Just as summer concert season kicks into gear, a wave of artists is pulling the plug on their tours.
Everyone from Meghan Trainor to the newly reunited Pussycats Dolls to Post Malone and Jelly Roll (who were touring together) have axed their upcoming tour dates.
The spate of cancellations for poorly selling shows ― People magazine counted at least 10 high-profile artists who’ve either cancelled or postponed tour dates so far this year ― has spawned a name online: “blue dot fever,” a reference to the blue dots representing empty seats on venue maps on sites like Ticketmaster.
Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, has downplayed the trend. Joe Berchtold, president and chief financial officer for Live Nation, called it “a nice catchy phrase that is absolutely devoid of facts” during a recent investor conference. Blue dot fever, he said, is “a good marketing program” orchestrated by frustrated scalpers.
But experts on the music industry and touring we spoke to said there’s no denying that consumers are fed up with the rising cost of ticket prices, the monopolistic relationship of just a few suppliers, and the larger economic inflation that’s hitting the country.
