DMB makes more money, loses spots on moneymaker list
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They say that less is more, but when is more lesser? When you’re the Dave Matthews Band, apparently. Such was the case Tuesday when tour industry publication Pollstar put out its list of the top-grossing North American tours for 2006 so far. Despite selling more tickets and making more money than this time last year (70,165 tickets and $2.7 million more, to be exact), DMB missed the top 10, coming in at 16. That’s eight spots down from their place on the 2005 year-end list.
But Charlottesville needn’t sell off all its Dave assets just yet, according to industry insiders. “They’re not slipping,” says Pollstar’s Gary Bonngiovanni. “They’ve done 14 shows at an average ticket price of $42.12. Look at the acts above them. Madonna is charging an average of $186 per ticket, Kenny Chesney’s done 37 shows.”
In fact, Dave and company are easily one of the most wallet-friendly acts in the top 20. Only Mexican heartthrob Luis Miguel (#11) charges his fans less on average.
But has the Dave Matthews Band overtaken the other gianormous act to play our fair city, the Rolling Stones? This list says a definitive “no,” with the Stones coming in at #2 grossing $52.5 million to DMB’s $16.1 million having also played just 14 North American shows.
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Money??? Who cares about the money!!! Who cares what # they are on the list. Not any self respecting DMB Fan!! Dave Matthews Band puts on THE BEST LIVE SHOW around!!!!!!!!! Every time I have taken someone new to a show, they immediately become converts!! One friend told me, “I get it now”. She said it’s like a Religious Experience!! She plans on camping out at Deer Creek (Noblesville, IN) with me next year!! I also had a girl with me who had never been to any concert, EVER!! She is also now a HUGE Dave Matthews Band fan!!!
Keep On Rockin’ Guys!!! You make us PROUD!!!
Amy~
P.S. I think the show you guys put on June 3rd at Deer Creek should be made into a DVD/CD set. The setlist was AWESOME!! Perfect Show!!! ~
Where are DMB tickets priced low enough to drag the average price down to $42? Maybe they are averaging in the price of lawn tickets? I just pulled out a few stubs…all the shows I’ve been to have cost $57, $57.50 or $59. Add in all the fees and each ticket easily costs $70.
I don’t got to a slew of DMB shows anymore and I can’t say the prices aren’t part of the reason. Granted, they have a fairly complex stage set up and a large crew is needed to support that, but with the relentless touring they do, you’d think $37.50 would still be sufficient.
I agree with Amy. DMB is NOT about the money. And in fact, lots of the money they do make goes to very good charitable use.
money? whats that we dont care how muck dave and the band bring home. its about the feeling u get when ur there it cant be found any where else in the entire world. i was at the fenway show on the 8th. it truly put me in a nother world i sanf every word at the top of my lungs and danced and smiled while duing all of it. no alchohol or drugs and didnt think of the money once…who cares man dave and the band deserve much more than money they deserve huge amounts of thanks
Jake, maybe you can take another stab at that post in the morning.
Yes, DMB is a wonderful band. That’s not the issue I raised. The issue I raised was with the high ticket price, which does point to the band being concerned with money. Everyone knows that artists make the bulk of their money touring (not from record sales). DMB is rolling in cash as a result of high ticket prices and constant touring.
After going to every show within a few hours drive for a few years, I realized how much money I was spending and cut back. Around that same time, I fell in love with Widespread Panic and then GD, Galactic, RRFB, KDTU and Phish. These days, I can spend $100 on a festival ticket and see all my favorites. Compare that the $70 I used to spend on three hours of DMB music and DMB doesn’t look so great.
DMB …….priceless.