Van Halen with Roth Cafe Wha

[evan1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9QBxrzx1Tc

[allenzachary]

There's something about an old Jewish guy in overalls that says "Rock and Roll."

[Barry (NJ)]

Fixed...

There's something about an old Jewish guy in overalls that says "Rock and Roll."

Often, when I see these old "Hard Rock/Metal" groups performing I say to myself "What are they thinking?" but  I realize they're thinking $$$$ all the way to the bank. IMHO David Lee Roth, is the only real "Van Halen" vocalist. With others filling that slot, it just wasn't "Van Halen".

[tmazz]

Hey, back in the old days concert tours were underwritten by the record companies as a way to increase record sales. Few made money on their own and the ones that just barley broke even were considered very successful. I can remember getting $12 Jethro Tull tickets in the 200 section of Nassau Coliseum because we weren't willing to spring for the $16 it would have cost for floor seats. Now those floor seats are two and three hundred dollars each and concert tours are raking in big bucks for the performers. It is certainly a different world from when these old-timers first hit the road.

[Barry (NJ)]

Hey, back in the old days concert tours were underwritten by the record companies as a way to increase record sales. Few made money on their own and the ones that just barley broke even were considered very successful. I can remember getting $12 Jethro Tull tickets in the 200 section of Nassau Coliseum because we weren't willing to spring for the $16 it would have cost for floor seats. Now those floor seats are two and three hundred dollars each and concert tours are raking in big bucks for the performers. It is certainly a different world from when these old-timers first hit the road.

Agreed and understood.

[Putz]

I think you overpaid Tom. Yes was the opening act for Tull that nite. For Bruce we sat at the table right in front of the stage. Drinks and Food service during the show. The one annoying thing was before scanner and barcodes, they had to rip the ticket in half and I always asked them for the big piece back. Sometimes they oblidged, sometimes I got the little piece back and a dirty look.

[tmazz]

I think you overpaid Tom.

Oh, I don't know Paul. The Tull concert I went to was part of the Passion Play tour, which puts it about 2 1/2 years later than your show and for $12 I got seats that about stage high on the left side in the front 25% of the arena. Not $3.50, but not to shabby considering what I got. But the point of the pist is still the same, concerts are no longer loss leader promotions, they are now a big business in and of themselves. It is just a totally different business model.

[Putz]

Fully agree with you Tom. But the model started evolving 40 years ago. Prices tripled from $4 bucks to $12 way back when and never stopped increasing throughout the years.

And it wasn't a name act who commanded more money. Most venues back then (Fillmore, Capitol, MSG) had a set rate for their shows regardless of who was playing that nite. Fillmore use to have 3 bands per show and an early show and a late show most nites.

I think the main reason why seats down front cost so much today is due to scalpers. Bands saw the good seats getting marked up by resellers and decided to cut out the middleman and make the markup themselves. Can't argue with that as I'd rather see the artist rewarded vs. the broker.

[tmazz]

Nothing more than basic supply and demand. The tickets cost as much as they do because there are enough people that are willing to pay that much for them.

[BobM]

I remember the first big concert I went to that bumped the ticket price up. Prior to this one I was paying $7,8, 9 for a show, but when Floyd did The Wall at Nassau Coliseum the ticket price was $15. Highway robbery for the time.

As I understand it there were limited shows because each one was a $ loser for the band with hugh production costs.

[Bunky]

I saw Van Halen in 1980 and it was the worst live show i have ever seen.