I’ve been gone a bit. But we had a family tradegy and then I had about 5 days of technical problems that added to everything. Hopefully we will be getting back on the ball here. So this will be very short. Surprisingly enough there is little information around the net concerning Concert Promotions. We will do the best we can about bringing things to light.
I have asked myself that question a little bit, and really don’t have an answer just yet. I guess we will end up going where you want us to go. We will be talking about old concerts, new Concert Promotions and all about the whole business side of Concert Promotions.
I’m just excited about having this site up now. While I have no desire to actually get out there and mix it up in the world of promoting concerts, of any kind, I do like to talk about what is going on. And hopefully we will be able to steer you in the right direction if you are a budding promoter hopeful. I spent quite a few years in radio and know a few things about promotions. I have been around a fair amount of time.
After all, I was 16 in 1967 when Janis Joplin came to our high school cafeteria and performed at one of our dances. She was the lead singer for Big Brother and The Holding Company at that time. The way things were set up, the stage was just about a foot high. So we could dance right in front of the stage, and sometimes even be close enough that when Janis really belted out a song, you’d get spit on, or I should say sprayed was more like it. Point being I have been around a while.
Today is a world of difference from the old days obviously, but some things never change and that is the chase after the almighty dollar. Or whatever currency you might deal with in your country if you’re out of the U.S.
So let’s see where this takes us. And don’t forget to take a look at the book we have to offer here. It has some great information in it. Well worth the price I must say.
Music festival attendance has skyrocketed more than 20% in recent years, while ticket prices at Europe’s major festivals, such as Glastonbury in Britain or Exit in Serbia, have had double-digit price increases since 2000. Some tickets now cost well over $250. Music is one of very few media through which virtually every American can learn about our entire culture. Musicians, to most people, aren’t even real. We view musicians much the way we view athletes, as oversexed and overpaid.
Major event owners do what they can to combat touting tickets under contract law, imposing conditions restricting or prohibiting resale. Anyone with a touted ticket risks being refused entry. Major record companies are also putting out considerably less international product as well. And why shouldn’t they? Major stars usually charge hefty fees to up-and-coming bands for the privilege of the media exposure performing with them brings with it — fees upwards of $10,000 per event.
Ticketmaster, the company responsible for selling the tickets in the first place, is placing the blame solely on a technology company named RMG and the ticket brokers that use their technology. RMG’s technology enables these brokers to jump to the head of the line and snag the majority of tickets to hot shows.
Bands can also sell their merchandise on a Web site, and the Gig now plans to add features like a service selling digital downloads of bands� songs. Bands won’t sign recording contracts with record companies, they’ll sign concert deals with promoters. Bands have gained followings on online social-networking sites such as MySpace (NWS ) and Facebook , which has translated into larger concert audiences and higher profits for promoters.