elsiabarton: Going Broke To Hear Live Music

সোমবার, ১৩ ফেব্রুয়ারী, ২০১২

Going Broke To Hear Live Music

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Anyone who really enjoys music loves the surreal feeling of going to a concert. There will always be that small handful of people who claim they don't enjoy the live atmosphere, and personally, I think they're not fully understanding music as an art form. Plus they're just missing out on a great opportunity to rock out to their favorite jams with random strangers. But not much comes cheaply these days. The price of everything from food to gas to stamps seems to climb, the music industry is no different.

I will always have that handful of bands that while they're still somewhat mainstream, they're not big name acts. And it is those bands that will never charge me more than $30, including fees, to see them live. And for $30 I expect to go to a rather small venue with nothing more than some cool spotlights and the music itself. Sometimes, it really is about just the music and you don't need crazy effects and lighting.

But here is where I distinguish what is worth the ticket price and what is not. I don't like spending more than $50 on a concert ticket, which goes for any artist -big name or not. That has to do with simple economics. I'm not made of money and it's bad enough that I feel guilty for downloading an artist's music. I do have my "all time favorite" bands that I would splurge on...to a point. When we cross that $50-60 price, I expect more than your band standing on stage with a few flickering lights. There better be a screen behind your setup with crazy videos, lasers, and potentially someone getting shot out of a canon. Essentially, I want what I paid for.

Two examples, on two totally different ends of the music spectrum, would be Lady Gaga and Tool. I paid quite a high price for both those concerts, but both delivered. Gaga is well, Gaga. Her concert was more of a performance art piece or a theater show than just a concert. I know my money paid for her thirty costumes, her lavish set, and that crazy spinning ball for her rendition of "Bad Romance." Although Tool had a different approach, I can again say I know where my money went. It went to an intense laser light show with stunning visual effects and videos. For Tool, the visual is just as important as the cerebral.

In my heart, I cannot say I'm happy about spending a good chunk of my paycheck for a band that just performs. I guess you can argue that's it's supposed to be about the music. But if it's about the music, don't overcharge. Most of the people going to concerts are on a limited budget. It's hard to support music when Ticketmaster is bleeding you dry.

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