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Irish Times
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
‘The best night out': The Gen-Z ‘Ticketmaster warriors' spending €1,500 a year on gigs
For Kate Henshaw, from Malahide, Dublin, concerts are a guilty pleasure. The 24-year-old estimates that she spends well over €1,000 a year on tickets but believes that they are 'the best night out you can have as a young person in Ireland'. Henshaw is one of Gen Z's Ticketmaster warriors, who count ticket purchases as their 'biggest expense' but worth every cent. The significant spend is not unusual. Irish adults spent an average of €757 on music events in 2024, according to research published last week by the Irish Music Rights Organisation (Imro). READ MORE This figure includes both festivals and individual concerts, accounting not only for the price of tickets but also additional costs incurred such as transport and accommodation. Those in the 25-34 year old age bracket spent the most on live events in total last year, averaging at €849 per person, while those aged 45-54 and 18-24 weren't far behind, at €823 and €811 respectively. There was a notable dip in spending here for 35-44 year olds – €615 on average – which Imro chief executive Victor Finn suggests may be due to social factors such as an increase in 'care responsibilities'.'That tends to be a high expenditure period in people's lives in general,' Mr Finn said. Kate Henshaw (24) at Taylor Swift's Eras tour in 2024 According to her calculations, Henshaw attended 16 gigs last year and a whopping 19 live music events in 2023. She recalls a 30-day concert marathon during summer 2023, which saw her going to nine events. 'I was exhausted.' 'I think they're my biggest expense. I justify it because I buy them so far in advance. Then it feels like they're free,' she said. She estimates she spent a total of almost €1,500 on tickets alone in 2024, 'if I was being truthful with myself'. But she believes 'Irish crowds are unmatched. I think concerts are the best night out you can have as a young person in Ireland.' Being from Dublin certainly comes with its advantages as a music fan, with several large-scale gigs on Henshaw's doorstep. She avoided the crowds attempting to flee Malahide and return to the city centre after Charli XCX's recent performance. 'Public transport could link in better with some of the major events,' Imro chief executive Victor Finn commented. 'They're well flagged in advance so there could be better collaboration here. If there was better transportation I think it could cut down on other costs.' Henshaw has observed a surge in ticket prices since a return to regular scheduling post-pandemic. 'I used to go to quite a lot before Covid and it was so much cheaper.' [ Oasis sell out Croke Park after fans wait hours to buy tickets costing over €400 Opens in new window ] Demand is certainly high, a factor which, coupled with inflation, has driven ticket prices to new levels. 'There's a sort of social shift in experiencing live events and I think that's feeding into live music events as well,' said Finn, noting this demand. He has seen a 'very positive bounceback with live ticket sales' since Covid. 'Was it something to do with people wanting to get out and socialise more after the pandemic? There certainly seemed to be a need for people to get out and enjoy themselves and music has benefited from that.' While admittedly a big spender on music events, Henshaw said VIP tickets are where she draws the line, calling them 'a scam'. 'I have never paid VIP for a gig and I never will. Back in the day VIP used to mean soundchecks and meeting the artists, now it's a gift bag.' [ My three nights at Taylor Swift cost me €47 an hour. Cheaper than therapy Opens in new window ] She points to Taylor Swift's Eras tour VIP package as a recent example. Merchandise bundles included items like postcards, stickers, souvenir tickets and a commemorative tote bag, which doubled if not tripled ticket prices for fans. Henshaw said she paid approximately €200 for her front-standing Eras tour ticket, while a friend who opted for VIP paid almost €700 for an equally good view of the pop star. There are 'only a few' artists, she would pay to see 'over and over again', with Irish singers Hozier and CMAT among the favourites. Johnny Wang (23) a student from Ballsbridge, Dublin is 'not surprised in the slightest' that Irish adults are spending big when it comes to live music. Johnny Wang (23) at Lido Festival in London, June 2025. 'It's such a rip-off in Ireland at the moment. All the big acts people go to, they are going to get rinsed,' said Wang, who spent 'at least' €700 on concert tickets in the last year. 'Big venues are still charging people exorbitant amounts so I'm not surprised in the slightest.' Having attended about 10 gigs in the last 12 months, he says his most expensive purchase was for Lido Festival in London which saw alternative acts such Arca, Jamie xx and Panda Bear take to the stage in Victoria Park in June. General admission started at £75 (€87). Wang enjoys going to smaller gigs, sometimes to support friends such as Child of Prague, who recently performed in the Workman's Club. Tickets for the indie rock band's gig in May cost €12.50. 'I'd love to work in music so I enjoy seeing the technical aspect of performances,' he added. Wang played bass in another young band called Reco, who won a performance slot by popular vote at Trinity College's annual ball in 2023. Aoibhinn Clancy (22), from Dublin, said that gigs most likely 'take up the bulk' of her expenditure as a student who works part-time. Aoibhinn Clancy (22) before seeing Lana del Rey in concert this summer. She estimates that the 14 concert and festival tickets purchased in the last year cost her approximately €1,100, 'which is a lot, but I have never regretted spending money on a concert'. 'I'm someone who really enjoys spending money on an experience and it's for that reason I like the investment and having something to look forward to,' Clancy said. 'I've seen some really cool people in the last year, like, I went to see Elvis Costello with my mam.' Other highlights included Lana Del Rey at both the Aviva in Dublin and Wembley Stadium in London, Charli XCX in Birmingham and at Malahide Castle, and Primavera music festival in Barcelona. 'I think that concerts in Ireland can be quite expensive,' she says. The most Clancy paid for a single concert ticket last year was €150, for Lana Del Rey. 'I would say it was worth it.' With above-average annual spend on live music events, Clancy recognises herself as an outlier. 'I am definitely in the upper echelons of concertgoers among my age group ... Going to concerts is kind of my thing, my hobby.'
