Some fans who bought concert tickets early feel upset after seeing prices drop sharply before the shows. CP24/Amazon Music
Concert season is heating up, and major stars like Coldplay, Kesha, Katy Perry, and The Weeknd are hitting Toronto stages. Many fans rushed to buy tickets early, hoping to grab the best seats. But now, some are angry after seeing the same tickets go for much less later on.
Fans Paid More, Then Watched Prices Fall
Kesha fan Kyle Dawson from Toronto bought a ticket for her July 21 show at Budweiser Stage the moment sales began. He spent $594 to make sure he didn’t miss out.
But shortly after, Dawson noticed something surprising.
“Sales plummeted in price by almost half,” he said. A few weeks before the concert, he saw similar seats in the same section going for only $113.
“I did everything right,” Dawson said. “Now I could pay for the same seat for a quarter of the price.”
Another Fan Faced the Same Problem
Brenda Appiah, also from Toronto, had a similar experience. She bought three tickets for $1,705 to see Kendrick Lamar and SZA at the Rogers Centre.
Closer to the concert date, she saw prices for nearby seats drop sharply. “Even better seats than mine were much less,” she said.
In the end, she discovered similar tickets were selling for nearly $1,000 less than what she paid.
“What exactly did I pay for?” she asked. “Why price them so high at the start?”
Why Are Prices Changing?
Music industry expert Alan Cross explained that it all comes down to supply and demand. He said many artists launch big tours but struggle to fill every seat. That leads to ticket prices dropping before showtime.
Cross said that while fans often blame ticket companies, it’s actually the artists, managers, and promoters who set the prices.
He gave advice for future ticket buyers. “If it’s a huge show and you know it will sell out, go ahead and buy. But if you’re unsure, or money is tight, it might be smart to wait,” he said.
Fans Now Think Twice Before Buying Early
Dawson admitted that this experience changed how he sees ticket buying.
“I’ve held back now,” he said. “I don’t want this to happen again.”
Many fans now feel unsure about buying tickets during presale. With prices changing so quickly, getting a good deal feels more like a gamble than a reward.
