To tour or not to tour: Artists second-guess going on road as touring gets harder
At first glance, the global touring industry seems to be doing well.
Live Nation, the largest concert promoter and ticketing company, reported earlier this month that it was having an amazing year. More than 100 million tickets have been sold for events in 2025 so far. Compare that with 2019, the last big year before COVID-19, when Live Nation had sales of 98 million tickets for the entire 12 months.
Economic slowdown? Tariff-related issues? Fan rebellions against the high cost of tickets? None of those dire predictions seems to be coming true. Live music is having a banner year!
Well, maybe for some.
Coachella didn't sell out for the second year running, and of those who did go, more than half financed their ticket purchases.
Other festivals have been cancelled. According to tracker Music Festival Wizard, 44 events have disappeared from the global concert calendar so far this year. In the U.K., promoters shaken by the 72 festival cancellations last year are bracing for more problems. A few Australian festivals won't be happening because of rising costs. Four-day general admission tickets for Lollapalooza sold out within an hour, although one- and two-day tickets as well as VIP passes are still available. Just this week, a festival company called Wannasee dropped more than 10 events across Britain. The company has gone under.
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The current U.S. administration isn't helping matters. After unilaterally raising the price of visas for foreign acts, there are all the stories of Homeland Security issues at the border. Who wants to risk setting up an expensive American tour when a border patrol agent can refuse you entry because… well, for any reason they choose. Something on your social media feed found on your phone that they don't like? You're not getting in. You might even be detained for some time before being deported.
2:09
Canadian singer cancels U.S. tour over trans passport rules
If you're a top-tier performer, you might be immune to such petty concerns, but even Beyoncé had trouble with her Cowboy Carter tour, with thousands of tickets unsold even as opening night approached. That April 28 date in Los Angeles struggled to sell the remaining 3,200 tickets. She even had to lower prices to fill seats in other markets, annoying fans who bought tickets early. Star power, it seems, isn't always enough.
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There are some bright spots — Lorde's fall tour of North America and Europe has gone clean and all the tickets for the 2025 Oasis reunion disappeared last year — but those seem to be the exception. Many artists are choosing to stay home.
According to How Music Charts, there was a steady decline in the number of artists on tour between 2022 and 2024.
Although not covered, it's tempting to extrapolate those figures to include emerging artists. For them, costs have risen so much that many have scaled back their touring plans, while others have elected to stay home entirely. Transportation, accommodation, equipment rental, roadies — they've all gone up in price dramatically since COVID-19. Those who take the risk find that margins are exceedingly small and the difference between turning a slight profit and losing a lot might hinge on one or two poorly attended gigs.
Story continues below advertisement
Another issue is low ticket sales. Small acts often survive on ticket and merch sales while the venue makes its money at the bar. COVID-19 seems to created a shift where young people aren't going out to see live music at a club the way previous generations did. And those who do go don't drink nearly as much. I've had several conversations with bar and club owners over the last year about this.
2:23
Scramble for Beyonce tickets bring familiar headaches for fans
One hypothesis is that at least two cohorts of young concertgoers missed out on that coming-of-age period when they were finally allowed to see live music in an licensed establishment. Combine that with the cost of drinks, the availability of cheap and legal cannabis, and dating apps, and there are millions of young people who would rather stay in than go out.
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Bottom line? The entire global ecosystem is evolving to meet these new economic realities. And there are have been some developments.
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Live Nation is a leader in this, juicing things with its annual $30 ticket offer that covers hundreds of acts. Artists actually like this plan because it doesn't affect their bottom line. Once they've secured a guaranteed fee per gig, it's up to Live Nation to turn a profit. Because the company owns so many amphitheatres and has so many venue deals in place, Live Nation gets revenues from food and beverages (especially alcohol, which isn't cheap), parking and its customary cut from merch sales. Artists get their full payday and get to play in front of more people than they otherwise might.
