In the past fortnight, Irish people have spent some €20 million on tickets for just four gigs – with most live music crippled by the recession, how do mega-groups such as Kings of Leon, Take That and The Script buck the trend, asks JIM CARROLL
PERHAPS EU commissioner Olli Rehn should cast his eye over a Ticketmaster spreadsheeet when it comes to assessing the Irish economy’s cashflow.
Judging by the gigantic first-day sales for a bunch of recent mega-gigs, there’s still some loose change knocking around in piggy banks, waiting to be spent on tickets for big concerts.
In the space of two weeks, punters have splashed out nearly €20 million on a brace of Take That shows at Croke Park, the Kings Of Leon at Slane Castle and The Script at the Aviva Stadium. All of these shows will take place next summer.
At a time when many smaller indoor shows are struggling to fill the room – there was a spate of downgraded shows in the capital last month, with gigs moved at late notice to smaller venues – the box-office prowess of the megastars is to be applauded.
But in recent years, these mega-gigs have consistently bucked the recessionary trend. Two years ago this month, the 2009 shows for Oasis, AC/DC and Take That were instant sell-outs. Even though there have been some casualities (The Eagles’ scheduled gig for Galway’s Pearse Stadium in summer 2009 was pulled, for example) and under-performing shows, the bigger acts continue to do what big acts are supposed to do and flog tickets.
Look at the huge demand to see Take That. Even casual fans who saw the band stride into Croke Park on top of their elephant the last time around were singing their praises afterwards.
Add the return of a chastened Robbie Williams to the equation and it’s no wonder that the usually reliable Ticketmaster computer system crashed under the weight of Take That fans and their credit cards two Fridays ago.
Then, there’s the Kings Of Leon. The favourite band of incontinent pigeons everywhere have been regular visitors to these shores since their first appearance down the bill in one of the smaller tents at Oxegen in 2003.
They’re probably at the peak of their popularity right now and observers from the band’s record label were confidently predicting a first-day sell-out for this show.
While Lord Henry Mountcharles may be hyping the fact that next year is Slane's 30th anniversary to anyone who will listen, most of those who bought tickets for this show are not going because the gig will be held in a hilly field in the middle of Co Meath. In fact, many will probably be visiting the venue for the first time ever next May and will be there to sing along to Sex On Firerather than to experience any special Slane vibes.
Soon after going on sale yesterday morning, the only tickets still available for The Script’s show at the Aviva Stadium next summer, came with a warning for vertigo-sufferers.
Given that the band recently shifted 60,000 tickets for their Irish tour next March in less than an hour, a big turnout for their Dublin 4 show was always on the cards.
That’s not the end of the mega-gigs. Today, tickets go on sale for Bon Jovi at the RDS next year. Seeing as they’ve already played standalone large-capacity gigs at Croke Park (2006) and Punchestown Racecourse (2008), this one should be as safe as houses for the promoter. There’s also likely to be others playing big shows, with persistent industry chatter about a U2 run at the Aviva next summer.
There are many theories put forward about the resilience of these mega-acts. There’s the obvious one that superstar bands at the peak of their popularity with a bank of big hits will always attract huge crowds regardless of the economic climate. Acts such as Take That, The Script and Kings Of Leon are recognised brands and people know exactly what they’re going to get for their euros.
Then, there’s the “Santa Claus” factor with tickets for those mega-gigs likely to feature as presents under many Christmas trees in six weeks’ time.
You can be sure that there’s nothing accidental about the timing of these announcements (which always also seem to coincide with pay-day).
One interesting theory about the appeal of such mega-gigs, which was expounded by Hilary Allen on Twitter, was the “inverse lipstick” effect. The lipstick theory holds that consumers will swap expensive luxuries for cheaper thrills, such as lipstick, during an economc downturn.
The inverse, however, might also apply. People may be going out less and less, but they will be prepared to spend more for one memorable event, such as an one-off headline show by their favourite group. Unlike a festival, there’s no extra costs to be incurred getting to, staying at and returning from the event – plus you get to sleep in your own bed at the end of the night.
Speaking of festivals, it will be interesting to see how punters react to Oxegen, which once upon a time used to be an instant sell-out, and Electric Picnic when the 2011 bills are launched next year. Promoters will be hoping that those mega-fests prove just as attractive to gig-goers as Take That, Kings Of Leon and The Script.
