‘Out of Control?’: Rising concert costs forcing many music lovers to stay home

The high cost of show tickets and concessions at major venues has become a major obstacle for concertgoers in 2026. See what it costs to attend a typical show and view reader comments on their experiences.

 

There’s never been a concert summer quite like this, with sparkling new venues, countless options for live music … and wallets stretched to the max.

Grand Rapids’ new Acrisure Amphitheater has earned high praise and high marks for its design, accommodations and top-notch concert atmosphere. Of course, it’s also sparked complaints from residents about high noise levels emanating from certain shows at the outdoor venue – sounds that have “rattled windows” several miles away, according to some.

Those concerns, which may be difficult to address considering the venue is explicitly exempt from the city’s standard entertainment noise ordinance, have come amid even more troubling issues impacting the summer concert industry as a whole.

While the summer of 2026 has rolled out as likely the busiest in Michigan history, serious concerns about costs and filling seats continue to bubble below the surface: Some tours have canceled shows due to lagging sales and some venues have struggled at times to sell tickets for shows.

Ticket prices, transportation costs and other expenses shouldered by concertgoers and festival attendees have some fans bypassing shows or being more selective when it comes to these events.
And for good reason: Industry data shows that the average price of tickets for the Top 100 worldwide concert tours has jumped 50 percent over the past five years, averaging $144 per show. Indeed, floor seat tickets for the biggest stars sometimes exceed $1,000.

For example, tickets for country star Morgan Wallen’s mammoth July 24 show at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor range from $88 to a whopping $4,393, according to the AXS ticketing site — and that’s before fees. My search for upper level, tippy-top of the stadium seats showed tickets priced at $232.69 and higher. (Back in 2018, the up-and-coming Wallen played the 400-capacity Stache inside Grand Rapids’ Intersection. Tickets were $20.)

So not surprisingly, sellouts haven’t been exactly par for the course in 2026 – not only at the new 12,000-capacity Acrisure Amphitheather in Grand Rapids, but at the perennially popular 1,900-capacity Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and other venues across the region and the country. Of course, the addition of new Michigan venues and flurry of free outdoor concerts have affected ticket sales as well.

Granted, economical options are available at many shows, with lawn seats at the new Acrisure Amphitheater ranging from $25 to $49 for some concerts (depending on how many tickets you buy). On the flip side, resale lawn seats for Dave Matthews Band’s recent two-night stand at the venue cost in the neighborhood of $160 each. Still, fans packed the amphitheater for those shows.

Beyond that, many fans have expressed “sticker shock” at beverage and food prices at the new amphitheater, with a single beer costing $14-$18, “quick sips” (Long Drink, etc) at $18, bottled water $6-$8, pizza at $14 and chicken tenders at $15. And that doesn’t count tips, of course.

Indeed, one concertgoer reported that he and his wife bought two cocktails each at a recent show and it cost them $100.

As an experiment, I recently decided to buy a lawn seat — the cheapest option for a ticket — to the Santana and Doobie Brothers concert at Acrisure Amphitheater and reserve a parking spot through the city’s new ParkMobile system at a ramp about 5-1/2 blocks away from the venue, and document my experience and the costs related to that evening.

I also decided to arrive downtown about a half-hour before the show to gauge traffic congestion and potential parking issues. While I definitely ran into a traffic snag on the Pearl Street Bridge coming in off of U.S. 131, it only took several minutes to reach the Monroe-Campau Ramp on Monroe Avenue NW and there were just three or four cars ahead of me entering the ramp. An attendant was helping motorists, but all I had to do was wave my QR code on the scanner to enter immediately, with the attendant cautioning that I’d have to scan it again when I left the ramp at the end of the night.

Although lines seemed long to enter the amphitheater, plenty of workers were on hand to assist concertgoers and I made it through security and to my lawn seat just as the opening act, The Doobie Brothers took the stage. During the show, I experienced only short waits to use the restroom or to purchase beer/food (though the type of beverages and food varied from concession to concession).

The sound, the overall experience was top-shelf. But the total cost for one person in the cheapest seats, purchasing two drinks and pizza? $131.95.

Had I purchased a seat close to the stage (center/front), the night would have set me back $284.10. In essence, a night out for two – limiting drinks and food, and not counting any pre- or post-concert stops – would have cost between $263.90 and $568.20. None of this counts gas or transportation expenses, and this show was by no means an expensive ticket compared to other concerts.

(The average concert ticket price at Acrisure Amphitheater is about $80, though prime seats for many top-tier acts exceeds $300-$400 each.)

Concession and merchandise costs, of course, also have skyrocketed in recent years, adding to the evening’s outlay for concertgoers. Check out examples from three venues here.

