$300 is the average ticket price to see Barbara Streisand this October at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. Dinner, hotel and VIP packages range up to $5000 per person. This is insanity.
Seven performers who came to Philadelphia last year charged an average ticket price of over $100:
- Barry Manilow, $154
- Celine Dion, $136
- Paul McCartney, $135
- The Rolling Stones, $134
- Andrea Bocelli, $120
- The Eagles, $108
- Elton John, $102
I hear that the AARP co-sponsors the defibrillator machines and emergency oxygen tanks at these concerts . . . And this generation accuses us of having bad music? The Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney I’ll give you, but Celine Dion, Barry Manilow and The Eagles? Give me a break.
However, let this be a fair warning to my children: when I’m 64 I will spend your inheritance on overpriced tickets to see Madonna strut her wrinkled body across a stage with the help of a walker . . . You’ve been warned!
Link: Philadelphia Inquirer | 06/18/2006 | Hello, Dollar! Streisand tickets to set a record.
The Lutheran Zephyr 
I wouldn’t go even if the tickets were cheap.
Sheep, all sheep.
And arrogant, greedy performers.
Hmmmm. Reminds me when I went to Hewy Lewis and the News with the folks. Afterwards we talked about how my generation’s musicians will age. Will KRS-ONE’s break dancers still be able to spin on their head (my off hand guess is no)? Will Cake still be as sweet etc?
Peace,
Chris
I don’t think that I’m much older than you, Chris, but wow – who are KRS-ONE and Cake?
I admit that I’m out of touch with today’s music (though I did listen to Shakira before she crossed over to English). I basically stopped listening to new music sometime between 5 and 10 years ago, and these days only purchase new CDs (I don’t have an iPod!) of my favorite 80s, 90s techno-pop bands such as Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, New Order, etc. etc..
And when I was in elementary or middle school I saw Huey Lewis and the News!
Did you read Derek’s review of the Bauhaus show?
I jsut went to the Trocadero, saw four bands for $20. Hmmm, $300 to see a woman who may turn into Meca-streisand and wreak havoc on the fair city of philadelphia. Or go to some hole in the wall club and see a great indie rock band. hmmm, let me see.
Oooh! Yuck! Your description of Madonna was too easily imagined! I DON’T want to see that!
Like the rev, I am all about the $20 shows at little venues. I went to a 5 band show for $20 to celebrate Johnny Cash’s birthday, and I’ll bet i had WAY MORE FUN than those folks dropping 2 or 3 bills to hear the line up you listed above. Plus, beers were like $2.
LP, that had to have been an awesome show. The next concert I am going to is a ska show. five bands 15 bucks and free tickets to a music fest to see New York Dolls.