Lady Gaga - Aviva Stadium - 15 September

Jeraldo Higgs

Not a fan of Lady Gaga personally, I was working as a stage hand at it. Posting in this thread to share this very inspiring story. (copy and pasted from my Facebook) -

Got a very interesting and rather heartwarming souvenir from working Lady Gaga this weekend. Within the mass clutter of wires, cases and discarded plastic bottles and pint glasses, that's the common aftermath after a gig this massive, A piece of laminated paper caught my eye. I picked it up, one side said "please read" all over it, and the other side had this fan message to Gaga;

"4 years ago...I found you Gaga and you taught me that being gay is nothing to fear... Exactly 3 years ago...I found someone and this time it was okay that I fell in love...TONIGHT...Marks our 3 years together and we want to say thank you for believing in our love together...we were BORN TO BE BRAVE..

Love from, Conor + my Partner Sean

P.s If only we could get a hug as an anniversary present...."

Conor, I have no idea who you are and as a straight dude who is not a fan of Lady Gaga's music at all, I understand you perfectly and send out mucho respect. Music has helped me get through the difficult times in my life too so I can totally relate. I hope Lady Gaga actually did read out your story. I imagine that would have been the most amazing feeling ever, seeing your idol read your story to a packed stadium full of fellow fans. Wow The castle stage set (which was actually so much fun to build and walk around in, most fun I've ever had at work) as a backdrop? Perfect

Anyways, in the off chance that this message reaches you and you happen to be reading this, just letting ye know that if you wish to have this returned to you (just guessing this would have a sentimental value for you) I will happily give it back to you. Made my day so it did and I thank you for that.

Link here, I made it public, feel free to share it if you wish. - http://www.facebook.com/jeraldo.higgs.5/posts/120787758069122

And I may not be a fan of Lady Gaga's music, but that was still the most amazing stage set I have ever helped to build. Wouldn't have minded watching the gig despite the music not being my cuppa tea, hope you all enjoyed it

efb

Cheers Lady G!

Maire2009

efb wrote: »

Cheers Lady G!

The girl who swigged the Jameson and had the lights in her afro wig is someone I know, and ye will never know how much it meant to her to meet Gaga. I think she'll come off cloud 9 before she's 40

mcballer

Ahh bless I remember the girl with the lights in her Afro wig...she looked so in awe!!Was really lovely!!
In fairness to Gaga she doesn't have to bring people on stage or take time to bring hardcore fans willing to queue for ages to get a chance to meet her, backstage. But she takes abit of time out of her life to make her fans day- when she could just leggit after the gig!
You could see how delighted the chosen few were!Thought it was really heartwarming seeing people meet an idol...aww haa!

whirlpool

Loved the Monster Ball tour. I went to see it twice. But I found this Aviva show to be bland, monotonous and a little top-heavy on the talking instead of the singing.

ned rierson

Maire2009 wrote: »

Lady Gaga doesn't set the price of the tickets the promoters do - I thought that would be simple cop on, but there you go.

.

Wrong. The artist sets the price, not the promoter.

Loughc

ned rierson wrote: »

Wrong. The artist sets the price, not the promoter.

Haha you're kidding right? Please tell me you're being sarcastic!!

ned rierson

Not a bit. The band sets the price. Most of the money you pay for your ticket goes to the performer.

Loughc

ned rierson wrote: »

Not a bit. The band sets the price. Most of the money you pay for your ticket goes to the performer.

Back in the day it was the artist but now the promoter gets to set the price on the tickets, the merchandise, and they get to determine where the concerts will be held.

The concert promoter may agree to a fixed payment with the musicians for their performance and then any money left after costs is theirs to keep. The promoter also covers the bands expenses for the concert (or the tour) and the only way they can recoup that cost is through the ticket sales.

