I used to know a lad that worked at some of the big festivals - for free, they didn’t need to pay, so they didn’t.
Totally. Resellers that use bots to mass purchase are pretty much ubiquitous right now, and the websites they sell through like StubHub have zero incentive to ensure that people selling on their platform have purchased tickets legally. It’s pretty crazy. The markup can be insane.
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Here in Chicago Lollapalooza tickets are 350 for the weekend, 125 a day. Usually festivals like Riotfest or Pitchfork are a little cheaper.
I’m not much into festivals anymore. Occasionally, if there are enough artists I want to see on one day, then I may do a day ticket. I’ve always enjoyed the intimacy of smaller venues more. And there’s more bullshit to deal with at festivals.
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The last ‘festival’ I went to was the Ae curated ATP in 2003. For me it had the best line up in the history of mankind and was probably the best 3 days of my life (in a musical sense) so I’ve not really been interested in going to anything since. 
Good article here on the whole ATP debarcle…
Here’s a pic of Sunn O))) I took taking a stroll in Camber Sands
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I could definitely deal with greasy grotty swarmy masses outdoors a bit more in the “before times”. Now? No thank you.
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I love this thread because it has the delgados and camber sands in it. Happy memories for me.
I haven’t been to a festival as a punter since around 2012. Cant remember how much it was.
Since then Ive only gone to festivals as a performer, then I stopped doing them as it really wasnt worth the money, nor the experience.
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The key is to be involved, participate, volunteer, work or play a set. Usually then, you get a ticket for free. I see this as the only viable way to attend festivals if u want to. I too went when I was younger but tickets then were a lot cheaper. These days I have an upper limit of around a hundred quid AUD that I’ll actually fork over of my hard earned. But it depends, it it’s a solid line up I’m into, I could pay more.
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Festivals I go to are £200-220ish. Then you get there and they limit you to 8 beers on entry then it’s £6-7 a pint at the bar and food portion sizes are… questionable. It doesn’t bother me too much as I expect it now and am also lucky to have enough disposable income to manage.
I can imagine it would suck being a young punter these days. Financially anyway.
Every year I dread the period where 6 music pimps itself out as the GBCs chief Glastonbury PR wing.
I really hate the mantra that they push that there are only 2 types of people in the world: those that are going to Glastonbury, and those who are devastated that they’re not going - complete ignoring the third path of people who couldn’t give a fuck.
I wouldn’t go to Glastonbury if you paid me £350.
Then to compound the bollocks they spent the following 2 months playing recordings of live Glastonbury performances that sound absolutely shit.
Live music can be great when you’re there.
Can be good watched on tv
Might be bearable on the radio if live.
Makes no fucking sense as an audio only recording after the event.
Play the fucking studio version.
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ArcTanGent is a great festival and has the pleasure of playing in 2014. Feels a bit like ATP where everyone from a scene meets up in one place over a weekend 
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The aesthetic of their com is very nice.
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It is getting more ridiculous every year yeah. The biggest techno festival here is now also overpriced. Used to be quite fair. But it also became less fun every year as it grew bigger and bigger over the course of 10 to 15 years. Haven’t been there for about 10 years now hehe.
And smaller artists that are invited to play there get 250 euro. No joke. Like, it’s great for your name etc to play there of course, but 250 euro playing on the biggest festival in NL. It’s filthy. They know artist will not reject that so yeah… leverage and all.
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…let’s keep in mind, all touring euquipment, all live pa’s, all concert prices, all festival prices are not only peaking in fees for post pandemic reasons but also for the simple truth, that ALL artists, from the no names all the way to the biggest, literally everybody, has to make at least 60% of all possible income from nothing but performing live these days…
and, errrr, aphex twin “live”…?..happened to experience that three times throughout the years…and what can i say…was always no big deal at all…rather dissapointing, to be honest…don’t go for longer travels just for that one reason alone…
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I agree and was lucky to see bands like Duran Duran years ago when prices were more reasonable. Not paying $500 to see old Depeche Mode live from a good seat. Funny the Depeche Mode uses the new Oberheim OB X8 live now on their rig!
WOMADelaide is $425AUD
Been years since I last went. Ten+ years ago I went to see Fat Freddys Drop (among others). The thing is most times the acts put in some local shows why they are here so…
For example, a few days later I also went to a small rooftop bar and caught a show from a couple of the FFD guys. Granted the guy on the trumpet didn’t strip his clothes off during the set as he did at the festival… but I was only a few meters away and it would have been awkward…
That and too many people too many wankers, too many…
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One favorite part of Decibel festival in Seattle was the ambient showcase, the artists couldn’t have been nicer and it was almost a compliment to them if you took a nap while they were performing 
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250€ dosent even cover all costs for travelling etc. That is very absurd.
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Might be just what they offer to Dutch artists. I don’t know tbh. Or it’s the excluding travel cost fee. In any case it’s ridiculous
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Best value for live shows anymore are small acts in small venues. There is no shortage of talent, and if it does suck on a given day, you don’t mind walking away from the $20 that got you in the door.
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