Paul McGuinness on Opening Acts & Concert T-Shirts
What impact does an opening act have on concert merchandise sales? Apparently, it can have a lot. Paul McGuiness spoke Thursday at the Billboard Touring Conference during a panel called “A 20/20 View of the Concert Business.” And, according to Billboard’s coverage of the panel, he talked about why it’s smart to pick a good opening act:
McGuinness added that established bands on the road should be careful when picking opening acts, if for no other reason than that fans will come early to see a good band, have time to kill between acts, and purchase more merch during the set changes.
I confess: I never buy merchandise at concerts — whether it’s U2 or anyone else. (I’m there for the music, don’t need a souvenir.) So I’ll ask you: Do you spend more money if you show up early because you want to see the opening act? Comments are open.
Last 4 posts by m2
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I always get merchandise..but its not because I’m there early to see the opening band, it’s because I need momentos! A program is necessary, as is a poster (with date and city). I look for the unique items too, and it helps to be there early to get them. I got a necklace on the Vertigo tour in Oakland. I found an obscure booth and just happened to see this necklace, with bomb, heart and peace sign on it. First time seeing it, I bought it, and I never found another one. I know I’m not the only one who has one, but i’m the only one I know who does.
I just love stuff!
It depends! For a U2 show, yes! If the designs on the T shirts are exceptional, then maybe buy even more! For other acts, it depends on the range…I want to for Coldplay (get a T shirt) but did not on the Viva tour as I was dissapointed with the designs available…personal preference.
When I saw U2 in Massachusetts last year, it having been my first outdoor gig, I didn’t dress appropriately and was forced to either suffer hypothermia or drop $80 for a sweatshirt. It’s a nice sweatshirt! But no, I wouldn’t buy merch because of an opening act.
And not to criticize Paul for his statements at a business conference, but I think it’s a little disgusting for this band’s manager to recommend picking an opening act based on their notoriety. Has any band been louder in proclaiming that if they got their start today, they would never have made it? It’s a bit of a double-standard to say “change the industry because possibly great bands die early,” while also say, “go for the big draw if you want to make more money.”
SEAN
I always buy a tour programme on the u2 tour for my collection, on the 360 tour i bought a T shirt at croke park which i wore to london and Wales u2 shows.
What Paul says here is probably ONE reason to pick a good support band, but certainly not the only one, it may come across a bit awckward, but then again, Paul isn’t exactly known for making very popular statemtents in the media, especially in the last years. I think U2 pick the bands they are into, musically, at that particular time. I’ve seen many of them and I must say I was disappointed, simply because I liked the music on record, but didn’t think those act were very good live, especially in a stadium environment. As for merchandizing, it’s ridiculously expensive, but since I love to collect things, I always buy at least a t-shirt and a programme, not only at U2 shows. I bought some U2 tour shirts because I wanted souvenirs from some cities I went to, and both the 2009 and 2010 programme. I’ve spent too much money on U2. I’ve always found it stressful to go out and buy merchandizing, espeically when you’re already in front of the stage, and it’s just so crowded after the show. I also have two tour posters, but haven’t found a place for the second one yet.
Muse certainly doesn’tseem like a band Bono wouldlike. They’re closer to prog than punk. Thatsaid, I liked them.
Well, at big U2-sized shows, I’ve usually spent so much money by the time I actually get to the venue—on tickets, gasoline, food, lodging, whatever—that merch sales are out of the question.
For smaller club-level shows? Absolutely I buy a shirt or CD or other merch. Bands at that level need the help much more than U2 does. I understand it’s a relative scale, and Zoo TV made money on merch only, but I’d rather help David Lowery (who you may know as frontman of Cracker and Camper van Beethoven, who is coincidentally Bono’s same age) pay for gas to get to the next venue.
I don’t know Lowery, of course, so I’d assume he’s not really hurting critically for cash—he manages a recording studio in Virginia, and he still gets royalties from Cracker’s 1993 hit “Low”—but he has been just as persistent in his career as U2 has, and the fact that he still goes out and does national tours at the club level, at this stage in his career, is impressive to me, so I want to reward that.
That said, U2 are at a funny place in their career too. Still selling out stadia after 20 years, still together with the same lineup after almost 35 years? I can’t mock that; it must be respected. Stadium rock is not inferior to club rock at all.
I don’t know how I got on this tangent based on t-shirt sales, but I’d rather show support to the 50-year-old guy who’s still kicking creatively despite mass indifference, and who’s schlepping his own gear around the U.S. year after year. That guy gets my t-shirt money.
As for opening bands, I’m still peeved that I didn’t catch Elevation when PJ Harvey was the opener. She’d eat all of No Doubt (who I did see) for breakfast. Same with Kings of Leon (my Vertigo opener). Why did Europe get all the fun bands and we got stuck with those guys?
Now, my PopMart opener was Rage Against the Machine. I’m not really a fan of theirs, but they do what they do well, and that was a fun show—especially considering that U2 didn’t have their stuff together on that tour at that point. I actually bought a PopMart shirt, but it had nothing to do with Rage.
A guy playing disco tunes on a harmonica would be fine if it was followed by a U2 show. A good opening act is a bonus.
