Is anyone here still into live concerts these days?

Due to the ridiculous cost of tickets, I have only attended two concerts in the last two years. They were Sarah McLachlan and Robert Plant / Allison Krauss and both shows were at outdoor venues here in the Seattle area. It’s quite enjoyable drinking wine while listening to live music outdoors on a Summer evening. Growing up in LA, I had the opportunity to see a lot of the greats in concert back in the day when tickets were affordable (The Rolling Stones, The Who, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Simon and Garfunkel, Van Morrison, U2, R.E.M, The Clash, The Pretenders, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Lou Reed, Steve Winwood, John Fogerty, Tom Petty, Jefferson Airplane, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck). I’m thankful for those memories.

@thecarpathian -- 

I got spoiled by the $3 tickets to get in the Fillmore (San Francisco) in the 60’s and early-70’s. For $3 I got to see Cream, Hendrix, The Who, Jeff Beck, The Kinks, Procol Harum, Elton John (with just a drummer and bassist, his original live line-up), many others.

The last big show I attended was The Stones at The Staples Center in L.A. I got a pair of comp tickets, so didn’t feel bad when my gal and I left after three songs. Not only was it like watching TV, but they also stunk.

The last Rock ’n’ Roll band I saw live were NRBQ, at a small club in Portland. They were as great as ever (I’d previously seen them three times in the 80’s and 90’s, at The Roxy Theater in L.A.), and it cost me only $30 I believe it was. It’s the cost of drinks that hurts!

I still go to live shows, but I’m far more picky about who I go see than I used to be.   I have to really want to see them. And I try to make an event out of it. If the show is in a new city, I’ll make a weekend of it and check out the area. As a result, it can get pricey so I want to make sure it’s an artist I want to see. 
I’m trying to get to those great artists who may be “in the twilight of their careers”.      
I hate that feeling of regret when I learn that an artist is no longer touring (for whatever reason), and I missed them live.

It's been tough since COVID. Used to go to several shows a year, would pony up the money to see bigger bands. Once did a VIP thing to U2, 2 tickets were almost $1k. Also had side stage GA to The Rolling Stones. Think that was a $250 ticket back around 2017.

When COVID hit, so many shows were canceled, it just keeps going. Had 3rd row center for Rage Against the Machine, canceled, Foo Fighters, canceled, Black Keys, canceled, along with a few others.

Now almost any show is $250+ that doesn't include fees. Learned that you pay for 3 tickets but only get 2. It's 1 ticket worth in fees. 

My kid has discovered K-Pop, been going to all the shows. Some are cheap, some are not. My kid has started to go solo to a few, it's hard to spend $800 on 2 tickets to see a K-Pop band. 

Going to see Nathaniel Rateliff and Joe Bonamosa in February, back to back shows. Tickets for them were reasonable.