In the U.K., the government has created the UK LIVE Trust. A one-pound surcharge is added onto the price of a ticket sold for a stadium or arena show (any venue with a capacity of 5,000 or more), which is then reallocated to smaller venues across the country. Mumford & Sons, Pulp and Diana Ross are among the artists in support of the initiative. So far this year, over 500,000 pounds has been raise so far, manna to small clubs from Lizard Point in the south to Out Stack in the Shetland Islands in the north. This in addition to independent MP Jeremy Corbyn's A Summer to Save Music concert series.
Here in Canada, we won't get a budget until the fall, and it remains to be seen if the Carney Liberals will listen to the pleas of the arts community. I guess we'll find out in the fall.
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Musicians will always love to play live and there are audiences that love them for it. But it's getting harder and harder to make that connection. The good news is that you can help. Do yourself and your local small venue and emerging artist a favour and spend a night out with live music. If you really want to help, go to a show on a Tuesday or Wednesday when foot traffic is slow. And whatever you do, buy some merch and vinyl on your way out. It will make a world of difference.
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Global News
2 days ago
- Global News
To tour or not to tour: Artists second-guess going on road as touring gets harder
At first glance, the global touring industry seems to be doing well. Live Nation, the largest concert promoter and ticketing company, reported earlier this month that it was having an amazing year. More than 100 million tickets have been sold for events in 2025 so far. Compare that with 2019, the last big year before COVID-19, when Live Nation had sales of 98 million tickets for the entire 12 months. Economic slowdown? Tariff-related issues? Fan rebellions against the high cost of tickets? None of those dire predictions seems to be coming true. Live music is having a banner year! Well, maybe for some. Coachella didn't sell out for the second year running, and of those who did go, more than half financed their ticket purchases. Other festivals have been cancelled. According to tracker Music Festival Wizard, 44 events have disappeared from the global concert calendar so far this year. In the U.K., promoters shaken by the 72 festival cancellations last year are bracing for more problems. A few Australian festivals won't be happening because of rising costs. Four-day general admission tickets for Lollapalooza sold out within an hour, although one- and two-day tickets as well as VIP passes are still available. Just this week, a festival company called Wannasee dropped more than 10 events across Britain. The company has gone under. Story continues below advertisement The current U.S. administration isn't helping matters. After unilaterally raising the price of visas for foreign acts, there are all the stories of Homeland Security issues at the border. Who wants to risk setting up an expensive American tour when a border patrol agent can refuse you entry because… well, for any reason they choose. Something on your social media feed found on your phone that they don't like? You're not getting in. You might even be detained for some time before being deported. 2:09 Canadian singer cancels U.S. tour over trans passport rules If you're a top-tier performer, you might be immune to such petty concerns, but even Beyoncé had trouble with her Cowboy Carter tour, with thousands of tickets unsold even as opening night approached. That April 28 date in Los Angeles struggled to sell the remaining 3,200 tickets. She even had to lower prices to fill seats in other markets, annoying fans who bought tickets early. Star power, it seems, isn't always enough. Story continues below advertisement There are some bright spots — Lorde's fall tour of North America and Europe has gone clean and all the tickets for the 2025 Oasis reunion disappeared last year — but those seem to be the exception. Many artists are choosing to stay home. According to How Music Charts, there was a steady decline in the number of artists on tour between 2022 and 2024. Although not covered, it's tempting to extrapolate those figures to include emerging artists. For them, costs have risen so much that many have scaled back their touring plans, while others have elected to stay home entirely. Transportation, accommodation, equipment rental, roadies — they've all gone up in price dramatically since COVID-19. Those who take the risk find that margins are exceedingly small and the difference between turning a slight profit and losing a lot might hinge on one or two poorly attended gigs. Story continues below advertisement Another issue is low ticket sales. Small acts often survive on ticket and merch sales while the venue makes its money at the bar. COVID-19 seems to created a shift where young people aren't going out to see live music at a club the way previous generations did. And those who do go don't drink nearly as much. I've had several conversations with bar and club owners over the last year about this. 2:23 Scramble for Beyonce tickets bring familiar headaches for fans One hypothesis is that at least two cohorts of young concertgoers missed out on that coming-of-age period when they were finally allowed to see live music in an licensed establishment. Combine that with the cost of drinks, the availability of cheap and legal cannabis, and dating apps, and there are millions of young people who would rather stay in than go out. