Arcade Fire’s £110 tickets at Brixton are part of a disturbing trend

Much has been writen of soaring ticket prices at big, grade A shows, but this is increasingly true at smaller venues too, writes James Moore. How long before fans decide they’ve had enough?

The band will be playing their upcoming shows at the Brixton Academy (Getty Images for Coachella)

“I can be both angry at the ticket price of Arcade Fire’s Brixton gig, and angry that they sold out before I could get them. I can and I am.”

I saw this in a tweet in relation to the £110 a throw the band is charging for its forthcoming shows at Brixton Academy, which is now back in business with revised safety procedures after a horrific tragedy in which two people died in a crush.

My first reaction was pretty similar: a loud, “wait, what?” I love the Academy. It is one of those iconic venues. The walls as you make your way in are splattered with its illustrious history, featuring the names of some of the legendary acts that have played there. It’s dusty. A bit musty. A bit old.

I’m glad that it is open once again, because the sad fact is that once a venue like it is gone, it is unlikely to be replaced anytime soon. And the Academy fills an important niche. Its capacity makes it suitable for rising bands, just below arena level, but sometimes more established acts like Arcade Fire play there, too. I might say they were slumming it, except there won’t be a lot slumming done at £110.

Brixton occasionally suffers from sound that is, shall we say, muddy. This is part of the venue’s charm, I suppose. But I’d want Albert Hall-level acoustics for that sort of price.

Much has been written about the soaring price of grade A gigs – the summer stadium shows put on by the likes of Taylor Swift and other global superstars. This has become a point of contention with the nation’s music fans, many of whom have found themselves scrimping and saving to fund their passion (if they haven’t been completely priced out already).

When I’ve written on this subject in the past, I’ve pointed to the fact that there are alternatives for those who wince at the price of events like this. Smaller shows by smaller acts that offer just as much as the big names, and maybe even more.

Except that the prices at smaller venues lately seem to have taken a similar moonshot. I’ve seen the asking price for shows at venues with capacities of 1,000 – or even less – exceeding £50.

One of my favourite memories is banging my head opposite the late Kurt Cobain after the audience was invited up on stage – yes, that actually happened – at the tiny Norwich Arts Centre. The end of their show with co-headliners Tad had descended into a joyful chaos. I know, I know. This is how music fans of a certain vintage annoy their mates and especially their kids – all the more so when they mention that it cost less than a tenner.

You now need a decent amount of disposable income to meet the cost of almost any gig in today’s market, and between house prices, loans and the cost of living crisis, that’s one thing young people lack.

This matters. The music industry is a big earner. UK Music, the trade body, produces an annual report which found that music export revenue in 2022 reached £4bn, aided by growth in recording and music publishing but also the return of international touring. The industry contributed £6.7bn in gross value added to a UK economy that has lately needed all the help it can get. It sustained 210,000 jobs.

With streaming providing such limited returns, playing live is often necessary for artists to make bank, both on the show and on the merch on sale at the venue. I understand that promotors take big risks, and that factors into the cost. The failure of a tour can even lead to bankruptcy. I also recognise that venues are still recovering from Covid, and that everyone’s costs have risen.

But how much is down to necessity, and how much is simply a function of greed? As prices continue to spiral, those involved are at risk of killing the goose that lays their golden eggs.

Some artists see the problem. A couple of years ago, Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott of Beautiful South fame announced a £30 cap on a string of summer shows at big venues. They spoke out against “industry greed”. Slowthai, a British rapper, has toured intimate venues charging just £1 a go. He has talked of the importance of access to his music.

But these are rarities. For the most part, the industry seems bent upon feeding its face until such time as the consumer declares the party to be over. That increasingly holds true across the piste.

The party isn’t over just yet. After all, Arcade Fire sold out. But this kind of pricing is unsustainable. If venues continue at their current pace, they may find themselves facing the music sooner than they think.