‘OUT OF REACH’: READERS SPEAK OUT ON CONCERT COSTS

While all of this hasn’t kept some music lovers from continuing to attend shows by artists they love, many have cut back. Local Spins recently asked readers whether high costs have altered their concertgoing routines: Most complained about the rising expenses and other obstacles, while others said they’ve found ways to still enjoy live music – while being more selective about the events they attend.

Of course, one sure way to avoid those high costs remains: Attend shows by local and regional artists at venues – and smaller festivals – where ticket prices, cover charges and beverage/concession prices are low.

We asked readers two questions: Have high tickets and gas costs affected your ability to attend shows, and what’s the biggest obstacle or headache in attending concerts: The cost, parking, safety, poor sound/visibility, unruly guests?

Here’s what some readers had to say about obstacles they face in attending concerts:

Jack Clark – Cost. It’s really gotten out of control. The second obstacle for me is ability to get home at reasonable time. Some venues are really tough to exit post-show. If I’m gonna be stuck in a parking lot for 2 hours after a show, I’ll pass.

Mike Rogers – Two tickets with insurance in lower bowl, 4 mixed drinks, Uber down and back from north end of town: $720.

Holly Sillman Martin – Cost is a big one, but secondary for me. As my friends and I get older, we have more and more issues with the ability to navigate venues and standing for hours at a time. We’re starting to avoid venues and shows we would like to attend because of it. In the future it would be great if there was a seating option for seniors. Many of us are happy to pay the cost of the event as long as we can see it without being in pain the entire show.

Holly Zimmerman – Agreed with the cost. It’s definitely not affordable for everyone and the few people on the lower side of income, who can save for a ticket will barely be able to afford a drink or food in the venue, let alone if they wanna buy merch. Yeah, parking sucks and I wish they would’ve found a better option for the venue, but I am able-bodied and I could use a walk from time to time.

Colin Jones – The cost of tickets nowadays is way too high. You have bands or artists that are just starting out and gaining popularity that should be performing in small clubs for $25 a ticket that are now performing in larger venues for a minimum of $100 a ticket. And parking is definitely not designed correctly at most venues and if you have to pay for parking, that’s annoying, especially if the venue has its own parking lot.

Steve Sly – To be honest, the glut of concert options that we have in the area means that you have to pick and choose more than you used to. On the one hand, this is a good problem to have, but with prices for tickets, parking, concessions, gas and everything else these days most people can’t afford everything they want to see. I live in Kalamazoo and within a one-hour drive, I have Warner Vinyards, Blue Gate Theater, Acusure Amphitheater, 20 Monroe, The Pyramid Scheme, The Intersection, Meijer Gardens, Wings Stadium, The Livery, The Park Theater, Firekeepers Casino, Bell’s Brewery, Van Andel Arena, DeVos Hall, all concert venues that I frequent. In another year, we will also have the new arena in Kalamazoo and hopefully the State Theatre back in operation. This is not even counting the many smaller bars and clubs that offer live music, especially in the summer. It is great that we have so many choices in our little mid major market of Michigan, but at the same time cost of tickets and everything else are also going through the roof, so people who want to go to live shows have narrow down what they want to see. I don’t see it as being sustainable unless prices come down.

Roger Pam Kintner – All of the above.

Mike Dodge – The selection. I’ve never been interested in seeing a lot of the bands that come through Van Andel Arena or Meijer Gardens, haven’t been for ages. I usually go when someone else asks me to go, more for a night out than ponying up for a ticket myself because I really want to see the show. For the older bands, a lot of them I’ve seen in their prime when they were playing new music. Many of the new(er) bands I’m into would never be hosted at the big GR concert venues. I end up at the smaller venues. The only big ticket concert I have this summer is the Black Crowes, again, mainly because a group of us are going. I also have tickets to Todd Rundgren, smaller venue at Bell’s, my daughter and I have tried a few times to see him together but the stars never aligned until this year. But again, I saw him in his younger era with Utopia. One thing I hope is that the general admission lawn at Acrisure doesn’t turn into a Federik Meijer Gardens family picnic night. I don’t think it will since I haven’t heard of memberships and yearly passes. If they keep it a free-for-all like Pine Knob, it will always have the potential to be fun regardless of who’s playing.

Bill Bissell – There’s a lot of good local bands. Check the Local Spins community concert calendar. The bands get paid and you get a great show. Buy their merch and music if you like them. And then go see them when they play around town.

James R. Murphy Jr. – The absence of seats.

Hannah Marie Smela – Tickets are not expensive if you’re not doing stadium shows. I have four shows towards the end of summer, all were under $100 a ticket for seats not the lawn at the amphitheater. We went to one at Fox Theatre in Detroit, too, for under $100 each. However, snacks and beverages are crazy. But we just eat before. And maybe get a drink (N.A.) at the event.

