
Heading to concerts can be very exciting, especially if you are going to see your favourite band and love the sound of live music. Part of the fun is that there’s always shared excitement, with others also enjoying the experience around you. As such, seeing a favourite artist live is typically a thrilling experience. But this is often dampened by the surprisingly high ticket prices that tend to come along with it. Luckily, there are some ways that can reduce the cost of the experience, without compromising on the concert itself.
Why Are Concert Tickets So Expensive Today?
Over the years, concert tickets have increased in price. And unfortunately, while this may initially be blamed on the artist’s greed, increased fees or venue commission, the truth is much simpler. It’s all down to demand. In recent years, more and more people have been heading to concerts, driving up the prices with early demands, and speedy sell-outs. Simply put, people are more willing to spend a large part of their disposable income on concert tickets. On top of that, with increased demand, there comes a need for bigger, better, fancier venues and these come with a price too.
While artists do have somewhat of a say in ticket prices, it’s ultimately all down to the promoter. However, large portion does go to the artist. A report from 2017 suggested that between 50-70% of the gross earnings go to the artist and the promoter. The amount the artist gets though, depends on the calibre of the artist, and the amount of work the promoter has done.
Plan Ahead: Buy Early and Sign Up for Presales
As such, it’s unlikely that ticket prices will decrease any time soon. With this in mind, there are some steps you can take to get the best deals. For instance, for favoured artists, signing up to their newsletter or presales is essential. This gives you a distinct advantage over others as it means getting access to the best tickets at a cheaper rate, before the vast majority of others do. These early bird sales are often found if you follow the artist’s social media channels or even by joining fan clubs. Many major online ticketing sites such a Live Nation and TicketMaster also make sure to streamline the process. And to make it even faster, ensure you have an account set up on both of these sites. This makes your purchasing even faster and more efficient, ensuring you don’t miss out on getting the best tickets.
Be Flexible: Save with Weekday Shows or Smaller Venues
Another way to save money on more pricey concert tickets is by being flexible. If you can, go to concerts and shows on the weekdays. Typically, these shows have a lower demand and because of that, reduced pricing. If you’re just looking for live music, then you can save money by checking out smaller or mid-sized venues where you can see emerging artists instead of popular fully-fledged ones.
Look for Deals: Discount Codes and Coupon Sites
Another great way to save is by looking out for discount codes, or visiting coupon sites. Using promo codes is a very valid way to make a saving when purchasing tickets online. It can cut a lot of costs and is a very commonly used strategy to make some savings. There are many different platforms that collect and list these types of discount codes. Sites like Discoup.com aggregates verified discounts and promo codes for various live events and makes them easily searchable via various filters. By using platforms like this, you can often bypass the need for excessive service fees, or avoid overpaying on resale sites.
Other Practical Hacks for Cheaper Tickets
If you’ve missed the major presales, then you can also check for last-minute ticket releases. An increasing number of venues and artists are known to do just this. You can also check for cancellations to get your hands on tickets too. If you really need to save money and are close to one of the venues, you can volunteer at a festival or the venue in exchange for tickets, though places for this disappear quickly.
Check that you can’t claim a discount either for students, first-responders, teachers or seniors. And, look for loyalty or entertainment-based credit cards offering cashback options for concerts.
To save on concert tickets, be proactive. Look for ways to save by being resourceful when planning your live concert experience. It doesn’t have to break the bank, especially if you know how and where to grab a savings or two.