amazing seats and saving for a house.
In addition to “following them” on tour, there are parasocial relationships. Just because you have somehow seen them 20+ times and they have interacted with you does not mean that they are your friend. To me, that seems a little strange. But you do you!
Spatial Awareness
Lastly, spatial awareness. This is most common in general admission shows and music festivals. What is the need to push and shove? We all know your friends aren’t up at the front; lying isn’t going to get you anywhere. I promise the sound system is loud enough for you to hear whoever is on stage perfectly fine from the back.
Plus, I don’t want your sweaty arms touching me. Learn to take a hint: if someone is glaring at you every time you touch them, maybe you should stop. No one body enjoys being caressed every five minutes by a random stranger. So please go back in time and remind yourself about the personal bubble you learned about in preschool!
The last pet peeve I have is glaring. I have gone to one too many concerts where the person in front of me gave me dirty looks every time I sang along. We both paid the same to be here, we both enjoy and love the same music. My voice will not ruin your videos, it probably won’t even be in them. Let others have fun. I understand that screaming can be annoying, but it is not worth ruining a fellow fan’s night.
If you are the glaring kind I have three questions for you: one, how did you get the confidence to be that mean and ruin someone’s night? Two, why did you spend your hard-earned money to be here if you don’t want to be here? Third, have you ever heard of fun?
Concerts are where people go to have fun, fans pay good money to do so. These little things can ruin someone’s night. Don’t be the person who pushes shoves or acts superior because you waited in line longer. In the words of Harry Styles, treat people with kindness.
