Jim,

What do you make of this article in yesterday’s sunday business post. A number 1 album with just 1,000 sales. Maybe everyone was buying McCartney tickets instead.

http://www.sbpost.ie/newsfeatures/the-week-the-music-died-45336.html

Ro

I see that SBP brings up the illegal downloading point again while just last week a study was published that said illegal downloaders still spend more money on music on average then music buyers that don’t spend.

Yeah I reckon the 02 honeymoon period will end next year for non mega acts. I remember working it out around July that close to 70% of the shows up to that point had sold out. Cracking business. There was the odd stinker (Kaiser Chiefs, New Kids on the Block) but it seems reality is hitting with ticket prices now reducing (Kasabian €33).

The Nolans, Backstreet Boys, Lily Allen and Paramore all struck me as “ambitious” when announced.

Aside from that, how many “mega” bands will actually be touring next year that are not already announced? I assume Bon Jovi will add an (probable outdoor) Irish date but after that I can’t think of many.

I thought April Fools had come early when I read about that development in Tipperary. It’s absolutely mind-boggling in its ambition [and timing]. Its like opening a tanning salon in the Gobi desert — what are they smoking down there?

JC – still, they got a good run out of it. We Irish do like to have a gawk at bright new shiny things. That said, there have been a few gigs which don’t seem to have done the business – like the Kaiser Chiefs etc.

As for next summer, well, there’s Kenny Rogers and Pink…. Peter Aiken made that point in an interview in Sep in The Ticket – there just doesn’t seem to be the same quantity of acts planning tours for ‘10.

Lutin – venues and festival stages are dictated by demand and the promoters feel Imelda May can “do” the O2 just as putting Lisa Hannigan on in one of the tents might – might – have led to big queues of people not able to get in to see her. I suppose it also shows the lack of a mid-sized venue – a 5.000 capacity one for instance – in the city.

Peter81 – I drove by the site on Saturday and tried to picture what it might look like when and if it’s built. Just can’t see it either.

Ian – It’s not just about luxury items like CDs – there are less CDs being purchased which means less revenue from that sector, a loss which is not getting shored up by merch. The problem for the labels is how to change their business model to make up for that lost revenue – they can, of course, get a share of the merch or live revenue by renegotiating deals or inserting appropriate clauses in new contracts. But, most of all, it will involve cutting costs – less money for videos, tour support, lavish studios, big name producers etc

I meant that people are now buying their CD’s from the merch table at the gigs. The labels presumably aren’t giving those copies away to the bands for free and will have been charging the bands a similar price for them as they are charging the record shops.

Ian – I’d be v interested to hear exact figures from a band or label about how many CDs are sold via a band’s gig vs conventional retail and download outlets. I’d say the bulk of sales at gigs are on “gig-only” items – see OC @ 10 for example.

As for next summer, well, there’s Kenny Rogers and Pink…

And JLS, confirmed, along with Kenny, for Marquee in Cork. That’ll be fun.

As for Imelda May, she played the Savoy here during bank holiday weekend which is a 1k venue (I think) and I’d imagine she could easily have filled it twice over. Big stretch to the O2 though, unless she’s planning the country’s largest office party.

It’s been amazing the way they’ve added all these shows at the O2 recently with ticket prices in or around that €33 mark.

After a year of bumper sell-outs and megastar tours, it seems they’re willing to take a few gambles now and see how it works out with smaller acts at cheaper prices. I can’t remember how long ago it was when a standard gig in The Point was €33. A good few years I’m guessing.

But as people have pointed out, they are likely to have to deal with more mid-range acts during 2010, so they are likely to use these gigs before Christmas as a test to see how they can make the books balance. Obviously, people (like myself!) who haven’t been to a gig there might look at these €33 gigs and think it’ll be worth it for the gawk at the building, but that fascination will die down pretty soon too.

With things like Imelda May, the odd double-bill of David Gray & Regina Spektor and the swift return of Olympia regular Bill Bailey, they seem to be testing all sorts of waters in an attempt to gauge how to keep the venue profitable when the OAPs take some time off.

