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Moolah ‘rocking’ rouge

When it comes to music, fans can go the limit to get their bit of strum-singing magic and so can their rockstars’ mindblowing concerts

When it comes to music, fans can go the limit to get their bit of strum-singing magic and so can their rockstars’ mindblowing concerts

Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Ball
Cost per set-up: $1 million
When Lady Gaga announced her Born This Way Ball tour in 2012, the pop icon invested $2 million to create an enormous 30-ton Gothic castle — five stories tall, featuring three dimensions. The structure was designed from sketches that Gaga made herself and its ground-breaking technology allowed for the 400-square-foot stage to be assembled in six hours. Specific props for 98 shows included a massive zipped vagina, a meat rack, a human horse and knights in shining armour. The extremely controversial visuals earned the singer $181 million!
The Rolling Stones’ A Bigger Bang Tour
Cost per set-up: $1.6 million
Back in 2005, the Rolling Stones embarked on a two year world tour — 147 shows to promote their album A Bigger Bang. And then they invested big bucks in a massive stage setting. Spread out over 200 feet, 85-foot-tall and weighing 80,000 pounds, the mounted structure designed by Mark Fisher (creator of The Wall stage) featured firework shows and computer graphics, as well as two 60-foot stage towers with balconies for VIP tickets. It required a permanent crew of 150 people and 100 tractor trailers for each set-up.
Madonna’s Sticky and Sweet Tour Cost per
set-up: $2 million
For Madonna’s Sticky and Sweet tour in 2009 which became a highest-grossing tour by a female artist with $408.6 million, the stage included a gigantic screen to hold the virtual appearances of Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Pharrell Williams, and Kanye West, as well as a T-shaped catwalk on which the queen of pop made her grand entry sitting on a white Rolls Royce. The flanks of the stage
featured two M’s encrusted with diamonds, which alone cost over $2 million.
U2’s 360° Tour
Cost per set-up: $23 – 31 million
The highest grossing tour in history earned U2 $730 million, but also required a massive investment for the famous Claw structure throughout the bands 110 concerts (2009 – 2012). The idea behind the 360° Tour stage was to allow all fans a great view. A 400 ton arachnid structure was created, which reached 151 in height at its centre, and also featured a $1 million video wall placed above the stage. The set-up required a crew of 300 workers and a daily budget of $750,000 to complete, but it broke the record of the most expensive concert stages to ever be created.
The Ticket
The Rolling Stones (Averageg. concert ticket cost: $624)
Since coming onto the scene a half-century ago, the appeal of the seemingly ageless Rolling Stones keeps growing stronger. With nearly 67 million records sold, the Stones are the 13th best-selling band of all time. The band’s average concert ticket price was $624. And tickets to most of the band’s scheduled shows are sold out.
Paul McCartney/The Beatles concert ticket cost: $241
The 71-year-old Sir Paul McCartney is still able to leverage the popularity of The Beatles, McCartney’s live gigs in 2013 commanded an average ticket price of $241. He was also 12th on Forbes’ list of highest-paid musicians in 2013, raking in $47 million.
The Grateful Dead Concert Ticket cost: $500 onwards for tickets at the secondary market
More than 200,000 aging hippies, jam-band fanatics and got-to-be-there scenesters packed Chicago’s Soldier Field for three farewell concerts by the Grateful Dead. The shows sold out instantly (at $59.50 to $199.50), and the average price of a seat on the secondary market is now in the $500 to $600 range.
Fleetwood Mac concert ticket cost: $282
Fleetwood Mac’s appeal has spanned generations. The average concert ticket price for the band was $282. Fleetwood Mac is tied with Neil Diamond as the 24th best-selling band of all time, with 48.5 million record sales.
Beyonce concert ticket cost: $282
The former Destiny’s Child star has fans willing to shell out the top dollar. The average cost of one of Beyonce’s concert tickets is $294.
Roger Waters concert ticket cost: $314
People are still willing to pay top dollar to see Roger Waters, co-founder of the legendary rock band Pink Floyd. The average ticket price to see Waters was $314.
Justin Timberlake concert ticket cost: $339
Timberlake is still one of the most popular artists in entertainment. Fans don’t mind the average $339 concert ticket price at his 20/20 Experience World Tour which was sold out in many cities.
Eagles concert ticket cost: $354
Selling roughly 100 million records since they began, the Eagles are the most popular American band of all time. They are still filling stadiums and arenas. The average concert ticket cost is $279, down from $354 last year.
Maroon 5 concert ticket cost: $364
Starting out in high school in 1994 as “Kara’s Flowers,” Maroon 5’s shows demand $364 for an average concert ticket price.
One Direction concert ticket cost: $460
It’s members were the 20th highest-paid musicians, according to Forbes reports. Fans hunting for tickets to see One Direction in its Where We Are world tour paid $275 per ticket, down from $460, the year before.

( Source : deccan chronicle )
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