Wednesday 2011-08-24

Apparently, Trey Parker and Matt Stone's new musical is making money unlike every other stage production in recent history. However, what caught my eye was:

'Mormon' is playing in one of Broadway's smaller houses. Tickets are scarce through January 2012. Its average ticket price last week, $145.59, was the highest on Broadway.

This seems like a update of the The Bloody Beetroots' original business plan of touring in small venues and not releasing studio versions of their music. Great reviews and bad online digital bootlegs drove people to the clubs.

How high can small venue ticket prices go? There's no real limit. Both bands and theatre can charge high for some venues and then reward poor die-hard fans by playing non-$$$ locations or doing one show and opening under a different name.

Think it sucks now? Be happy you don't yet have to deal with cheap fast global transportation.

I have to say, right now, concerts for the "graying mohawk crowd" are at rock bottom. Andy and I saw Les Savy Fav and Archers for at most $20/ticket, the Dwarves show in Chicago listed at $15/ticket, and I just picked up tickets to Shellac in September for $10--I would have easily paid 5 times that, and will probably buy up any of their merch in sight when I go.

that was me, Rich

Liam (circa 2000) used to have the 20 USD rule: if the concert tix cost more than 20 USD, the show was going to suck. Given what you would've paid, they have pricing power that they're not abusing. ;)