> Ticketmaster ultimately provides a luxury. You don't need to see a concert
I don't agree. Entertainment/recreation is a need. Music is an important part of the human experience, and seeing it live, with other fans, is really valuable to some people. And the fact is, the value a person places on the experience is totally orthogonal to their ability to use/afford Ticketmaster. And it's not just about Taylor Swift - even local shows can be difficult to access without quarrelsome online portals. (But also, someone being obsessed with Taylor Swift isn't a personality flaw.)
> even local shows can be difficult to access without quarrelsome online portals
Not all of them, but online ticket is a convenience and then a trap. It isn't going to be outcompeted by me "voting with my wallet." That just betrays an ignorance of situation.
"Fed up with high prices and long lines and ticketing SNAFUs for big shows with your favorite artists?"
"Clearly, the best answer to this is to forget about all of the music you think you like. Just forget all about it."
"Instead, go to the bar and see a band. It doesn't matter if you like the music or not; after all, we know that every live music performance is exactly the same as any other!"
I go to a lot of concerts. Ticketmaster covers half of the shows I go to. They're not that much worse than others who also tack on fees amounting to 20% of the purchase price.
I'm not opposed to basic regulation, but let's not act like Ticketmaster is some uniquely evil company.
I'm going to keep going to see Big Rock Shows because that's what I enjoy the most. And I'm going to keep getting GA tickets (what seats?), because I am nowhere near old enough to stay out of the pit once my pant legs start flapping from a grotesquely overbuilt PA.
And in my neck of the woods, bands at bars can't scratch that itch.
So that means paying (and complaining about) Ticketmaster.
I agree that experiencing music is a fundamental part of human life, but experiencing specific musicians at specific venues is not. It is very easy to find free live music without Ticketmaster or online portals.
I don't agree. Entertainment/recreation is a need. Music is an important part of the human experience, and seeing it live, with other fans, is really valuable to some people. And the fact is, the value a person places on the experience is totally orthogonal to their ability to use/afford Ticketmaster. And it's not just about Taylor Swift - even local shows can be difficult to access without quarrelsome online portals. (But also, someone being obsessed with Taylor Swift isn't a personality flaw.)