By Laura Molloy
On the 27th of May, I attended the VIP experience of Nessa Barrett’s Aftercare tour at the 3 Olympia. The performance also featured indie singer, Sombr, as the opening act. One VIP package cost €220. The price was definitely met with mixed reactions when I spoke about my blissful purchase.
It is no secret that concert tickets have excessively risen in price in recent years. Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour exemplified this with VIP packages costing up to nearly €800 in Dublin. Although many fans, particularly in the USA, shared they spent thousands of dollars to secure regular tickets.
With both the demand and prices continuing to rise, many are starting to view concerts as a complete rip off and are avoiding the stress of Ticketmaster wars. I have never been one to miss out on a concert for a favourite act. Most of the time I have found Ticketmaster to be a smooth process and overall concerts have been decently priced, but The Eras Tour was certainly an exception.
Taylor Swift famously used a code system for her shows which led to widespread upset for fans who didn’t receive one, including me. It took a sibling’s friend to secure my set of tickets, who was one of the lucky fans to secure access to the Ticketmaster battle. The tickets were the most expensive I have ever purchased for a concert; until this VIP experience.
We asked our followers on Instagram their opinions on concerts and Ticketmaster wars. When asked if they had ever purchased a VIP package, 81% answered no. €100-150 was the most popular answer for the maximum amount our followers would pay for concert tickets. 4% voted for €50, 12% voted for €200+ , 33% voted for €80, with the remaining 50% choosing €100-150.
Based on this poll, it seems our readers are willing to pay that bit extra for a concert. Although, when asked if concerts are worth it if expensive they were seemingly more divided. 57% voted yes but a close 43% opted for no.
After attending a VIP experience for two artists on the smaller side, I have some thoughts. VIP tickets are undoubtedly pricier than regular admission, but not queuing for hours and camping out on the streets of Dublin was definitely a pleasure.
The package also included access to Nessa’s soundcheck. Each fan was given a set of merchandise upon arrival which included a tote bag and a poster. Nessa chatted to the small group of fans and also answered a selection of questions that had been submitted. Concerts are always a great experience but the soundcheck definitely made it more intimate.
We were then treated to a snippet of one of Nessa’s unreleased songs which is expected to be released as part of her next album. Nessa also performed three different songs for us.
By attending the soundcheck, our spots with excellent views of the stage were secured as we didn’t have to leave the venue again. Not having to fight your way for a decent view was definitely another pro.
We were then graced with Tiktok hit and 6’7″ feminist literature reader, Sombr. Between a guitar smash, a vow to never go bald, and a sign about shitting the bed, the performance felt like a full concert in itself.
And not long after, Ms Barret herself came on stage and delivered one of the best performances I’ve ever seen. With lyrics full of depth and fits that embraced Tumblr culture, it was a night that every type of fan would remember.
So are concert tickets, and particularly VIP packages worth the money? My short answer is yes, but it really depends on how much you like the artist(s). If you don’t know any of the setlist, VIP packages or stadium prices may not be worth it, but that said all concerts are a great opportunity to discover new music.
Have you ever been to a concert and disappointed? Let us know over on the Oxygen.ie Instagram.