Bad support acts, overexposure or stale shows?

[Don]

Journey averaged $670,000 a show in 2008.
Their Detour tour in 2009 brought them down to 430k a gig.
In 2011, they rebounded to a 645k average.
This 2012 tour, they lost almost a third of that falling to an average of 470k per show.


I'm a big fan of Pat Benatar but I did voice my concern here in the forums that to me, she wasn't a great fit for a Journey tour package.

What do you think? Does who you tour with make such a BIG difference in fans decisions in whether they want to attend a show or not?

2009 was a year when the economy slid off the tracks so we knew Journey might have a rough go of it that tour and they did.
By all accounts 2012 wasn't an economic issue so what happened this time out? Bad opening acts or just overexposure with nothing new being added to the mix?

Would less shows but in bigger venues and longer setlists with only one support act be something to look at?

[The Sushi Hunter]

Right off the cuff I'd say yeah it would have an influence on who would go to see a show depending on who all is playing with the band you like. However, there are some variables to consider, such as if you're a fan of a specific band so much, it shouldn't matter whatever band is playing with them. For sure a die hard fan would go regardless. I think it only matters to the average Joe who just wants to go out and see live shows just for the hell of doing it, not so much the dedication to any specific band. But that's just my opinion on it anyways.

[tater1977]

Back in the day...personally for me..it didn't matter who their opening act was..
A few openers...didn't know..didn't care..we went to see Journey.
But on the other hand...a few of their openers ..turned out to be great...
so was an added bonus...

Think the outrageous ticket prices & stale setlists..have a lot to do with
it ...

Now today ...if there was a new & upcoming band that was touring hard the old way..
& was out for blood...now that would be a killer opener for Journey..
(but that won't ever happen)...

[STORY_TELLER]

Touring partners are a big factor especially when you add higher ticket prices combined with the current state of the economy.

The majority of the people who go see Journey in concert today are going to hear the hits. They aren't interested in new music from the band, so I don't think it's the setlist.

I think the band tours too much to be missed. They need to go away for a while and build up a longing in the casual fan base again -- or -- they have to come up with a REALLY attractive multiple band tour package. Something that's worth the higher ticket prices.

Who wouldn't see a Journey/Whitesnake/Sammy Hagar (or Chickenfoot) show? Maybe Neal would get up and jam with Satriani on a song or two. Sammy could pull Coverdale on for a Zeppelin tune. Okay, now I want to see this concert. Neal, are you listening?

[Don]

Pat Benatar doesn't have the mindset of an opening act. She likes to talk (not as much as Cronin) and really take over everything. Seeing her in a small venue as the headliner (Patty Smyth and Terri Nunn were openers), that is her forte. Being a sandwich act for Journey just doesn't jibe. Just the song "Love is a battlefield" alone should have immediately removed her from consideration as a touring partner for Journey.

[musicfan17]

I think the band tours too much to be missed. They need to go away for a while and build up a longing in the casual fan base again -- or -- they have to come up with a REALLY attractive multiple band tour package. Something that's worth the higher ticket prices.

Bingo! We have a winner! Couldn't agree more.

[Gideon]

Who wouldn't see a Journey/Whitesnake

This guy. Fairly disparate genres, aren't they?

[Don]

Who wouldn't see a Journey/Whitesnake

This guy. Fairly disparate genres, aren't they?

Apparently not in Europe as they'll be co-headlining together this summer.

[Jeremey]

My take is that I think people only have so much interest in seeing these nostalgia acts. There's a fairly incestuous collection of 80s rock bands that have been touring amongst themselves for the past 8 or 9 years, and though the marquees change, the songs and faces are still the same...It's almost as though the promoters are saying..."Seen Journey already?? Well wait til you see them with NIGHT RANGER!"

