Why are Arts festival gigs so expensive?

shampoosuicide

fleet foxes in dublin only costs 20 euro. but new york dolls and candi staton are 40 odd. it's stupid

innit

ethernet

Hasn't there been a reduction/wipeout of funding from the Arts Council this year to many arts festivals?

shampoosuicide

maybe? but they were pretty expensive last year as well.

shampoosuicide

it seems like false economics to me, cos judging by the amount of people who really want to go to these gigs but don't cos they're so ridiculously expensive - they'd probably make more money by reducing the price. i'd love to know how many tickets they've shifted

There have been a number of gigs I wanted to attend at the Arts Festival in recent years but refuse to due to the pricing. It's a joke tbh, expecting people to pay near 40 euro for a gig in the Roisin, one of the worst venues I have ever been to. It's fine when your'e pissed on a night out but that's about it.

dec25532

Forking out nearly €45 for David Grey is an absolute disgrace. He played the arts festival a few years back as a clapped out performer and now he is back again milking us for more money. His concert last time was a bore and wouldn't go near him again.

m83

dec25532 wrote: »

Forking out nearly €45 for David Grey is an absolute disgrace. He played the arts festival a few years back as a clapped out performer and now he is back again milking us for more money. His concert last time was a bore and wouldn't go near him again.

Ummm, so don't go then!!

spinandscribble

volunteer tbh. i've never paid to see anything in all my years going to it. sure you have to wear those silly little vests but meh.

Sconsey

Yup, the gigs in Roisin's do seem to be overpriced, I was going to go to a few but decided I'd sooner keep my money and maybe (just maybe) if enough punters stay away they'll learn their lesson and price accordingly next year.

JohnCleary

Vote with your feet and sneak in :pac:

ScumLord

That's just the way Galway works, we're really beginning to take the piss at this stage and shot ourselves in the foot. People just won't pay this kind of money and all the knobs with more money than sense are on the dole, solution to problem? Raise prices. I'm actually looking forward to the complete and utter collapse of this country just so I can say "I told you so".

leeroybrown

The Arts Festival always seems to be geared to certain tastes and pockets. Rather than attend anything last year I decided to spend over a week over at the Edinburgh Festival visiting some friends. Even when I include my flights and the sterling exchange rate at the time I think I got much better value than I would have here, and I got to see things I liked...

pseudonym1

Have to agree - seems hotly expensive this year. compared to VOR when all entertainment was totally free- This may be the downfall of a great cultural festival - it will be inexessable to many who cant afford it (ie me) or those who wont pay the prices.
I reckon lots of money is wasted on admin and freebies.

Oh BTW if any lovely person has a spare or unwanted ticket/tickets to New York Dolls let me know - cheers

dantbyhid

plenty of free gigs around Galway next week.... nothing to do with the Arts Festival but its a night free night out when everything is overpriced.

Sunday....


Sally Longs
Galway - July 19th-8:30pm (free gig)



De Novissimis

These lads (and lady) don't need an introduction - or a MySpace, apparently.
Sludgy/Punky/Doomy... whatever you want to call it... two things are for sure: it's filthy and it's awesome.

www.myspace.com/t00kvlt


This Weary Hour

Starting out as a fairly run-of-the-mill Doom band, This Weary Hour have certainly cranked things up since their début demo. Foregoing gigging for most of the past year in favour of writing and assembling a formidable line-up, the band are now on the verge of recording their second release. Unable to pin-down the direction of which the new material is taking just yet, the latest posters claim that it is something of Doom-influenced Atmospheric Sludge. There's Hardcore in there too... somewhere... And plenty of melancholy. Guess all will be revealed when the new EP makes it out next month.

www.myspace.com/thiswearyhour


Nëifënbach

Unable to decide whether they play Hardcore-Influenced Metal, or Metal-Influenced Hardcore, if the quality of the wealth of other bands these lads (and, again, ladies) have played in (Only Fumes & Corpses, The Boy You Hit Is Dead, Fulcrum, Drainland, Serpents and Rednecks On Speed, to name but a handful) has any indication - you know it's gotta be good.

www.myspace.com/neifenbach


Wölflinge

Having shared a stage howling and yelping with both Phil Minton's Feral Choir and Weirding Vessel at the previous two Colour Out of Space festivals in Brighton, guesting with Ben Reynolds + Cian Nugent (trio), the Quiet Club, Agitated Radio Pilot and Vomit Nest back home in Ireland, as well as nursing projects Female Orphan Asylum, Homobonus, United Bible Studies, Eachtra and most recently, a new collaboration with 'Noise/Music A History' author, Paul Hegarty (http://www.dotdotdotmusic.com), Wölflinge has been hailed as "The Queen Bee of Irish Noise".

