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.