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Bottom line? The entire global ecosystem is evolving to meet these new economic realities. And there are have been some developments. Story continues below advertisement Live Nation is a leader in this, juicing things with its annual $30 ticket offer that covers hundreds of acts. Artists actually like this plan because it doesn't affect their bottom line. Once they've secured a guaranteed fee per gig, it's up to Live Nation to turn a profit. Because the company owns so many amphitheatres and has so many venue deals in place, Live Nation gets revenues from food and beverages (especially alcohol, which isn't cheap), parking and its customary cut from merch sales. Artists get their full payday and get to play in front of more people than they otherwise might. In the U.K., the government has created the UK LIVE Trust. A one-pound surcharge is added onto the price of a ticket sold for a stadium or arena show (any venue with a capacity of 5,000 or more), which is then reallocated to smaller venues across the country. Mumford & Sons, Pulp and Diana Ross are among the artists in support of the initiative. So far this year, over 500,000 pounds has been raise so far, manna to small clubs from Lizard Point in the south to Out Stack in the Shetland Islands in the north. This in addition to independent MP Jeremy Corbyn's A Summer to Save Music concert series. Here in Canada, we won't get a budget until the fall, and it remains to be seen if the Carney Liberals will listen to the pleas of the arts community. I guess we'll find out in the fall. Story continues below advertisement Musicians will always love to play live and there are audiences that love them for it. But it's getting harder and harder to make that connection. The good news is that you can help. Do yourself and your local small venue and emerging artist a favour and spend a night out with live music. If you really want to help, go to a show on a Tuesday or Wednesday when foot traffic is slow. And whatever you do, buy some merch and vinyl on your way out. It will make a world of difference.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Resurgence of WAGs': Sport researchers say spouses of athletes growing in popularity
EDMONTON – A new business in a historic downtown Edmonton building is generating some major buzz. Several social media influencers recently walked a red carpet leading into Bar Trove and the Trove Living furniture showroom for a media tour ahead of its June 6 opening. They ate oysters and sipped cocktails as a DJ played music and security guards stood outside. The woman behind the venture, seen at the event clad in a glittery pink dress, is Lauren Kyle McDavid, the wife of Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid. 'To have this star's wife putting money into our city and investing in our city is really special,' said Quinn Phillips, a spokeswoman for the Edmonton Downtown Business Association and a former sports reporter. 'Everything is kind of buzzing now in downtown.' Kyle McDavid was not immediately available for an interview, but she is one of several modern WAGs — an acronym for wives and girlfriends — making names for themselves. Judy Liao, who teaches sociology of sport and gender studies at the University of Alberta, says the buzz Kyle McDavid's business has been getting online shows how much of an interest people take in the lives of athletes' significant others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, sports wives saw their social media followers go up as they began posting more, Liao says. The popular streaming service Netflix has also created shows following the lives of WAGs in recent years. 'The resurgence of WAGs is really because of social media.' Liao says the WAG trend first became popular in the early 2000s. '(Soccer star) David Beckham is a key person to think about in this phenomenon because his wife is Posh Spice,' she says, referring to British singer Victoria Beckham of the Spice Girls. 'After they started dating, they officially entered their pop culture celebrity status. Posh Spice was already a celebrity. They became so iconic, recognizable, so visible, it becomes not just about soccer or football anymore.' Demand for more details on their lifestyle went up as tabloid magazines chased them around and gathered details that made the couple prime subjects of media gossip, Liao said. 