With Journey's tour receipts I just think you had this perfect storm in 2008 that isn't going to be replicated again. Number one, you had this show with a tremendous influence on pop culture use the band's song in the final closing minutes of their entire series, then you had a whole 'nother generation of teens and kids being exposed through Glee...then you had the trifecta - the interest and appeal of a rags to riches story - from another country! - that sparked tremendous interest in the band.

So the numbers and popularity you see are artificially inflated from that "perfect storm," and they've been really riding that wave for the past 5 years or so. I honestly think the wave is just naturally dying out a bit. It doesn't mean the band sucks. It doesn't mean Pat Benetar is keeping people from buying a ticket...It just means...well...people are less interested in Journey these days!

[Gideon]

Who wouldn't see a Journey/Whitesnake

This guy. Fairly disparate genres, aren't they?

Apparently not in Europe as they'll be co-headlining together this summer.

I don't listen to much Whitesnake, but I thought they were a bit heavier than even Leppard.

[Don]

Who wouldn't see a Journey/Whitesnake

This guy. Fairly disparate genres, aren't they?

Apparently not in Europe as they'll be co-headlining together this summer.

I don't listen to much Whitesnake, but I thought they were a bit heavier than even Leppard.

Def Leppard's first three albums are probably as hard or harder than anything in Whitesnake's catalog. People just think they're more hard rock based because of Coverdale coming from Deep Purple, coincidentally the group Journey will be co-headlining with in Australia.

[Jeremey]

Journey should tour with Rick Springfield!

[Don]

Journey should tour with Rick Springfield!

I don't know. Rick might put a wondering eye on Missy and then Neal would have to go pound him.

[RocknRoll]

Isn't Journey just following their usually touring plans? My understanding is they do major markets one year and the following year hit the smaller secondary markets. Makes sense they have smaller attendance with the smaller venues in secondary markets.

[Don]

Isn't Journey just following their usually touring plans? My understanding is they do major markets one year and the following year hit the smaller secondary markets. Makes sense they have smaller attendance with the smaller venues in secondary markets.

They actually played twice as many big venues this tour compared to 2009. I guess that is why they had two openers as compared to only one in '09 though I don't think they needed to do that.

[RocknRoll]

Isn't Journey just following their usually touring plans? My understanding is they do major markets one year and the following year hit the smaller secondary markets. Makes sense they have smaller attendance with the smaller venues in secondary markets.

They actually played twice as many big venues this tour compared to 2009. I guess that is why they had two openers as compared to only one in '09 though I don't think they needed to do that.

Well, I know they didn't hit Chicago, they did places like Green Bay, Milwaukee (OK maybe a biggie) and have Grand Rapids, Moline, Fort Wayne etc coming up. I'm sure some of those western Canada venues were pretty small. Granted they did hit bigger venues in places like Florida and Texas where they always do well.

[Don]

Isn't Journey just following their usually touring plans? My understanding is they do major markets one year and the following year hit the smaller secondary markets. Makes sense they have smaller attendance with the smaller venues in secondary markets.

They actually played twice as many big venues this tour compared to 2009. I guess that is why they had two openers as compared to only one in '09 though I don't think they needed to do that.

Well, I know they didn't hit Chicago, they did places like Green Bay, Milwaukee (OK maybe a biggie) and have Grand Rapids, Moline, Fort Wayne etc coming up. I'm sure some of those western Canada venues were pretty small. Granted they did hit bigger venues in places like Florida and Texas where they always do well.

They still had two openers in most places this year as opposed to only one in 2009. Why would you have two openers to play before 8,000 people?

They actually played a lot of small venues in 2008 too but they were packing them in. Sold out 66% of their shows that tour, haven't come close since.

[RocknRoll]

Isn't Journey just following their usually touring plans? My understanding is they do major markets one year and the following year hit the smaller secondary markets. Makes sense they have smaller attendance with the smaller venues in secondary markets.

They actually played twice as many big venues this tour compared to 2009. I guess that is why they had two openers as compared to only one in '09 though I don't think they needed to do that.

