Economics and Logistics of Taylor Swift's Tour

[bitflipper]

This obscure YouTube channel is dedicated to logistics and trucking, but they did a good job of putting Taylor Swift's Eras tour in perspective. With tickets going for up to $100,000, this one pop diva's road trip represents a major transfer of wealth from those who can afford that to those who make your bed in a hotel.

"If Taylor Swift's tour was a country, it would have a GDP higher than 50 actual countries." That's based on an estimated $5 billion economic impact in the US alone, and they haven't even taken it outside the US yet. 

The presenter then goes on to explore the logistics of such a huge show. 80-90 trucks. $30 million in transportation alone. And, of course, he's excited about the now-famous $100k bonuses paid to the drivers ($55 million in total staff bonuses). A truck driver's dream. And a shot in the arm for struggling trucking businesses.

I couldn't name a single Taylor Swift song, much less sing along with one. I would definitely not clean out my bank account for a ticket or even cough up $45 for a t-shirt. But I can appreciate the boost to the live music industry. Taylor Swift tribute tribute bands may supersede Elvis impersonators at your local casino.

 

[Grem]

3 minutes ago, bitflipper said:

I couldn't name a single Taylor Swift song, much less sing along with one.

You don't know "Teardrops On MY Guitar"!!?

Did I get that right?

[hockeyjx]

I am always fascinated by the bigger tours and the money they gross. My friend used to work for TSO, and that is a good paycheck for those involved.

Sometimes, bands keep touring to pay their employees, NOT because they want to tour anymore (I think Phish is a prime example, even though they are back).

I think that is one reason why bands like Kiss and Motley Crue/Def Leppard use backing tracks - to keep the show going because of the economics involved. I'm ignoring their voices are shot for this discussion though ?

[bitflipper]

Here's another interesting take on the economics of live performance vs. record sales. Once upon a time, it was not unusual to see an album sell millions in a week. Today, you can make it into the Top 10 by selling 25,000 copies.

Live music is where the money is. But this is at a level most musicians will never experience  even peripherally (Swift puts on a 3-hour show with no opening act). I wonder how this translates to smaller acts trying to fill a theater. Will fans have already blown their life savings going to a TS concert? I have to believe that as big as TS's numbers are, most people can't afford such luxuries and there are still going to be healthy second- and third-tier economies.

Of course, none of this affects my world. As long as people want to get laid for the price of a beer, there will always be a place for the lowly bar band.

 

[Bapu]

@bitflipper so did you get a new guitarist in lieu of ......

[Wibbles]

Her concerts in Seattle generated seismic activity equivalent to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jul/28/taylor-swift-fans-earthquake-seattle

 

Edited August 24, 2023 by Wibbles

[craigb]

3 hours ago, hockeyjx said:

My friend used to work for TSO, and that is a good paycheck for those involved.

I love pulling out some TSO for the holidays!  I was surprised to learn that, like the Blue Man Group, there was more than one TSO line-up so they could actually do more than one show at a time!  Um, ok, so does that make some of the musicians their own cover band, or what???

[hockeyjx]

43 minutes ago, craigb said:

I love pulling out some TSO for the holidays!  I was surprised to learn that, like the Blue Man Group, there was more than one TSO line-up so they could actually do more than one show at a time!  Um, ok, so does that make some of the musicians their own cover band, or what???

Simply an East and West touring group and have a couple of stalwarts that go back and forth between the two. TSO is more of a "project", so a ton of guest musicians anyway (like guitarists Alex Skolnick, Joel Hoekstra, Al Pitrelli and a ton more musicians in general). My buddy was always with Chris Caffery as his tech. With TSO being a "holiday band", and the investment in the stage show(which if you haven't been live, you NEED TO GO), it makes sense to have two touring groups.

Also, random fact: they usually rehearse the show in Oklahoma.

[PhonoBrainer]

21 hours ago, bitflipper said:

. . .  But this is at a level most musicians will never experience  even peripherally (Swift puts on a 3-hour show with no opening act). I wonder how this translates to smaller acts trying to fill a theater. 

. . . As long as people want to get laid for the price of a beer, there will always be a place for the lowly bar band.

This helps me see the capitalism in the music industry quite clearly. Swift is Microsoft or Amazon, with dominant market share and control. Bar bands are the Mom and Pops, struggling to find a niche amongst the crumbs that Taylor Bezos might leave behind. ?

Also, I hope you use the second paragraph I quoted in your onstage patter. They'll love you for it ?

[Jim Roseberry]

I've heard she's making 13 million per show.

[hockeyjx]

1 hour ago, Jim Roseberry said:

I've heard she's making 13 million per show.

Good for her! It won't last forever, and from the people I've heard from, she puts on a hell of a show.

[paulo]

On 8/24/2023 at 4:34 PM, bitflipper said:

I couldn't name a single Taylor Swift song, much less sing along with one.

 I didn't even know what she looked like until I looked at this thread. 

[craigb]

She might just be the latest in AI / Realbot technology...  Can you really be sure?  ?

[bitflipper]

To be fair, she does not use backing tracks or autotune and does not lip-sync anything. I saw proof of that in a video where she'd positioned her capo on the wrong fret and had to sing the whole song in the wrong key. Even more impressive, the band quickly picked up on it and followed suit. I'm sure 99% of the audience had no idea there'd been a screwup. That's professionalism of the highest level.

 

[craigb]

2 hours ago, bitflipper said:

To be fair, she does not use backing tracks or autotune and does not lip-sync anything. I saw proof of that in a video where she'd positioned her capo on the wrong fret and had to sing the whole song in the wrong key. Even more impressive, the band quickly picked up on it and followed suit. I'm sure 99% of the audience had no idea there'd been a screwup. That's professionalism of the highest level.

 

Wouldn't a professional had put the capo on the correct fret? ?

(I keed!  I keed!  ?)

That does remind me of the time Prince played a Superbowl halftime show and, somehow, the backing music was coming out a half-step off so he ended up bending everything he played up that half-step on his guitar!

So much better than Ashley...

[bitflipper]

I just think about the musicians in that band. They were pretty young, as I recall. For most of them, they must have thought this was their Big Break. Performing live on Saturday Night Live! They must have been absolutely pumped. Only to become a perennial punch line. I wonder if they still list that gig on their resumés.