We've got a feature in the next issue about how ticket prices appear to have peaked and I think there may be a new birth of honesty in the future.

Perhaps the fees being asked for bands/artists might also start moving down, which will directly affect ticket prices. It appears that a lot of agents (and their clients?) appear not to be aware of a change in circumstances in economies and continue to demand very high fees. Maybe there's an awareness lag, but that might be adjusting now. Certainly in Ireland this summer a number of shows/festivals have struggled to sell tickets (let alone sell out the tickets). There is definitely a change in pattern of ticket buying; last minute sales are stronger than advance sales, but total sales are flatter than previous years.

... The Gorillaz had cancelled shows in Glasgow and Newcastle and that the tickets were £45 a pop. News that prices may well have peaked comes as no surprise.

that concerts are where they make the real money, not records, it'll be interesting to see what happens with record deals and prices. I wonder if we might see a return to the days in the 60's and 70's when bands would release records far more frequently than they do today? And maybe a few more package / co-headlining tours? (Preferably not, though, the ghastly rip-offs that some bands suffered in the 60's.)

Last year 45 quid a ticket - selective appeal
This year 25 quid a ticket - pretty brisk business

left it until this week to get Knebworth tickets on the grounds that there might be some last minute deals available. In a similar fashion he recently picked up cheap Bon Jovi tickets at the O2, from where he could wave merrily several blocks back to his mate who bought them as soon as they were on sale, and for about eighty quid more. The ongoing Lefsetz letters on this very subject make for a worthy investment of blog-reading time.

...but a neighbour only has passing interest in music but if he half fancies a gig he goes along and waits for the touts to start dumping the tickets as the show starts. If he can't get a ticket for about £10 he goes the pub.