Do we still go to concerts? What concerts have to attended in the last few years?

2021/2022 Luke Bryan in Vegas, this past week. Dierk Bentley with Hardy in Irvine, CA. Walker Hayes Next Month. Kane Brown, Jason Aldean in Irvine. The best was Dierks Bentley! He puts on a great show.
 
JDPascale said:
Have you seen Jeff Lynn's concert Zoom tour live video? amazing!!!!
Here is a sample from the concert.


https://youtu.be/mEh3RJ5apIo
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I have in fact. It's outstanding, even though the Zoom tour itself did not happen.

I enjoyed the band in 1976 at a small venue before they really got big. I've seen them 3 times now, although the band is very different now.
 
Pointby2 said:
We loved going to the Hollywood Bowl and the Greek Theater. We've seem some great concerts there, but those venues attract the worst kind of concert-goers. Most shows were ruined by people that were rude and thoughtless. Standing through the whole show and trying to talk over the sound of the concert. Just screaming constantly. Singing along with every song - loudly.

Now we just go to smaller venues of 100-500 people. Sound is better, crowds are better and the cocktails and beer are easier to get.:D
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Me too. There are some great performers filling smaller venues.
 
Zac Brown Band is coming to our area in September. We've seen him in concert about 5 times. Love his bands talent. It will be the first major concert since the pandemic began.

I hired some local bands to play in my garage and back patio during the pandemic. The neighbors, friends and I really enjoyed that small intimate setting.
 
In the last few years I’ve been to:
Huey Lewis & The News the year before he had to hang it up. Actually had tickets to see him again the next summer, but wasn’t meant to be.
Mary Sarah at the Nashville Palace. Not a Big country fan, but what a great voice.
Seen Hairball 3 times in last 4 years I think. They put on a great show.
Bodeans in 2018.
Saw Daughtry last summer. Really enjoyed that show because it was mostly his old stuff. His band stuff.
In December I went to Las Vegas to see Foo Fighters at the Park MGM. Outstanding show. FF plays a 3 hour show non-stop.
 
Some of those C&W and rock concerts sound amazing! :smitten:

I guess some would consider me too cheap, but I just can't get past today's add-on service fees. They're so ridiculous - 30-50% or more of the ticket price. I keep saying I'd love to go to this or that, then when I get the tics in my cart and see the final total, it annoys me and I bail.

Same with hotel resort fees. I only stay at places with reasonable or no resort fees. I don't mind paying for entertainment and have attended lots of concerts in the past when fees were nominal, but hate all the unreasonable middleman service charges or bogus fees I'm seeing today.

I do a lot of virtual concerts these days. The view is fabulous and it includes awesome food and drinks with unlimited free refills. :D
 
The last concert I saw was Herb Alpert, a few weeks later everything shutdown due to covid. We have tickets in March to see the GoGos and two days later Melissa Etheridge. In August we are going to see Bonnie Raitt.

I would go to more concerts but I refuse to pay scalpers. It's so maddening to be online and ready when the tickets go on sale only to have nose bleed seats left. Moments later there are great seats available for sale on the scalper websites for highly inflated prices.
 
FindingForward said:
I just can't get past today's add-on service fees. They're so ridiculous - 30-50% or more of the ticket price.
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Helen said:
I would go to more concerts but I refuse to pay scalpers. It's so maddening to be online and ready when the tickets go on sale only to have nose bleed seats left. Moments later there are great seats available for sale on the scalper websites for highly inflated prices.
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I gave up and just lean into the scalping. I go to a stub hub type place and just suck it up and get the seats I want. It’s not the price I want, but at least I’m up front and enjoy the show. It sucks but I didn’t create the system. If the scalper seats are too much, then I just don’t go. But, even expensive tickets are a small part of my overall budget so I deal with it. I don’t do much travel or other expensive entertainment, so it’s my splurge.

Now for my hack. I just got Sting tickets. They weren’t on sale yet but when I searched, there was a presale going on. You needed a code to buy and I was able to guess the code. Can’t rely on that, but I got some good seats for face value plus Ticketmaster service fee, which was $40. It does aggravate me how greedy they are.
 
