The U.S. Justice Department will allow the creation of ticketing and promotions mega-company.
The two biggest names in the concert business are about to become one gigantic one. The U.S. Justice Department on Monday approved the merger of ticketing giant Ticketmaster and concert promoter Live Nation, creating a live entertainment conglomerate the likes of which has never been seen before in the music industry.
Live Nation Entertainment, as the company will now be called, is expected to begin merging its operations as early as Wednesday, and experts predict that the combined forces of the two companies could alter the live music landscape.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the controversial $889 million merger, in the works for nearly a year, came with a number of major concessions to address concerns that the combined companies would possibly have an unfair near-monopoly on ticket sales, with an ability to book concerts, sell tickets and merchandise, and manage such major acts as the Eagles, Christina Aguilera, Guns N Roses and Aerosmith.
Gotta love those “fees” that cost almost as much as the tickets themselves.
Yes, some groups were boycotting ticket sales practices, however, those two companies control most of the concerts in the country. If an artist wants to tour, it’s very difficult for them to do so in large arenas with exclusive contracts or sweetheart deals. They may still be able to do smaller venues. And if a fan wants to see their favorite artist, they’d be hard pressed to do so without going through those companies.
I refuse to use ticketmaster. I like to go to events in San Francisco, but I would rather pay $10 to catch the BART train into the city to buy the tickets at the box office myself.
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All I can say is that I’m sooooo happy I live where I live and can see great talent for $15-25 in very intimate venues.
Needless to say, that ‘great talent’ aren’t stadium-filling artists, but when you see live artists in spaces almost as small as your living room, the stadium thing holds absolutely no interest (for me) anymore.
I get laughed at by my students when I say this, but seriously, the only group I would pay an exorbitant amount to see is ABBA if they ever did any live performing again.
I get laughed at by my students when I say this, but seriously, the only group I would pay an exorbitant amount to see is ABBA if they ever did any live performing again.`
I would be lined up right behind you! Did you see Mama Mia??
I get laughed at by my students when I say this, but seriously, the only group I would pay an exorbitant amount to see is ABBA if they ever did any live performing again.`
I would be lined up right behind you! Did you see Mama Mia??
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Not in any ‘live’ format, no! Although, I did see the movie in the theatre with my goddaughters and we saw the “sing-a-long” version :) Of course, who was the only one among us singing? ME! my goddaughters were all embarrassed and I said to them “you almost never get a ‘free pass’ to sing in public (where people CAN’T tell you to shut up), so when you get it, NEVER pass it up!”
I get laughed at by my students when I say this, but seriously, the only group I would pay an exorbitant amount to see is ABBA if they ever did any live performing again.`
I would be lined up right behind you! Did you see Mama Mia??
As much as I like ABBA and Meryl Streep I didn’t enjoy Mama Mia at all. The movie included more acting with unnecessary exaggeration than a puppet show from a seventeenth century. I actually hated it.
ABBA has the same effect on me as chalk squeaking across a blackboard. As for Ticketmaster, my wife and I live close enough to Austin that we can see excellent live music any time we want, usually with little or no cover charge.
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That’s how I react when I hear RUSH (as talented as they are) `
I love their talent, (drummer especially) but after a while it’s irritating. My husband is always playing their CDs in his car. I keep telling him, “One song, then something else, OK?”
But he listens to them with our son, when he drives him to school in the morning. Now my son really likes them, so I’m out-voted.
As much as I like ABBA and Meryl Streep I didn’t enjoy Mama Mia at all. The movie included more acting with unnecessary exaggeration than a puppet show from a seventeenth century. I actually hated it.
I didn’t see the movie, I went to the play. It was a lot of fun to sing along with the songs. I pretty much ignored the weaknesses of the story line and just enjoyed the songs and play.
