Expensive or not - that is the question...

bj7800 · #21 01-17-2011, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaz

Whatever way you look at it, A$1970 for a front row seat here, compared to A$200 3 years is expensive. Australia may be 'wealthy' Kuba, but we are also one of the most taxed countries in the world as well.

I am not sure why anyone would be surprised people have complained the tickets are expensive. The huge price jumps over recent tours are obviously not going to go unnoticed.

I don't care how much money anyone earns or where they live. The fact is tickets are expensive.

Whether or not you as an individual can easily afford them or not is a completely different question.

If you wanted to look at what the average Aussie earns its about $60,000 a year now I believe. Of course this is just an average and many earn less than this.
This would equate to about $925 a week after tax.

The cheapest pit tickets in Australia, which were only released close to the show were $400 plus fees. So almost half a weeks earnings. That sounds pretty expensive to me for a night out. Even the cheapest nosebleed tickets started off at $99 plus fees - so over 10% of your weekly wage to sit at the back and watch the screens.

tigrs99 · #22 01-17-2011, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuba80BJ

With all the respect to your post I think that if someone lives in NYC in Manhattan, it means he’s not an ordinary Joe, that’s for sure. As far as I know Manhattan is the most expensive and the most representative part of NYC (I've seen it personally and it's great by the way), and probably one of the most expensive places in the whole world to live in (if you talk about house or flat prices). So no matter how much is left in that person’s wallet at the end of each month, his/hers quality of life is far above average anyway. Of course you pay a lot for it, but you get back a lot for it too. And all of that ‘high quality life’ ingredients are hidden in all the goods and services that person is able to buy. I mean if you buy a Ferrari you don’t complain that it burns 20 litres of gas/100km. If you live in Manhattan you don’t complain that the rent is high.

If you want to talk about the costs of living in USA and Europe, you can have a look at the cost of living in my country in the post above and share with us what it’s like in your country (are you from USA?). I’d like to get more info about it.

When you live in a country that's not well off economically, most folks don't
buy stuff that is considered a luxury which in a western world is considered
a necessity. When I lived in India before coming to United States there are lots of things you don't buy like instead of having 3 TVs at home you get by
having 1 TV and you eat mostly at home instead of eating outside
People in 3rd world can easily live on $500 a month including rent food entertainment. Only place in US you could do that in US some place in Midwest sharing apt with few people
So, basically you can't compare economies of western world with any other place
I travelled a lot for my work with IBM and only place that's expensive than US
probably London, Paris and Tokyo

Walkerboy · #23 01-17-2011, 06:10 PM

I earn £36k per year, but can't afford the price of a ticket to Hyde Park!
Too many other bills going out for me to justify it. Also need to factor in travel, babysitter, food etc. and the fact that because of babysitter, we'd end up stood behind at least 30,000 people, makes it a no go.

If I didn't have a credit card I wouldn't have paid £400 for two front row (non-pit) seats at the O2 last year. I'm still paying them off now and will be doing so for another 10 months (fortunately interest free).

We also prioritise where our money goes. Basically it all goes on house improvements and things the kids need (clothing etc). Even when it comes to a holiday we keep it in the UK. This year's has cost us £55 for a week.....

Some people could be on benefits/minimum wage, and choose to skip a bill payment for a month, favouring the tickets instead.

In short, the value of a ticket is circumstantial. For me, last year at the O2 will probably be the last time I go to a gig while prices are so high.

JOvisoul01 · #24 01-17-2011, 07:23 PM

I can not comment on how things are in other countries, but here in the US depending on where you live, the money you make is a lot or not enough. Just like the example of living in Manhattan with a $100.000 salary is not much, but if you live in Cleveland or Fargo, that's a nice amount.

Not everyone can decide where to live, for most you go where you find a job, moving out of Manhattan sure would save money in rent, utilities and other expenses, but will increase expenses in transportation and time... would it be worth it then? Not for us to say, much less to judge those living there.

Now, the only truth is that we all make our choices, for some skipping payments and live on bread and water (from the faucet), is what they want to be able to say, I went to 20 Jovi concerts last tour, or I had 4 front rows, well good for you. No matter how much the tickets go up, it will be OK for you.

