...older artists are more likely to price discriminate than their younger peers. Older artists perform in front of more diverse audiences. Young artists, singing to young crowds, acquire a fan base that then follows them throughout their career. Over time, the artist�s audience grows wealthier, and their variability in earnings also increases. In addition, young artists generally do not appeal to older generations, while older artists can appeal to young and old alike. Older artists are more likely to play for a heterogeneous audience and take advantage of this fact by offering more seating categories.

Since you are more able to price discriminate in a larger arena, older acts play the bigger venues. It is my preference to see bands in small (<1000 seat; I am very fond of the Fine Line in Minneapolis or the Paramount here in St. Cloud, for example) places for which I would pay a premium price, but the small arena is going to be all one price, so I won't see them there. There's a period, if you catch them early enough, where you get the cozier venue, but being over 50, I don't hear those new bands I like early enough.

I'm interested: Do my readers like larger venues? If your favorite band is in town, are you deterred by a place that is larger? Bad acoustics? If I can't hear Coldplay well because they're in that crappy cavern called the Target Center, I don't go. Being closer doesn't help the sound, just the sight, and that's not what I'm there for. How about you?

Exit thought: Your opinion on outdoor venues? The Minnesota Zoo has a nice summer concert series where I last saw Susan Tedeschi and the Blind Boys of Alabama. It was exquisite.

Labels: economics, music