09/11/2024
In 1995, Pearl Jam canceled their tour due to a dispute with Ticketmaster, which began in 1992 with two free concerts in Seattle. Ticketmaster charged a fee of one dollar per ticket, which Pearl Jam found unacceptable. The band decided to distribute the tickets themselves.
In 1993, they set a maximum price of $18 for their concerts, despite promoters suggesting triple the price. They also reduced the price of their T-shirts, giving up $2 million in revenue.
In 1994, Pearl Jam declared that they would only play at venues that respected the maximum price of $18 and fees of less than $1.80. This led to a conflict with Ticketmaster, whose "service charge" ranged from $4 to $8. The band refused to give in, and because Ticketmaster controlled most of the concert venues, the 1994 summer tour was canceled, resulting in a loss of $3 million.
After the release of Vitalogy in 1994, Pearl Jam announced a summer tour only at venues not affiliated with Ticketmaster, organizing everything themselves. I remember seeing them play the Moody Coliseum at SMU in Dallas, during this period. It was an amazing and intimate.
I miss the days when musicians were about the music, not the moolah đź’°
