Ticketmaster and Live Nation have destroyed the concert experience. But it didn’t use to be this way. Today, Oasis and Taylor Swift tickets might go for thousands of dollars, but back in 1955, you could see Elvis Presley in concert for less than the modern-day equivalent of $20.
I’d go to full day festivals for $30. Seriously. One year, I went to ozzfest and it was free! That year they dubbed it “freefest”. This isn’t even that long ago, I’m talking 15-20 years ago I was able to do this.
I remember going to a music festival when I was maybe 18 or 20, and the heat was so bad that I decided to just leave before seeing any of the bands I wanted to see because the ticket prices were low enough that there was no sense of “oh no, what a waste”.
I was at that free Ozzfest. Shit was sick AF. How were they even making money? Merch and booze sales?
It must have been all that. I’m sure I bought something while there. It was only done one year so maybe they didn’t make enough money.