FARGO — The Fargo-Moorhead area concert season closed out late last month with mixed signals. Two nights after Sturgill Simpson sold out the 3,400 seat Bluestem Amphitheater, Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion” brought in only 750 people.
All summer, articles were written about big acts like Jennifer Lopez and The Black Keys canceling arena tours due to lackluster ticket sales. One of the most recent was a San Francisco Chronicle article titled, “No one wants to splurge on concerts and festivals anymore. Are live music events dead?”
That, coupled with a Red River Valley Fair executive this summer declaring, “our concert attendance was an absolute disaster,” may lead some to think the touring industry is in dire trouble.
Local concert promoters suggest taking the doom and gloom headlines with a grain of salt.
People are still buying concert tickets, experts say, but they are being more selective with their purchases.
Sturgill Simpson performs to a sold out crowd on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, at Bluestem Amphitheater in Moorhead.
Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum
Jade Nielsen of Fargo-based promotions company Jade Presents said the big tours are doing, “better than ever,” referring to acts like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé.
“Some artists don’t sell arenas and move to smaller venues,” he said. “That happens every year. I don’t think it’s any different this year.”
Nielsen has been promoting shows locally at The Fargo Theatre, Bluestem, Sanctuary Events Center, Fargo Brewing and around the Midwest and beyond for more than 30 years. He said 2024 is on par with 2023 as his best year for promoting.
Those tuned into the concert industry said the business was booming in the years after the COVID pandemic restrictions subsided. Musicians were eager to get back on the road and fans were craving live entertainment.
This summer SeatGeek reported that the number of concerts was up 11 percent.
According to the touring industry publication Pollstar, the average ticket price in North America is at an all-time high of $132.18 for the first half of 2024. That’s up from averages of $120.11 last year and $108.20 in 2022, the first full year many artists were back on the road after the pandemic. That was also the first year average ticket price topped $100 as it stood at $92.42 in 2019.
While the average ticket price went up about 10 percent over the last year, the number of tickets sold dropped by about nine percent.
Blake Shelton performs at the Red River Valley Fair on Friday, July 12, 2024, in West Fargo.
Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum
So why are fewer people buying tickets?
“Disposable income isn’t what it was,” said Cody Cashman, executive of the Red River Valley Fair, echoing something he said this summer.
“People just didn’t seem to have the money this year,” Cashman said then. “People were more cautious with their spending this year and everybody felt it.”
A month after the RRVF wrapped, Cashman told a Cass County Commission budget meeting that attendance was down about 10,000 from last year and that this year’s biggest concert, country star Blake Shelton, only drew 5,500. That revelation led to his comment, “our concert attendance was an absolute disaster.”
Shelton’s contract for the show was for $1.1 million.
Jelly Roll performs at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds in West Fargo on Sunday, July 9, 2023.
David Samson / The Forum
Last year the RRVF hit gold with then-rising star Jelly Roll who brought in about 14,000 people.
“Artists are asking for too much money. I’m hoping there will be a correction,” Cashman said.
“Those of us on a local promoter side would love to see the ticket prices come down,” Nielsen said. “What has to happen is a little correction to the industry.”
He points to larger tours using dynamic ticket pricing, or surge pricing, through Ticketmaster, where the prices are adjusted based on demand.
“Until we see some of that backfire and people not pay that, artists, management and agents will keep ticket prices high,” he said.
The Goo Goo Dolls’ John Rzeznik performs at the Red River Valley Fair on Friday, June 28, 2024, in West Fargo.
Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum
Shelton was the priciest ticket at this year’s fair, ranging from $79 to $349. Other acts, including Goo Goo Dolls, Skillet, Ludacris, Yung Gravy and more, ranged from $25 to $199.
Many of the Shelton tickets sold as part of deep discounts closer to the event, including $50 tickets starting two days before the July 12 concert.
Cashman did not know off-hand how many tickets were sold at discounts, but said the promotions were “very effective.”
Jade Presents ran a broader promo, offering up to $40 off on 40 shows from July 10 through September, but Nielsen said that was a planned promotion, not a reaction to sluggish ticket sales. Similarly the company is offering passes for next year’s Bluestem and Fargo’s new UP Festival Field.
Jo Dee Messina performs to an excited crowd during the first show at the new UP District Festival Field on Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Fargo.
Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum
Promoters said discounts may help boost attendance, but it may not help the bottom line.
“You don’t want to train consumers to wait and buy tickets,” Lance Johnson said.
Johnson was an employee of Epic, handling the booking of events like the concerts at The Lights when
the company started unraveling in May.
He continued with the events under his own promotion business, Ernest and Henning, named after his grandfather and great-uncle.
Teddy Swims signs a hat during his performance on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Essentia Health Plaza at The Lights in West Fargo.
Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum
He booked five shows at The Lights in 2024, a number he felt was, “low,” but he wanted to see how the transition played out.
Two of the shows, country singer Jon Pardi and R&B singer Teddy Swims, sold out at The Lights, which he said can hold 4,200 in a general admission standing capacity.
Next summer he hopes to do between six and 12 shows and said at least four were already confirmed.
Contributing to ticket-buyers discretion is more options.
“There’s more live music in our market than ever before,” Nielsen said.
The same night Blake Shelton played the RRVF, Jade Presents had Band of Horses draw 1,300 at the new UP District Festival Field. (The UP stands for Unicorn Park, the neighborhood where the outdoor space is located.) Two other times during the RRVF Jade Presents had a show booked.
The new UP District Festival Field is filled for its first concert, Jo Dee Messina, on Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Fargo.
Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum
Even among his own shows he feels some may have done better spread out.
“Next summer we’ll be more careful, more specific. Not as many competing events in short spurts of time,” he said.
He’s looking at doing 10 to 12 shows at Bluestem next year and 10 to 20 at UP Festival Field, though some may not be touring shows, like last year’s Pride Block Party.
Still, country is what sells best in the area. Jade Presents had sellout shows with JoDee Messina (2,000 at Festival Field) and Dwight Yoakam, Sturgill Simpson and two nights with Willie Nelson at Bluestem.
A sold out crowd watches Sturgill Simpson perform on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, at Bluestem Amphitheater in Moorhead.
Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum
“Country is the route of least resistance for us. Country does very well. It’s safe,” Johnson said, referring to his Jon Pardi sellout. Pardi has since been announced as a headliner for next year’s WE Fest.
Nielsen recalled an event promoter in Billings, Mont., tell him that while country did very well, it was harder to sell rock and rap tickets.
Cashman said next summer the RRVF will be held July 4 through 13 and he still is looking at a range of acts, from country to hard rock to r&b and rap.
“We did great with Flo Rida (2023) and Jason Derulo (2022),” he said.
Cashman added that opening weekend may feature more “dirt events” like races or monster trucks.
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