It shouldn't because people will bitch and moan about everything - that's the nature of the beast.
BUT
I've been doing a lot of research over the last year or so into what it takes to take a band on a world tour.
And then what it takes to take a major rock band on tour. Discounting the stages (of which there are often two and they are often custom built and VERY expensive - let's include the lighting here too, specialized rigs and the techs that go with them) just the day to day logistics are a freaking mindboggling nightmare.
Praise be the tour manager who has to negotiate the daily intricacies.
Also add in the pirating of DVD's and CD's - which take money's from bands - so money made on the tour can be the bulk of the money the band will get from their new CD. (ya gotta make it last.)
So what you have is a band willing to spend say 1-2 years (some go longer) on the road, away from family and friends... playing for fans who are delighted (and some desperately crazy) to see them.
They tour in countries that sound cool and exotic but don't get to see much of the country they're in. Most hotels are fairly similar.
Everywhere they go everything has to be thought of.
Culture, protocol, everything must be covered. Down to the price of cigarettes and whether or not you can smoke on the street or anywhere else- things must be known and factored in. The whole tour is managed completely to keep a lid on the costs. (There is no point touring if it's going to cost you more than you make - that's common sense.)
Things happen. people get sick and require medical care in foreign lands. Equipment breaks in transit or one of the trucks has an accident... it has to be covered- and replacements flown in or found locally. (Good luck getting replacement parts for special equipment) But this also includes guitar strings and drum sticks, etc.
For a minute - imagine you are taking a group of 100 college students to Europe for the summer. Does that sound like fun?
Hell not to me. Not passed the first week anyway.
You're in charge of funds, keeping everyone safe, providing everything everyone needs for as long as it takes, keeping tabs on everyone -you have to know where they are. What if someone gets arrested? Can you go on without them?
It's your job to get the entire group to each venue at the times they need to be there - so you'll have sub-groups requiring different things - if something doesn't get done on time -everyone runs late.
If you're on stage over the 'end' time in the contract there are HUGE monetary penalties. No one can afford to run late. (not even five minutes late)
Do you see how difficult this could be?
Okay now factor in the recession. Worldwide.
Everything has gone up.
Now explain to me why so many people are bitching and moaning about the cost of concert tickets?
Explain to me why people are carrying on like the world is ending because they can only afford to go to three or four concerts on one particular tour? (When last time they went to twenty...)
And then explain why they are blaming the band...
I can't for the life of me imagine why anyone would want to go to 20 or more concerts by the same band - we're talking almost consecutive days at times... and very good seats. (that's not small change and never was.)
Down here in NZ we're lucky to get any big gigs... almost no one tours the country. We get one gig, if we're lucky. Which will end up costing plane fare for most people who want to go and then hotel... and you'll probably be up in the Gods somewhere.
The difference being... we're happy to be there at all.
lol
There's more to life than following a band across America or Europe - I'm sure it's fun but is it worth bitching and moaning about?
Okay that's my two-cents worth. Maybe I will stay out of the chat room for a bit -it drives me nuts watching the craziness.