Wölflinge is the curator of Black Sun (www.myspace.com/solnigerire) , a new monthly weirdo/outer limits music night which takes place in the Granary Theatre, Cork. She is also involved with the cataloguing, preserving and promoting of the UCC Boole Library's collection of vinyl records and cassettes.

Vicky will be armed with violin, pedals, a self-built 'Special Noise Unit' designed by Berlin based engineer Jo Frgmnt (http://tob.de.vu/) and a fetal listening device which is used as an intimate gesture, amplifying heartbeat and on occasion, the body's secret groans and stirrings...

www.myspace.com/thewickermammy

Paul Hegarty will join Vicky in Galway and Cork.

---

Monday 20th ....
"Blasterbra play Underground at the Cellar this Monday night as part of their Galway Arts Festival programme.

Also playing on the night are Lost Chord and Go Panda Go

It's freeeee!"

---

Wednesdays.....
Free metal/rock/punk DJ night in Sally Longs.

---

Thursday 30th....
"Strange Brew Summer Shindig 5

Giveamanakick
Disconnect 4
Lost Chord
Jogging
Music For Dead Birds
The Funeral Suits
Feed The Bears
Walter Mitty & The Realists
DJ: gugai

Thu 30 Jul
€10

Free tickets on the website. "

Tikkal

Can't compare VOR with GAF. You have major international acts at GAF, transport and logistics included, will factor in on the price. Granted, Roisins is a tad expensive for the venue of limited seating etc. VOR had massive sponsorship. On the Volunteer basis, you are treated well as a Volunteer with GAF. VOR had you doing 8 hour shifts (sometimes you had to stand for hours in the rain!), OK you can't control the weather but you got a measly sandwich and cup of tea for your efforts, OH yeah apparently the 'volunteer party!' they donated 'one free drink' - not that they bothered to notify the volunteers of the Party. Shocking. So therefore cost wise the VOR had basically a very low cost base for labour (stewarding/crowd control) so they could flaunt the money elsewhere.

inisboffin

On a related note, the Town Hall Theatre has apparently started clamping down on concessions. If you ask for a concession (Student, OAP, Unemployed), they ask which type (there are a couple of others but not listed).

If it is unemployed you say, apparently, they REFUSE to accept it with just a RSI card now ("'cause anyone can have them). They insist on a 'receipt of payment'. My friend told them he gets dole into his bank account, but they wouldn't accept this!:eek:

They WILL lose business over trying to save this euro or 2 I'd say.

topper75

€45 for Booker T in the Róisín???

Yeah he is a musical legend, but by the time the lady and I are in the door and wetting our whistle, I'm already down one ton. Not cool of a Tuesday evening. Not cool at all.

Mrs OBumble

Tikkal wrote: »

Can't compare VOR with GAF. You have major international acts at GAF, transport and logistics included, will factor in on the price. Granted, Roisins is a tad expensive for the venue of limited seating etc. VOR had massive sponsorship. On the Volunteer basis, you are treated well as a Volunteer with GAF. VOR had you doing 8 hour shifts (sometimes you had to stand for hours in the rain!), OK you can't control the weather but you got a measly sandwich and cup of tea for your efforts, OH yeah apparently the 'volunteer party!' they donated 'one free drink' - not that they bothered to notify the volunteers of the Party. Shocking. So therefore cost wise the VOR had basically a very low cost base for labour (stewarding/crowd control) so they could flaunt the money elsewhere.

And VOR had a large sum (8 million from memory, don't quote me) from Bord Falite, aka the government, aka the taxpayer, aka people who are working. I don't think the GAF gets quite so much.

Whether the prices are OTT depends on whether the seats are all selling. Some folks do still have money, and probably are will to pay for what they consider to be a quality event. Personally, I went to six or seven things last year, but this time there's not so much that interests me (which is kinda handy 'cos don't have so much money this year !)