Irish Times
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
‘Going to concerts is kind of my thing, my hobby': Why Gen Z are paying big for live music
For Kate Henshaw, from Malahide, Dublin, concerts are a guilty pleasure. The 24-year-old estimates that she spends well over €1,000 a year on tickets but believes that they are 'the best night out you can have as a young person in Ireland'. Henshaw is one of Gen Z's Ticketmaster warriors, who count ticket purchases as their 'biggest expense' but worth every cent. The significant spend is not unusual. Irish adults spent an average of €757 on music events in 2024, according to research published last week by the Irish Music Rights Organisation (Imro). READ MORE This figure includes both festivals and individual concerts, accounting not only for the price of tickets but also additional costs incurred such as transport and accommodation. Those in the 25-34 year old age bracket spent the most on live events in total last year, averaging at €849 per person, while those aged 45-54 and 18-24 weren't far behind, at €823 and €811 respectively. There was a notable dip in spending here for 35-44 year olds – €615 on average – which Imro chief executive Victor Finn suggests may be due to social factors such as an increase in 'care responsibilities'.'That tends to be a high expenditure period in people's lives in general,' Mr Finn said. Kate Henshaw (24) at Taylor Swift's Eras tour in 2024 According to her calculations, Henshaw attended 16 gigs last year and a whopping 19 live music events in 2023. She recalls a 30-day concert marathon during summer 2023, which saw her going to nine events. 'I was exhausted.' 'I think they're my biggest expense. I justify it because I buy them so far in advance. Then it feels like they're free,' she said. She estimates she spent a total of almost €1,500 on tickets alone in 2024, 'if I was being truthful with myself'. But she believes 'Irish crowds are unmatched. I think concerts are the best night out you can have as a young person in Ireland.' Being from Dublin certainly comes with its advantages as a music fan, with several large-scale gigs on Henshaw's doorstep. She avoided the crowds attempting to flee Malahide and return to the city centre after Charli XCX's recent performance. 'Public transport could link in better with some of the major events,' Imro chief executive Victor Finn commented. 'They're well flagged in advance so there could be better collaboration here. If there was better transportation I think it could cut down on other costs.' Henshaw has observed a surge in ticket prices since a return to regular scheduling post-pandemic. 'I used to go to quite a lot before Covid and it was so much cheaper.' [ Oasis sell out Croke Park after fans wait hours to buy tickets costing over €400 Opens in new window ] Demand is certainly high, a factor which, coupled with inflation, has driven ticket prices to new levels. 'There's a sort of social shift in experiencing live events and I think that's feeding into live music events as well,' said Finn, noting this demand. He has seen a 'very positive bounceback with live ticket sales' since Covid. 'Was it something to do with people wanting to get out and socialise more after the pandemic? There certainly seemed to be a need for people to get out and enjoy themselves and music has benefited from that.' While admittedly a big spender on music events, Henshaw said VIP tickets are where she draws the line, calling them 'a scam'. 'I have never paid VIP for a gig and I never will. Back in the day VIP used to mean soundchecks and meeting the artists, now it's a gift bag.' [ My three nights at Taylor Swift cost me €47 an hour. Cheaper than therapy Opens in new window ] She points to Taylor Swift's Eras tour VIP package as a recent example. Merchandise bundles included items like postcards, stickers, souvenir tickets and a commemorative tote bag, which doubled if not tripled ticket prices for fans. Henshaw said she paid approximately €200 for her front-standing Eras tour ticket, while a friend who opted for VIP paid almost €700 for an equally good view of the pop star. There are 'only a few' artists, she would pay to see 'over and over again', with Irish singers Hozier and CMAT among the favourites. Johnny Wang (23) a student from Ballsbridge, Dublin is 'not surprised in the slightest' that Irish adults are spending big when it comes to live music. Johnny Wang (23) at Lido Festival in London, June 2025. 'It's such a rip-off in Ireland at the moment. All the big acts people go to, they are going to get rinsed,' said Wang, who spent 'at least' €700 on concert tickets in the last year. 'Big venues are still charging people exorbitant amounts so I'm not surprised in the slightest.' Having attended about 10 gigs in the last 12 months, he says his most expensive purchase was for Lido Festival in London which saw alternative acts such Arca, Jamie xx and Panda Bear take to the stage in Victoria Park in June. General admission started at £75 (€87). Wang enjoys going to smaller gigs, sometimes to support friends such as Child of Prague, who recently performed in the Workman's Club. Tickets for the indie rock band's gig in May cost €12.50. 