Speaking to the Guardian in October, the Association Of Independent Festivals’ then- CEO Paul Reed said a reduction of VAT on tickets is needed, as is emergency support like the culture recovery fund from earlier in the pandemic.
“Venues and promoters are trying to recoup some of the money they lost throughout Covid,” says Blumberg; “that may play a part. But primarily, costs have just rocketed across the board and everything needs paying for. Fuel prices have pushed delivery charges up for all suppliers, staffing costs have gone up significantly, and just about everything that we need to run a successful festival has increased by at least around 10% over the past few years with some elements increasing significantly more than that. It’s becoming more and more difficult to make it financially viable to run a large event unless the ticket prices increase.”
Those Harry Styles fans struggling to afford tickets aren’t alone – there’s a very real danger that more people are becoming priced out of live music. “I would say that [Glastonbury tickets] are already too expensive for a lot of people to consider,” says Matt. “Even our tribute festival will be too expensive for some, especially with the cost of living increasing.”
For musicians, this is their job. Touring costs money, and the profit margin can be smaller than we might think. If we take into account the rise of streaming – less lucrative than physical album sales – it’s not surprising that gig tickets are becoming more expensive. After all, money needs to be made somewhere. Little Simz, for instance, might be the reigning Mercury Prize winner with a top five album but even she had to cancel an American tour earlier this year for financial reasons. It’s not just live music that’s seeing the prices of tickets rise, either. Stephan Stockton, Theatre Director at New Theatre, Cardiff, explains that
a number of factors contribute to prices – “it’s not a one size fits all approach”.
He continues: “The main difference between theatre and standard music gigs is that theatre tends to offer a range of prices, depending upon seating position and day of the week, whereas music tends to be on flat price.” While they aim to be as affordable as possible, Stockton explains that as the costs of touring and running the building itself have increased “substantially”, which has been reflected in their current prices.
As Blumberg sees it, “People will always want to let their hair down, get away from the hustle and bustle of their busy lives and enjoy a beer and some live music at a festival.” He describes a careful balancing act between keeping the costs as low as possible for consumers, but
covering increasing costs to the company and making it possible to run GlastonBARRY again in the future.
“A lot of businesses and business owners I know, including myself, came very close to losing everything we’ve worked hard for. Lots of companies did sadly go under and it was a very difficult period for many in the business. For me, it was a very stressful and uncertain time, and it’s really made me appreciate how lucky I am to be doing something I love for a living.”
The bottom line is that artists and venues don’t really want to price out consumers. After all, they rely on them. But to keep things sustainable, particularly in light of a turbulent few years, price increases are a necessary evil if we want the live sector to remain afloat.
GlastonBARRY
Spike, New Theatre
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