Classic rock isn't the draw it used to be

[mcamp]

Once many of the classic rock acts get past their obligitory reunion tour, they don't bang out the arenas like they used to.
For instance, Van Halen just came thru my area (greater Boston), and there were plenty of tickets to be had.
When their 1st leg happened it drew pretty well....2nd time around, I could have scored excellent seats the day of show...there were eight tickets together in the rear of the arena (Verizon Arena, Manchester, NH)....I would have imagined they played to a 3/4 house.
The same can be said for the Police...Steely Dan has downsized to smaller venues, as have the Allman Bros, Yes, etc...to get a respectable draw, many tours are lumping togehter 2 and 3 acts (Journey, Heart and Cheap Trick for example).
In most cases now, I don't even bother to get tickets until the day of show...I can usually score one outside for below face value....it must be tough to be a scalper these days, not that I have any sympathy for them.

 

[TheRover]

It's just all to sell beer so porple can get drunk....

BFD ! ! ! !

When I went to concert in the 70's......

It was to see and hear great and awesome rock.....

It was NOT to have a bar band "experience" in a "large" setting......

But for many, the "bar" always comes first.... then music perhaps.

Well, that's what bars are for, aren't they ? ?

 

[sdh483]

screw that! You can get cheaper beer at actual bars and just play their live albums on the jukebox. Forget paying 7 dollars for a 12 oz beer at an arena!

 

[RFLA]

Many of the groups are shells of themselves that are touring and usually not the most well known lead singer of the group either (for example Styx)

Most aren't willing to pay to see what some consider a cover group, some can't afford to go, and others just rather remember them in their former glory.

What I find that may draw is the old groups still doing new material (such as Rush and Motley Crue)

 

[TheRover]

Many of the groups are shells of themselves that are touring and usually not the most well known lead singer of the group either (for example Styx)

Most aren't willing to pay to see what some consider a cover group, some can't afford to go, and others just rather remember them in their former glory.

What I find that may draw is the old groups still doing new material (such as Rush and Motley Crue)

I find it odd that you would lump Rush, and what they've consitently delviered, with bands like M Crue and Styx.

But then that's U.

 

[RFLA]

Many of the groups are shells of themselves that are touring and usually not the most well known lead singer of the group either (for example Styx)

Most aren't willing to pay to see what some consider a cover group, some can't afford to go, and others just rather remember them in their former glory.

What I find that may draw is the old groups still doing new material (such as Rush and Motley Crue)

I find it odd that you would lump Rush, and what they've consitently delviered, with bands like M Crue and Styx.

But then that's U.

Actually my point was Rush and Motley Crue have new material every few years and is still considered revelant so they draw more crowds and fans than say Styx with only 2 original members.

Yes the Crue is was a shell also for a while, but with a new CD like Rush came out with last year, they plan on with the newest tour to appeal to mainstream rockers as part of a Oz-fest style artist lineup which will bring them money



Most of the others only live off of the songs that everyone remembers.... For example, the last Styx Song to actually get air play as a new song was in 1991....17 years ago

 

[drpickle]

I don't even bother to get tickets until the day of show...I can usually score one outside for below face value....it must

Scalpers/brokers do ok because they do not buy a lot of these tickets anymore. A few pairs of fruit if that. The Allmans in NY at Radio City does ok but otherwise a lot of these acts just do not succeed on the secondary market.

 

[drpickle]

Some people have changed. They became born again Christians and watch Sean Hannity, hanging on his every word.

 

[wangchung]

I agree with RFLA. The hits are great, but you have to keep producing new material.

Every time the Rolling Stones have toured over the last 10-20 years, they produce the highest grossing tours of each season. Why? They continue to develop new tracks for radio airplay, and at the shows every song is a hit...and although Mick is a bit rough around the edges, the band still has it's chops.

 

[Biz Listener]

I agree with RFLA. The hits are great, but you have to keep producing new material.

Every time the Rolling Stones have toured over the last 10-20 years, they produce the highest grossing tours of each season. Why? They continue to develop new tracks for radio airplay, and at the shows every song is a hit...and although Mick is a bit rough around the edges, the band still has it's chops.

Why bother to produce new material? The suits won't play new songs by the core artists on classic rock stations because the songs aren't old enough, and the suits won't play new songs by the core artists on new rock stations because the artists are too old.

It's the suits programming the radio stations who are ruining the music industry.

 

[wangchung]

Why bother to produce new material? The suits won't play new songs by the core artists on classic rock stations because the songs aren't old enough, and the suits won't play new songs by the core artists on new rock stations because the artists are too old.

