I remember my first ever gig like it was yesterday. I was 12 and me, my sister and her friends bundled into the car after school to see Busted at Wembley Arena.
I had this permanent, frenzied expression on my face as I quietly took in my surroundings and the sheer size of the crowd.
When Matt, Charlie and James appeared onstage, I was all but deceased. There they were – the three guys from the poster on my bedroom wall, in the flesh, metres away from me.
By the time the show ended, I’d lost my voice completely and my ears rang for about a week. But it didn’t matter. I had gone up to big old London and witnessed my favourite artists perform live.
It’s what makes me so sad for kids these days. Not only are ticket prices astronomical, they’re now near impossible to buy in the first place. A prime example of this being Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which is just about to come to the UK.
Now, before you think I’m bitter or not a Swiftie, I should say that I’ve managed to secure tickets to one of her London shows. I got a code and, in the middle of the working day, joined the online queue with countless others.
‘Not now!’ I replied, as my colleague came over to the desk to ask me something. ‘It’s Taylor Swift time.’ In an instant, they understood the gravity of the situation, walked away and – bless them – brought me a cup of tea, knowing I’d probably be stuck for a while.
Eventually, I got through and was able to bag tickets at £75 each – the second cheapest bracket. At that point I hadn’t even confirmed who was coming with me, I just knew I had to get tickets to see Tay Tay and the rest would fall into place.
Yes, £75 is a ‘bargain’ in this day and age (especially to go see The Queen of the Universe) and I’m lucky enough to have my own source of income to cover these costs. But for parents who might have had to pay for multiple tickets for their kids and their chaperones, it’s a hefty fee, to say the least.
What’s more, the price brackets above £75 suddenly jumped to well over £100 for regular seating and standing tickets – and that’s before you get anywhere near the £500+ VIP packages, where you’re so close you can almost smell Taylor’s sweat.
Having grown up in a working class environment, and knowing how much it took to scrimp and save for tickets when I was younger, I can tell you that it’s children from poorer households that will miss out the most.
What was previously seen as a huge, but valuable, undertaking to grant your child’s wish will now be impossible for many, and further highlights the many differences between them and their wealthier peers.
This not only means that while people are being priced out and, in some instances, forced to stretch themselves financially just to go see their favourite singer, some will miss out altogether.
Since the Eras Tour kicked off back in March 2023, we’ve seen evidence of this, with fans who weren’t fortunate enough to get tickets camping outside stadiums with their friends to hear the secondhand noise of the concert going on inside.
One woman, Madison Backband, even went viral in February this year over a clip of her crying to just-about-audible lyrics of Exile outside Sydney’s Accor Stadium. People mocked her mercilessly, but I just thought it was sad that someone as passionate about the music as her wasn’t granted the chance to see the real thing.
It’s why it’s so unconscionable to me that there are some ‘fans’ who have not only bought tickets to one show, they’ve mopped up on multiple dates, in multiple locations.
To me, this doesn’t signal that they are ‘true fans’, it demonstrates how incredibly selfish they are.
Just recently, while scrolling through TikTok before bed, I came across a comment where a user shared they’d bought 15 tickets – fifteen! Thankfully, someone replied: ‘Eww, it’s not the flex you think it is.’
Even beyond the super Swifties, I’ve spoken to many friends, colleagues and relatives who have said they’d like to go see Taylor in concert, but have been deterred by the whole lottery ordeal – and the expensive ticket prices.
They have also commented that, had they managed to get tickets, they’d feel they’d be judged for not knowing every lyric verbatim and, therefore, taking up a seat that would be ‘better’ used up by someone who does.
Of course, Taylor released the film version of her tour on Disney+ in part for this reason, to enable those who couldn’t go – or just want to relive the magic – a chance to see what all the fuss is about for less (subscriptions start at £4.99).
And while admirable of her, there’s no denying that it’s yet another revenue stream. Plus, watching music performances on TV is in no way comparable to seeing live performances in-person.
I get that Taylor and the like are business people and touring is the main way they earn money within the music industry. I also understand that they do often reach out to fans from all walks of life and extend sweet gestures.
But, over the years, there has been a dramatic shift from smaller music venues and affordable prices, towards mega shows and equally astronomical prices. The whole thing reeks of privilege and often means certain types of kids and fans will miss out time and time again.
A billionaire doesn’t need to charge excessive amounts for tickets.
And while a lottery is in some way fairer, there really should be a cap on how many tickets one person can buy – not just for a single purchase, as is currently the case, but across venues.
Sadly, until then, we’ll constantly see certain people monopolising tickets, driving prices up and depriving others of the opportunity.
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