Avenged Sevenfold's M. Shadows recently discussed the challenging economics of modern touring in a candid interview with YouTuber Bradley Hall. The frontman revealed several key insights about the current state of the live music industry.

According to Shadows, touring has become "incredibly hard" for bands to profit from, even for established acts like Avenged Sevenfold. The post-pandemic landscape has brought significant challenges:

• Rising travel costs and inflation have dramatically increased touring expenses
• Many bands are being forced to cancel tours due to financial constraints
• Ticket sales are declining as consumers face higher prices
• Concert tickets now often cost $500-600 for regular shows, up to $3,200 for major artists

To adapt to these challenges, Avenged Sevenfold has focused on expanding into new markets, particularly in Asia. Indonesia has become their second-largest market, demonstrating the potential of developing new territories.

Shadows also addressed the controversial topic of dynamic ticket pricing, explaining:

• The system was created to redirect profits from resellers to artists
• Artists can opt into dynamic pricing through Ticketmaster
• While fans prefer money going to artists over resellers, they still object to high prices
• Many artists hide behind Ticketmaster rather than acknowledging their role in pricing

Despite these challenges, Avenged Sevenfold continues touring, with upcoming shows across Europe, including major festivals like Tons Of Rock, Rock For People, and Release. The band recently completed the American leg of their "Life Is But A Dream..." tour, reaching new cities like Raleigh and Manchester.

Related Articles

Previous Articles