I totally agree re VOR and volunteers: IMHO everyone who's working an essential role (ie minimum number of safety/usher staff) should get paid at least minimum wage. Volunteers should only be used for nice-to-have service levels.

gary82

shampoosuicide wrote: »

.....they'd probably make more money by reducing the price. i'd love to know how many tickets they've shifted

Yeah but then it wouldn't be the type of people they want there. :rolleyes: I've never found the Arts Festival to be very inclusive - I think it should be mostly free. Also thought it was targeted at the tweed wearing, humus eating, wine-drinking at gallery openings type people!

shampoosuicide

To be honest, i never considered before that the arts festival was an exclusive thing...bit of an eye-opener. pisses me off even more if that is the case

The Arts Festival has always been expensive. I hope to God that people wont pay these prices, they will sell feck all tickets and be made a mockery of. Because that is exactly what they have become - a mockery. It is no longer about providing quality entertainment like it was when I was a child (and that wasn't even that long ago) - it's about milking money from you.

MayoForSam

Meh, I have seen nothing in the festival programme that would interest me too much this year, previous years have been a lot better.

Hopefully the Macnas parade tonight will be the highlight (and free too of course).

dr.bollocko

MayoForSam wrote: »

Meh, I have seen nothing in the festival programme that would interest me too much this year, previous years have been a lot better.

Hopefully the Macnas parade tonight will be the highlight (and free too of course).

And why is it on sunday night at 10? People have to work tomorrow!

gary82

To take advantage of adding light and fire to the event I assume...

Could always have been on Friday or Saturday I suppose. Thought it'd have been on last night myself. But meh - I'm not working tomorrow! :rolleyes:

Mrs OBumble

inisboffin wrote: »

If it is unemployed you say, apparently, they REFUSE to accept it with just a RSI card now ("'cause anyone can have them). They insist on a 'receipt of payment'. My friend told them he gets dole into his bank account, but they wouldn't accept this!:eek:

They WILL lose business over trying to save this euro or 2 I'd say.

Yup, I've run into this one myself.

They will face a backlash, not least from people who are unemployed/un-waged but not eligible for any benefit at all: for example arts-fan types who were self employed in the relevant-tax-year ('tis quite common: lots of arty-folks are self-employed, so not necessarily entitled to anything).

If it affects you, I'd suggest writing to the manager, the more people who do, the more chance of having the policy reviewed.

Foxerella

Cant believe that about Town Hall Theatre.
WTF? Protest with our pockets, they'll soon be glad of a concession or two

DaveMaC

A few friends of mine paid a fortune to see a dance show [it was seriously sh1t], later that same night they met one of the performers who apologised out of sheer embarrassment -they only got their dance moves 1 hour before the gig -apparently Galway is just rehearsals before they go to Edinburgh. nice -we get to pay to see their feckin rehearsals -what a frigging scam ...unfortunately typical.

JohnCleary

We listened to David Gray from the boat last night (didn't bother heading accross the canal as we had plenty of cold beer in the fridge ) - WOW i'm glad that I stayed where I did and didn't pay 40+ euro for it - i'd have been raging if I did... no encore or anything!

ScumLord

dr.bollocko wrote: »

And why is it on sunday night at 10? People have to work tomorrow!

I thought they'd go for Sunday because everyones out drinking on the Saturday.

pearliefan

Bon Iver... I was really looking forward to seeing him, but €33 is just too expensive... especially when you include transport and someplace to stay..:(

dr.bollocko

ScumLord wrote: »

I thought they'd go for Sunday because everyones out drinking on the Saturday.

Exactly. So logically... have it saturday!
People can stop drinking for 5 minutes and 45 seconds to applaud at some students and then the world keeps on turning.

pablodunlop

pearliefan wrote: »

Bon Iver... I was really looking forward to seeing him, but €33 is just too expensive... especially when you include transport and someplace to stay..:(

Of all the gigs on I really wanted to go to this too, no surprise that it hasn't sold out

Redhairedguy

Regardless of price, most gigs are selling out.

Booker T last night was sold out quite early.

Couldn't move for how packed it was.

Awesome gig, for those of you that didn't attend.

Redhairedguy

Redhairedguy wrote: »

Regardless of price, most gigs are selling out.

Booker T last night was sold out quite early.

Couldn't move for how packed it was.

Awesome gig, for those of you that didn't attend.