'It was the modern fairy tale. The story is so enticing,' she said. The era was different from today, she says, as the Beckhams didn't release details about their lifestyle on their own. Fast-forward to 2025, and WAGs are gaining visibility with social media and online content created by the influencers themselves, Liao says. Most of the resurgence has been in the United States, but Canada isn't immune to the trend. Stephanie LaChance, who is married to Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Mitch Marner, is often the subject of headlines. In the United States, pop star Taylor Swift has been labelled the ultimate WAG in news headlines for her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs football player Travis Kelce. Liao says some sport sociologists have been calling Swift the 'Yoko Ono of the NFL' because of how many women she has attracted to the game. Unlike the Beckhams, Liao says modern WAGs can control their narratives and tend to blend social media posts about sports with entries about their lives. 'Social media is a really important place to construct and show people themselves as a person, not just a profession,' she says. Young fans of McDavid who are avid social media users are happy to follow WAGs, she adds. Cheri Bradish, director of the Future of Sport Lab, says Kyle McDavid's fame is an interesting case study. 'Lauren is very active on social media,' Bradish says. 'There were many videos of her wedding, which Vogue covered.' She has also posted about the interior design firm she founded, Kyle & Co Design Studio, and regularly shares photos of the apparel she develops for Sports Club Atelier with Oilers branding. Bradish says Kyle McDavid's ties to the NHL have helped her monetize her work. 'Social media has really created opportunities, and it's not surprising,' Bradish says. 'She's a part of this whole community and whole industry of influencers.' Bradish also saw the WAG resurgence really take off during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'The sports industry, and athletes in particular, needed to figure out ways to speak with fans and consumers,' she says. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. But Brandish has mixed feelings about how trendy they've become. Some WAGs like Kyle McDavid have used their relationships as leverage, but Brandish says she should also be commended for her personal identity and professional background in interior design and business. 'The bigger picture here, in an authentic way, is that social media has really created opportunities. This interest from consumers in the WAG story is really powerful.' 'The rising of WAGs is one big factor for that.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2025.
Calgary Herald
3 days ago
- Calgary Herald
Review: Rune Bergmann gives exemplary farewell to orchestra and city
Article content Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Article content It was a night of finales and farewells. On the last weekend in May, the CPO performed its final pair of concerts of the current season, a season with many highlights (including this one) and with 40 sold-out performances, a company first. Recovering from near bankruptcy some years ago, the CPO is now enjoying some of the strongest support it has had in many years. Article content Article content At least some of the reason for this lies in the astute programming, but perhaps even more lies in the new manner of presentation, not the least by its outgoing conductor, Rune Bergmann, whose smiling face and manner have signalled to all that classical concerts can be both serious and simple fun. Article content Article content Bergmann has been with the orchestra for nine years, which includes the difficult years of COVID-19. It hasn't been easy to bring audiences back, but Bergmann persevered and has led the orchestra in delicate performances of works by Mozart as well as monumental symphonies by Mahler. Article content And it was with Mahler, specifically Mahler's popular Second Symphony (Resurrection), that Bergmann chose to conclude his time with the orchestra. A symphony about farewells, it is also about hope and new life. It is also a symphony by which to measure the growth in the performing stature of the orchestra and the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus, both of which are enjoying a period in which a great many of their recent concerts have been of a very high level. Article content Just this past season, the orchestra performed a splashy Carmina Burana to open its season (also with the CPO Chorus), with concerts featuring world-famous soloists like Jonathan Biss and Honens winner Nicolas Namoradze. It also gave superb performances of Mozart and Elgar with Bergmann at the helm, and a wonderful Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz. String soloists were not ignored either, with outstanding performances by violinists James Ehnes and Diana Cohen, and recently a sold-out appearance with cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Article content This list of accomplishments, together with an earlier Beethoven symphony and concerto cycle and several Mahler symphonies, including an impressive performance of the Third Symphony, gives an indication of the wide range of music performed, and with impressive surety and confidence. Article content These qualities marked Bergmann's final appearance with the orchestra. One could only marvel at the authority of the opening cello section solo, as well as the numerous solo turns given to the wind and brass players (especially the solo trumpet of Adam Zinatelli). The percussion section whipped up a storm, and the chorus sang with hushed emotion and, in the final moment, with dramatic grandeur.
