Las Vegas Weekly

July 23, 2008 · 12:30 PM

Struggling economy fans fall-out fears for rock tours

By Robin Leach

The faltering economy nationwide that’s affected Vegas with lower tourist and reservation numbers as well as discounted rooms is playing havoc with the pop music concert tours, too. Down here in San Diego, AEG Live vice president John Wojas says it’s the biggest impact he’s seen in 17 years. “We’re seeing lower attendance at every show across the board from adult contemporary to alternative rock.” So much so that he doesn’t see it getting better until next spring or summer.

Worse, his rival, Live Nation, which books shows throughout Vegas on a steady basis, just offered tickets for $10 apiece to 11 different shows -- including ones for Santana and Counting Crows in the San Diego area and another 30 shows in Orange County and Los Angeles. Live’s president, Nick Masters, says it’s the only way to counteract escalating transportation costs that have led to drastic audience decline.

Last year, pop music shows took in just shy of $4 billion, but Gary Bongiovanni, publisher of Pollstar, which tracks concert industry revenue, says: “The worry is that the bottom is about to drop out of the concert business.” Although Vegas hasn’t been hit so badly yet, the fears are being fanned that promoters here may be forced very shortly to do similar drastic ticket price reductions for shows.

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