r/australia • u/FearTheMomerath • 1d ago

no politics The price of concert tickets is nutso

Christ on crutches. I spent about 45 minutes in the Powderfinger pre-sale through telstra, and the cheapest tickets are standing, close to $200 each and on a goddamn Monday evening at 5pm. Is this normal??? The last concert I went to was The Chicks at the entertainment centre about 2 years ago, and that was $180ish for seats in the middle-back.

I know it's pricey to put these gigs on, I get that. But there are international acts not trying to squeeze blood from the stone. Are the boys taking the piss, is our economy really that cooked, or am I just an old lady yelling at clouds?

435 Upvotes

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56

u/travlerjoe 1d ago

Powderfinger are a terrible band to see live. Zero effort put into the performance. They just stand like statues and go through the motions of playing. Zero stage presence.

Do not waste your money.

I saw them in the early 00s at their peak and a few times at the big day out. Every time is the same.

43

u/SSAUS 1d ago

Conversely, Regurgitator charges less than half the amount Powderfinger is charging and puts on fantastic and energetic shows.

7

u/Effective_Jicama_769 1d ago

My recent Gurge gig at the start of the year cost me $50 and near then end Quan jumped down into the front pit and sang & danced with us all. Epic night.

2

u/the_sleekerthans 19h ago

I either went to the same gig or they did the same each night. So fun!

8

u/AlannahM99 22h ago

Saw Regurgitator earlier this year - I think they were about $65. It was a small venue to give that 90s pub gig vibe and it was probably my favourite gig of the decade so far. The energy (band and audience) was insanely good.

5

u/liberty1112 1d ago

THIS! My favourite Australian 90s band. I've never rated Powderfinger. MOR bores me to tears.

4

u/Direct-Pen8102 1d ago

Yeah, but they are regurgitator

2

u/JollySno 22h ago

Powderfinger have 3 good songs

1

u/JollySno 22h ago

Free 'Gurge show on Friday in ADELAIDE!!

18

u/FearTheMomerath 1d ago

I saw them at (I think) Livid one year, and saw Bernard solo once or twice. I know they're not big showmen, but that nostalgia factor is hard to resist! Double Allergic and Odyssey played a big part of my formative years

7

u/BulberFish 1d ago

I wonder if that was the same Livid I saw them at.

They were headlining, and Oasis performed immediately before them.

Compared to Oasis, they were incredibly pedestrian as a live act. 

Love their albums though.

3

u/GlitteringSpace236 1d ago

know they're not big showmen, but that nostalgia factor is hard to resist!

Hence why the promoters know they can suck people in despite ticket prices.

10

u/drine2000 1d ago

This. I saw them for 25 bucks in 97.I'm sure they wouldn't have got more energetic as they got older!

They a just a great band. On CD.

Silvechair...on the other hand

4

u/keithrobert1969 1d ago

The Australian Eagles ,from the lead singer of Grinspoon.😊

1

u/Direct-Pen8102 1d ago

They’d be proud of that

1

u/ArghMoss 15h ago

Haha, Id not heard that before. Fits beautifully.

12

u/IamtheWalrus9999 1d ago

Agreed - and will get downvoted but they are not the most energetic band to see live. Not much movement at all and tbh quite bland to see live. Not saying it’s a bad thing but if people want to see an energetic live gig then they might be very disappointed.

13

u/IceDonkey9036 1d ago

You realise people go to concerts for other reasons than high energy right? Not every band needs to be jumping around like grasshoppers to make live music entertaining.

12

u/InflationRepulsive64 1d ago

Not to mention it's fucking Powderfinger. I know they've got some other stuff on the albums but most of their hits I would not be exactly be describing as 'energetic' or 'high energy'.

2

u/nerfdriveby94 1d ago

I think this is a good comment personally, it really depends on the music what my concert expectation is like.

1

u/IamtheWalrus9999 23h ago

No - but as I said, if you are going expecting a show full of energy, stage production and surprises….you might be disappointed. I’ve seen them about 4 times and it’s pretty much been the same each time. Ffs I saw them at the Tivoli Hotel in Adelaide before about 1995 with 30 people in the audience and it was still the same as a massive show.

