Recently a fan asked the following question on Twitter... "Why are Alan Doyle and The Beautiful, Beautiful Band tickets more expensive in Canada than the United States?" The fan responded by stating she believed was being screwed over when Canadians were paying more for tickets than those fans in the United States who paid less for smaller venues and in particular where famous celebrity friends turned up. (Those tweets can be found on my Twitter page)
The fan stated the reason she didn't post in a fan group was because she would be retaliated against. But when I answered with an explanation and for her to tell the musician she was complaining about to tell him to his face on his official Twitter account (as she was posting in his friend's timeline) that his concert ticket prices were too high, I was retaliated against not only by the fan, but some of the members of the group tagged in the tweet.
I was retaliated with blocking, name calling and trolling from the fan and members of the group. I was personally attacked and accused of being snappy, angry and making up false allegations about what the person had said even though I told the truth, said nothing offensive, did not call her a name and only posted for no other reason other than to provide an explanation and participate in a discussion about musicians making a living. The fan made a complaint to the musician accusing me of being a troll. It wasn't the first time I have been called a name by a fan when I had attempted to discuss something even remotely real with others in this fandom and it won't be the last.
I blocked the fan and members of the group tagged in the post who responded after they had participated in a discussion about the problems of being a musician and making a living to my face and then went back to the group agreeing with the fan describing my actions as unreasonable. It seemed reasonable to the fans they post off topic conversations about a friend of the person whose timeline they were posting in and in this case Russell Crowe. Some say the perfect definition of trolling. Some members of the group continued to encourage her trolling by posting likes on her tweets.
Today on social media it seems some fans ask questions and when they are provided with an explanation that does not support their view, in this case the fan was being screwed over by the musician they are attacked. Some members of the group will attack even though the fan posting failed to provide all the information and the information they posted was in fact not correct. Fans would not support musicians and buy concert tickets if they didn't think they were not getting a great deal.
The fan stated she felt she was getting screwed over when she was paying $96 dollars for a ticket to a concert in Canada and fans in the US were paying twenty something dollars. The first point is that demand drives supply. Fans wouldn't pay for concerts if they didn't think they were not getting a great deal.
Alan Doyle and his former band Great Big Sea are hugely popular in Canada and in particular in parts of Ontario. They have been going there for many years and have a reputation for putting on a great show. So there is a demand for tickets and they can charge more. They are less known in New York and some parts of the United States so they have to pick smaller venues and charge less. There is also stiff competition from other musicians and artists on the east coast of the US. The bigger concerts in Canada offset the costs of the smaller concerts in the US for Canadian musicians and groups travelling there.
The second point is the fan didn't say what concert tickets she bought at $96 and where she bought them from. I would like to state they were for a concert at a small outside venue in Niagara in the middle of summer. For as long as I have been writing this blog and following this fandom those concerts at this venue have always sold out really fast. Fans come from all over Canada and the United States for these concerts. The venue sells tickets and packages that include barbecues, dinner and wines. The fan didn't say which tickets packages she bought for her and her boyfriend who decided not to go.
During the summer Alan Doyle and his band performed at a number of festivals. Festival tickets are often more expensive because they cover some days and include access to a number of musicians and music groups. Often Alan Doyle and his band perform as support acts to other well known Canadian musicians and music groups.
On one of those occasions the fan attended a concert in which the main act was Dean Brody and Alan Doyle and his band were the support act. Of course those tickets were going to be more expensive than those for an Alan Doyle concert alone. Alan and his management therefore do not determine what the cost of the tickets are.
To the best of my knowledge Alan Doyle did some free concerts. The fan to the best of my knowledge went to some of those off setting the prices of the more expensive.
The third point is that Alan Doyle does a number of concerts throughout Canada in concert venues. These are mainly during the winter months and at venues with allocated seating. Prices of seats are more expensive right at the front and cheaper further back. From social media posts the fan likes to get tickets in the first row so they would be more expensive than those concerts further back. But all concert venues allocated seats according to their position in the venue.
The fourth point is the fan stated she wanted Alan Doyle to do smaller venues in Canada and in particular Ontario. While some Canadians won't work for free or minimum wage they seem to find it acceptable that musicians and groups work for minimum wage or no profit to make some fans who like to 'get up close and personal' happy. Why should he when he does so much for fans already like sign things and organise meet and greets.
I responded to the fan's tweets by stating musicians and artists need to make a living and they do this where there is a demand for their concerts in their home country. The fan stated she would rather go to a smaller venue than a large one and sit home and listen to music on YouTube and Spotify. It is well documented that musicians and artists don't make money from albums and digital sales and that their living comes from concerts and travelling.
The overheads of putting on a series of concerts in Canada and the United States are massive. The musician, his band, crew and management need to be paid. Venues and their staff need to be paid. The musician has to pay taxes, travelling expenses including a bus, accommodation, airfares and work permits and visas to get into the US and while playing small venues are a treat for fans they are not going to sustain a musician or group long-term.
With fans who bootleg and pirate concerts and share via social media continually make it a challenge for musicians and groups to keep coming up with something new for the fans every night. So the fact Russell Crowe appeared at the venue in New York was a coincidence. It also gives Russell a chance to enjoy playing music. I also made the point that many fans going to the smaller concerts in the US like the one in New York paid for travelling, accommodation and other expenses.
The final point is concerts are a luxury. Many fans don't have access to so many concerts as this one did without having to travel very far. This fan on many occasions only had to travel down the road. Many fans such as those living in part of the US, Australia and England don't get to see their favourite musicians and artists because it costs thousands of dollars in airfares, accommodation and tickets for us to go.
As concerts are a luxury and I would be mighty grateful that I got to go to so many in my home province rather than be grumbling and complaining because I didn't get to see something other fans did like famous celebrity friend.
