I still remember my first concert: A friend and I went to see the Carpenters perform in 1970. We weren’t yet old enough to drive, so we had to take our mothers.
I saw a few free concerts in my youth: Harry Chapin, James Taylor. And a few I paid for: Bob Dylan, Joan Baez. As the price of concerts rose, I decided they were too expensive and quit going.
Sometimes, though, it’s worth splurging on experiences, such as last weekend’s concert by Carole King and James Taylor, two favorite singer-songwriters of my era. It’s amazing how, nearly 40 years after I first listened to their music, I still remember all the words.
It was worth it to pay full price, but there are ways to cut the cost of concerts:
- LiveNation, the concert promoter, has a deal through June 30 that eliminates service fees on concerts at amphitheaters.
- As a concert approaches and tickets remain unsold, promoters often offer discount packages. One of the most popular is a four-pack: four tickets for a set price. Look for deals at websites such as ticketmaster.com and livenation.com.
- Before you buy any ticket, search online for a promo code. You may get lucky.
- Subscribe to e-mail lists, “like” artists and ticket sellers on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to be the first to hear about deals.
When you count up the memorable moments of your life, you don’t usually remember the shoes you bought or the TV you owned. What you remember are the experiences — the concerts, plays, picnics and trips. So when you’re thinking about splurging, ask yourself: Will I still be talking about this 40 years from now?