Well, I know they didn't hit Chicago, they did places like Green Bay, Milwaukee (OK maybe a biggie) and have Grand Rapids, Moline, Fort Wayne etc coming up. I'm sure some of those western Canada venues were pretty small. Granted they did hit bigger venues in places like Florida and Texas where they always do well.

They still had two openers in most places this year as opposed to only one in 2009. Why would you have two openers to play before 8,000 people?

They actually played a lot of small venues in 2008 too but they were packing them in. Sold out 66% of their shows that tour, haven't come close since.

!
I don't get the 2 openers either, but it appears to be their plan for the future since Europe is Whitesnake + another band. Maybe it's just to keep the setlist shorter to protect AP. The exception seems to be Asia minus OZ. I really don't get touring with Deep Purple, last time I saw them I was pretty bored.

[Don]

Isn't Journey just following their usually touring plans? My understanding is they do major markets one year and the following year hit the smaller secondary markets. Makes sense they have smaller attendance with the smaller venues in secondary markets.

They actually played twice as many big venues this tour compared to 2009. I guess that is why they had two openers as compared to only one in '09 though I don't think they needed to do that.

Well, I know they didn't hit Chicago, they did places like Green Bay, Milwaukee (OK maybe a biggie) and have Grand Rapids, Moline, Fort Wayne etc coming up. I'm sure some of those western Canada venues were pretty small. Granted they did hit bigger venues in places like Florida and Texas where they always do well.

They still had two openers in most places this year as opposed to only one in 2009. Why would you have two openers to play before 8,000 people?

They actually played a lot of small venues in 2008 too but they were packing them in. Sold out 66% of their shows that tour, haven't come close since.

!
I don't get the 2 openers either, but it appears to be their plan for the future since Europe is Whitesnake + another band. Maybe it's just to keep the setlist shorter to protect AP. The exception seems to be Asia minus OZ. I really don't get touring with Deep Purple, last time I saw them I was pretty bored.

Deep Purple has had a good run of shows in OZ while the biggest Journey hit there is ....Oh Sherrie. They never got on the DSB wagon like the rest of the world. I guess co-headlining with DP is just to help Journey get their foot in the door.

[Archetype]

Who wouldn't see a Journey/Whitesnake

This guy. Fairly disparate genres, aren't they?

Apparently not in Europe as they'll be co-headlining together this summer.

European music fans aren't bound to specific music genres the way American music fans are.

[jrnyman28]

The economic downturn still has an affect on today because many people changed their spending habits, regardless of rebound. And fans may decide to see someone different "this year" since tickets are so expensive. We don't live in an era of multiple shows anymore. Concerts are becoming "events" you can only afford one of... As for the triple bill? Makes sense to me to build value, but you realize it's no longer a "Journey" show....it's an evening of nostalgia.

[jrny84]

I think the band tours too much to be missed. They need to go away for a while and build up a longing in the casual fan base again -- or -- they have to come up with a REALLY attractive multiple band tour package. Something that's worth the higher ticket prices.

Bingo! We have a winner! Couldn't agree more.

I agree as well! Journey along with REO, Styx, Night Ranger, Chicago..etc have all saturated the touring market so much that most people have the mindset that I have already seen them two times in the last three years. People are bored with it, especially if every time you see them they have two other acts opening for them and when you finally get to hear Journey its the same old songs from the short setlist for $60, I dont think so. Id would be much more interested if Journey just had one really cool special guest that they maybe havent had before, and a 20+ song setlist. I have already heard the dirty dozen a gazillon times over the past five years. I am also still suprised they are still doing the 1 year thing with big venues and then the 2nd year with small venues. At this point in the game, I would just do the larger and medium size venues and save Arnel's voice and go away for a little while.

Also, the economy for sure is still having an affect on people's spending....obama care mandates/fines/fees and the government raiding your paycheck doesnt help.