If you’re a “Harrie” like me, I can only pray that your Ticketmaster battle was more successful than mine. Despite sitting in endless queues, AMEX presales, regular presales, AND the general onsales, I was unsuccessful. I feel defeated, frustrated, jealous, and honestly, a little heartbroken. Dramatic? Maybe, but IMO, it’s so much more than just the tickets, Instagram-worthy pictures, and getting a sign read — it’s about the entire experience of the concert.
Planning your outfits down to the earrings and bedazzled vests, grabbing a New York Bagel, and getting ready next to your best friend. The rush of adrenaline as the concert intro begins and the lights go down, Madison Square Garden is full of every kind of person screaming and jumping so loud and hard that the ground below you is shaking. The 12:00 a.m. run to McDonald’s for chicken nuggets as you walk back in heels to the tiniest New York apartment you could stay in. Sleeping in your brand new merch, in your makeup, waking up with your wristbands still on. Sleepily rewatching the videos from the best night of your life and counting down the seconds until the next time you’ll feel that adrenaline again. The kindest, happiest, and fullest experience I ever had was in the pit at Love On Tour.
I was lucky enough to get pit tickets to the eighth night of Love on Tour at Madison Square Garden. Even more lucky, I ended up getting barricade with my sister and it was the best experience of my life — I’m not kidding. Concerts are sacred to me, and they always have been. Music is a huge part of my life, whether it’s driving, showering, cleaning, or hanging with friends — I have a playlist for every single vibe, occasion, and season. I have so many favorite artists coming out with new music this year, including those I’ve seen before, like Harry Styles. As I sat refreshing my Ticketmaster page over and over again, I couldn’t help but feel a little silly as I began tearing up, and my stomach sank as tickets disappeared in seconds. I felt dumb leaning into my boyfriend’s side in defeat, but then I realized — it isn’t silly. It really is that deep.
“…it seems that we are living in a nightmare where being a fan of an artist you love is a test of your financial ability, rather than a personal celebration of music.”
Haley Chan, The Sabrina Carpenter Ticket Price Scandal — Are Big Artists Financially Exploiting Their Fans?
The pricing for concerts has become more and more controversial, as concerts are becoming inaccessible to the average person. As a college student who completely supports herself, seeing a lower bowl ticket for no less than $800 was actually nauseating. When did concerts become a privilege for those who have that kind of money and not an accessible experience for all? For me, concerts are an opportunity to bond with either my sister or my best friend through a shared experience of laughing, crying, singing, and dancing. In such dark times, we need more of these celebrations of life and that has become a privilege unless you can pay the right price. Music is something to be shared and experienced; it is influential to so many people’s lives, and it really is heartbreaking that it is a full-on war trying to get tickets without paying an arm and a leg.
Many are blaming the artists for the high prices of tickets (they and their teams set the pricing for tickets), and honestly, part of me wants to be delusional and defensive in the sense that I can’t fathom such a supportive and caring artist like Harry Styles choosing to price his tickets for $1,000 a pop. But many smaller artists are putting in way more effort to keep concerts accessible, such as Noah Kahan.
“Nothing is perfect, but we’re doing what we can to help protect against scalpers. and keep tickets in fans’ hands”
@kahanhq
It’s nice to see that some artists are doing their best to keep live music accessible, but it’s still not what it should be. Artists with as much influence as Harry Styles or even Taylor Swift, for example, should put in the work to push for the accessibility of their shows instead of the huge money grab it appears to be to fans. The lack of care for the true diehard fan is disheartening.
I have been a fan of Harry Styles since my sister showed me the original The X Factor auditions when I was little. From being a lovesick middle school girl dancing to “Kiss Me” by One Direction, to driving at sunset with “Golden” in the background when I got my driver’s license, to crying to “Matilda” as I moved into my first college apartment — Styles’ music has sat with me through all of the many ups and downs of my life. It isn’t just about the tickets, but it’s about being in the same room as someone who has been with you through everything, whether they know it or not. Amongst all of the heartbreaks, depression, anxiety, and other everyday challenges I have faced, concerts are one night where, for a couple of hours, I can forget about all of it and just celebrate being alive.
I’m hoping that in the near future, artists will take a stand against scalpers and insane money grabbers and prioritize their fan base over a profit. If you feel like you’ve been played by the Ticketmaster presales, I hope that you can find affordable tickets and experience the concert you’ve always dreamed of. Make live music accessible!