how much is too much?

[googlebrain]

i have been going to festivals, mainly reading, since 2003 when tickets were quite modestly priced for what was on offer. i cant help but feel that with the constant increases and lack of improvment that we are bein taken advantage of by uk fesivals. if you venture into europe for example you can go to see the same artist for a fraction of the cost.

so when do we say enough is enough? when do we declare we will not continue to fill there greedy pockets. for the price of a festival in the uk one could go on a nice sunny holiday abroad, or visit a international festival. surely we as the festival goers will stand up for ourselves eventually, wont we?

my sister told me she went to reading in the 90's and tickets were still in double figures not triple. now im aware that icreases in prices are natural but when if ever will they be capped. when will the festival revert to being about the music and not the money.

i for one will be takin my hard earned money elsewhere this year as i refuse to line there pockets anymore and i urge as many of you as possbile to join me as in my humble opinion enough is enough!

[Stalemate]

It depends on the line up, I paid over £200 last year on ebay but only because I really wanted to see a certain band on the bill.

[jump]

if you venture into europe for example you can go to see the same artist for a fraction of the cost.

[googlebrain]

Not really Rock AM Ring is euro 160 (140ish in £) and Reading is £190 both before transaction fees next year, so £50 you'll have to deal with the hassle of sorting flights, figuring out how to get from the airport blah, blah, blah

[jump]

fair point however i have spoken to someone online from uk who went rock am ring wit there partner and it cost 290 for tickets hotel and train to and from. that is value for money and somethin that cannot be achieved at uk festivals. not to mention the fact that rock am ring has so many more bands. gotta say that that makes reading look abit silly tbh.

Edited November 19, 2010 by jump

[joe1990]

i payed £186 pound to see oasis at wembley two and a bit years ago. yer it was a mad amount of money to spend but what a time i had, it was well worth it. not everything is about the money. its about the great time you have when you get there. maybe that once in a life time moment when somthing amazing happens on stage or a girl u meet things that money just carnt buy.

[jump]

You paid £186 to see 1 gig of a band that use to tour fairly reguarly? You could of gone to all of V festival last year, seen Oasis and a few decent bands too with spending money!

Edited November 24, 2010 by jump

[Joe-]

Except Oasis didn't actually play, Snow Patrol headlined.

[jump]

Except Oasis didn't actually play, Snow Patrol headlined.

[joe1990]

You paid £186 to see 1 gig of a band that use to tour fairly reguarly? You could of gone to all of V festival last year, seen Oasis and a few decent bands too with spending money!

[jump]

i no i no but no money in the world would of been good enough, Compared to the night i had was soo good. i spent 120 to see them again at bridlington spa last year. wich ened up beeing there very last gigg for now at least.

im sure theres a band or two you would see no matter the money?.

just love for a band

the smiths getting back toghther would be one for me.

[fullfathom5]

i spent 120 to see them again at bridlington spa last year.

[joe1990]

But tickets were only £50, so why did you spend that much?

[jump]

I've just gone onto ebay and tixs went for about £70, and there was a few cheaper too.

[fullfathom5]

I had a pair for Bridlington that I sold for £75 each, so for £120 for one you got ripped off mate. Yeah, gonna try and get some Beady Eye tickets myself, London I think.

[joe1990]

I had a pair for Bridlington that I sold for £75 each, so for £120 for one you got ripped off mate. Yeah, gonna try and get some Beady Eye tickets myself, London I think.

[fullfathom5]

^ Troxy.

[jump]

I can get you tixs for Beady Eye in London, I'm selling for a mere £300 per ticket.

[fullfathom5]

Bargain, ha!

[The_Amazing_Oblong]

A couple of years ago is the answer for me..

We used to do V(local)/Leeds/Glasto one year and then V/Reading/Glasto the next. Sometimes we would slip in a few of the smaller festivals alongside those staples of the likes of Big Chill etc.

The ticket prices just went silly though. I understand inflation but for some prices to hike up 20%+ increases was taking the piss so I stopped going to Reading/Leeds & V and started going to smaller more affordable ones where they treat you like a person rather than a walking cash machine such as Green Man for example. We still attended Glastonbury each year.

This year even Glastonbury is taking the piss pricewise and although I don't want to go down the ...it's not as good as it used to be ..line. Fact is, it really isn't as good as it used to be and so even though I have tickets for this year I feel it is my last year there too.

The future ? I will probably attend more festivals outside of the UK as you do still get value for money, especially if you can discount the travel price by combining it with a family holiday.

The prices will only come down once they stop selling out tickets wise. While they sell their full allocation then the price hikes of 20% a year will remain. Eventually they will be dominated by the well off, hell they pretty much are as it stands anyway. If you have enough cash then you can camp seperately, get exclusive access to areas and private facilites etc. You can even pay for your own helicopter ride into Glasto ...pfft. Tbh I can do without rows of camping chairs and brolleys and people sipping pimms. Not my idea of a gig anyway and somewhere I'd prefer not to be.