You don’t need to break the bank to be blown away by talent.
As the dust settles on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, finishing up its six-show run in Toronto, I’ve been reflecting on the exorbitant prices and heartbreaking scams that have characterized this concert experience. While I understand that, for some, seeing a favourite artist live is a bucket-list experience, the recent prices and demand have reached extremes I struggle to fathom.
With some attendees paying upwards of $2,000 for tickets, and people online sharing how much they’ve spent to see their top artists all over the world, the scale is rising to a wildly inaccessible standard.
It’s a trend that seems like it’s here to stay, with factors like inflation, ticket fees, fan demand, and dynamic pricing contributing to skyrocketing prices. It’s important that musicians and staff are paid fairly, but ticket prices—for artists who already make millions—are hard to justify.
It’s shocking how much ticket prices—and the stakes—have risen, hindering the joy of experiencing live music. Though the fault lies less with the artists, and more with the ticketing systems that surround them, it calls into question the way this human connection is becoming less, and less attainable before our eyes.
Yet, alternatives exist.
You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to see serious talent, and unique musical experiences, or to have yourself a great time.
So much incredible musical talent lies so close to home and can be experienced up close—not from the nosebleeds—for a fraction of the price.
Growing up in Wellington, New Zealand, it often felt like we were overlooked by big artists. Though it made financial sense for them to skip the country, it hurt to be ignored by artists who often wouldn’t visit us on their international tours. If they did, it was typically limited to one show in Auckland, making tickets near-impossible to get a hold of, and travel sometimes unavailable.
One of my favourite parts of live music is the connection it creates. Whether between musicians and their audience, or with strangers that become friends in the crowd, it’s a unique moment shared between everyone in the room. The current ticketing landscape and troubling prices creates an air of competitiveness that sours this precious experience.
This isn’t a gripe I have with popular artists like Swift, or even with the broader issues existing within the ticketing world. Rather, I want to draw attention to the wealth of talent you can see right here in Kingston, or wherever you call home.
When asked about the best, or most memorable concert I’ve ever attended, local shows sit at the front of mind. I’ve been lucky enough in Kingston lately to have seen incredible shows, with highlights being Shania Twink, Clay Hazey, Kasador, The Astros, and Colour Theory, just to name a few.
None of these tickets set me back more than $20. Certainly not $2,000.
From a young age, I learned to appreciate the local artists right in front of me. It’s something that’s served me well, and I’m forever grateful for the wealth of talent I only need one bill to pay for.
Madison is a fourth-year English student and The Journal’s Senior Arts & Culture Editor.
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