Heritage rock acts such as Rod Stewart, Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones are the cornerstones of the live-music economy because of their appeal to the mammoth boomer population. They pack arenas
consistently with above-average ticket prices.
But how do new, deserving rock artists get wide exposure when fans are buying seats to see Rod Stewart at Denver's Pepsi Center for $29.50 to
$95, affecting their interest in--and ability to buy--tickets for shows by lesser-known artists? The average price of a concert ticket more than doubled from 1996 to 2006, from $25 to $61, according
to touring industry magazine Pollstar.
Retired concert promoter Barry Fey says he'd like to see the "old people" perform but at reduced ticket prices. "Some of these artists think that
giving back to the community is doing two extra songs," he says.
But Pollstar editor Gary Bongiovanni argues that heritage acts have a positive impact on the industry, and says it's not
accurate to assume that just because people spent $200 on one artist, they can't afford tickets to see another one.
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