No one would blame you for bailing on a concert in 2021. Between the threat of COVID, the home-based lifestyle we’ve all grown attached to, and the general feeling that at any moment the whole fucking world might end, this year has not been one where hanging out in a room full of sweaty strangers feels very safe. But a new study has shown that not only did concertgoers bail on their purchase tickets in 2021, but also one in five of them did.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, up to 20% of concertgoers in 2021 didn’t show up for the gig they bought tickets for. And this isn’t small gigs, either — the Journal used data pulled from concerts by veteran acts including The Eagles, Dead & Company, and George Strait as evidence.
Now, as Ultimate Classic Rock mentions, this number goes up depending on whether or not these shows have been postponed or rescheduled. This makes sense — some fans might not immediately remember the date to which their concert was postponed, while older fans (who definitely make up the fanbases for the artists we mentioned above — no shade, just facts) might not have the same ability to reschedule their big night out that other concertgoers have (hey, babysitters don’t grow on trees).
None the less, it’s also mentioned that this is a massive increase from pre-pandemic numbers, which clocked in at between 1% and 3%. So the sudden growth in no-shows is undoubtedly related to COVID. That checks out, too — music fans are hyped about a tour, buy a ticket, then check the numbers in that area and decide it’s not worth it.
From all of us at The Pit: BUY THE TICKET ANYWAY. Look, you may not show up at the gig. You may even know ahead of time that you will likely not show up at the gig. But in the modern economy, musicians need you to vote with your dollar. Worst-case scenario? A couple of bones tossed to a band you’d want to see live anyway.
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Words by Chris Krovatin