The last show I saw live was Pink Martini in the semi-cold environment of Bend, Oregon....

Mask free!!!

What a great show....

The band took intermission and came back in winter gear.

Storm Large wearing sock puppets was a hoot!

Prior to that was George Strait in Lost Wages.

The band can play and the man can still sing!
 
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We see local live music at least once a week in local bars, etc. I usually see Big Head Todd and Monsters when they come thru (either Filmore in SF or Crystal Ballroom in Tahoe). I just bought tix for Dave Matthew's in South Lake in August. That (Harvey's)is a great outdoor venue for those that havent been.

As someone mentioned above, I have lost a bunch of hearing to both loud music and running angle grinders doing metal fab (hobby). I am not shy about using ear plugs now at concerts.

Finally, f**k Ticketmaster and the exorbitant fees. I have no idea how the FTC still allows this monopoly. It is some servers and some software code, it isnt rocket science and I'm sure ticketing can be done profitably for 5 bucks or less. Grrrrrr....
 
My concerts of choice these days are student voice recitals at local colleges. MezzoSpranos and Sopranos. With piano or cello or violin accompaniment. Some very good music to be heard there.
 
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Next on my calendar: Iris DeMent, March 24. We'll see if it goes on as scheduled.
 
erkevin said:
Wife and I have tickets to see Sparks in Nashville next month.
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My friend and I are going to see them next month too, though in San Francisco. As a kid, I bought the single for "Something For The Girl With Everything" ("Marry Me" on the B-side), and assumed they were a British band, due to their quirky approach and image. The documentary was great.
 
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SeanPizzle said:
We see local live music at least once a week in local bars, etc. I usually see Big Head Todd and Monsters when they come thru (either Filmore in SF or Crystal Ballroom in Tahoe). I just bought tix for Dave Matthew's in South Lake in August. That (Harvey's)is a great outdoor venue for those that havent been.

As someone mentioned above, I have lost a bunch of hearing to both loud music and running angle grinders doing metal fab (hobby). I am not shy about using ear plugs now at concerts.

Finally, f**k Ticketmaster and the exorbitant fees. I have no idea how the FTC still allows this monopoly. It is some servers and some software code, it isnt rocket science and I'm sure ticketing can be done profitably for 5 bucks or less. Grrrrrr....
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Goldstar and Groupon seem to be able to sell concert tickets without any huge service charges. I like going to live events, but I'm not that picky about what events we go to. I regularly check Groupon, Goldstar, my seat filler membership event lists, college events calendars, Facebook, etc. and there's always a ton of reasonably priced concerts and other live events to choose from in any given week.
 
daylatedollarshort said:
Goldstar and Groupon seem to be able to sell concert tickets without any huge service charges. I like going to live events, but I'm not that picky about what events we go to. I regularly check Groupon, Goldstar, my seat filler membership event lists, college events calendars, Facebook, etc. and there's always a ton of reasonably priced concerts and other live events to choose from in any given week.
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Thanks for the tips. I definitely have some budget set aside for entertainment every month, anything that makes it last is awesome. I like smaller venues and lesser known bands. I will NOT pay 500 a ticket to see anyone
 
SeanPizzle said:
Thanks for the tips. I definitely have some budget set aside for entertainment every month, anything that makes it last is awesome. I like smaller venues and lesser known bands. I will NOT pay 500 a ticket to see anyone
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It probably depends on the area, but Goldstar for us has a lot of hidden jewels. Like one play we went to had members who used to work for Disney in the production company. The sets were amazing, better then even a lot of the expensive touring plays, and the tickets were $12 each in a very nice, modern community theater building with comfy seats. Right now there are around 80 events in our area on Goldstar alone with ticket prices under $25. Some of our best concerts have been with cover bands in smaller venues with good sound systems. The cover bands often sound better than the original bands these days since the cover band members are usually younger with stronger voices.
 
