07/09/2025
here is a very interesting discussion ....
Today, I saw a post on a FB group about the decline in pre-ticket sales at events, and obviously that affects us DJs, the music scene, clubs, crowd, promoters and the whole industry. As I am now about to begin my PhD, I thought it would be good to analyse this from a neutral and theoretical standpoint and ask for your thoughts. I wanted to share my findings with you for further discussion, to support those who are worrying about this and to explore how we can all learn to do things better :) CONTEXT: This was a hardcore discussion group (electronic music).
Several recurring themes emerged in the thread:
1) Nostalgia and scepticism about contemporary events were mentioned frequently, suggesting that trust in present-day promoters and line-ups is weaker than in earlier decades. This points to Thornton’s (1995) concept of subcultural capital, where credibility and authenticity drive consumer engagement. If events are not seen as authentic representations of the culture, audiences are less inclined to commit financially in advance.
2) The comments highlighted fragmentation within the scene, with disagreements over genres, line-ups, and the perceived 'commercialisation' of music. This mirrors Hebdige’s (1979) observation that subcultures inevitably fracture once incorporated into mainstream circuits. Fragmentation reduces collective enthusiasm and creates hesitation in pre-committing to events, as attendees wait to see whether a particular event will align with their preferred vision of the culture.
3) I found evidence of consumer caution and risk-aversion. Several people mentioned economic pressures (e.g. cost of living, travel, accommodation), making them more selective about advance purchases. This aligns with research on the experience economy (Pine & Gilmore, 1999), which shows that consumers increasingly weigh value and uniqueness before committing to spending on going out. In the current climate, audiences may also delay purchases until closer to the event, when certainty about attendance is higher.
4) The shift to digital platforms for last-minute engagement also plays a role. Social media enables real-time updates and peer validation, reducing the necessity of early commitment. Gibson and Connell (2005) argued that globalisation and digitalisation have restructured live music by promoting immediacy and flexibility over long-term planning. This dynamic appears strongly in the thread I analysed, where attendees indicated they prefer to ‘see who else is going’ before buying.
5) There are emotional and cultural debates in the thread that reveal a weakening of trust in community cohesion. Fraser’s (2000) work on recognition and representation is relevant here: if participants feel alienated from how the scene is represented by promoters, they are less likely to support events in advance. The erosion of recognition and inclusivity thus directly affects purchasing behaviour.
Conclusion:
The comments in this thread suggest that the decline in pre-ticket sales cannot be attributed to a single factor. Instead, there is an interplay between economic pressures, fragmentation of identity, digital consumption habits, and contested notions of authenticity.
My recommendation to promoters:
Rebuild trust, promote inclusivity, and innovate in audience engagement.
Please remember, this my analysis of one post in one genre, being totally neutral. I obviously have my own thoughts on this. But I am super excited for your comments and your own experiences :)
PS I will put a link to the thread I analysed in the comments x
