I’ve been in the live music business for over 30 years, and I’ve seen plenty of bad ideas dressed up as innovation. Dynamic ticket pricing — where the price of a concert ticket fluctuates based on demand, like an airline seat or an Uber ride — is the latest one making the rounds. And I need to talk about it, because I think the industry is about to make a serious mistake.

What’s Happening

If you’ve tried to buy tickets for a major show in Australia recently, you might’ve noticed something different. Instead of a flat ticket price with maybe two or three tiers (GA, reserved, VIP), some events now show prices that change — sometimes hourly — based on how fast tickets are selling.

This isn’t new globally. Ticketmaster’s “Official Platinum” pricing in the US and UK has been doing this for years, and it’s been controversial every single time. What’s new is that it’s now filtering down to mid-level Australian venues and promoters, not just arena shows.

I know of at least three major Australian promoters who’ve adopted demand-based pricing algorithms for their 2026 touring season. And a handful of venues — particularly in Sydney and Melbourne — have started experimenting with variable pricing for their own programmed shows.

The technology behind it typically comes from specialist pricing firms — an AI consultancy or data analytics company builds a model that monitors ticket sales velocity, social media buzz, comparable event data, and historical patterns, then adjusts prices to maximise revenue.

The Promoter’s Argument

I’ll give the other side a fair hearing, because the argument isn’t stupid — it’s just incomplete.

Promoters argue that dynamic pricing captures revenue that’s currently going to scalpers. If a show sells out in two minutes and tickets immediately appear on Viagogo for three times face value, the artist and promoter have clearly underpriced the ticket. Dynamic pricing raises the price to market equilibrium, keeping that money in the primary market rather than the secondary market.

They’ve got a point on the scalper issue. According to the ACCC, Australians lose an estimated $50-100 million annually to ticket resale markups. If dynamic pricing reduces scalping by making primary market prices closer to what the market will bear, that’s arguably better for everyone — the revenue goes to artists and venues instead of scalpers.

Promoters also argue it helps underperforming shows. Dynamic pricing works both ways — prices can drop for events that aren’t selling well, potentially filling seats that would otherwise go empty. That means more bums in the room and a better atmosphere for the artist and the audience.

Why I Think It’s a Problem

Here’s where I stop nodding and start arguing.

It punishes loyal fans. The people who buy tickets the moment they go on sale — the most dedicated fans — end up paying the highest prices because initial demand is highest at on-sale. The fans who drove an hour to see the artist at a 200-cap room three years ago are now paying a premium for their enthusiasm. That’s backwards. Loyalty should be rewarded, not taxed.

It creates uncertainty and anxiety. Part of the joy of live music is the simplicity of the transaction. You see a show you want, you check the price, you decide. Dynamic pricing turns it into a stressful guessing game. Should I buy now or wait for prices to drop? What if they go up? This isn’t buying a plane ticket. This is supposed to be fun.

It erodes trust. Fans already feel ripped off by booking fees, service charges, and payment processing fees that can add 20-30% to the face value. Adding price volatility on top of that further damages the relationship between fan and promoter. I’ve been in rooms with fans who’ve paid different prices for the same show and the atmosphere is genuinely poisoned. “How much did you pay?” shouldn’t be a conversation that happens at a gig.

It disproportionately affects younger fans. The 18-25 demographic — the lifeblood of live music — is the most price-sensitive. Dynamic pricing pushes them out of shows they could previously afford, or forces them into the cheapest time windows and worst seats. If we price young people out of live music, we’re killing our future audience.

It changes who shows up. When ticket prices float upward for high-demand shows, the audience skews toward people with more disposable income. The front rows stop being filled by superfans and start being filled by corporate entertaining and people who just want to be seen. I’ve watched this happen in the US, and it changes the energy of a room completely.

What’s Different About Australia

The Australian market has some specific characteristics that make dynamic pricing even more problematic than in the US or UK.

We’re a smaller market. A band that can play 50 shows across the US might play 5 in Australia. That means each show matters more to Australian fans — missing it might mean waiting years for the next opportunity. Dynamic pricing exploits that scarcity.

We already have some of the highest live music costs in the world, thanks to geographic isolation (touring costs are enormous), venue overheads, and a relatively small population spread across a continent. Adding demand-based premiums on top of already-high base prices is a tough sell.

And we have a strong pub and club live music culture that has always been accessible and egalitarian. The ethos of Australian live music — everyone pays their $30, everyone stands in the same room, the music’s for everyone — is genuinely threatened by a pricing model that creates financial tiers among fans.

What I’d Rather See

Instead of dynamic pricing, here’s what I think actually addresses the scalping problem without screwing fans:

• Verified fan programs that give genuine fans priority access at fixed prices, like Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan system (which, for all its flaws, at least tries to solve the right problem).
• Non-transferable digital tickets linked to the buyer’s ID. Yes, it’s less flexible. But it kills scalping dead.
• Price caps on resale enforced through legislation, like the laws already in place in Victoria and Queensland.
• More shows. The fundamental problem is undersupply. If an artist adds a second or third show when demand is high, you don’t need dynamic pricing. You need better forecasting and more flexible venue agreements.

The Bottom Line

Dynamic pricing is a revenue maximisation tool disguised as a consumer benefit. I’m sure it’ll make some promoters and venues more money in the short term. But in the long term, it chips away at the culture that makes live music special in this country.

We’re not selling airline seats. We’re selling experiences. And the moment you turn a gig into a commodity that rises and falls with demand, you’ve lost something that no algorithm can quantify.

I’ve seen what happens when an industry prioritises extraction over experience. I watched it happen with recorded music, and it took 15 years to recover. Let’s not repeat the mistake with live music.