In some cases. But at my mainstream rocker, and others, you'll hear the new tracks by classic rock artists. Over the last say 3-5 years, I've played new tracks by Skynyrd, Stones, Clapton & Rush.

I understand not hearing them on true "classic" rock stations...and if I were still PD at an active rock station, I wouldn't play them either...they would sound a bit strange next to bands like Disturbed, and probably wouldn't meet my listeners expectations of the station either.

 

[firepoint525]

Why bother to produce new material? The suits won't play new songs by the core artists on classic rock stations because the songs aren't old enough, and the suits won't play new songs by the core artists on new rock stations because the artists are too old.

I don't know who, other than AAA stations, would play such material.

I was on a country station in the early '90s, and we played the then-new single from Skynyrd. It was called "Pure and Simple." I don't remember much about it, except that our PD referred to it as "Sweet Home, Pure and Simple"! ;D

 

[scottsvb5]

Thing with Classic Rock bands/metal bands of the 80s is.. you can play them now mixed with today new hard rock. The songs are close to being simular. You can play New Metallica and New Ac Dc with New Disturbed and New BlackStoneCherry. Also you can play New Tesla and New Whitesnake with New Puddle Of Mud and New Blacktide. Hard Rock is back in thru most markets, especially the mid-size markets! The demand is there not only from the 31-44 age group but also from the 16-21 age group. The Average 20 min listener wants to hear New Rock and New Stuff from older Bands.

 

[mcamp]

Classic rock acts putting out new material has nothing to do with how well the show sells.
No one is there to hear their latest material....not that much of it gets radio play anyway.
When new material is played at a classic rock event, it means piss-break.
Someone metioned the Stones, and their success at the gate because they put out new material...a token song or two at their concerts doesn't bring their fans out of the wood-work...their audience is baby boomers who go to a couple of concerts a year, and are willing to pay top dollar for the experience...with an average price of $150+ a ticket, it surely does wonders for their gross earnings.

 

[scottsvb5]

As a fan of Classic Rock ( mostly metal) I love hearing NEW Metallica, New AcDc New Tesla on the Radio.

 

[TheRover]

As a fan of Classic Rock ( mostly metal) I love hearing NEW Metallica, New AcDc New Tesla on the Radio.

And I HATE having to hear the tired old Metallica and AC/DC songs that will and do get played in the orgy of what "new" album brings..... It's so *&^%ing predictable ! !
But Masses have to some place to get their Cheap Sunglasses....

 

[sdh483]

As a fan of Classic Rock ( mostly metal) I love hearing NEW Metallica, New AcDc New Tesla on the Radio.

It seems most classic rock-branded artists have came up with some great stuff in the 2000s. Not so much in the 90s, where alternative was the ruler of rock at the time. But I hear a lot of artists going back to their roots and giving their fans the difinitive sound that made them well known the first time. It would be nice to hear their new stuff on CR radio, as opposed to their tired out hits. Heck, even play a minor hit or album cut to mix it up. Showcase their new music in a "Classic-Current" style al la VH1 Classic.

 

[TheRover]

As a fan of Classic Rock ( mostly metal) I love hearing NEW Metallica, New AcDc New Tesla on the Radio.

It seems most classic rock-branded artists have came up with some great stuff in the 2000s. Not so much in the 90s, where alternative was the ruler of rock at the time. But I hear a lot of artists going back to their roots and giving their fans the difinitive sound that made them well known the first time. It would be nice to hear their new stuff on CR radio, as opposed to their tired out hits. Heck, even play a minor hit or album cut to mix it up. Showcase their new music in a "Classic-Current" style al la VH1 Classic.

No amount of mis=xing it up will ever make CR Radio interesting.....

By definition, CR Radio is utterly boring..... it's like putting a marshmellow on poop doesn't make it any nicer....

 

[Remaster]

It's pretty simple.....Politicians have replaced rock stars in that demo.

Who's funding the campaigns? It's starting to be a heavy boomer market

Van Halen might not draw 12,000 people....but a MCCain or Obama rally will.

Besides, the boomer/reunion market has lost it's buzz. In 1994, it was a big deal if your band got back together. Now, not only is it kind of expected, but it's become part of the life cycle of a band (I.E. smashing pumpkins and Stone Temple Pilots) It's lost the "must see" factor.

I think 2009 and 2010 will be better for Classic Rockers on the road. I'm going to grade on a scale based on the economy by the way. I don't think ANYONE will do record numbers in the near future.

Rock band/Guitar hero have opened up a huge market for downloaders. Sweet Home Alabama has done almost a half million downloads in the last year. People will want to check these acts out live.

 

[wangchung]

Anybody check the sales of the new AC/DC release?

#1 in 29 countries.

Not bad for another "marshmallow on poop" band eh Rover? :