ticket sales

[Monker]

I was looking at ticket sales for the first two shows...I was a bit shocked to see how many open seats are still available with only a couple weeks to go. There are even floor seats available. It looks to me like these arenas are maybe 2/3 full, maybe less. This does not look good.

[brywool]

I was looking at ticket sales for the first two shows...I was a bit shocked to see how many open seats are still available with only a couple weeks to go. There are even floor seats available. It looks to me like these arenas are maybe 2/3 full, maybe less. This does not look good.

It's everywhere Monker. Even at the local, small gig level. People are just stayin' home. I get it, but it is tough to see.

[Archetype]

I was looking at ticket sales for the first two shows...I was a bit shocked to see how many open seats are still available with only a couple weeks to go. There are even floor seats available. It looks to me like these arenas are maybe 2/3 full, maybe less. This does not look good.

It's everywhere Monker. Even at the local, small gig level. People are just stayin' home. I get it, but it is tough to see.

I disagree. Genesis, for example, packed the arenas they played. People just don’t care about Journey that much anymore. The Arnel Pineda rags to riches story and DSB on Sporanos surge has run its course.

[danielb]

Genesis also only played a handful of gigs + it was their farewell tour. Might be worth mentioning too

[Eric]

I was looking at ticket sales for the first two shows...I was a bit shocked to see how many open seats are still available with only a couple weeks to go. There are even floor seats available. It looks to me like these arenas are maybe 2/3 full, maybe less. This does not look good.

2/3 full seems pretty good for where we’re are right now. I’m surprised actually.

[Monker]

I don't think Covid has anything to do with it.

First of all, they are touring for an album that doesn't even have a release date. A minor thing, but it's true. A "Freedom" tour without an album doesn't make much sense.

They announced this tour just a few months ago. That is no where near enough time to get any real promotion going to sell these concerts, or the tour as a whole. For example, the Iowa State Fair already has its grandstand events on sale, and they are not performing until mid-August. And, they have some pretty big Country names, like Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood. It also has 10,000 seats + GA overflow, if needed...so it is NOT a small venue. I looked up Skillet and they have already sold all but the upper deck and obscured view (ie: a pylon blocking your view of the stage). Both Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood are already near selling out. Styx has a concert here at the big arena (Wells Fargo arena). That goes on sale tomorrow and the concert isn't until September. Journey did not give themselves enough time to sell these shows.

The time of year is VERY odd. Starting a tour at the end of winter is just dumb. It seems to me that Neal was just in a hurry to get things moving.

They started with Billy Idol. Journey/Billy Idol does not seem like a good pairing AT ALL. To the average fan, I doubt Billy Idol adds much incentive to buy a ticket. Toto is a bit better...but a bit too late also.

Not using Live Nation SEVERLY limits the venues. Some states do not even have a venue for them to play in.

I don't think Lolalalapaloosala, the Vegas shows, or NYE helped get them in the spotlight much. If we were able to buy tickets at the time, maybe it would have mattered. But, I doubt the public even remembers those shows.

Lastly, the CNN "It's not Journey" thing didn't help. And, it didn't help that Neal gave it attention.

There is a lot more going on here than just Covid...in fact, I doubt it has much to do with it at all.

[ebake02]

I don’t think it has anything to do with the lack of interest in Journey and you can’t compare a 30+ date tour to the small handful of dates the Genesis did either. My guess is inflation probably something to do with it too, everything under the sun is costing a lot more now and concert tickets are a luxury item that a lot of people just can’t afford to spend money on. Concert tickets are already ungodly expensive and the out of control inflation makes it worse.

[ebake02]

Not using Live Nation SEVERLY limits the venues. Some states do not even have a venue for them to play in.

This is definitely a big problem, the closest venue to me is a 4 hour drive which I’m not making in the middle of winter. There is a Live Nation venue only an hour and forty five minutes away that they’ve played at numerous times, I would see this tour if they played there but I’m not driving 8 hours round trip.

[Archetype]

Genesis also only played a handful of gigs + it was their farewell tour. Might be worth mentioning too

They played a full tour.


Furthermore, Luke Bryan, Megadeth, Guns N Roses, Billy Joel, Styx, and many others have had no issues getting asses into seats. Metallica just played a couple of huge gigs a few days ago too.

[Eric]

I guess I don’t recall Journey selling out (especially in advance) on a headliner tour since the 2008 Revelation tour. That’s actually the only headliner tour they did that on since ‘98 in my memory.

I’m not saying many of you didn’t attend sold out shows just that I am not aware of the majority of headliner tours being like that, especially in advance. I’ve seen them around 10 times since 1998 and the only sellout was in 2008. Last time I saw them was with Asia in 2017 or 2018 and it was 80-90% full (12k seater w/floor).

[danielb]

Genesis also only played a handful of gigs + it was their farewell tour. Might be worth mentioning too

They played a full tour.

A few major markets on the east coast + Montreal and Toronto. That's not a full US tour.

[Onestepper]

Genesis also only played a handful of gigs + it was their farewell tour. Might be worth mentioning too

They played a full tour.

A few major markets on the east coast + Montreal and Toronto. That's not a full US tour.

They also did 2 nights in Chicago. But I'm not sure they went any more west than that. But agree, no where near a full tour.

[Archetype]

Genesis also only played a handful of gigs + it was their farewell tour. Might be worth mentioning too

They played a full tour.

A few major markets on the east coast + Montreal and Toronto. That's not a full US tour.

17 shows, all in packed arenas. This disputes the claim that “people are just stayin’ home.” People are obviously attending show that they care about.

[danielb]

Again, ~ 20 shows do not constitute a full US tour. Of course, arenas are going to be packed if the show is being billed as Genesis' farewell.

[Archetype]

Again, ~ 20 shows do not constitute a full US tour. Of course, arenas are going to be packed if the show is being billed as Genesis' farewell.

Genesis was one example of several that I provided. How do you explain the rest, none of whom are on a farewell tour? Furthermore, farewell tour or not, it shows demonstrably that the Covid excuse is tiresome and bullshit. People aren’t just “stayin’ home.” They’re going out for shit they care about and staying home for shit they don’t.

[JourneyHard]

Perhaps people are staying home because it is winter and too damn cold in most places. They should have started the tour in May.

[ebake02]

Perhaps people are staying home because it is winter and too damn cold in most places. They should have started the tour in May.

That’s my reason for skipping this leg, the closest dates are a 4 hour drive each way and I’m not making a trip like that this time of year.

[Onestepper]

We originally bought tickets in Nashville so we could see Toto, but since Billy Idol canceled we'll be able to stay local in St Louis and see them in March. Honestly, there are so many tickets available, finding a good seat won't be hard.

I checked a few other concerts that are scheduled in town and the ticket situation is about the same. Outside of some smaller venues that bring in very popular newer bands, most shows have plenty of tickets available. It's not just a Journey thing.

I also don't think it's that big of a deal. Most articles from industry insiders I've read have said they anticipate a bounce back, but may take until next summer to happen.