How much on average do you pay at a concert venue?

[pieceofme]

Stuff like food, merch, drink, parking etc.

Pretty much only the skytrain/bus fare there and back for me. So just over $5.

Don't think I've ever bought food at a concert. Even in my drinking days I would pre-drink.

Most merch is terrible and overpriced. If you really want it just buy it afterwards online for way cheaper. Merch back in the day made more sense. Like getting a dr feelgood t-shirt on the dr feelgood tour. But buying a t-shirt for the current Motley tour you're never going to wear again makes no sense. Unless you're MattleyCrue i guess.

[LAglamrocker]

Something like Steelheart at Whisky nights?
Parking 6$
Food -eat before maybe Fatburger around 9pm
Show 30$
Merch maybe 20% of time - maybe 30$

Something like local band at cool spot like Redwood Bar?
Parking 5$
Show 10$
Drink -zero-food maybe after 7 Eleven menu around 8$

Something like Def Leppard arena?
Parking -40$
Ticket -50$- sit where I want
Food - maybe 20$ before

Something like Rammstein ? Stadium
Parking 20$
Ticket - whatever they want 200$
Merch - 50$

Something like pro sports
Parking 15$
Tickets online discount 8-15$

All shows I go to every year probably get in free 35% of time any venue

No Peg Bundy stealing money from my wallet. No kids allowance ever..use that money for strip clubs. That’s always fun thought being VIP at strip club and thinking no brat allowance

[WOLF]

You can be sure that while we conduct a straw poll here, Live Nation knows that every head buys .2 parking spaces, .4 t-shirts, 1 beer, etc, bringing them x$ per attendee. For every person who spends nothing, there’s another bringing a tray of 4 beers back to his seat twice during the night.

[ar1888]

In Kalamazoo parking is $15
Detroit is minimum of $20-25
Grand Rapids $15-20

[pieceofme]

You can be sure that while we conduct a straw poll here, Live Nation knows that every head buys .2 parking spaces, .4 t-shirts, 1 beer, etc, bringing them x$ per attendee. For every person who spends nothing, there’s another bringing a tray of 4 beers back to his seat twice during the night.

Oh I've been to concerts and seen the line ups. Just wondering what people here spend on average.

[KISStian]

My wife and I enjoy shows as much as the next couple but we've pretty much stopped going. It's triple digits to get nosebleeds in the arenas and lawn in the sheds anymore. We'll look around for decent deals but go to far less shows than we used to. We do more musicals and movies these days.

[Velvis]

I haven't bought a concert t-shirt in almost 40 years. I knew when I was 14 the t-shirts where grossly overpriced. (Nowadays I understand the $50 t-shirt is what's keeping them on the road for all but the big acts, but I still don't buy them because I don't wear band t-shirts because I am not 14.)

I don't drink so I spend zero on alcohol.

Occasionally, I'll get a pretzel and a Coke, but usually just plan on getting something to eat after the show.

As far as tickets, I usually wait until a few days before a show or the day off and snipe something off TickPick if I see a good deal and a good seat I'll pull the trigger otherwise I have zero interest in dropping over $100 to see a band and have a shitty seat and have most of the profit go to the reseller and ticketmaster.

The days of me "I cant miss X when they come around!" are long gone when tickets are so expensive due to the legal scalping Ticketmaster does and all the bullshit fees.

[Fat_Elvis]

$0 unless I have to pay to park. If I crack and decide to buy a shirt, it's almost always a bootleg for half the price.

[daveg]

Almost no public transit to our arena. So 30 for parking. One pop or water. Wife will get 1 or 2 vodka sodas . So about 70.

Everytime I go to a concert I'm amazed at the long beer and merch lines.

[TooOldToCare]

The days of me "I cant miss X when they come around!" are long gone when tickets are so expensive due to the legal scalping Ticketmaster does and all the bullshit fees.

Yup. 20 years or more ago, I lived in the world of "there is no way I'm going to miss that." Now, I don't give two shits. Any concert I attend is random and infrequent. The last live show was in the spring of 2022, and that was cheap and 10 minutes away. My wife and I are going to some 80s new wave package show this summer about 90 minutes away. I'm having 2nd thoughts because of the dogs and drive.

Anyway, I don't drink but usually need a soft drink in a 3-hour timeframe, parking, no food, no merchandise. So maybe $15-20.

[Hellsinkey]

Stuff like food, merch, drink, parking etc.

I very rarely need any of those at gigs. The last time I remember buying t-shirts or cds was at a Kraftwerk and Mentors gig.

[ElectrickMagick]

I live in the Bay Area so prices for about anything are more than average. A club show will run at least fifty bucks a seat with a minimum of 100 bucks for an amphitheater or arena show, and it's usually more.

I usually have a couple of drinks during the show (40 bucks) and I'm a sucker for merch (t-shirts being between 40 and 50 bucks). I won't pay to park, so it's either Uber (twenty bucks) or the train (12 dollars tops) for most shows. Because getting in and out of San Francisco is a pain in the ass if it's a show I'm really excited about, my wife and I will get a hotel room for the night and make a weekend out of it, which adds another 300-400 bucks.

