MINNEAPOLIS — Local venues have packed concert calendars this summer with bands competing for the best dates and best stages.
“We are booking out later than I’ve seen. We have dates planned well into the fall already,” said First Avenue's Vice President of Marketing Ashley Ryan.
The live music industry is in rebound mode after a difficult stretch during the COVID pandemic.
According to Pollstar, 2023 was the biggest year ever for concerts.
The top 100 touring acts brought in more than $9.1 billion in ticket sales, up 46% from 2022.
“The venues are in a good place right now,” Ryan said. “We’re seeing a lot of interest and competition, which is always good for the consumer. A lot of people have a lot of options and that’s a great thing.”
On Tuesday Governor Tim Walz signed a new state law that requires transparent pricing for all concert tickets sold in Minnesota.
The law was created to give consumers more power to control how much they spend on concert tickets.
“You’re actually going to see the full price you’re paying at checkout and not being surprised by more fees,” First Avenue's Director of Ticketing Adrianna Korich said.
There is a concern among music venue owners that this law change could give some consumers sticker shock when they see the total cost of the tickets upfront.
“There is going to be some perception right away that tickets are more expensive, but that’s not the case, we’re just seeing the total price up front. I think it will just take some time for fans to see that and understand what’s going on. That’s why we’re focusing a lot of attention on education and outreach, so our fans know what’s going on with this new pricing model,” Korich added.
The governor’s office says this law will go into effect next January.
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