Neil Young is the latest artist to hit out at the ludicrous prices music fans are paying for concert tickets.
After The Cure’s frontman Robert Smith said he was “sickened” by the inflated prices, leading to fans to receive partial refunds on Ticketmaster fees for the band’s US tour dates, the music legend has blasted sites like Ticketmaster and scalpers for ruining live music by taking advantage of gig-goers.
In a new entry on his Neil Young Archives website, the 77-year-old musician said: “It’s over. The old days are gone.
“I get letters blaming me for $3,000.00 tickets for a benefit I am doing. That money does not go to me or the benefit. Artists have to worry about ripped off fans blaming them for Ticketmaster add-ons and scalpers.”
The ‘Heart Of Gold’ hitmaker added: “Concert tours are no longer fun. Concert tours not what they were.”
Tickets for The Cure’s upcoming dates went on sale last week and sparked fury among fans who slammed Ticketmaster’s costly fees with some claiming the add-on was more than the ticket price itself – and the ‘Lovecats’ hitmaker waded into the row on Twitter explaining the band had no control over the extras slapped on by the company.
He wrote: “I am sickened as you all are by today’s Ticketmaster fees debacle. To be clear: the artist has no way to limit them. I have been asking how they are justified. If I get anything coherent by way of an answer I will let you all know.”
Robert, 63, also took aim at the company’s dynamic pricing strategy which changes the cost of tickets according to demand, branding it “a scam”.
He added: “We didn’t agree to the ‘dynamic pricing’/’price surging’/’platinum ticket’ thing … because it is itself a bit of a scam? A separate conversation.”
However, Ticketmaster bosses seemingly heeded his complaints and the veteran rocker later confirmed many fans would be getting some of their money back.
He added: “After further conversation, Ticketmaster have agreed with us that many of the fees being charged were unduly high, and as a gesture of goodwill have offered a $10 per ticket refund to all verified fan accounts for lowest ticket price (‘ltp’) transactions.
“And a $5 ticket refund to all verified fan accounts for all other ticket price transactions, for all Cure shows at all venues; if you already bought a ticket you will get an automatic refund. All tickets on sale tomorrow will incur lower fees.”
The Cure will kick off their 2023 North American dates on May 10 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and conclude the trek on July 1 in Miami, Florida.