Kevin Tomczak – Yes, there are a lot of over-priced concerts, but there is still a wealth of great concerts all over in the $20-$50 ticket range. Live Nation does a sale every year for $30 all-in tickets. You just have to learn when and where to buy your tickets. The biggest hurdle for me is I’m two hours from GR and four hours from Detroit.

Madi Overholt – Cost 100%!

Katherine Bell – Concerts? In this economy? I go to so many concerts that are either free or under $30. Smaller venues, easy parking and better guests, too. For big shows, I’d rather drive to Detroit than hassle with GR.

Georgi Abbott Norris – Absolutely the cost!

Anne Morgan – We have lots of options for $25-45 at the Intersection and the Pyramid Scheme, and as long as you know where to park to avoid the overpriced lots and ramps, it’s really not that bad. But, as soon as you jump up to 20 Monroe or anything larger, concessions costs plus the extra costs that add up for parking and for people traveling the gas etc.

Trevor Hilbrand – $18 beers

Susie Hansen – Ticket prices are out of control!

Ruth Small – Cost

Angela Kay Bertapelle – Parking!

Sue Stratton II – Price of tickets

Chad Bentley – Cost

Mehgan Bechtel – Ticket prices.

Eric Stever – I’m just going to shows locally now to support smaller bands or buy directly from box offices. Ticketmaster be damned.

Laurel Hardy – Cost. Not just tickets, concessions.

Michael Salvatore Maly – Cost 1,000%

Eric Stever – Ticketmaster

Jamiething Prinsen – Definitely cost

Ben Gardner – Costs.

Sharon Swayman Brown – The cost of FEES on concerts and the cost of drinks at venues! I’ll gladly pay the artists, but when the ticket fees are as much as the tickets, and a Coke costs $12, it’s out of control!

Carmen Sluiter – Unruly guests … loud talkers.

Ted Bergin – The cost (tickets, parking, venue required food, and $18 beverages).

Kylie Wells – Our experience has been that venues and traffic control don’t accommodate the crowds of people trying to exit at the end in a lot of places, causing congestion and delays if you want to stay till the end or “encore.”

Tom Ledermann – Meijer Gardens is probably my favorite place to see a show, but this year’s (exorbitant) price hikes have caused me to cut back (drastically) on the number I attend.

Kelly Arganbright – Pricing and parking, which inflates the pricing. Even if you try to use the cheaper areas, you are forced to, pretty much, sit on the ground in the 12″ low chairs. So silly, considering if everyone used 24″ chairs, we’d all be at the same height for viewing too and we wouldn’t have to struggle to get up and down.

Michael Rio – The most popular concerts are very expensive! I say they do not need all the video screens showing random things in the background. I prefer just a nice basic light show and use side screens mostly for close up shots.

Debra Willison – Ugh…driving home late at night after a concert. Ugh sign of my aging self. I would love to attend a matinee concert.

Vanessa Clark – Cost is very prohibitive for me! Also, driving four hours to see a band is rough. I wish there were more trains across Michigan.

Ann Wildey – When you factor in the entire cost of going to a concert; tickets, gas, parking, concessions, there are very few people we want to spend that amount of money to see. Plus, we’ve already seen just about everyone we wanted to see.

Lisa Oneill – Cost. Parking and someone to go with.

Kirk Hacker – Seat tickets at Acrisure are ridiculous. Don’t even get me into the concession cost.

Roberta F. King – Tickets are pretty steep. I’m seeing six show this summer to fall, and would see six more if tickets weren’t so flipping expensive.

Mishelle Bakewell – Cost of tickets and concessions. It’s ridiculous.

Jeff Pietrowski – Loud talkers and scalpers scooping up tickets before the general public gets a chance to buy them.

Ross Field – People that just TALK TALK TALK TALK TALK! Enjoy the music from time to time!

Bob Flowers – Concession prices. $10-12 for a beer at Meijer Gardens or Warner Vineyards is bad enough, but at Acrisure Amphitheatre the prices are outrageous: $16-20, plus tax!

Chris Copron – I’m looking for sweet deals all the time! BOGO tickets are great when going with someone. I have a pretty sweet side hustle with a local venue that gives free tickets to volunteers for helping spread the word on upcoming shows.

Annette Shields – Smaller places like The Intersection and 20 Monroe Live are OK. I still go to larger venues, but definitely not as much.

Richard Krueger – I have not cut back on concerts; in fact, I just bought tix for Elvis Costello in Muskegon this September. With two exceptions (Rush in Detroit & Jason Isbell at FMG), I’ve refused to pay more than $100 for tickets; seats in the back are fine! And there are a still a couple more shows I’d like to see if time & circumstances permit (Black Crowes at Acrisure, The Dear Hunter at Pyramid Scheme). I have to say I wonder if this is the summer that septuagenarian rockers cash in, then afterwards stay home, once and for all.