For others, we want to do more, travel, shop, etc.. (on top of our financial responsibilities), so when we say enough is enough? Every thing goes up, sure.. but to me pay for gas is more important than another concert, specially when I keep getting the same thing over and over, so if I have to to say no to many things, is it still worth it? Do I need 10 concerts per tour or 1/2?

If I don't get discounted "great" tickets right before my potential shows, I will skip them, because unfortunately I am not counting on any "special one" out of the bunch, I am not overseas where the fans get surprises from time to time, good for you guys! I didn't mind "gambling" when the tickets were $100, but with today's prices, no thanks!

And the ticket price outrage is out there, than goodness. Of course that for some artists means squat.

http://www.northjersey.com/arts_ente...ice_break.html

marta anna · #25 01-17-2011, 09:33 PM

I am here with Kuba an Johny...
I am Polish myself and for me to earn mney for one show (plus costs of flight and accommodation) means about a month of working. and even if I earn enough moeny, the cost of accommodation, health insurance etc takes a large part of my salary. So if I go to just one BJ show it is a luxury for me. whereas what I can infer from the posts of the Americans or other Western fans, they are doing multiple shows.
If I were able to afford a couple of shows in a row, I would never complain about the prices.

Being able to go to one show has its good side. I do not complain about the set list because the show to which I am going is simply THE show, the only one, unique, a real feast.

I am looking forward to my first show ever - I am going to Munich. And I am very excited about it. And yes, I spent on it (plus flight and accommodation) a large part of my monthly payment. But because it is going to be a true feast and holiday for me, I do not complain!

Kuba, I appreciate your research. You were really thorough in giving just BARE FACTS! All those numbers as evidence for your arguments. Yes, you are absolutely right!

marta anna · #26 01-17-2011, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuba80BJ

And here’s the bottom line. Rosie79 started explaining it very clearly, but I will follow her thoughts even more. If you think that we earn less but the cost of living in our country is way lower than yours (those rich countries I mentioned before), than you couldn’t have been more wrong. Actually I had to start with the wages to end up with showing you disproportion between the incomes vs cost of living between your countries and mine. Basically saying most of the things that we buy at the shops cost us exactly the same as yourselves, only we are earning 3-6 times less. Just as I have said, BJ show was only an example, but we can compare everyday life costs to show you how it looks. Here are the costs of them in Poland:

0,5kg of bread (but not toast bread) – 2PLN - about €0,5
1 litre of milk – 2,5PLN - about €0,625
Can of Coca-Cola (0,3l) – 2 PLN - about €0,5
1kg of cheese – from 20PLN - about €5
10 eggs – 4 PLN - about €1
1litre of diesel – 4,75PLN - about €1,18
1litre of petrol/gas (98 ) – 5,15PLN - about €1,28
Music CD (any foreign artist) – 60PLN - about €15
Ticket to the cinema – 22PLN - about €5,5
Ticket to 3D movie in the cinema – 27PLN - about €6,75
Internet broadband 10Mb/s – 70PLN/month - about €17,5
Rent of a one room flat (where living room is also a bedroom + kitchen + bathroom) – 1000PLN/month + about 300PLN/month for water, electricity, gas, heating - in the most average part of the town, the closer to the centre, the higher it is - about €250 + €75 – by the way I am talking about my hometown, but the capital of Warsaw is more expensive
Any brand new car worth about €20 000 costs us 80 000PLN
Any Plasma TV worth about €1000 costs us 4000PLN

You know we could go on with examples forever. But I think you can see it right away that most of these goods cost us exactly the same they cost you. You only have to calculate them using the current exchange rates (€1=4PLN) and there you have our costs. I think the only main difference is the cost of accommodation rent which is more or less in proportion of 1 to 1. Most of everything else is 1 to 4 (compared to the countries in € zone). So what really matters is not how much you earn, but how much you can buy for that. For example for €100 you can buy 200 cans of Coke, but for 100PLN I can buy only 50. And here’s where the biggest disproportion between us is hidden.

