If the COVID trend holds (and that may be the rose-colored glasses point of view), this summer promises to be an especially interesting one.
Especially for concerts.
Way back at the beginning of the Coronavirus (as it was known back then), we did a series of nine research studies among commercial, public, and Christian music radio listeners. The first of these was conducted right after the virus broke out here in the U.S. In fact, it was fielded March 31-April 2, 2020. Even back then, people were articulate and passionate about what they were missing once stay-at-home orders were issued state by state.
Yes, nearly 21,000 radio listeners told us they were jonesing on personal interaction with friends and family. But they were also missing entertainment activities – especially concerts and sporting events.
There was, however, a setback last week. Mammoth WVH – Wolfgang Van Halen’s band canceled the last six shows of their Young Guns tour due to a COVID staff breakout. Wolfgang himself continues to test negative, but enough of the crew is infected that the tour must be postponed.
While some consumers have ventured out, already taking in big arena and stadium shows, many have held out, waiting to see how the pandemic plays out.
Certainly, concert promoters, bands, and the touring ecosystem are ready to roar. After two years of nonactivity, most musicians have a lot of touring ground to make up – not to mention many mouths to feed. All over the country, markets are overbooking concerts and events – more than the average person has time for – or can afford.
A recent story in the Wall Street Journal by Neil Shah points out the average price of a concert ticket last year was $78 – up 14% from 2019. And the inflation of the moment – especially food and gas prices – will make concert-going even more out of reach for the typical music fan.
The last time I saw @Deadmau5 it was only $27. Damn you prices. #concertprices #thestruggleisreal pic.twitter.com/ASabh44rfn
— Jaxxs (@Hello_Jackiie) December 23, 2013
Of course, the impact of the pandemic is still being felt. In a normal time, about half of the industry’s touring performers hit the road, while the other half are in the studio or taking on other pursuits. But thanks to COVID, a lot more artists and groups are on tour.
Fans are left with tough decisions to make, trying to figure out which show(s) they can afford. Shah notes some of the biggest acts may benefit, while the middle and smaller tiers could be hurt as consumers go for broke and shell out big bucks to see megastars like Elton John, the Eagles, or Bon Jovi.
🥲 I can’t even begin to say how disappointed I am by this robbery. I’ve only dreamed of seeing #mychemicalromance here. But this? That’s more than my student loan payments. #music #concertprices #EmoMillenial pic.twitter.com/n4uttcrr4e
— JeidaBis (@JessMaBi1) March 9, 2022
For local radio stations, the 2022 concert season represents a great opportunity to reap the benefits – IF (a big IF) they have the resources – money, staff, and interns – to meet the moment.
Here’s how:
- Ticket giveaways – This one’s a no-brainer. It’s the chance a station has to go back to the basics with free tickets for the right shows. Of course, using tickets as a way to extend listening and build the brand is better yet. It’s difficult to stress how much this means to people – especially this year.
- Memorable presence at concerts – This means more than pulling up the van, opening the card table, and hanging out the banner. Photo opportunities with station personnel or band backdrops will be popular – and shared all over social pages. It’s time to brainstorm specific tactics and activities for each concert from a station’s core artist.
- Swag – Don’t laugh. You may need a sponsor, but “backstage passes,” and other branded items could break through if they’re creative and well-done.
- On the air – In a world where everyone’s voicetracking nights, finding a way to go live with post-concert coverage (the old “concert echo”) will definitely stand out in a sea of automation.
- Embrace the joy – For most people, going to a concert is a huge deal. They’re paying a lot of money (don’t forget parking, food and drink, babysitters, gas, and sometimes, hotels). Chances are, they’ll be thrilled to see you, so give ’em hugs.
Concert season 2022 could end up being a case of radio to the rescue, especially if stations play the opportunity well. That could even include a “check-in” with a ticket winner the next morning. In many cases, radio staffers haven’t paid for a concert ticket in years. Many may not be aware of what it even costs for a pair of listeners to take in a show. The entertainment expense issue is a near and dear one to most people.
Seriously @Ticketmaster – trying to get tickets to a @Harry_Styles concert is like a small mortgage payment!?? 😝How unrealistic is this?!! #pricing #HarryStyles #TPWK #concerts #concertprices #Nashville #golden #Ticketmaster #harrystylesconcert #realpeople #toomanybots pic.twitter.com/NI676B6jjf
— LISSETTE ROZENBLAT – 🌻MOMMYWARRIOR © (@MommyWarrior) July 23, 2021
This summer promises to be a special one for so many people, aching to get out and reclaim their lives.
It’s a job only local radio can do.
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Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Excellent, timely & true!
Thank you, Clark!
I think that a lot of this applies even more so to larger festivals–even if they don’t squarely fit a station’s format. I’m a bit surprised at just how much several of Mexico’s primary CHR brands (definitely including Exa, Los40, and Arroba FM) were promoting and participating in both last month’s Vive Latino in Mexico City (which is definitely Rock-focused) and this month’s Pa’l Norte in Monterrey (which is somewhat Rock-leaning). Of those, Arroba was the biggest surprise–considering that it’s not carried in either market.
For radio here in the US – or anywhere – it’s about being where like-minded people are. And I think especially this year, sharing their joy. Thanks for contributing, Eric.
Once again, your sage advice rings true. Many moons ago we considered being out at shows a part of our job. We wanted to give informed opinions about shows and share the exciting culture together. Then as corporate radio (publicly traded and privately owned) set in comp tickets disappeared into the sales dept. Tickets were available to shows, but at face value, and staff didn’t really want to go to shows for the most part – it became a nuisance to them (why did they get into music radio?). Along the way we forgot that shows (and sports) were incredibly important to fans, and that hooking them up was something they would tell everyone under the sun about. And yes, meeting artists is thrilling, and yes, meeting their favorite jocks is valuable. Prices for entertainment have skyrocketed, yet radio remains free. Oh the irony.
Indeed, Tai. It truly is about that basic question: if you love music and radio, you go – gladly. And you never can spend too much time in your fans’ shoes. Thanks for this comment.