Why are rock acts bypassing ATL? (Atlanta: deal, money, demographics)

[stillinthesouth]

Originally Posted by atlantamoi

I read that Bonnaroo could actually be a contractual issue. U2 can't play in a certain radius in a certain time period by playing there. I really don't know if this is true, but it could make sense. And it sucks! I am wanting to take my 10-year-old daughter to her first big concert and U2 would have been a good one. She likes Coldplay and they also skipped Atlanta on the current tour. So, I turned my attention to Paul McCartney and because he's playing in Duluth instead of Philips there are thousands of less seats available. Nothing online less than $200 a ticket (and those are top of the arena behind the stage in the corner). Ugh. I think, though, Atlanta is not a bad music scene. Usually it's not that hard to find a decent club, mid-level or arena act to enjoy. But it really is a bummer when a band goes to Athens and skips Atlanta. Just heard that the new dome's first concert is going to be Garth Brooks (gag).

I didn't realize Coldplay also skipped Atlanta. Good example. It seems like Atlanta used to be more of a priority for touring bands. Atlanta still does OK but I've been noticing that other markets of its size (and some smaller) are doing much better in terms of attracting tours.

As for prices for the big acts, yeah, they're out of hand. I noticed tickets for Metallica at SunTrust Park are in the $200-$300 range.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by stillinthesouth

This is also the case with many of the smaller "alternative" acts -- Wilco, recently skipped Atlanta in their extensive tour, and reunion tours for Echo & the Bunnymen and the Psychedelic Furs don't include a date for Atlanta while playing a lot of smaller markets in addition to the big ones.

Echo were just here a few months ago, and Wilco plays here every year.

But to your larger point, I have noticed a lot of bands skip Atlanta. But we sometimes get shows that don't go to other places. Tom Waits, for example. He almost never tours in the states anymore, but he did two short tours several years ago and came to Atlanta both times, and skipped a lot of the bigger cities.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by atlantamoi

I read that Bonnaroo could actually be a contractual issue. U2 can't play in a certain radius in a certain time period by playing there. I really don't know if this is true, but it could make sense. And it sucks!

Yes, many festivals have clauses that prevent bands from playing within a certain radius within a certain amount of time. I agree it sucks.

[stillinthesouth]

Originally Posted by JPD

Echo were just here a few months ago, and Wilco plays here every year.

But to your larger point, I have noticed a lot of bands skip Atlanta. But we sometimes get shows that don't go to other places. Tom Waits, for example. He almost never tours in the states anymore, but he did two short tours several years ago and came to Atlanta both times, and skipped a lot of the bigger cities.

Wilco played here in 2016, so maybe they figured they didn't need to add Atlanta to this latest tour. Good catch on Echo. Now I don't feel quite so bad

Radiohead is another band that seems to like Atlanta, and they are pretty selective in their tour stops.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by Tarzanman

What would make a good medium sized venue? Chastain?

Yeah, Chastain. Also Tabernacle and Fox. A little smaller than those, but larger than nightclubs, would be places like Variety Playhouse, Center Stage, Terminal West, Masquerade (Heaven), Buckhead Theater, etc.

[bhammaster]

I've noticed this too, but typically the bands I follow will either come back later/just played or they are doing a fest with a certain radius that would affect there ability to play again soon.

I see a lot of tours go through Texas big cities that I don't see in Alatnta, but that is likely because if you are driving through Texas you "HAVE" to play somewhere for the money it will cost to get through the whole state so it doesn't make sense to skip the oppportunities.


I'm only speaking of national tours that cover the south east or just south easters tours.

A lot of tours skip the south with Texas being the exception sometimes, but if you follow alternative bands Florida gets the biggest shaft likely due to tour routing down there.

[space cadet]

If any acts are planning an arena tour this summer, they will definitely skip Atlanta. This is because our arena (Philips Arena) is closed for the summer for renovations. The next act is not slated until November.

Events | Philips Arena

[Just Blaze]

Pop acts are slipping us too. The Chainsmokers and Bruno Marks skipped ATL. Bruno is playing at Music Midtown but still.

[Atlwarrior]

I think after Garth Brooks sold out 73,000 seats in 67 minutes and how the special effects that will be at Mercedes Stadium, it won't be many more Rock groups passing Atlanta.

[oldschoolChevy]

Originally Posted by krogerDisco

Doesn't a concert promoter have to basically pay the band to come, and make back his money selling tickets? Maybe the past Atlanta concert promoters have quit the business, and the newer generation have different tastes?

That's exactly the reason. Alex Cooley died a few years ago, Peter Conlon probably isn't booking anything that's not LiveNation or at Music Midtown, and Eddies Attic isn't run by Eddie anymore. Those guys footprint in that scene the last 20-30 years was so big that it chased younger promoters to other cities. And since then Atlanta has become known for urban music, which in turn probably drives even younger promoters who would do rock, into the urban lane. I think it's a business opportunity that's wide open if someone was into that genre. I used to book shows, mostly small gigs in Alabama or Tenn and it was decent money in it.