Travel & Tourism
Music Venue Trust hits back at claims concert tickets are too expensive
daisy jackson
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The Music Venue Trust has defended the live music industry after a recent survey found half of Britons felt they had been ‘paid’ to see live music.
the YouGov poll found that over three-quarters of Britons (77%) think the price of watching live the music is expensive, with 44% saying it is “very” expensive.
But MVT wants to raise awareness of just how affordable live music can be, if fans are willing to ditch the likes of Harry Styles and Taylor Swift (who are, admittedly, very expensive artists to see).
The concert hall charity described the research as ‘incredibly depressing’ and argued that live music is ‘literally the cheapest, easiest and most accessible cultural experience there is’.
The MVT pointed out that there were “brilliant, affirmative and incredible shows” taking place every day of the year with tickets for less than a ten.
He stressed that schools, communities and the media must defend these small popular musical stages as much as concerts with “flying pianos or rolling robots”.
The YouGov survey also found that most people think £40 or less is a fair price for a ticket – but 75% of the public attending a concert paid more than £50.
This means that even those willing to cough up the ever-increasing prices of live music are paying what they deem to be overpriced.
The full open letter, signed by Music Venue Trust CEO Mark Davyd, is below.
“In a new YouGov survey, the British public say under £40 is a fair price for a live music ticket. The title also states that people are “paid to attend” live music events.
“There are literally hundreds of brilliant, amazing and affirming live shows happening every day at local concert halls. The average entry price is £10.90 a ticket, but there’s sure to be one near you this week for less than a ten. They are performed by incredibly talented musicians, as good as you will see on a huge stage. There won’t be flying pianos or robots doing cartwheels, but these days there will be great sound and lighting, provided by professional technicians. The bar prices are affordable, the staff are welcoming and the public wants you to be part of the community there. And no, Harry Styles doesn’t play, but you know who plays? Someone who deserves an audience just as much, who has written so many songs, who is just as passionate about the music he makes, who has something to play for you that you could fall in love with.
“This survey indicates that an incredibly depressing number of people did not attend a live music performance in 2022. Around a fifth of people apparently did not go because they felt they could not afford it. . So there is something seriously wrong there, because it is literally the cheapest, easiest and most accessible cultural experience there is.
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“Let’s make sure every parent knows this. Let’s make every school teach this to their students. Let’s get into our communities and make sure every person in them knows they have access to live music. Let’s make sure our local and national press reflects this. Let’s see the incredible music from these fantastic spaces on our TV, talked about on our radio, as part of the national discussion about who we are and what we do.
“Let’s find the third of the public who didn’t attend a show in 2022 and make sure they know what they’re missing. 14% of people regularly attended a concert in 2022. Double that. Let’s make 2023 the best year of live music ever.
“Let’s never let anyone in the UK believe this headline is ever true again.”
Featured Image: The Manc Band
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