Used to pay top dollar for concerts when working.
Now usually in the 75 dollar range and we have resumed seeing concerts, but less frequently.
 
The last show we went to was the Avett Brothers in August 2019. Pre-COVID we’d see 3-4 shows a year, so we’re ready to make up for lost time. Just bought tix for Eric Church in May, Chris Stapleton in June, and Kenny Chesney in July. As you may have noticed, we’re country music fans. :)
 
The last concerts I went to were in November 2019 & they were memorable: Bob Dylan at the Beacon Theater & Arlo Guthrie at Carnegie Hall. I'd always wanted to see both & I'm so glad I went! I loved every minute of both.

I'd read ahead of time about Dylan's tour so I generally knew what to expect & what the setlist would likely be -- which was very helpful, since singing familiar songs the same old way obviously isn't a priority for him. But I did recognize most of the songs & it was thrilling to hear them -- It Ain't Me Babe, Highway 61 Revisted, Girl From the North Country, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Gotta Serve Somebody & more; the encores were Ballad of a Thin Man & It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry. I was standing for most of the concert (didn't have to, I was in the 6th row & had a great view), but it was impossible not to stand & move & sing along. I had goosebumps, tears in my eyes, felt I was back in the 60's.

I see Bob's "never-ending tour" is touring again, mostly small venues, but if he returns to NYC I just might see him again. Not too old to be a groupie!

Arlo's concert was his annual Thanksgiving event at Carnegie Hall, a long-time tradition, & I didn't realize he had announced it would be his final one. So lovely to see him, so moving to hear him sing Alice's Restaurant (it sounded just the same!), The Motorcycle Song, City of New Orleans. He talked a lot about Pete Seeger, & one of his last songs was This Land Is Your Land, which everyone in the audience was singing too. Back in the 60s again! He seemed just the same, except for a massive mane of gray curly hair; & I felt just the same too, but in a place that was timeless. His last song was Goodnight Irene, one of my parents' favorites. Just wonderful.

Good memories.
 
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Seeing boy named banjo in April at the caverns SE of Nashville; unfortunately, shovels and rope are playing the same night in Nashville. Saw Maggie Rose and, separately, JD McPherson late 2021 in Nashville, and Larkin Poe in Knoxville. Several local groups in Nashville as well (the weeks might be recognizable outside of town though?).

Main impediment, other than cancellations in 2020-2021, is that we are out of town too much.
 
Seems lately, tons of old groups are doing their last tour.... again...
We have looked at several and NOT A CHANCE... Ticket prices are INSANE... even nosebleed section or outside watching on a screen.... and the cost of any food and beverage on top... add fuel and parking...
Years ago I looked at taking the DW to see the Eagles... for 1/3 the $ I bought her every DVD and CD they had out...Plus a nice dinner out.
 
old medic said:
Seems lately, tons of old groups are doing their last tour.... again...
We have looked at several and NOT A CHANCE... Ticket prices are INSANE... even nosebleed section or outside watching on a screen.... and the cost of any food and beverage on top... add fuel and parking...
Years ago I looked at taking the DW to see the Eagles... for 1/3 the $ I bought her every DVD and CD they had out...Plus a nice dinner out.
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Gratified that I finally saw the Rolling Stones on their Farewell Tour in 1982.
 
old medic said:
Seems lately, tons of old groups are doing their last tour.... again...
We have looked at several and NOT A CHANCE... Ticket prices are INSANE... even nosebleed section or outside watching on a screen.... and the cost of any food and beverage on top... add fuel and parking...
Years ago I looked at taking the DW to see the Eagles... for 1/3 the $ I bought her every DVD and CD they had out...Plus a nice dinner out.
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I've become inured to the absurd prices, and just suck it up if I want to attend.
I live just outside NYC, so for many years I've been used to paying high prices for Broadway tickets (I only buy orchestra seats, which cost more). Concerts are just another part of my entertainment budget. Sure, CD's are a lot cheaper, but of course one misses out on the "experience" and vibe of attending a concert.
I do my best to not dwell on the over-priced ticket and focus on enjoying the experience.
 
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