'I'd love to work in music so I enjoy seeing the technical aspect of performances,' he added. Wang played bass in another young band called Reco, who won a performance slot by popular vote at Trinity College's annual ball in 2023. Aoibhinn Clancy (22), from Dublin, said that gigs most likely 'take up the bulk' of her expenditure as a student who works part-time. Aoibhinn Clancy (22) before seeing Lana del Rey in concert this summer. She estimates that the 14 concert and festival tickets purchased in the last year cost her approximately €1,100, 'which is a lot, but I have never regretted spending money on a concert'. 'I'm someone who really enjoys spending money on an experience and it's for that reason I like the investment and having something to look forward to,' Clancy said. 'I've seen some really cool people in the last year, like, I went to see Elvis Costello with my mam.' Other highlights included Lana Del Rey at both the Aviva in Dublin and Wembley Stadium in London, Charli XCX in Birmingham and at Malahide Castle, and Primavera music festival in Barcelona. 'I think that concerts in Ireland can be quite expensive,' she says. The most Clancy paid for a single concert ticket last year was €150, for Lana Del Rey. 'I would say it was worth it.' With above-average annual spend on live music events, Clancy recognises herself as an outlier. 'I am definitely in the upper echelons of concertgoers among my age group ... Going to concerts is kind of my thing, my hobby.'
Irish Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
State supports and tax credits required to help struggling Irish musicians, says Imro
State supports, including tax incentives similar to those available to the film industry, should be considered to help the Irish music industry grow and navigate the challenges facing artists in the era of content streaming, the Irish Music Rights Organisation (Imro) has said. Research published by the body on Tuesday revealed that the music industry is worth €1 billion to the Republic's economy annually, supporting more than 13,400 jobs. Based on a nationally representative survey of 1,000 people and a survey of Imro members, the report found that Irish adults spent an average of €757 on music events last year, including festivals and individual concerts. Music fans spent an average of €298 on concerts in high-capacity venues last year and €194 on festivals, Imro said. READ MORE However, two-thirds of survey respondents said the high and growing price of concert tickets is a barrier to gig-going, while almost half cited the accommodation costs as an issue. 'At the heart of this report is a clear truth: Irish people don't just enjoy music – they live it. From packed festival fields to quiet moments with a favourite playlist, music is embedded in our daily lives,' said Imro chairwoman Eleanor McEvoy. 'This heartfelt connection is at the core of our vibrant music culture, but people working in the sector need more than passion to thrive. According to the research, more than 13,400 people are employed in the music industry here, yet just 43 per cent of Imro members surveyed said they had full-time jobs in the sector. Almost 70 per cent said they are reliant on employment in other sectors of the economy to sustain their careers, 'reflecting a widespread dependency on external income sources', the report's authors said. Against this backdrop of financial precarity, Imro said the uneven distribution of streaming income, which means artists and songwriters receive a disproportionately lower share of the revenue relative to the streaming platforms, means mean musicians are struggling to earn sustainable incomes. The body said the Government should look to apply some of the financial strategies that have helped the Irish film industry grow and develop, such as the Section 481 tax credit, to alleviate the financial burden on musicians. The Republic's music industry could also benefit from State intervention at the level of marketing, Imro said, citing the example of the popularity of K-pop and the South Korean government's efforts to export it to a global audience. Imro also wants the Government to put the Basic Income for the Arts, a pilot version of which was unveiled in 2022 and runs until the end of this year, on a permanent footing. Ms McEvoy said musicians must be fairly compensated in the streaming economy and protected from 'emerging risks' like artificial intelligence. 'The recommendations outlined here are not just aspirational, they are essential steps toward a sustainable and equitable future for Irish music, and we look forward to working closely with the Government and the Oireachtas committees to further these recommendations,' she said.
