Hard Working Class Heroes '08
Hard Working Class Heroes '08 is on 12-14 September and competes with the Fringe festival. What's more, ticket prices are up some 100% since 2006. A weekend ticket through ticketmaster.ie is €44.98. According to nialler.com (currently down), the weekend ticket price in 2006 was just €22.50 (if bought directly from the festival folk). Single-day tickets have also seen a similar increase.
In 2006, "80 plus bands from Ireland with six acts from Canada largely represent the indie / indie rock genre with a very small amount of artists classed as other genres such as electronica (not a gritty Irish hip hop act in sight)...".
In 2008, the approach to band selection hasn't changed much and I would argue that you're comparing like-with-like. Yes - they have added some additional elements like a photo exhibition, but this hardly justifies the large increase.
Ticket prices are rising dramatically and it just doesn't make sense... MCD and Aiken claim that the live event industry is going strong but if prices continue to climb, you're going to price the ordinary fan out of the market... I already know a number of people who have skipped concerts due to tickets being in the €100+ range!
In the early 2000s you could see 3-4 gigs for the price you will know pay for one. Inflation does need to be taken into account but when you see shows not selling out and the ticket price increasing so much (even compared to other european countries), you have to wonder how long it will be until the likes of U2, R.E.M., Radiohead, Springsteen are playing to half-full venues (50% full; paying twice as much still yields the same gross figure).
In summary, the promoters need to buck the trend of rising prices and grow the pie. At the moment they are looking at the bottom line and making profits by rising prices. It can't last...
In 2006, "80 plus bands from Ireland with six acts from Canada largely represent the indie / indie rock genre with a very small amount of artists classed as other genres such as electronica (not a gritty Irish hip hop act in sight)...".
In 2008, the approach to band selection hasn't changed much and I would argue that you're comparing like-with-like. Yes - they have added some additional elements like a photo exhibition, but this hardly justifies the large increase.
Ticket prices are rising dramatically and it just doesn't make sense... MCD and Aiken claim that the live event industry is going strong but if prices continue to climb, you're going to price the ordinary fan out of the market... I already know a number of people who have skipped concerts due to tickets being in the €100+ range!
In the early 2000s you could see 3-4 gigs for the price you will know pay for one. Inflation does need to be taken into account but when you see shows not selling out and the ticket price increasing so much (even compared to other european countries), you have to wonder how long it will be until the likes of U2, R.E.M., Radiohead, Springsteen are playing to half-full venues (50% full; paying twice as much still yields the same gross figure).
In summary, the promoters need to buck the trend of rising prices and grow the pie. At the moment they are looking at the bottom line and making profits by rising prices. It can't last...
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