French Singer Nicola Sirkis Criticizes Skyrocketing Concert Ticket Prices: “Stay Worthy”

While concert tickets reach more and more easily hundreds of euros, the French singer calls to “stay worthy”.

Live music lovers are putting their finances to the test: for the past few months, the cost of tickets has been increasing dramatically and easily reaching several hundred euros. Prices that panic the singer Nicola Sirkis whose group, Indochine, has long made the choice of ethics.

“When I see the ticket prices of some of my colleagues, I am indeed appalled,” the ‘Three Nights a Week’ singer told ‘Sunday newspaper‘.

“We live in a liberal economy system, producers and some artists want profit,” he continues. “Not me, not at any price. You still have to stay dignified.”

650 euros for Madonna

These statements come after recent announcements of Madonna and Beyoncé’s world tours. Their French fans will have to pay up to 650 euros and 450 euros, respectively, to attend. This week, the singer Usher announced a series of concerts at the musical Seine in Boulogne-Billancourt, whose tickets in the standing pit amount to 331.50 euros.

Prices far removed from those maintained by Indochine, around 50 euros, despite spectacular concerts and complete stadium tours. “From the moment we decide not to get rich on the backs of our public, the one who allows us to live our passion, there are consequences”, recognizes Nicola Sirkis:

“Our tours are balanced because they are full a long time in advance, but we make little or no profit and this affects our fees. I sometimes do not take any. “

Their technicians, on the other hand, are always remunerated: “It is not up to them to undergo our ethical choice.”

“No argument” to justify these increases

Many parameters come into play to explain the rise in the cost of concert tickets, starting with the rise in energy prices. “No argument is relevant except that of wanting to make money”, sweeps Nicola Sirkis.

“Producers in France always tend to cry over their fate when they were largely helped financially by the State during the Covid (…) The increase in production and rental costs is real, but not at all. not to make tickets at 200 euros!”