The promoter promotes the artist to the venue to book the gig, then promotes the artist to the fans to get the tickets sold. Even big acts need to convince the venue that they will sell out and that it would be good for the venue to have them there.

ned rierson

nice copy and paste job

Loughc

ned rierson wrote: »

nice copy and paste job

Nice way of admitting you're wrong. And good attempt at trolling earlier! Be gone with you now!

ned rierson

no trolling at all. ask anyone in the music biz and they'll put you right. and if you read the article that you pulled that last spiel from properly you will see that at the end of it all its the artist that sets the price.

scudzilla

Promoters set the price, some bands MAY put it in the contract that the maximum ti jet price should be no more than €X.

Promoters know way better than the band how much to charge and the local markets.

ned rierson

scudzilla wrote: »

Promoters know way better than the band how much to charge and the local markets.

Tell that to Madonna

aka accounts 2010

ned rierson wrote: »

Not a bit. The band sets the price. Most of the money you pay for your ticket goes to the performer.

Come on now. How do the band set the ticket price? The performance fee that an artist seeks has an IMPACT on the ticket price but they do not determine it.

We'll use the Lady Gaga gig as an example:

1. Lady Gaga's management team did not book the Aviva Stadium or know how much it would cost.

2. They would not be up to date on Irish employment law relating to pay and conditions so therefore would not know the cost of security/Gardai.

3. They would not know the licence agrement details set out by the court here which determine's how many security staff and Gardai would need to be on duty and therefore would not be able to determine cost.

4. The staff employed to build the stage set and prepare the Aviva are not employed by Lady Gaga and therefore the cost would not have been known to her/her management team.

5. All radio/tv and newspaper adverts are run by MCD and not Lady Gaga, all costs incurred in these advertising campaigns come from MCD.

I could go on and on but the bottom line is that MCD incur all these expenses and when they factor in the charge for Lady Gaga's show they determine a BREAK-EVEN point and then add the percentage profit they wish to make. on the gig.

Basic Example:

Costs incurred (security, rent of stadium, Gardai, licence etc) 1,500,000

Lady Gaga Performance Charge 1,000,000

Total Cost of staging gig 2,500,000

Break Even Point 2,500,000

% Profit on Gig 30%

Desired Funds needed to obtain profit 3,250,000

Number of seats/standing spots 50,000

Price per Ticket 65 euro

ned rierson

aka accounts 2010 wrote: »

Come on now. How do the band set the ticket price? The performance fee that an artist seeks has an IMPACT on the ticket price but they do not determine it.

We'll use the Lady Gaga gig as an example:

1. Lady Gaga's management team did not book the Aviva Stadium or know how much it would cost.

2. They would not be up to date on Irish employment law relating to pay and conditions so therefore would not know the cost of security/Gardai.

3. They would not know the licence agrement details set out by the court here which determine's how many security staff and Gardai would need to be on duty and therefore would not be able to determine cost.

4. The staff employed to build the stage set and prepare the Aviva are not employed by Lady Gaga and therefore the cost would not have been known to her/her management team.

5. All radio/tv and newspaper adverts are run by MCD and not Lady Gaga, all costs incurred in these advertising campaigns come from MCD.

I could go on and on but the bottom line is that MCD incur all these expenses and when they factor in the charge for Lady Gaga's show they determine a BREAK-EVEN point and then add the percentage profit they wish to make. on the gig.

Basic Example:

Costs incurred (security, rent of stadium, Gardai, licence etc) 1,500,000

Lady Gaga Performance Charge 1,000,000

Total Cost of staging gig 2,500,000

Break Even Point 2,500,000

% Profit on Gig 30%

Desired Funds needed to obtain profit 3,250,000

Number of seats/standing spots 50,000

Price per Ticket 65 euro

aka, you are correct in most of your points here and you also solve the great mystery. its not rocket science. the performers fee is what determines the ticket price. the higher the guarantee/%, the higher the ticket price.

whirlpool

ned rierson wrote: »

aka, you are correct in most of your points here and you also solve the great mystery. its not rocket science. the performers fee is what determines the ticket price. the higher the guarantee/%, the higher the ticket price.

He has a point there. Your breakdown suggests the final ticket price is determined by the performer's fee.