Would have loved to see Booker T but being sick in bed the past week meant it was not to be. Well that and the fact that I despise gigs in the Roisin, it's too small to be seriously considered a concert venue.

phelixoflaherty

Haven't gone to anything in 3 years. Overpriced, and I will never go to a gig in the Raddisson.

pearliefan

pablodunlop wrote: »

Of all the gigs on I really wanted to go to this too, no surprise that it hasn't sold out

It hasn't sold out? it would be just that bit easier to accept if I couldn't go because it was sold out as well as too expensive..:pac:

would the high prices be something to do with the artists?? like....alot of them wouldn't want to play for little money... or would there be a way around that? sponsers or something..

Eurochild

We went to four things in the Arts Festival this year, the Gigli Concert was one of the preview nights so only cost €16, Alexander Balanescu with Contempo was €20 as was the Neil Cowley Trio, while a Midsummer Night's Dream was the most expensive at €25. All four shows were brilliant, a Midsummer Night's Dream in particular is an absolutely top class production. So I'm not sure the charges that "its all too expensive" and "there's nothing good on anyway" really stand up.

shampoosuicide

Eurochild wrote: »

We went to four things in the Arts Festival this year, the Gigli Concert was one of the preview nights so only cost €16, Alexander Balanescu with Contempo was €20 as was the Neil Cowley Trio, while a Midsummer Night's Dream was the most expensive at €25. All four shows were brilliant, a Midsummer Night's Dream in particular is an absolutely top class production. So I'm not sure the charges that "its all too expensive" and "there's nothing good on anyway" really stand up.

you're being selective.

ciotog

Redhairedguy wrote: »

Regardless of price, most gigs are selling out.

Booker T last night was sold out quite early.

Couldn't move for how packed it was.

Awesome gig, for those of you that didn't attend.

Maybe (just maybe) I'm being contrary but I thought it took the backing group quite awhile to find their groove (particularly the guitarist from The Howl) which took the edge off a bit. That said, they definitely finished really well and were generous with the encore songs (4 or 5 after Booker T announced the last song?)

Eurochild

shampoosuicide wrote: »

you're being selective.

Well of course I am, my point being that you can vote with your feet if you think some of the high profile gigs are overpriced (which I agree they are) and still enjoy the arts festival.. without breaking the bank.

the-island-man

Anyone else think the bigtop lineup is pretty awful compared to last year?! I mean the only night that i would have thought about going is Tuesday to see David Kitt & David Gray!
When you look at last year i mean Blondie, KT Tungstal, Tom Baxter, Ash and the Dandy Warhols compared to Kitt, Gray, Bon Iver and Primal scream!

m83

Bon Iver was unbelievable!! All the better that I got in for free too

Webbs

the-island-man wrote: »

Anyone else think the bigtop lineup is pretty awful compared to last year?! I mean the only night that i would have thought about going is Tuesday to see David Kitt & David Gray!
When you look at last year i mean Blondie, KT Tungstal, Tom Baxter, Ash and the Dandy Warhols compared to Kitt, Gray, Bon Iver and Primal scream!

Isnt it purely subjective - one persons hell is another persons heaven. For me the Primal Scream and Spiritualized gig is absolute heaven and cant wait though appreciate for others it will leave them cold ( as KT, Tom Baxter and Ash do with me).

As for gig prices they are expensive for the majority of music acts (appreciate this doesnt apply to a lot of the arts festival theatre etc) as am sure a lot of people reading this thread will have illegal downloads on their computers. The only way bands can guarantee money now as royalties get less is to hike up gig prices, so if any of you have illegal downloads on your computer it is a bit like the pot calling the kettle black to criticise high gig prices.

Sconsey

Webbs wrote: »

Isnt it purely subjective - one persons hell is another persons heaven. For me the Primal Scream and Spiritualized gig is absolute heaven and cant wait though appreciate for others it will leave them cold ( as KT, Tom Baxter and Ash do with me).

As for gig prices they are expensive for the majority of music acts (appreciate this doesnt apply to a lot of the arts festival theatre etc) as am sure a lot of people reading this thread will have illegal downloads on their computers. The only way bands can guarantee money now as royalties get less is to hike up gig prices, so if any of you have illegal downloads on your computer it is a bit like the pot calling the kettle black to criticise high gig prices.

