First published Inpress, Melbourne on 16 May 2007
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It seems to me that there are four big issues facing the live scene in the UK: its popularity, the threat of closure to some mainstays of the scene, ticket touting (scalping) and the imminent introduction of the smoking ban.
It remains to be seen how the complete smoking ban, which is being introduced in England on 1 July 2007, will impact on the live music scene. Virtually all larger venues have a ‘No Passouts’ policy, which means that smokers are likely to leave it until the last minute before entering the venue. This is bad news for support acts, and will also hit the takings of the venue's bars. While gigging will be more healthy and pleasant for most of us, further repercussions may remain unknown for some time yet.
While you’d think the current resurgence of the live scene would ensure the future of music venues, last month the Hammersmith Palais closed to live music, and it will shortly be demolished. The Spitz is in peril, and a proposed redevelopment of the Tottenham Court Road area threatens the Astoria/Mean Fiddler complex.
For years, the image of the ticket tout has been the same. A parka-wearing pack animal that hangs around in all weather outside tube stations or the venue itself, reciting the age-old mantra "Got any spares? I’ll buy or sell. You need a ticket? You got one to sell?" A mate likes to toy with them, but they’re hard nuts, and more than once I’ve been threatened when selling a spare ticket at cost to another punter, as it’s affecting ‘business’.
But eBay has made it easy for anyone to tout, and is attracting people with little or no love of music, with the lure of money for nothing. So while more folks are going to gigs than at any time I can recall, part of the reason it’s become harder than ever before to get tickets through normal outlets is that up to a third of gig tickets are resold. So concerts will sell out in minutes instead of hours, but almost instantaneously dozens of pairs of tickets will appear on eBay.
Now some measures have been taken, such as the pre-registration required for Glastonbury or the recent Arctic Monkeys tour, and Arcade Fire kept some tickets for door sales only on each night of their last tour. Up until now, the government has only taken action when internet auction sites allow reselling of free tickets, such as Live 8, or the upcoming BBC’s Radio One’s Big Weekend.
It’s the disparity between the rock industry and the rest of the entertainment world that causes the real problems. Scalping is banned at football matches, and touts face fines up to £5000 if caught selling outside a football stadium. Theatres make provision for ticket resale, by offering a returns service [and make additional money for themselves in the process]. Some theatres check eBay on a daily basis and try to locate and cancel tickets if they’re being sold on to third parties.
But when it comes to the gig punter, all such considerations vanish. Recently I bought tickets for a sold out event in Birmingham, and when it became apparent that I’d be unable to go, there were four options of getting rid of them. Two of these I could rule out immediately - I didn’t know anyone who wanted to go, and I wasn’t willing to scalp the tickets on eBay. So, I posted on the band’s forum, and also on Scarlet Mist, a website set up to allow fans to sell tickets on for face value, without incurring any fees. While I disposed of one of the pair via Scarlet Mist, I ended up nearly £40 out of pocket by doing things the ‘right’ way.
Earlier this month, the government convened The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, whose eleven-members will look into the whole issue of event ticketing. It’ll be interesting to see if this makes any recommendations that may change the current situation. I have a sneaky suspicion it will. After all, someone’s bound to realise that these rip-off merchants aren’t paying tax on their earnings.
© James McGalliard 2007
