Experimental/avant-garde metallic act Igorrr refused to promote merchandise at a present at London’s O2 Discussion board in Kentish City in protest of the venue’s requirement that they take a 25 p.c reduce of these gross sales.
It is a transfer that might be half of what is going to be a wider development as artists proceed to navigate an more and more troublesome touring local weather. It is one fraught with rising prices (gas, meals, lodging, tour buses, and so forth.) and huge sums of cash being swiped by the venue in trade for a bands’ privilege of occupying a small space of the ground to be able to arrange a merch stand and do enterprise.
Earlier this month, after Architects flat out suggested bands go on strike to protest venue merch cuts, prog metallic group Monuments elected to not put anything up for sale at their present in Athens, Greece. They’d’ve needed to fork over 18 p.c below a Gross Concession charge and one other 24 p.c in VAT (worth added tax). As a substitute, they inspired followers to buy one thing official on-line.
READ MORE: Monuments Refuse to Sell Merch at Show In Protest of Venue Taking a Huge Cut of Sales
Equally, Igorrr declined to promote merch in London, saddled with having to surrender 25 p.c of the would-be gross sales.
“We might have [raised] the costs of our T-shirts and hoodies, but it surely would not appear truthful to us to have our U.Ok. followers paying greater than they need to, particularly as a result of the venue is asking for a spectacular proportion for no explicit cause,” the group writes on Instagram (see the total assertion beneath).
Igorrr additionally reveals they sought a decision with the O2 Discussion board in Kentish City, however no deal might be reached. “We tried to barter with them, however they aren’t all in favour of serving to us in any respect,” the band provides, directing followers who want to purchase merch to take action on the Igorrr website, noting new designs might be obtainable after the tour’s conclusion.
We would like to tell you that we cannot be promoting merch at our London present tonight:
The venue @o2forumktown is asking for a 25% reduce on our merch gross sales.
We might have raise-up the costs of our t-shirts and hoodies, but it surely would not appear truthful to us to have our UK followers paying greater than they need to, particularly as a result of the venue is asking for a spectacular proportion for no explicit cause. We tried to barter with them, however they aren’t all in favour of serving to us in any respect. For these of you who wish to buy some merchandise on-line, our webshop might be up to date with new designs after the tour.
You possibly can examine our web site www.igorrr.com for extra infos. Thanks on your assist
IGORRR
This information caught the eye of Gary Holt, who commented on Metal Injection’s Instagram post that Exodus, too, are feeling the pressure of those enterprise practices.
He says this may “by no means cease till all bands of the mid-club dimension say. ‘We won’t play your venues anymore.”
“Drive them below,” he urges, “Out of enterprise.”
Regardless of this want, Holt is conscious how unlikely this al is, persevering with, “However because the venues are all being purchased by the identical people who promote the tickets and cost us within the first place, it’ll by no means change.”
Citing a latest gig the place Exodus misplaced cash on the night time, he provides, “The Fox Theater in Oakland shook us the other way up final time we performed there for our total assure PLUS. We paid to play in the long run.”
As troublesome as it’s for touring artists, now, followers are additionally reeling as ticket costs have skyrocketed for the reason that return of reside music within the wake of the pandemic. Whereas Live Nation’s revenue tripled from 2021 to 2022, followers have more and more directed their ire on the ticketing firm, which additionally owns and operates a major share of venues.
With President Biden placing special attention on cracking down on “junk fees” for live performance tickets and extra, Ticketmaster unveiled a new plan to educate policymakers and the public on what those fees they’re incurring are.
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