Well maybe yeah but if the bands are charging so much that people aren't bothered to go see them then they won't buy their music as quickly either. Anyway, I have a feeling (pure speculation based on no solid facts whatsoever) that it's the arts festival crowd that are dictating the prices and are pricing to make as much profit as possible. that in itself may not be a bad thing but are all these €37 gigs in Roisin's selling out? I doubt it, they might have made more money and sold out more gigs if they priced a little lower.

shampoosuicide

Webbs wrote: »

Isnt it purely subjective - one persons hell is another persons heaven. For me the Primal Scream and Spiritualized gig is absolute heaven and cant wait though appreciate for others it will leave them cold ( as KT, Tom Baxter and Ash do with me).

As for gig prices they are expensive for the majority of music acts (appreciate this doesnt apply to a lot of the arts festival theatre etc) as am sure a lot of people reading this thread will have illegal downloads on their computers. The only way bands can guarantee money now as royalties get less is to hike up gig prices, so if any of you have illegal downloads on your computer it is a bit like the pot calling the kettle black to criticise high gig prices.

yo. as the original poster, i'd like to point out that i purchase my music from legal sites/shops.

cheers.

gary82

m83 wrote: »

Bon Iver was unbelievable!! All the better that I got in for free too

How'd ya manage that?! Talking nicely or did ya have a contact?

We did the live equivalent to downloading the album - we sat across the river from the tent and enjoyed the gig! Could hear it pretty good as the side of the tent isn't fully closed off.

Eurochild

Sconsey wrote: »

Anyway, I have a feeling (pure speculation based on no solid facts whatsoever) that it's the arts festival crowd that are dictating the prices and are pricing to make as much profit as possible.

The Arts Festival is non-profit. There's some info on their website about the numbers:

HOW THE FESTIVAL IS FUNDED
In 2008 Galway Arts Festival cost €2.25 million to produce. The Festival featured theatre, spectacle, dance, visual arts, music, literature and comedy and involved over four hundred artists and performers.

2008 INCOME BREAKDOWN
We are very grateful for the following revenue sources which helped fund the 2008 Festival and we would like to maintain and hopefully increase this level of support in 2009.

Public Sector Grants 35%
Ticket Sales 39%
Sponsorship & Friends Scheme incl. in kind support* 25%
Other Earned Income 1%

(* In-kind support includes accommodation for artists, box office venue, marketing and advertising)

All income generated goes towards producing the Festival each year. Galway Arts Festival is a registered charity and a not-for-profit organisation.

In 2008, the Festival employed 4 full time and 102 part-time staff and was also supported by 165 volunteers.

The festival director was defending ticket prices recently, and also challenging comparisons with the Volvo Ocean Race:

Fahy said that the recent Galway Volvo Ocean Race free shore festival received support of €1.1 million from Galway City Council, in addition to “figures variously reported” from a number of State agencies.

“Compare this to Galway Arts Festival’s €48,000 from Galway City Council in 2008, €565,000 from the Arts Council and €143,000 from Fáilte Ireland,” he said, pointing out that the festival was a non-profit organisation.

“I’m sure if Galway Arts Festival benefited to the tune of €1.1 million from the local authority and in excess of €10m from other State agencies we could and would present an entire festival without admission charges,” he said.

tennessee time

having been into the box office several times it seemed like practically every event had a red dot or yellow dot on the schedule poster for sold out or limited availability so i guess the orgainsers would deem it a massive success...

shampoosuicide

tennessee time wrote: »

having been into the box office several times it seemed like practically every event had a red dot or yellow dot on the schedule poster for sold out or limited availability so i guess the orgainsers would deem it a massive success...

oh well. looks like we need a bigger recession.

Mrs OBumble

Where I come from, every two years there's an international arts festival, with high-brow, expensive events.

And every year, at the same time as the "big" festival, there's a Fringe Festival with "works" (in the broadest sense) from those who are alternative, emerging, etc.

I can't help but think that Galway could support this kind of model. Yes, it would put some pressure on venues - but actually Galway has a LOT of places that could be used for performance at times they're not usually used. No, it wouldn't attract tourist dollars from overseas and across Ireland - but it would provide social inclusion and a platform for emerging artists, and generate festival spending from those who find that the "big" gigs are too expensive.

Hmm, I wonder if anyone with the art-world connections to make this happen reads boards ...

Tikkal

Project '06 was Galway's Fringe Festival.