AutodesSchreckens wrote:
Johanna Parker wrote:
Not in particular (as far as Dylan is concerned). However, a few years back it has been reported that Dylan's asking fee is 250,000 Euros, in another post on here recently it was claimed it is 300,000 Dollar. So that's about the figure we're looking at.
As far as I know, shows are usually set up as a 50/50 deal between artist and promoter. Meaning: If half the tickets are sold, the promoters breaks even, if they sell more, he is able to pay the artist's guarantee and starts to make a profit. I'd say 75% of the Dylan shows in recent times work by that rule of thumb, meaning, the aim at any show is to make 500,000 to 600,000 Euros. (The high prices of the MK shows reflect MK's added salary.)
Clearly at a show like Alcatrazz that wasn't possible, and thus there must have been a reduced fee, a sponsor of some sort or a package deal with the Assago show later in the year in place.
In this light it also makes sense that the Sursee promoters claimed to have lost money on the Dylan show last year. There weren't more than around 5,000 paying folks there at around 60 Euro a throw, and if Dylan got 250,000 Euro or more, they hardly could pay for staff, site, stage etc.
This is why I'm kind of defending Claude Nobs at Montreux here. Sure, 350 CHF sounds ridiculous, but with the "cheaper" categories as well, I don't think there's more money than 350,000 to 375,000 Euro coming in. If Dylan takes home at least 250,000 of that, and Montreux Jazz has to pay for the venue, staff, promotion etc., they make less of a profit than they "should" (from a strictly business point of view. But it is business for sure!)
Maybe I'm wrong about some of the details here, but I know for certain that I'm not completely wrong. There's a few other factors - Spanish shows are said to be sponsored with state money, Germany adds 25% "forgein artist tax" etc - but as a rule of thumb it works.
With that in mind, all you need is a pocket calculator, divide 500,000 by the venue capacity and you have the expected ticket price, which in the Montreux case is petty much exactly what they are charging. (For example, this method also worked well for the oh-so-expensive Bratislava small venue show in 2010). This would also explain why Las Vegas and other Casino shows shows are usually more expensive - they simply aim at a higher profit than regular "music" venues/promoters.
Why am I saying all this? Well, I just want you guys to see that it's not rocket science, ticket prices are the way they are for a reason and to no small extend that reason is the fact that Dylan charges BIG bucks. And if you think he's worth every penny, you have no reason to complain. If you think he's not, stick to the boots. It's very simple really.
Dear Auto des Schrekens,
I understand your business point of view. But I also in this case have a very easy solution (that wasn't adopted) to make this festival (somewhat) accessible, or should I say reasonable: There are seats on the balcony. Let THOSE people who want to sit down at a blues/rockabilly concert pay the 320-350.-, lets put general admission on the floor, thus admit twice as much people (100-150.- per ticket, i let you choose of course
). It's as EASY as that. It'a not a theater play, not a classical concert. Thus I have trouble understanding that people actually want to sit down to assist these kind of concerts. Especially since Dylan's style has changed compared to the early 60s, I don't think he makes the type of music that you want to sit down to during a concert (at home yes, of course!). I respect that there are people with physical dissabilities, some just have a broom up their butt and are just to afraid to move their feet a little, let everybody pay the right ticket price (one price for people who are ok to stand up on general admission floor, one price for invalid people and one price for the RICH who want to sit down on a balcony during a rock concert!!). Can't believe this last line I wrote... Dylan is 72 and NEVER sits down during his concerts, come on it's only 1h30 half long, the public (if you're in good health) can stand up, whatta hell!
That said, I wouldn't be surprised that Dylan ASKED for people sitting down in Montreux, I think he kinda got into a verbal fight with a lady in 2001 last time he was there (check the reviews of that concert on boblinks), and maybe has a bad memory of that concert. I can tell you I was in front row and he looked really PISSED OFF during this concert. People who didn't notice that have to be blind!
In either case, as I already said i don't care to know If Dylan wants us to be seated in montreux or if Nobs took the very stupid decision of seating charts on the floor, I WON'T GO and invite you all to come with me in France, have a good time there and pay a normal price for a great concert! As somebody said on this forum, Nob's strategy is all about attracting RICH people to montreux, and use pop/rock music in order to do that, and that just is NOT right.
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