3

u/Dr_barfenstein 1d ago

I don’t mind their music but they have a really strong fanbase who love them dearly. Last time I saw them the entire crowd sang every single song along with them to the point where it was a little hard to hear the actual band. Not my cup of tea but I’m not the target audience.

3

u/bfunk87 1d ago

No no, sometimes Bernard will put on foot up on a stage monitor while singing. And sometimes he clasps one hand over the other on the mic.

They don't just stand there for that 1% of the show

1

u/Crazy_Meeting3830 1d ago

Totally agree. Most disappointing concert I’ve seen

1

u/kermi42 1d ago

I only saw them in I think around 2007 for the across the great divide tour and I thought they were fine live, though it’s hard to compare because silverchair absolutely blew them out of the water.

1

u/LadyKnope22 1d ago

hard disagree!! Have loved them live. Their last shows at the River Stage were epic.

1

u/Nosywhome 1d ago

I was friends with someone who said it was the most boring concert she’d ever been too 😑

1

u/Ill_Property_4958 1d ago

I agree, from the first time I saw them playing support for Tumbleweed at the Bridge Mall Inn. It was $10 ticket and I was underwhelmed. When they played their farewell tour show in Ballarat tickets were close to $130 and I didn't bother, they were underwhelming anytime I saw them at BDO or similar.

I'd be excited to see them release a new album but not excited to see them live.

Other bands from the same era, eg You Am I, Spiderbait, Shihad I would be the opposite.

1

u/ozfash 16h ago

I've seen them a few times and they were one of my fave live bands 🤷🏼‍♀️

2

u/the_procrastinata 1d ago

Even their recorded stuff is bland and boring.

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u/Childish_Danbino81 1d ago

Yeah don't go to see this terrible band, I mean I went to see them multiple times ,but don't you because they are awful

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u/travlerjoe 1d ago edited 1d ago

I went to see them specifically once. They played at music festivals the other times ive seen them

At a music festival, just walking around you see bands. Watch them for a song, yep still the same. Move on

Im sorry i had to elaborate on that for it to make sense

-2

u/Childish_Danbino81 1d ago

Yeah I always used to stand around and watch bands I didn't like at big day out too since there was never anyone else playing at the same time 

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u/travlerjoe 1d ago

Youre on an argument fenzy aye? Pick an argument and keep at it?

I like powderfinger... hence why i went to a specific powderfinger gig...

Liking a band and them being entertaining live are not exclusive. Checking in on a band you like but arnt good live because theyre playing at a festival.. the controversy... extraordinary

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u/Childish_Danbino81 1d ago

No one said it's controversial, it just sounds dumb when you say don't see them because they have been terrible the many times I've seen them, that's all I was saying champ 🤷

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u/philbydee 1d ago

It’s almost as if you can be a fan of a band while also not finding their stage presence compelling. It’s almost as if recorded music and live music are in some way different experiences.

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u/Childish_Danbino81 1d ago

Holy fuck, no way? This has literally blown my mind. Can you please explain how that has a single fucking thing to do with what this comment is saying though champ? 

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u/philbydee 1d ago

Why are you like this? We’re all just making casual conversation here, why do you have to act like such an antisocial little turd? Surely there are more fulfilling uses for your time?

Also what’s this champ business? Why go out of your way to be such a trifling little irritant? Are you like this in your everyday life? That’s so sad for you

0

u/Childish_Danbino81 1d ago

I found the original comment a bit silly and made a casual comment about it too then the rest of my comments have just been responding to you morons but go off champ, you are really doing some good here 👍🏻

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u/clocker_locker 1d ago

Back in the 90s. They supported literally everybody. And played virtually every festival. You couldn’t not have seen them. Whether you liked them or not..Why is that so hard to comprehend?

1

u/Childish_Danbino81 1d ago

Thanks for parroting the other comments champ, really valuable addition. Now read the comment again and the original comment and see if you can comprehend what I was saying. Anyone else want to chime in with the exact same comment and think it's me that doesn't understand? 

1

u/clocker_locker 1d ago

No probs sport 👍 c ya 👋 🤭

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u/SmashedAv04 1d ago

Can you read they obviously said they’d watch the band for a second and then decide they still suck and move on 😭

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u/Direct-Pen8102 1d ago

Pretty sure the question was about ticket prices, not your opinion on the quality of the music.

1

u/travlerjoe 1d ago

I like the quality of their music, didnt say otherwise