Aerosmith: Lawn or Nothing?

Anyone that really knows me can attest that Aerosmith is my favorite band. When Aerosmith announced a summer tour with Sammy Hagar, I was ecstatic! Two awesome acts on one bill. What a great night it will be! Even better, the tour is stopping in Cincinnati, Ohio meaning the drive won't be too heinous during the work week *and* my stop happens to be in early September so temperatures should be perfect for some outdoor fun.

After the initial excitement of the announcement wears off, I always trot on over to Ticketmaster to check on prices. Aerosmith always has high ticket prices, but man. With fees, this tour is averaging something like $50 or $60 for the lawn! At a major shed - such as Riverbend in Cincinnati - it's nearly impossible to see anything on the lawn. Spending $60 a head to just be in the vicinity of my favorite band is a bit much. Don't even get me started on the pavilion prices.

So now I don't know what to do. I can't pass up seeing Aerosmith and Hagar. After all, I'm terrified this will be Aerosmith's last tour. Still, spending $120 bucks to stand on the lawn with my husband isn't ideal. I hate the thought of spending $400 for pavilion for the both of us. The older I get, the more it pains me to spend money frivolously. Five years ago I would have shucked over the $400 without a care. Now I think about how much $400 a month will grow when invested in an aggressive stock plan.

When I interviewed Joe Litvag, a senior VP with AEG Live about Rocklahoma earlier this year, we chatted a little about ticket prices. Basically, Litvag agrees that ticket prices are high but defended the prices because 1) the band basically sets them (he said) and 2) the market can bear it. Which is true. I'm sure the pavilion for Aerosmith/Hagar at Riverbend will sell out, meaning thousands of people have no problem dropping $200 each for a ticket. I would mind less if I was paying the actual sticker price for a close seat (around $155) but a million bogus fees really sours it for me. Why should both my husband and I each have to pay a mandatory $3.50 charge for parking - when we will be in the same car?!

So now, after writing all this, I'm back at the basic conundrum: do I buy lawn and be happy I'm there or suck it up and go pavilion? My gut is telling me to wait until day of show and just see if any seats are discounted because that does happen from time to time. I can always grab a lawn ticket at the gate I suppose.

Do you plan on seeing the Aerosmith/Hagar summer tour?

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