Going on tour as a major artist is like mobilizing an army for an offensive that will last months, if not years.
asserted
that → go → offensive
A battalion of semi-trucks needs to be wrangled to transport gear from city to city.
asserted
battalion → need → city
Buses need to be rented for the act and crew.
asserted
Buses → need → act
Hotels, airfare and/or private jets have to be booked.
asserted
Hotels → have → ?
Often, multiple stages plus sound and lighting rigs must be assembled, so that while a show is happening in one venue, things are already being set up at the next.
asserted
things → assemble → next
Support staff, from caterers to chiropractors, have to be mobilized.
asserted
staff → have → chiropractors
Backstage amenities must be organized.
asserted
amenities → organize → ?
Merch needs to be sourced, transported and replenished throughout the tour.
asserted
Merch → need → tour
Audiences demand a spectacle for their concert dollar, so productions have to be wilder and more technologically advanced while remaining portable.
asserted
productions → demand → dollar
And because touring is an artist’s major source of revenue, everyone is on tour, driving up the cost of renting gear, trucking and roadies.
asserted
everyone → drive → gear
Touring has never been more expensive and fans are very close to that red line when it comes to what they’ll pay to see a show.
asserted
they → come → show
Raising prices isn’t an option anymore, yet expenses keep climbing.
asserted
expenses → raise → prices
Of great concern is the skyrocketing price of diesel fuel for all those trucks and buses.
asserted
price → skyrocket → trucks
Crossing borders with loads of gear and personnel who may have, er, issues.
uncertain
who → cross → issues
Being away from home and living out of hotels, backstage lounges and airports is very hard on the mind, body and spirit.
asserted
Being → live → mind
It’s to the point where many musicians are questioning whether touring is worth it anymore, especially when it comes to emerging talent, indie musicians, or those in the middle class of the music industry.
asserted
it → ’ → industry
What if there were a better way that was cheaper, easier on the artist and could provide a superior experience for the audience?
uncertain
that → be → audience
As far back as the 1950s, casinos and hotels began booking long-term engagements for entertainers ranging from Sinatra and the Rat Pack to Liberace to Elvis.
asserted
casinos → begin → Elvis
Since people were already flocking to the city to gamble, why not give them another way to spend their money?
asserted
people → flock → money
Artists loved it because everyone came to them.
asserted
everyone → love → them
Vegas is still king of the residency, hosting strings of shows by Céline Dion, Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, Bruno Mars, Garth Brooks, Lady Gaga, Adele, Shania Twain and dozens more.
asserted
Vegas → host → Dion
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The Sphere is the latest iteration of the Las Vegas residency, providing an immersive experience that you can’t get anywhere else in the world (well, until the new one opens in Abu Dhabi).
asserted
one → get → Dhabi
It’s also very lucrative for artists.
asserted
It → ’ → artists
U2 played 40 shows over weekends and grossed US$245 million.
asserted
U2 → play → million
The Eagles made US$290 million over 58 shows (so far), pulling in around US$5 million per gig.
asserted
Eagles → make → gig
By the time their stand finishes in January, the overall gross will be close to half a billion.
asserted
gross → finish → January
Metallica, No Doubt, Dead & Company, Phish and a few others have also had great paydays, all without having to move from a single venue.
asserted
Metallica → have → venue
Margins expanded.
asserted
Margins → expand → ?
ROI went through the roof.
asserted
ROI → go → roof
The live music industry is falling in love with residencies for this reason.
asserted
industry → fall → reason
Why spend money going to fans when you can entice the fans to come to you?
asserted
you → spend → you
Live Nation experimented in Munich in the summer of 2024.
asserted
Nation → experiment → 2024
A temporary stadium was built within a space dubbed “Adele World.”
asserted
stadium → build → space
Construction cost €40 million and featured 250 tons of stage equipment and the biggest LED video screen ever constructed, all for just ten shows.
asserted
Construction → cost → shows
It was an insane success, attracting 750,000 people.
asserted
It → attract → people
Gross sales were never released to the public, but it’s whispered that Adele walked away with US$50 million.
asserted
Adele → release → million
Then the whole venue was taken down.
asserted
venue → take → ?
Long stays in arenas and stadiums have become increasingly common.
asserted
stays → become → arenas
Taylor Swift’s Eras tour had two stretches: one for three nights and another for five, at Wembley Stadium in London.
asserted
tour → have → London
Coldplay did 10 nights at Estadio River Plate Buenos Aires before completing a 16-night run at Wembley Stadium.
asserted
Coldplay → do → Stadium
…and 26 more, not listed.
The Aporia
