Neil Young says he was inspired by The Cure’s Robert Smith to remove “platinum”-priced tickets from his upcoming live performance excursions.
Offered by Ticketmaster, platinum tickets are allotment of seats bought at premium costs that fluctuates based mostly on market circumstances. Ticketmaster contends that these tickets reduce out scalpers and permit more cash to enter the pocket of artists.
For The Remedy’s “Reveals of a Misplaced World Tour,” Robert Smith notably opted out of Ticketmaster’s “platinum” and different “dynamically priced” ticketing choices. Ultimately, the common ticket worth for the “Reveals of a Misplaced World Tour” was $68.54 — 37% lower than the common ticket worth 2022’s different high excursions — all whereas The Remedy still managed to achieve the highest-grossing tour of their legendary profession.
In a 2024 interview with The Times of London, Smith mentioned trendy ticketing practices had been “pushed by greed,” including, “We didn’t permit dynamic pricing as a result of it’s a rip-off that might disappear if each artist mentioned, ‘I don’t need that!’ However most artists conceal behind administration. ‘Oh, we didn’t know,’ they are saying. All of them know. If they are saying they don’t, they’re both f***ing silly or mendacity.”
Heeding Smith’s name, Younger has now promised to remove platinum tickets from his upcoming live shows.
In a submit to Neil Young Archives, Younger wrote, “My administration and agent have all the time tried to cowl my again on the street, getting me the very best offers they might. They’ve tried to guard me and the followers from scalpers who purchase the very best tickets and resell them at enormous will increase for their very own income.”
“Ticketmaster’s excessive priced Platinum tickets had been launched to the areas the place scalpers had been shopping for essentially the most tickets for resale,” Younger continued. “The cash went to me. That didn’t really feel proper. Very quickly, Platinum tickets will not be out there for my reveals.”
“I’ve determined to let the individuals work this out,” Younger added. “Purchase aggressively when the tickets come out or tickets will value much more in a secondary market.”
Tickets for Younger’s 2025 “love earth world tour” went on sale final month, so presumably this new coverage will apply for excursions going ahead.
