JAKARTA - The soaring price of concert tickets for post-pandemic music continues to reap sharp criticism, not only from music enthusiasts, but also from musicians.
The All American Rejects, an American alternative rock band, is one of the names that bluntly criticized this phenomenon and said that the struggle to hunt for tickets has now shifted to an unhealthy luxury.
Tyson Ritter (vocals) and Nick Wheeler (guitar) reveal their concerns about the way the modern music industry modifies artwork and fan bases.
The band, which has just released a full album after being absent for 14 years, confirmed their commitment to remain a grassroots band and refuse to bow to the pressure of market capitalization.
"We're talking about art here. The fact that you can modify your fans, that's the game of the industry now," said Ritter.
"This has been an experience for the top one percent (rich people), and I think it's very chaotic. Because the people who love music the most, the people who need music the most, are the people who are barely living, the people who come from where we come from," continued the vocalist.
As a form of real protest against the expensive ticket prices, The All American Rejects even held an independent tour with an unusual concept. They chose to perform in intimate areas far from the reach of giant promoters, such as house parties, bowling alleys, and barns.
The move was taken independently in order to present a concert experience that is friendly to fans' pockets, although one of the stage acts was disbanded by the local police.
Wheeler also highlighted the peculiarities that occur in the global performing arts industry today. According to him, there is a systemic unfairness when the cost of traveling abroad actually feels cheaper than watching idol musicians in their own city.
"How can it be cheaper to go abroad to see your favorite band than just seeing them in your own city?" said Wheeler.
"Now this responsibility, especially for the main performers, is in the hands of the musicians themselves. Fans have the right to ask, 'Do my favorite artists need to make 75 million US dollars this summer? Or can they make only 30 million US dollars? Is that money enough for you?'" he added.
This chaotic condition actually triggered a response from the British Government which had promised a bill to limit ticket scalping practices as well as dynamic pricing policies.
However, the regulation is considered slow and only a draft law, which triggered a wave of protests and an open letter from the management of the world's major musicians such as Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, Ed Sheeran, and Dua Lipa for the government to immediately realize the promise in order to protect the rights of music lovers.
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