Concerts being postponed Cancelled?
Discussion
Should say or in the title but anyway...Don't know whether we've just been unlucky this year but have just had our 3rd concert postponed...first off was Stevie Nicks in Manchester postponed due to ill health, then Journey In Liverpool cancelled and now a Queen tribute also in the Echo arena postponed until January.
It did strike me when watching Alice Cooper the sheer volume of empty seats, the like of which i've never seen before (hundreds of them)..are artists now much quicker to postpone/cancel than in the past ? I am aware of the sheer costs of putting on a show and the ticket prices are certainly not helping put bums on seats, however can't help but feel there's a vicious circle going on where constantly pushing up prices is driving down footfall etc.
It did strike me when watching Alice Cooper the sheer volume of empty seats, the like of which i've never seen before (hundreds of them)..are artists now much quicker to postpone/cancel than in the past ? I am aware of the sheer costs of putting on a show and the ticket prices are certainly not helping put bums on seats, however can't help but feel there's a vicious circle going on where constantly pushing up prices is driving down footfall etc.
Edited by BEP on Tuesday 22 October 11:54
The way most of the major concerts are funded these days places all the risk on the promoter. The artist gets the same fee whether the venue is packed out or just a few hundred are there. I presume there's a limit under which it's economically advantageous to bin the show.
Pricing is act-specific, I think and a self selecting thing. If Alice Cooper's not selling out the sort of venues he's playing at for the ticket price being asked, that will be adjusted next time he tours. Coldplay and Oasis, it seems, could sell out a 10 night run at any stadium of their choosing for £1k a pop.
Cancelled shows are nothing new. I've being going to concerts since the early 80s and had plenty cancelled or moved over the years. Often, the first time you knew about it was when you reached the venue.
The one detrimental change to me is that bands don't tour as extensively as they once did. A UK tour would often involve a great many towns, lots of smaller venues in more places more often. So if the date of your concert got cancelled, you were sometimes offered the opportunity to go somewhere else over the next few weeks. (I think it was Def Leppard that binned a show at Hammersmith but we ended up seeing them in Norwich two weeks later - what was the last major band to play Norwich?) I can understand the practical and economic benefit of playing fewer shows in larger venues but the trade off is the effort many have to make to go see a band and the impact a cancelled show has on a greater number of people.
And the spontaneity has been lost too. There was a record shop in Romford that me and my mates used to frequent - Downtown Records. They sold concert tickets and had a list on the wall of upcoming gigs. More than once on a Saturday morning we'd see that someone like AC/DC were playing Wembley Arena that night and grabbed a couple of tickets. Going to a gig, even big ones, often had little more thought process than deciding to go to the pub. I can't recall tickets ever being sold for more than a couple of months in advance of the actual date whereas today you've bands promoting tickets for concerts in 2026.
(I don't know how that last point relates to yours but you got me reminiscing
)
Pricing is act-specific, I think and a self selecting thing. If Alice Cooper's not selling out the sort of venues he's playing at for the ticket price being asked, that will be adjusted next time he tours. Coldplay and Oasis, it seems, could sell out a 10 night run at any stadium of their choosing for £1k a pop.
Cancelled shows are nothing new. I've being going to concerts since the early 80s and had plenty cancelled or moved over the years. Often, the first time you knew about it was when you reached the venue.
The one detrimental change to me is that bands don't tour as extensively as they once did. A UK tour would often involve a great many towns, lots of smaller venues in more places more often. So if the date of your concert got cancelled, you were sometimes offered the opportunity to go somewhere else over the next few weeks. (I think it was Def Leppard that binned a show at Hammersmith but we ended up seeing them in Norwich two weeks later - what was the last major band to play Norwich?) I can understand the practical and economic benefit of playing fewer shows in larger venues but the trade off is the effort many have to make to go see a band and the impact a cancelled show has on a greater number of people.
And the spontaneity has been lost too. There was a record shop in Romford that me and my mates used to frequent - Downtown Records. They sold concert tickets and had a list on the wall of upcoming gigs. More than once on a Saturday morning we'd see that someone like AC/DC were playing Wembley Arena that night and grabbed a couple of tickets. Going to a gig, even big ones, often had little more thought process than deciding to go to the pub. I can't recall tickets ever being sold for more than a couple of months in advance of the actual date whereas today you've bands promoting tickets for concerts in 2026.
(I don't know how that last point relates to yours but you got me reminiscing
)I've had a few cancelled over the last 3 or 4 years, COVID obviously shook things up, but I've had more cancelled since then and there's usually an explanation (ill health, problems with recorded material, etc), but you do wonder if sometimes it's simply a dearth of ticket sales.
That said, most gigs I go to seem pretty well attended, even for the most obscure bands at small venues.
I have been to a few gigs, though, where there have been 50-75 people.
That said, most gigs I go to seem pretty well attended, even for the most obscure bands at small venues.
I have been to a few gigs, though, where there have been 50-75 people.
I agree with both the above replies, with the addition of obscure cricket grounds now counted as venues as well (must be cheap). Generally gigs seem very well attended, but I'd have to say ... Alice Cooper? I mean he's terrible.
Saw him as part of a combined three mini gigs he did with Joan Jett and Motorhead (a few PHers will remember it). Was very curious to see him after people rave about his stage show. Two good songs and the show was pathetic.
Saw him as part of a combined three mini gigs he did with Joan Jett and Motorhead (a few PHers will remember it). Was very curious to see him after people rave about his stage show. Two good songs and the show was pathetic.
I've only suffered that twice, and the first time was when Dave Grohl broke his leg so I suppose that's fair enough!
Got offered tickets for Milton Keynes Bowl but we're too old for all that standing up so got a refund then tickets for the London Stadium. in 2018.
Then this year I should have seen the Pretenders in February, but Chrissie had a knee injury so it was postponed to Tuesday - but well worth the wait.
I saw Alice Cooper last week at the 02 Arena and there were quite a few empty seats. Shame really as it was a good event with Primal Scream in support.
My sister had to wait years to see Elton John!
Got offered tickets for Milton Keynes Bowl but we're too old for all that standing up so got a refund then tickets for the London Stadium. in 2018.
Then this year I should have seen the Pretenders in February, but Chrissie had a knee injury so it was postponed to Tuesday - but well worth the wait.
I saw Alice Cooper last week at the 02 Arena and there were quite a few empty seats. Shame really as it was a good event with Primal Scream in support.
My sister had to wait years to see Elton John!
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