Loughc

Actually it is the Promoter who has the final say in the ticket prices, think about it, using Aka Accounts 2010's example, if the promoter decided they wanted a 50% profit margin rather than 30% they are determining the price of the increase on ticket prices,

also note the performers fees is only one expense of many!! There are plenty of other expenses like rent and security that drive up the cost of the ticket price.

ned rierson

exactly. the perfomers fee is only one expense but its the largest one.

whirlpool

lockie1983 wrote: »

Actually it is the Promoter who has the final say in the ticket prices, think about it, using Aka Accounts 2010's example, if the promoter decided they wanted a 50% profit margin rather than 30% they are determining the price of the increase on ticket prices,

also note the performers fees is only one expense of many!! There are plenty of other expenses like rent and security that drive up the cost of the ticket price.

Yes but those costs are constant. The variables are the performer's fee and the promoter's fee, i.e. they are what eventually determine how high or low the ticket price will be.

aka accounts 2010

whirlpool wrote: »

He has a point there. Your breakdown suggests the final ticket price is determined by the performer's fee.

The issue was never whether the artist had an effect on ticket price, they do BUT this debate started because it was stated that the artist sets the ticket price which they DO NOT.

The breakdown suggests that the final price is determined by the promotors desired % profit. MCD can place whatever % profit they want and that will be the final price.

Use my previous example:

Total cost including artist fee 2,500,000

Profit of 45% instead of 30% 3,625,000 = funds which need to be raised from ticket sales

Number of tickets 50,000

New ticket price 72.50 euro instead of 65 euro in my previous example


The final price is totally dependent on the % profit MCD want to make!!

The ORIGINAL issue in this thread was that 'the artist sets the ticket price'..

The artist influences the ticket price by what they charge, BUT they do not set the final price as they do not factor in the other expenses and % profit.

Example: If Lady Gaga charged 1,000,000 per performance and excluded all operational costs she would charge 20 euro a ticket (1,000,000 divided by 50,000 tickets).

aka accounts 2010

whirlpool wrote: »

Yes but those costs are constant. The variables are the performer's fee and the promoter's fee, i.e. they are what eventually determine how high or low the ticket price will be.

How is Rent and Security a constant or fixed expense??????

Is it the same price to rent the Aviva and the Olympia?

Does it cost the same to have 30 security at the Olympia or 150 at the Aviva?

The venue has a big effect on the price so rent and security are also variable in nature given that they change depending on the venue.

ned rierson

the artist gets a guarantee, regardless of ticket sales and after the show breaks even the profits are divided between the artist and promoter. the promoter doesnt pull a figure out of the air and charge what he/she likes

scudzilla

Watch this vid, it's part 1 of 4, the other parts are easy on to find, it's from Metallica's performance at The Milton Keynes Bowl, there's a lot in it from the promotor, he's going on about costs he's had to endure, how much he had to pay the band and how the gig made money, very interesting, blows the 'Artist sets prices etc' theory right outta the water

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiPq1hrtTBM

Maire2009

ned rierson wrote: »

the artist gets a guarantee, regardless of ticket sales and after the show breaks even the profits are divided between the artist and promoter. the promoter doesnt pull a figure out of the air and charge what he/she likes

Fair enough, Gaga or her team or whatever, might say they want x amount to come to Ireland (or wherever it is) but then its up to the promoter to figure out the best way to make that money. MCD deemed it the right thing to do to charge mad prices for standing tickets and the better view seated tickets and it was at least 10,000 shy of selling out - if they lowered each ticket price by even €5 would they have made more?

Besides all that, and I know it sounds corny, but I couldn't give a rat's ass how much it costs to see Gaga. I made some great friends and had an absolute ball of a time at the gig, and if it cost me €90 for that, then so be it. Some old cliché about money not being everything.

Don't feel she's not worth it, don't pay the money - simple as really. And I don't want to hear sob stories about 13 year old Johnny who must go see Gaga when all his friends were going - I was told no every time as a kid, never got to go to any gig, makes me enjoy them all the more now, benefit of growing old

ned rierson

Pedanticism ( or is it pedantry ) at its best

whirlpool

aka accounts 2010 wrote: »

How is Rent and Security a constant or fixed expense??????