By the way all the goods in USA are even cheaper than in the rest of Europe (diesel, petrol, CDs, electronics or cars are a great example) which makes the differences even bigger (again). For me it’s just simpler to compare the things to European countries.

and that's the point! Average wages in Poland are LOW IN PROPORTION TO COSTS OF LIVING AND TO TAXES! Right, there are very rich people in poland, some richest businessmen, but they constitute just a small percentage of the population. The average emplyee earns so littel that he or she can have problems with covering the monthly costs of living. It happened to me sometimes (in some worse months) that I had to borrown money to be able pay for accommodation and health insurance and still afford food etc. These were the worst months in a year. But it is not an uncommon thing in Poland that sometimes costs of living exceed earnings. And I am not talking here about just unqualified workers. I am a university teacher and my salary is not too big!

RSROCKS · #27 01-17-2011, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuba80BJ

With all the respect to your post I think that if someone lives in NYC in Manhattan, it means he’s not an ordinary Joe, that’s for sure. As far as I know Manhattan is the most expensive and the most representative part of NYC (I've seen it personally and it's great by the way), and probably one of the most expensive places in the whole world to live in (if you talk about house or flat prices). So no matter how much is left in that person’s wallet at the end of each month, his/hers quality of life is far above average anyway. Of course you pay a lot for it, but you get back a lot for it too. And all of that ‘high quality life’ ingredients are hidden in all the goods and services that person is able to buy. I mean if you buy a Ferrari you don’t complain that it burns 20 litres of gas/100km. If you live in Manhattan you don’t complain that the rent is high.

This post is absolute bullshit. What you neglected to say or perhaps what you don't take into account is how many people squish into tiny apartments to be able to afford the price of rent or the fact that a large portion of salary could go just to rent to live in the city. It's a sacrifice many have made. Needless to say, living in NYC or Manhattan is not glitz and glamor for everyone.

Jim Bon Jovi · #28 01-17-2011, 11:11 PM

I still don't get how difficult it is to realise that obviously things are going to cost more if the cost of living and thus salaries in your country are lower than elsewhere.

I'm applying for a job where I'll be earning between $50-60,000 a year and will probably be worse off or at the very best, in the same economic circumstances relatively speaking because the cost of living in the place is astronomical.

A concert costs a given amount to put on regardless of where it is in the world, salaries are all paid in dollars or pounds and the crews rolling through aren't going to switch to Polish, Latvian, Mongolian or any other type of salary and pay scale just because that's where the show is.

Logistical things like fuel and food may be cheaper but the show's costs are still astronomical and that leads to a situation where tickets have to be X amount to cover the costs and make profit, X amount being a lot more affordable to people in some countries compared to others.

JOvisoul01 · #29 01-17-2011, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marta anna

I am here with Kuba an Johny...
I am Polish myself and for me to earn mney for one show (plus costs of flight and accommodation) means about a month of working. and even if I earn enough moeny, the cost of accommodation, health insurance etc takes a large part of my salary. So if I go to just one BJ show it is a luxury for me. whereas what I can infer from the posts of the Americans or other Western fans, they are doing multiple shows.
If I were able to afford a couple of shows in a row, I would never complain about the prices.

Being able to go to one show has its good side. I do not complain about the set list because the show to which I am going is simply THE show, the only one, unique, a real feast.

I am looking forward to my first show ever - I am going to Munich. And I am very excited about it. And yes, I spent on it (plus flight and accommodation) a large part of my monthly payment. But because it is going to be a true feast and holiday for me, I do not complain!

Kuba, I appreciate your research. You were really thorough in giving just BARE FACTS! All those numbers as evidence for your arguments. Yes, you are absolutely right!

So, if you could afford more than 1 show in a row, you wouldn't complain? The prices would be OK?

Then for your logic, those of us in countries where before we could go to several shows, we CAN complain because now we only can afford 1/2.

Jovimimi · #30 01-18-2011, 12:02 AM

I am not sure I understand exactly what this thread is about i think it's quite contradictory ... it's expensive yes .. for anyone ... even more for those who earn less (logic) but it's not because prices are very high for concerts in poland that the price is acceptable for those who cannot really afford a concert in north america ... too much is too much .. period
the thing is that for example poland concert are sold out because it is striking the chord of pride ... when artist come visit ppl accept the unacceptable because they are happy to get something ... I admit I am not too sure where is this thread going and what we can add

Expensive or not - that is the question...

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