This week, vintage thrash metal icons Slayer, Megadeth and Testament announced they will tour the U.S. early next year on the American Carnage Tour. Though that is big news to pretty much any metal fan, it is this caveat that I think makes the tour really special, and worth comment in a broader arena. I quote from Slayer's Web site: "In recognition of the tough economic times that many of their fans are having, Megadeth and Slayer have decided to roll back the price of a chunk of tickets at every U.S. show to the '1991 price' of $10."
It is hard for me to believe that I ever paid less than $20 to see an arena band; though, now that I think about it, when I saw Metallica 20 years ago I believe my cheap seats were $20. The point is that two of the most memorable metal bands of the '80s, two bands that are still very much active and releasing albums that sell in the tens of thousands, have decided to make sure that a percentage of every concert's tickets are sold for next to nothing.
Before I go any further, this tour makes its way through Texas in January, making a stop in Houston at Verizon Wireless Theatre Jan. 29 and a stop two days prior in El Paso.
OK, let's get back to these ticket prices. For the most part, the cost of a ticket is divided between the venue, Ticketmaster charges and the band. Most conscientious bands take a low percentage of the door to keep ticket prices low for the average fan. That way, Joe Metalhead walks into the show with a little more quan in his back pocket to spend on T-shirts and merch, and bands make most of their tour profits from merchandise. Though the lower ticket prices makes Megadeth and Slayer look like a bunch of cool dudes, they are really cool smart dudes who know that the lower prices will gain them more in the long run.
Let's contrast the American Carnage Tour ticket prices with those for celebrated '70s singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, who is playing the same place in a couple of weeks. The average seat goes for $39 before the near $10 in fees Live Nation and the venue pile up on that ticket. Browne, unlike his contemporaries The Eagles, has a realistic ticket price. You can't get in the parking lot of an Eagles concert without laying a Ben Franklin down. That makes the $10 The Black and White Years is asking tonight seem like peanuts. And while that $100-plus is being divided in a bunch of different directions, Don Henley and the boys still pocket a good portion of the ticket price, not to mention their merchandise sales.
Of course, a different class of music aficionado attends an Eagles show.
Still, I have to give some serious kudos to the Slayer and Megadeth boys for paying attention to the headlines and the times. Giving fans a crack at a number of $10 tickets is pretty darn cool.
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