Kyle Brown – I don’t go to many large production events. Maybe 1 or 2 a year. Local and regional shows are comparatively cheap and generally more fun. I totally get wanting to see a legacy act, or some big, national artist. But small shows are where it’s at!

Jennifer WolfSchwallie – Yes. I’ve only bought half as many tickets as I usually do. I’m focusing on artists who I’ve not seen rather than repeats.

Anna Kohls – Even 5 years ago, tickets to most events were too expensive in my opinion. Especially for events like Electric Forest. Base price of ~$680 for GA is outrageous and overrated when you consider the low-quality amenities included (like the disintegrating and infrequently-cleaned portapotties). There are very few multi-millionaires/celebrities I’m willing to pay to see at a huge venue/high prices. Live music CAN be largely disappointing too. Visibility and sound quality is often far superior (and way cheaper) on YouTube compared to the live event.Small-capacity festivals and smaller shows with local artists are where it’s at. Blissfest and Buttermilk are the best in my opinion.

Jennifer Skory Cameron – The crazy additional fees charged by the venues and such are out of control. I know what the artists get paid (roughly) and the ticket sales are far and above paying them AND so much more. I do understand that there are a lot of hidden costs, the facility itself, and all of the production cost and Staff, etc., but the prices have really skyrocketed and I know that what the artists are making has not. Small local festivals or smaller, more intimate venues are my fave! 

Darci Fawcett-Austin – The high prices of tickets and gas and everything else has definitely limited our concert going.

Rob Sondorp – We’re actually going to a couple of reasonably affordable shows at the amphitheater this summer, but yes, sky-hi prices have prevented us from attending many shows in the last few years. The bots scoop up the tix when they first go on sale, and the secondary market prices get outrageous.

Michael Grant Leavell – Haven’t slowed down at all. There’s a good $5-$15 show every night somewhere.

Barbara Hass – I’m doing a lot of free shows.

Cliff Yankovich – My initial problem was with the MONOPOLY of TicketMaster. Add to that the lovely Acrisure Amphitheater. Let’s see, get millions of free publicity for your concert venue and THEN lay off 2,200 people thanks to AI. Generally speaking I have NO interest in large venue concerts. Money is not the complete issue, I just hate giving $$$ to monopolies. Anyway, sorry for the rant – Lowell Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Concerts are a block and a half from my house, so there are 10 shows I am going to enjoy this summer. I like the Rockford concert series. I also support acts that come to Lowell and play at Sound Check.

Robert Dow – $5 a ticket, $5 for gas, $10 for the shirt, and no political speeches. You could buy your tickets at Believe In Music as a courtesy. Now you’re taking out loans to see bands using backing tracks. Not this guy. No act is worth a $500 evening.

Elizabeth Torkelson – Ticket prices are too high.

David Ellyatt – I have tickets for a number of shows this summer, but there are a number more I would like to go to, but I couldn’t justify the price point to myself. As much as I would love to see Jason Isbell at Meijer Gardems, I just can’t do $120 for one show. It seems the way better call to buy tickets to four shows at the Pyramid Scheme at 30 bucks a piece.

John Wenger – It was a lot more fun when tickets were $10 and we could bring our own kegs and coolers. But then, Republicans happened …

Melinda Hiscock – The best way to support the music scene is go to smaller shows, local venues, up-and-coming artists, etc., and that’s what I do and how I get my concert fix.

Kelly McGee Clark – I’ll be attending some festivals, and often go to The Livery because the tickets are reasonable, but I’ve certainly chosen to skip some shows because of the costs! When everything else is so pricey, the budget demands that I cut somewhere. Unfortunately that’s often my entertainment costs.

Darlene Cooper – It’s out of reach now. Maybe once a year for a treat.

Stephen Aldrich – Book something I actually wanna see, I’ll prolly pay for it. But what used to be a $100-200 night out is now easily a $400 night at a larger venue, so shows that used to fall into the “wouldn’t it be fun to go see…” category, are a solid no. For that kinda $, I’d rather have something more tangible.

Holly Sillman Martin – It has definitely affected my ticket buying ability, especially at the bigger venues. Ticket and gas prices combined, then parking at some of the venues. One silver lining is the smaller venue prices. I see a lot of shows at the smaller venues. Great music and affordable. I also understand that it’s costing artists a lot more to travel around. Those costs get passed onto us. We’re on a fixed income at our house so I suspect this is only going to get harder for us.

Greg Baxter – Ticketbastard fees, AXS buying 90% of their shows tickets and immediately re-selling them at four times the face value, $19 beers at venues, $25 parking. The artists is getting none of these overcharging expenses. I have seen literally hundreds and hundreds of concerts in my life yet this year the only tickets I have are for one Billy Strings show. I’m done playing their greedy games.

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