(Received this from classicrocknews)
2005-03-2423:10:19
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0325/p16s01-almp.html
BACK IN BLACK: The classic lineup of Judas Priest (left) will hit the road with Queensryche. Double billing is popular this year.
ROBERT E. KLEIN/AP
Last year, the average cost of a rock show rose to $58.71 - a 13 percent increase from 2003 - leading some to joke that Alan Greenspan or the OPEC cartel were somehow to blame.
This year, the concert industry is taking drastic steps to make music lovers feel welcome again. Some of those measures include revamping customer service and finding ways to improve the concertgoer's experience. More significant are moves to slash ticket prices.
So what went wrong last year? Blame the overly optimistic - some would say greedy - promoters for overestimating how much audiences would be willing to pay for a night out. "The industry doesn't have a list price so everybody looks at what everyone else is doing and then assumes they can do that or better," says Gary Bongiovanni, editor in chief of Pollstar, the industry bible. "Clearly that wasn't the case last year and many of the tours overpriced themselves."
For the most part it was "mid-level" acts that overreached, but superstars like Madonna faltered, too. During her 2004 tour, the Queen of Pop charged her loyal subjects an average fealty of $175 per seat - a record in the business. Though her tour was profitable, Madonna struggled to sell seats with a $300 price tag.
Now Clear Channel, the country's largest concert promoter, is taking action to lower the face value of tickets on its end. The company, which was unable to provide an executive for comment, announced that it will no longer charge a "facility fee" at its amphitheaters.
Artists are taking some steps of their own to shore up sales by giving consumers more bands for their buck. Many musicians are resorting to the tried and true tactic of linking up with other groups that appeal to a similar demographic. Stevie Nicks and Don Henley are headlining a tour, as are Boston/Styx, Oasis/Jet, Judas Priest/Queensryche, and Def Leppard/Bryan Adams. There are also rumors of blockbuster pairings such as Audioslave/System of a Down, Van Halen/Aerosmith, and Kenny Chesney/Gretchen Wilson.
"People are a little bit gun-shy after last year, so there's nothing wrong with co-headlining with someone or building up your bill to offer more value," says Mr. Waddell. In all, he is optimistic that the industry can overcome its problems. "It's nothing that a hot tour, priced right, can't overcome."
). Just another reason to catch Glen in Atlanta if you have the chance.
