A 2018 live performance from Pearl Jam in London. Photo Credit: Raph_PH
Live Nation and Pearl Jam are facing fan criticism over alleged dramatic price cuts for the group’s forthcoming Dark Matter Tour shows.
More than a few customers are taking to social media to vent about the reduced ticket pricing, with a particular focus on a June 29th stop at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. At least when it comes to soccer games, the stadium, billing itself as the largest such venue in London, claims to boast a staggering 62,850-attendee capacity.
According to regional outlets, seated passes to that Pearl Jam concert, which will follow a June 22nd set in Dublin as well as a June 25th visit to Manchester, originally started at $159 (£125) a pop. 10 days out, though, a number of tickets are still available on Live Nation’s Ticketmaster, where one can scoop up passes (sold in groups of two, inclusive of all fees except a one-per-transaction £2.75/$3.50 handling charge) for as little as $62.55 (£49.20) apiece.
Predictably, that isn’t sitting right with diehard Pearl Jam supporters who jumped at the chance to buy tickets – for a far higher price, possibly due to the controversial Dynamic Pricing – closer to when they went on sale.
“The Pearl Jam ticket saga is a case study,” one individual weighed in on Twitter/X. “Pre-reg required for the privilege of having a chance to buy. Only some pre-reg got the link to buy. Panic on the day of sale – dynamic pricing driving prices up to €350 [$376] + on Ticketmaster. Today tix being sold for €50 [$54] on resell sites.”
Also as expected, multiple ticked-off ticketholders and observers are reiterating Pearl Jam’s prior clash with Ticketmaster. (Of course, the parties set aside their differences some time back.)
“It’s actually pretty sad to watch Pearl Jam go from fighting in court to lower ticket prices to having thousands of fans miss out on their ‘world tour’ because the prices are too high,” a Twitter/X user commented.
And while one needn’t support an artist to voice related opinions on social media, evidence suggests that dedicated Pearl Jam followers are likewise less than thrilled with the way things are playing out.
“I’ll be there and at Manchester but likely to be my last time as [I] feel ripped off by ticket prices,” a fan responded to a Pearl Jam tweet about the London concert. “£160 [$204] each via 10c [Pearl Jam’s $35-per-year Ten Club] for seats at the back of the arena at Manchester, tickets now £63 [$80]. Cancelled 10c membership too. Taking the piss too much now.”
As many know, this is hardly the first sign 2024 has delivered of a post-pandemic downturn in the previously red-hot live music space.
Though Live Nation is still banking on another record year, the Black Keys have nixed an arena tour, more than a few festivals have been shelved, and Jennifer Lopez called off her own concert series.
Those and more serious points, including the struggles of venues, could be indicative of a recalibration in the sector against the backdrop of a difficult economy. And specifically for Live Nation, which has long stressed that “tickets are actually priced by artists and teams,” the customer criticism is pouring in at an especially inopportune time.
