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| steel driving hammer |
Thu Jul 10, 8:37 AM ET
Edna Gundersen USA TODAY
The concert business, fueled in part by rising ticket prices, is headed for record revenue this year, with piano men Elton John and Billy Joel easily leading the pack.
The duo grossed $52.7 million in the first half of 2003, a whopping 41% more than the Rolling Stones, who are in second place with $37.4 million.
Midyear figures, to be published in the July 21 issue of Pollstar, show a dramatic upswing despite a flagging economy and slumping record sales. The top 50 tours grossed $678 million, up 26% from last year's midpoint of $538.2 million.
The average ticket in the top 50 cost $51.81, up 2% from last year. The gap widens to 11.5% in the top 10, where the average ducat was $76.16 vs. $68.34 in 2002.
''Big acts are still searching for the ceiling,'' Pollstar editor Gary Bongiovanni says. The average Stones ticket jumped to $157.53 from last year's $119, and Celine Dion charged an average $135.63 for her Las Vegas spectacle. Her six-month haul of $33.2 million was reaped entirely at one venue.
''She managed to sell 245,000 tickets to 60 shows in one city, averaging more than $500,000 a night,'' Bongiovanni says. ''Her little experiment has proven to be very successful.''
The John/Joel bill sold 465,000 tickets at an average price of $113 each. They were trumped by the 682,136 tickets sold by Kenny Chesney (news), who also had the top 10's lowest ticket average at $35.80.
Led by Chesney, country claimed the top 10's attendance champs. Placing second and third are Tim McGraw (news) with 590,235 and the Dixie Chicks (news - web sites) with 582,806. Pearl Jam, No. 12 in grosses, is fourth with 532,381 tickets sold.
The first half of 2003 brought ''no outright disasters,'' Bongiovanni says. ''But there's probably no tour that hasn't had difficulties in some markets.''
The forecast for the next six months? Cloudy. It's not just the economic climate that threatens to shrink this year's lead over 2002; nature also is dampening hopes.
'Promoters are crying that many summer shows are not meeting expectations,' Bongiovanni says. ''The weather on the East Coast has had a damaging impact. When it's raining cats and dogs, it's hard to motivate people to put money down for an outdoor show.''
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| jb |
We lost to Macca last year and now Elton/Billy!!! The end is surely near!!!!!!!!!
[Edited by jb] |
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| steel driving hammer |
THIS year Josh, not last.
So far in 2003 Elton/Billy are leading.
But the Stones are still touring, inturn, their numbers will only grow. |
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