Is it the same price to rent the Aviva and the Olympia?

Does it cost the same to have 30 security at the Olympia or 150 at the Aviva?

The venue has a big effect on the price so rent and security are also variable in nature given that they change depending on the venue.

You've missed the point. The artist has no input into how much security and rent are going to cost. So, yes, at each venue those costs are constant and the artist has no input into them. I never said anything about interchanging venues

whirlpool

aka accounts 2010 wrote: »

The issue was never whether the artist had an effect on ticket price, they do BUT this debate started because it was stated that the artist sets the ticket price which they DO NOT.

The breakdown suggests that the final price is determined by the promotors desired % profit. MCD can place whatever % profit they want and that will be the final price.

Use my previous example:

Total cost including artist fee 2,500,000

Profit of 45% instead of 30% 3,625,000 = funds which need to be raised from ticket sales

Number of tickets 50,000

New ticket price 72.50 euro instead of 65 euro in my previous example


The final price is totally dependent on the % profit MCD want to make!!

The ORIGINAL issue in this thread was that 'the artist sets the ticket price'..

The artist influences the ticket price by what they charge, BUT they do not set the final price as they do not factor in the other expenses and % profit.

Example: If Lady Gaga charged 1,000,000 per performance and excluded all operational costs she would charge 20 euro a ticket (1,000,000 divided by 50,000 tickets).

Yes, you're correct.

This discussion is really tired.

Irish Aris

just back from holidays (with no internet access - purposely so), thus the belated post.

I am 40 years old and I have been to dozens of concerts in my life.
This was one of the few that I actually shed a few tears. And this was mainly due to want she was saying between the songs, the "Bono talk" part, as someone mentioned earlier in the thread, for which I have no objection.
Some of the things that she said during the show, were really touching. Even if she doesn't mean them (although, to me, she sounds really genuine) they sound very good. I don't recall ever hearing an artist saying "thank you for the money you spent to come and see me". It's rather rare that an artist will say on stage "you made me what I am". And of course all the references in "everybody being unique, everybody having something special within". All these things really mean a lot to the fans, you need to be a devotee, a little monster to fully understand the significance of this.
Most impressive stage ever. The way they have built the castle and put the musicians in it was amazing. As the castle was opening and closing, you'd see the musicians appearing in front of you (only the drummer wasn't really visible, behind his drum set). And of course, the whole production was brilliant!!!
I am pretty sure there were pre-recorded vocals in some of the songs-especially those with the difficult dance routines, but I think she was singing live most of the time. And I find her voice really good!!!
I don't think that Born This Way was her best album but she takes the song to a totally different level live!!! Right now, Bloody Mary is playing at my MP3 player and/or laptop on heavy rotation!!
I was at the monster pit (queued from 1 pm) and I am glad I did. It worthed every minute I waited to get in and every euro I spend invested in this concert (that's 86 euro for the ticket and 35 euro for a t-shirt). And I got to meet some really interesting people/really devoted fans (Maire2009, this one's for you too!!! ).

The tickets are generally expensive here in Ireland (I am originally from Greece and, although/because we have expensive tickets there too, I can understand the point). This summer I spent approximately 360 euros for just 4 concerts: RHCP, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga. Nobody forced me to pay for them, it was my own free will. And I may not have been fully satisfied by all of them (RHCP were below expectations), but I am not going to complain about the expensive tickets. I can always choose not to pay the big amount of money that some concerts require.

One of the best concerts of my life!!! I am pretty sure that I will be there next time she includes Ireland to one of her tours!!!
Long live, mother monster!!!

Maire2009

Delighted you enjoyed it, and glad I got to meet you, if only for a brief period. You seemed to be enjoying it anyway - I know I did

I'd love to see the photos you've taken, so if you want to add me on facebook please do - you know where to fine me