[ijwthstd]

$0

I only drink water or coffee or an energy drink in event of emergency. Sometimes I will grab coffee at the Forum now that it's on the menu but also don't want to pee during the gig if I am recording.

Ended up spending $33 at Cruel World (a rather poorly planned day for me) on tater tots and Rock Star energy drink but was also handed a free one on the way out which is still in my fridge.

[Bono Nettencourt]

I haven't bought a concert t-shirt in almost 40 years. I knew when I was 14 the t-shirts where grossly overpriced. (Nowadays I understand the $50 t-shirt is what's keeping them on the road for all but the big acts, but I still don't buy them because I don't wear band t-shirts because I am not 14.)

Yep when they hit $20 I stopped buying. That was 1988 btw...

[Hellsinkey]

don't want to pee during the gig

So true. If I don't have a seat, let's say at a club gig, I hate losing my spot.

[Bob Sacamano]

Now, aside from ticket and transportation, very little at arena shows. I saw Heart and Cheap Trick last night. I bought a ticket on Stubhub in the morning for $30 after all the fees. Went with two other guys and we paid $25 to park. I didn't spend a penny on food/drinks/merch wich is the norm.

So many of the larger venues will not accept cash anymore. I am fine with that, but I will not buy anything if they won't accept cash.

[Cindy Buzzedimisa]

I usually buy 2 drinks maybe 3. Never food. Where I live I can usually take public transpo so I get to dodge parking fees and the traffic jam trying to leave after. I've bought exactly 2 t-shirts in the last 10 years because they typically only have men's shirts and I hate wearing those. Sometimes they have 1 women's style but then its usually not as cool looking as the others. Even Nita Strauss only had men's shirts you'd think they'd sell black tank tops like she always wears.

[daveg]

but I will not buy anything if they won't accept cash.

Why?? A lot of places are cashless now, plus for big events it really speeds shit along. Nothing worse than 50 people in line for drinks and some drunk is holding everyone up fumbling around for cash

[Bob Sacamano]

but I will not buy anything if they won't accept cash.

Why?? A lot of places are cashless now, plus for big events it really speeds shit along. Nothing worse than 50 people in line for drinks and some drunk is holding everyone up fumbling around for cash

Two reasons:

1. I don’t trust myself to spend within my means. I would have a budget for an event: food, drink, merch. I would bring that amount in cash with me and when that cash was gone, it was gone and I was done for the evening.

2. The odd time I did use a credit card at a merch stand, I got double charged and I had to spend time disputing the charge with the bank. It turned out in my favor, but it was still a headache nonetheless You can’t get double charged when you pay cash.

[CanadianMetal]

I go to way more concerts now , than I did when I was young lol

I rarely buy beer or food at concerts , would rather have an awesome meal before or afterwards. And drink a bit before or after as well , as I have the same amount of fantastic ‘fun’ with a number of drinks , one drink or no drinks . My twins are 13 now & have Never seen me drunk , Ever .

I buy the rare merch (every few years ) like a toque , shirt (Accept) or hoodie , socks , etc .

Tickets range from $20 / $30 for local or club shows to $50/$80 for theatre shows to $100 and way more for some select arena / amphitheater concerts . Not as concerned with money , as I can always make more, plus can’t take it with me when I die.
My house is paid off and I don’t smoke or do any drugs so have to spent money on something lol .

Concerts and travel is what I enjoy and don’t let cash get in the way if I want to do something , as I am always prudent and not wasteful anyways . I always pay everything with my Mastercard and pay it off each and every month , so no interest charges and I get lots of air miles each month , for all of life’s expenses .

Parking is free or about $10 / $15 sometimes.

Sometimes travel for concerts, on Feb/ March I had 4 concerts in Seattle or Washington state I drove to . (Drove back home afterward) .

Did drive to Portland Oregon last month , to see Gene Simmons, was a free concert but it was awesome and he was the only original KISS member I had not seen do a solo show . So was sweet to cross that off the bucket list. Have a Tesla so fuel cost was minimal and hotel was on my air miles so only had to pay the taxes for hotel on the Columbia River . A friend come with me and I did not charge him anything to drive or stay at hotel with me , as his financial situation is not as good. We made it into a fun midweek ‘weekend’ , with great restaurants, breweries, hiking to top of Oregon’s iconic waterfall etc .

Am flying to Phoenix in early autumn to see the Accept / KK Priest concert as they are not coming anywhere near the Pacific Northwest. Flight was cheap at less than $200 and Hotel was on Air miles for the week . I have always wanted to check out Arizona so got an excuse to visit, rent a car , party and travel the area .

[Charles Bukaki]

Usually under $100 all if in I don't buy merch and maybe $150-175 if I do. I don't buy food and keep it to one beer at the venue, though sometimes I'll show up a couple hours before the show and find a bar nearby to meet up with friends and concert buddies and have a couple pops before the show. I don't think I've paid more than $20 for parking in years. I usually don't buy merch if it's a legacy band but will for smaller bands. Their merch is usually cheaper and most of them actually put some thought into the designs on their shirts and sell their CDs and vinyl at the same price point I can get online