The Concert Experience 2012

After plugging away at my Master’s studies at Full Sail University, I view live music events slightly differently than before, perhaps a little more analytically. For instance, I look at the show’s demographic, ticket prices, layout and overall experience. This past week I had the chance to see two very different shows, back to back. Two Door Cinema Club performed at The Beacham/Social on Monday and Bon Iver performed at Hard Rock: CityWalk on Tuesday.

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 It all starts with becoming aware of an upcoming show. I found out about TDCC’s show from an e-mail marketing campaign. I had previously subscribed to venue mailing lists in the Orlando area. I received the e-mail two months prior to the show and made my purchase one month later. With Bon Iver, I was notified by the Live Nation application on my iPhone. The app’s ability to sync with my personal music library on my phone and provide show notifications is certainly advantageous.

After the decision to purchase was made, I had to acquire the tickets from the respective distributor. The Beacham/Social, located in downtown Orlando, utilizes Ticketfly ticket services. After making the purchase through TicketFly, I was able to download the ticket to my smartphone or print the ticket at home. Hard Rock distributes through TicketMaster. After my online purchase, I had to go to a TicketMaster retail outlet to pick up the physical tickets. This difference in ticket distribution is very significant. Ticketfly’s innovative distribution, in combination with their lesser service fees, proved more attractive.

On the day of the TDCC show, I had my smartphone scanned for entrance and the event was underway. We were treated to two warm-ups and the headlining Two Door Cinema Club. The performances were fantastic but the concession prices were a little high. $4.50 for one bottle of Miller Lite and $4 for one pint of Pabst Blue Ribbon. Right after the show, TDCC hosted an after party at the neighboring club, The Social.

Bon Iver performed on the campus of Universal Studio’s CityWalk at Hard Rock. With a higher ticket price, I expected to see where that money went. In turn, there was one warm-up group prior to Bon Iver. The headlining ensemble has approximately 9 members. The combination of TicketMaster’s distribution, premium venue and ensemble numbers may have had a play to the higher ticket price. The concession prices were even higher at Hard Rock. $22 for two large draft beers. Let’s be honest. A half-barrel keg costs roughly $75 and can last all night at frat party.

Lastly, a common issue arose at both events. A large percentage of the attendees are also a demographic of smartphone users. The concentrated useage of smartphone data in one area can overwhelm the closest tower and cause service to come to a halt. So, while everyone is “checking-in on foursquare”, “posting an instagram pic” or, even worse, posting a video, the tower becomes overwhelmed and can impact basic phone services which can present an issue in the event of an emergency.

So, I leave you to reflect. Are the ticket prices too high? Concessions too high? What about your experience with cell phone data usage? Do you receive all the bang for your buck?