I buy merchandise as like to have a reminder of the tour (one item a tour, not per show). Every time I wear it or see it is a reminder of happy memories - usually of connections of the people I share the experience with (and of the music of course).
McGuiness is correct, though, can we honestly say that U2 typically books “good” opening acts? For exampLE: Gwen Stefani/No Doubt? We typically skip the opening act -unless we have GA seats, which necessitate getting to the show HOURS ahead of time. GA tickets, therefore, as a rule, constitute higher gross revenue, because ticket holders are buying more concessions (snacks, beer, water, etc.) Regarding merchandise, we typically buy something/more unique items (e.g., pins, luggage tags, winter hats, condoms, etc.); however, since the merchandise is getting so expensive -and usually available on U2.com at a 20% discount just a few days later- we’ve significantly paired down our buying habits during the current tour.
Cheers @crossinggo; you’re absolutely right re: McGuiness’ double standard… Agreed.
I wanted to buy some stuff at the show I went to last year, but I would have had to give up my awesome spot in the Inner Circle. After the show, the lines were way too long, so I just waited and bought some things from U2.com with my subscriber coupon.
*sigh* Paul McMoneybags at it again…
Smashmouth in 97 didn’t make me buy a damn thing except more beer. Same deal with Fun Loving Criminals and Snow Patrol. PJ Harvey was awesome (elevation tour) and the Pixies did make me buy 3 zootv shirts. which by the way was the last tour where the design was any good. mcguiness is right. it is a business. the whole point is to make money. that’s what keeps the black amex card black.
I purchase tshirts at the shows…speaking of which…at the Charlottesville, VA show there were shirts for No Line on the Horizon (song-not the album)…I haven’t seen them anywhere else. Any ideas? It has the great lyric “Then she put her tongue in my ear” on the front of it. I didn’t buy that one at the show, but am now wishing I had, since it’s nowhere to be found.
I haven’t bought merchandise in years. I think my last shirt was my Unforgettable Fire sleeveless shirt. Prices for the merchandise are just way too high for my budget. I’d rather put the money into another ticket.
As MANAGER, it’s Paul’s job to manage the band’s business affairs. Don’t hang him for doing what he’s supposed to do. And they asked him to speak for a reason: U2 knows how to run a tour.
As for me, the opening act has nothing to do with what I buy/don’t buy. Since I’ve done GA since Elevation, I can’t buy stuff till after the show anyway. I get a tee and a poster. Spending $30 on a tee with U2 on it is no crazier than dropping the same on one at Abercrombe, et al.
Opening acts have been hit-n-miss for me. Loved Garbage, couldn’t stand Primus. Snow Patrol was fine. Kanye was a push. Hearing PJ and KOL for the first time live at the United Center wasn’t the way to be introduced to either. I’m looking forward to Interpol next year.
I can’t imagine that my experience is far from the norm on either merch or band selection.
I don’t agree anyone is hanging P.M. for doing his job. I think we’re hanging a double-standard. It’s fine for him to attack music piracy. It’s fine for him to go after ticket scalpers. These are all inline with U2′s business model. But I think his coming out against up-and-coming bands in any way (unless they’re already a big draw in their own right) is hypocritical. The same way it would be hypocritical if Bono was on his microphone telling people to go out there and steal their music while his manager is telling people not to steal music.
If J. Geils Band heeded Paul’s advice way back when, maybe Paul would have been out of a job a long time ago. I would like to hear him in the news promoting the encouragement of new bands, the nurturing of fresh talent. That is U2′s business model. That was the point of their record label in Ireland. That’s the point of their legacy, I would hope. If anyone thinks music is not a business, then they won’t make it in the music business, but a line in the sand has been drawn. Not to make a federal case out of this workshop Paul was in, but it feels to me like he crossed that line, and pushed the world a step farther from ever seeing another U2 develop.
Back on topic… it doesn’t seem like anyone is buying more merch because they show up early for an opening act, does it? Seems like they either buy it or they don’t. The concession stands seem to be another issue.
- I never buy merch, find it cheaper online, cooler options too
- I generally enjoy the opening band, and watch their whole set rather than buying merch
- I’m there early because I’m the type that wants to be in the FRONT of the pit Edge-side…not bc I want to buy merch
- I’ve been at the venue all day so I can have a prime spot…why would I give up my sweet location to buy merch??
- You can’t get good concert pics if you give up your front row spot to go buy merch
- You can’t get pulled on stage if you give up your spot in front of Bono just to go buy merch. Think about it.
- You can’t get pulled on stage to play guitar if you give up your spot to go buy merch.
I know these are geared towards those who are die-hard pit peeps, but I think that covers it for why I don’t buy merch during the opening band.
I always buy a tourbook and 1 T-shirt. It has become a kind of tradition since early 19eightees. It has become part of my concert experience. Inbetween acts and main act I tend to read the tourbook. It is not even a U2 only kind of thing. I have this tradition at any concert I attent.
The support act is of no reason to me at all to come early. The early or late arrival is mainly caused by the tickets I got. And if I’m really late it is caused by traffic jam or working late. So for me personally, the support act doesn’t influence me buying extra merchandise.