Glam rock icons KISS and one of the history’s sleaziest acts Mötley Crüe announced their extensive, co-headline Australian Tour yesterday. Taking in arenas around the country through late February to mid March in 2013, the pairing of the monster-sized bands on the same stage, on the same night, has sent fans into fits.
Expensive fits at that, with News Ltd reporting that the pricey VIP package deals for the 2013 tour have already been snapped up by diehard KISS fanatics (is there any other kind?).
Though general tickets for the tour don’t go on sale until next week – at 9am on Thursday November 22 – yesterday, the $1,500 VIP meet and greet packages have already sold out in Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth, with only limited quantities still available for the concerts in Brisbane and Mackay.
Gene Simmons and co. have lined their pockets once again, with all 40 KISS packages, at $1,500 a pop, now completely sold out as fans stampeded the box office in the pre-sale.
The top-tier $1,500 set allows fans the chance to meet KISS for a photo and autograph opportunities, as well as access to the band’s soundcheck and an exclusive pre-concert party.
It being KISS, there’s also a bucketload of merchandise that comes with the VIP ticket, including a branded bag, poster, guitar pick and access to “crowd-free merchandise shopping” and exclusive ticket offers to their Australian fans.
KISS fellow tour mates, Mötley Crüe don’t have the expensive showbag on offer, but do have a similar $899 asking price for the opportunity to meet and greet with the band; and a press release this morning announced that all 50 Mötley Crüe packages have sold out in Melbourne and Brisbane, with just a few remaining for the other concerts.
KISS & Crüe aren’t the first acts to exploit fan access for commercial profit, it’s a common practice in the world of pop, The likes of Katy Perry, The Jonas Brothers, and Jennifer Lopez all regularly offer ‘5-star’ meet and greet passes.“The ‘meet & greet’ is all about creating a new revenue stream for an act. It is on offer for the fan, not forced on them,”
For their recent Australian revivalist tour, New Kids On The Block and Backstreet Boys, charged up to $820 for VIP packages that guaranteed front row seats and an individual photo with the reunited 80s and 90s boy bands, while for the bargain price of $420, fans had to settle for getting photos taken in groups of 10.
Don’t think it’s just the bigger names that commit to the practice though, while not as expensive as some of their Platinum-selling contemporaries, Canadian post-hardcore act Alexisonfire are making the most of their final farewell tour, which takes in two special dates in Melbourne and Sydney, with a special $236 ticket to fans wishing to say goodbye to their beloved band in person.
Paul Cashmere, of Noise 11 says the meet and greet option is an obvious money spinner in a climate where dwindling album sales and traditional sources of revenue aren’t earning the way they once were. “The ‘meet & greet’ is all about creating a new revenue stream for an act. It is on offer for the fan, not forced on them,” Cashmere told News Ltd. “No-one is forcing the fan to buy the experience. We live in a commercial world and bands are business too.”
“The latest KISS album Monster has sold 6,672 units in five weeks in Australia,” notes Cashmere. “For a band like KISS, they could potentially make as much money from meet and greets as they do from record sales in this country.”
Given the size of the shows on their 2013 tour, as well as their fanbase, that seems highly likely. But hey, all that make-up, hair spray, and pyrotechnics don’t come cheap.
Tickets are for the KISS & Mötley Crüe Australian tour go on sale to the general public next Thursday November 22 at 9.00am. Both general admission on the floor ($99 – $135) and reserved seats ($99 – $180) are available.
The full dates are below, support comes from Ireland’s classic rockers Thin Lizzy and Brisbane up-and-comers Diva Demolition, who have won the highly-prized local support act spot and will open all shows on the tour.
KISS & Mötley Crüe 2013 Australian Tour Dates & Tickets
Thursday February 28
PERTH ARENA
Bookings through ticketek.com.au & 132 849
Sunday March 3
CLIPSAL 500, ADELAIDE
Currently on sale through ticketek.com.au & 132 849
* KISS and Motley Crue only
Tuesday March 5
ETIHAD STADIUM (Intimate Arena Mode), MELBOURNE
Bookings through ticketmaster.com.au & 136 100
Saturday March 9
ALL PHONES ARENA, SYDNEY
Bookings through ticketek.com.au & 132 849
Tuesday March 12
BRISBANE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
Bookings through ticketek.com.au & 132 849
Saturday March 16
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA STADIUM, MACKAY
Bookings through ticketmaster.com.au &136 100
