Locals and visitors react to rising concert ticket prices at Bend’s Hayden Homes Amphitheater
(Update: Adding video, KTVZ.COM Poll, Hayden Homes response)
Price comparison shows tickets for same artist can be cheaper at other venues
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- In 2021, the former Les Schwab Amphitheater in Bend partnered with Live Nation -- the largest concert promoter in the country and parent company to Ticket Master. The name was changed to Hayden Homes Amphitheater, which after recent renovations now holds up to 8,000 people.
Since partnering with Live Nation, many bigger-name artists have performed at the amphitheater, but people have also noticed a hike in ticket prices.
Amanda Wold used to be a regular at concerts in Bend, but this summer she's staying away from Bend's largest concert venue.
"I'm not going to spend over $100 for us per-person to go watch music when I can go see them other places for less money," Wold said.
NewsChannel 21 posted on Facebook, asking Central Oregonians about their experience with the Amphitheater -- more than 170 others shared Wold's criticism of prices.
Amber Searcy, a Madras resident and business owner, says it was cheaper to fly to Arizona to see Chris Stapleton, along with Little Big Town and George Strait, than to see Stapleton perform solo in Bend. Wold says it's not fair to music lovers who want to see artists live.
"It is another way I feel like they are separating the haves and the have-nots, the working class from the upper class," she said. "I've been going to see some of these bands every year for decades, and this year I'm like -- okay, if I can get the $25 tickets that they're allowing so many people to get, great I'll go -- which is how I went last year. This year, it's not worth it to us."
As for why the tickets for Stapleton and other artists are in the $300 - $400 range -- there is no easy answer.
When we asked Beau Eastes, the marketing representative at Hayden Homes Amphitheater, he declined to be interviewed. He did send a response, however, saying: "The average GA (general admission) ticket price over the past two years has been pretty flat and is actually down a bit this season from last."
We also were directed to a Live Nation representative, who referred us to the Ticketmaster website. It says the artist sets face-value ticket prices -- and often keeps 100% of the profit.
Live Nation's website says, "Tickets sold on Live Nation are owned by its clients who determine the number of tickets sold and set the face value price."
Whatever the reasons, some people have started to find other ways to enjoy the music without buying a ticket. (Others have done so for years -- floating the river, for example.)
Michael Poe, general manager at Greg's Grill in the Old Mill District, says people would prefer to sit on the restaurant patio than be in the venue.
"James Taylor went to $900 a ticket, you know, for the second row, middle seats," Poe said. "So they're kind of like, 'Yeah, can we get a table. We don't need to be there, we can listen just as well here.'"
A seat at Greg's Grill across from the amphitheater has become a hot commodity. Restaurant management created a reservation system for the patio when big-name artists perform, with a $400 food and drink minimum for four people. Poe says they've sold out the patio so far.
"Chris Stapleton tickets were $400 apiece, so $400 to sit outside, have a server serving your cocktails, serving your food, not getting beat up with 8,000 people around you -- it's worth it," Poe said.
We wanted to compare prices with another venue.
The Lumineers are playing at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater and the Gorge in Washington in September. A standard general admission ticket on the lawn at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater is $184.99, with fees. A decent seat with a chair, in section G, row 18, seat 17, is $483.50 with fees.
For the same show at the Gorge Amphitheater, a standard general admission ticket on the lawn is $96.85 with fees. A seat in the orchestra section is $118.28 with fees. The Gorge is a bigger venue and is also operated by Live Nation.
Logal Giley is a Portland resident who came to see Indigo Girls at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater on Tuesday. He's frustrated with ticket prices as well.
"We've been out to the Hayden Homes Amphitheater plenty of times. We live in Portland, we come out all the time, there's amazing concerts here," Giley said. "I think it's ridiculous, $70 after all the fees and everything for a ticket."
For the decent seat at the Lumineers show, there's a $73 service fee and a $5 order process fee. Service fees at the Ticket Mill are a flat $7 per ticket.
Ellensburg, Washington resident Sarah Cannon was also at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater on Tuesday to see Indigo Girls.
"I think they're ridiculous. It takes some of the joy of going to the show," Cannon said. "It's just frustrating. I mean, I go to tons of shows, and I have for a long time, so I've really seen the increase -- really the last, like, year or two."
In addition to ticket prices, the added seating and new regulations at the amphitheater have made some music fans re-think buying tickets.
"It's a change in how you experience the venue," Wold said, "And I think that combined with the ticket prices, has most of us going, 'Hey, you know what? It's a great new sound system. It sounds better in my yard than it does in the venue.'"
Hayden Homes Amphitheater's Beau Eastes also provided these details to us, in response to the price concerns raised by some concertgoers:
"The Lumineers are playing at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater and the Gorge in Washington in September. A standard general admission ticket on the lawn at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater was $49, with service from the venue, before they sold out.
"Current resell prices through Ticketmaster’s Verified Resale program – third-party tickets that are verified as being authentic by Ticketmaster – are $178, with fees.
"Reserved seats for the Lumineers at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater sold for between $70 and $120 before selling out. Current resell prices from third-party ticket sellers are as high as $483.50 with fees."