Perhaps I was dreaming, but I thought I read somewhere that the plans for this development in Tipperary include a life-size replica of the White House. It’ll come in handy when President Obama visits I guess…

However, push beyond that size of show and its really just the t-shirts, scented candles, and Knock apparition holograms that are selling. Punters have the music already.

JD – Knock apparition holograms – now there’s an idea for an O2 gig

Perhaps I was dreaming, but I thought I read somewhere that the plans for this development in Tipperary include a life-size replica of the White House.

Des – as mad as it sounds, you’re right about that. From the Irish Times piece…

“The site, which is located off the M8 Dublin-Cork motorway, would also feature a full-size replica of the White House in Washington as “a memorial to James Hoban”, the 18th-century Irish architect from Co Kilkenny who emigrated to the US and won a competition to design the president’s residence.”

JC – wonder will they object when the National Convention Centre up the road from them starts putting on gigs too?

This is an intriguing article. I don’t understand how anyone should have a real problem with seeing an artist try and be ambitious and raise their own standards by playing in bigger venues.
I believe the ticket prices for the upcoming Imelda May O2 show is exceptionally fair compared to other artists that haven’t had the same amount of success over the last year that she has enjoyed.
How would anyone know, until they’ve seen with their own eyes, if an artist deserves bigger venues? And who has the right to decide?
You’d be hard pressed to find any artist out there at the moment that works as hard as Imelda May. The real reason that record sales are falling? Perhaps it’s something to do with major labels wasting money signing bands that have played maybe half a dozen gigs, or meaningless ‘image over talent’ X-Factor wannabes that CAN’T sing live.
It’s the ‘Popstar’ illusion that is dying, not real music played by talented musicians.

Hal @ 23

This is an intriguing article. I don’t understand how anyone should have a real problem with seeing an artist try and be ambitious and raise their own standards by playing in bigger venues.

I certainly don’t have a problem with this – see the line “there’s certainly nothing wrong with Team May’s ambitious streak in this regard” above.

How would anyone know, until they’ve seen with their own eyes, if an artist deserves bigger venues? And who has the right to decide?

Well, the people who decide are the act, the act’s agent and the promoter. We won’t know if they’re on the money regarding the act filling the O2 until December 22.

You’d be hard pressed to find any artist out there at the moment that works as hard as Imelda May.

Nonsense Hal – every act out there at the moment works hard. Or thinks they work hard.

The real reason that record sales are falling? Perhaps it’s something to do with major labels wasting money signing bands that have played maybe half a dozen gigs, or meaningless ‘image over talent’ X-Factor wannabes that CAN’T sing live. It’s the ‘Popstar’ illusion that is dying, not real music played by talented musicians.

Are U2 an example of the above? As detailed here and elsewhere, their album sales are falling compared to previous releases. This has as much to do with a change in how people consume music as it is to do with the signing habits of the major labels.

The majors have ALWAYS signed acts who are one or other of the categories you list above – yet past record sales have allowed them to keep operating. What has happened now is that there is less revenue from album sales and labels have to change how they work. If they don’t do that, they won’t be around for every long

@24 – Agree completely. Grizzly Bear totally blew me away – best gig I’ve been to in years. And St Vincent supporting was excellent, one of the best support acts I’ve seen

PG – I don’t think anything has ever stopped oTR readers from discussing a gig here before!! Fire ahead here….. I missed it but consoled myself by remembering that I saw them back in March in a church.

So what was it like, pop-pickers?

Grizzly Bear were sublime on sunday night, bloody amazing, As was St Vincent as support, hope she does her own show here soon.

petee – that’s a damn good piece by John Harris – loads of food for thought in that, especially the idea of an “infinite present” when it comes to music.

It’s crazy about that development, I was at the opposite kind of thing on Saturday night, that Young Hearts Run Free night, one of the best things I have ever been to, literally underground. It makes things a bit easier to deal with that people are out there doing nights like that, it obviously took so much effort, there were great bands, and an amazing atmosphere, Children Under Hoof were brilliant. A fitting end to DEAF. Thought Grizzly Bear were spectacular, also – so all in all an amazing weekend, really memorable, thank God there are still some great people in this town running some stuff.