The dreadful state of UK ticket sales

I recently wrote a brief exploration of how drastically Morrissey's ticket sale figures have plummeted in the UK, with special attention given to the startlingly low sales for the upcoming Leeds gig.

With two weeks to go until the show, huge quantities of seats remain unsold in some of the best blocks in the venue while standing floor tickets also remain.

Full article can be seen online here.

 

[Anonymous]

I've been saying for 18 months now that the UK fan-base has hemorrhaged by around 60%.
The evidence was the cancelled tour of summer 2018 and, more clearly, the sales for California Son.
Low in High School = 25,000 in Week 1.
California Son = 8,000 despite similar reviews and radio backing for lead single.
His pre-For Britain London fanbase was over 25,000 when it came to live shows.
He's playing to just one venue this time with a 12,000 capacity.
Even with a 60% loss of the fan base, it should be pretty full but it clearly is not about to sell out. Watch out for very cheap tickets nearer the day.

Steve P Morrissey - all you need to do is apologise, say you've made a massive mistake, and that you do not endorse far-right politics. You clearly don't, but urging people to vote for a far-right party (because it is led by a vegan feminist) has led thousands to jump to an obvious conclusion.

 

[Uncleskinny]

Yes, I was at the Drury Lane one. Hardly 1,000 capacity.

Now he’s playing in front of 10,000 at 85 € a ticket. A huge success but some people will never believe anything.

Not in the UK he isn't. The populace have had enough of his bigoted shit, and soon everywhere else will have too. It's a race against time for him to coin it in from those that haven't heard the extent of what he's said, and what is factually reported in FGV's article.

 

[Stephen Hofmann]

Not in the UK he isn't. The populace have had enough of his bigoted shit, and soon everywhere else will have too. It's a race against time for him to coin it in from those that haven;t heard the extent of what he's said, and what is factually reported in FGV's article.

We've certainly had enough of your obsessive rubbish, that's for sure.

 

[DavidK]

How has this been promoted to the main page?? Morrissey-solo promoting and spreading lies again? Sickening.

Go start your own morrissey site then. Here's an idea: Morrissey-solonely.com

 

[Deleted member 28251]

All this bragging about brain size. You must do better.

I’ll go and sit on the naughty step. It’s f***ing massive. Does that suit?

 

[vegan cro spirit 222]

Not in the UK he isn't. The populace have had enough of his bigoted shit, and soon everywhere else will have too. It's a race against time for him to coin it in from those that haven't heard the extent of what he's said, and what is factually reported in FGV's article.

Skinny the UK just went Tory with Moz help and booted the EU back across the channel.

Everybodys heading for the exit, exit exit brexit brexit exit.

 

[Stephen Hofmann]

I’ll go and sit on the naughty step. It’s f***ing massive. Does that suit?

I love all these "experts" that weren't even at the gigs in the old days.

 

[Anonymous]

Not in the UK he isn't. The populace have had enough of his bigoted shit, and soon everywhere else will have too. It's a race against time for him to coin it in from those that haven't heard the extent of what he's said, and what is factually reported in FGV's article.

You are brainwashed by elites who despise you. Your father has a lot to answer for. God be with you. Hugs X

 

[Thewlis]

So who promoted this rumour to the main page? @davidt can you enlighten us?
And why doesn’t it say ‘rumour’ in front of the article’s title as happened in previous rumour-stories? Also why was the title of the original article, SPM and the Mysterious Case of the Disappearing UK Fanbase, changed to the non-proven The Dreadful State of UK Ticket sales?

 

[Anonymous]

Let’s be real...

The music sucks.
The band sucks.
England sucks.
He tours too much.
The set list sucks.
His quality control sucks.

I agree with the music (his recent albums suck and apparently the news one will too).
Regardint the band, can't stand Tobias...bring Alan back!!
If the current music sucks the set list is gonna suck too.
Yeah quality control sucks too.

 

[Carlislebaz]

I saw him at Motherwell, Blackpool, Portsmouth and London in 95. Either I was much taller then, or they were indeed small venues. Rock City, in 1999, was like a church hall.

Well hovis looks like our paths nearly crossed back in the day as my first moz gig, was Glasgow barrowlands, Motherwell was if I’m correct the start of the boxers tour?? And barrowlands was the second

 

[NealCassidy]

On the contrary. It's all fact, and exactly as I predicted, here you are saying so and spinning it in his favour.

Yeah great track record on predictions Nazi

 

[Deleted member 28251]

Well hovis looks like our paths nearly crossed back in the day as my first moz gig, was Glasgow barrowlands, Motherwell was if I’m correct the start of the boxers tour?? And barrowlands was the second

Glasgow was first. That must’ve been quite a night CazBaz.

 

[Young And Alive]

I would say the poor ticket sales are more to do with the poor quality of the last few albums, rather than what the chattering classes would describe as Morrissey's "unacceptable" opinions.

If these shows had been announced off the back of an album of Vauxhall & I or You Are the Quarry's quality, they'd have sold out. No question.

Also, if for argument's sake The Smiths announced a reunion tour, the tickets would sell like hot cakes. All of a sudden the principles of former fans would evaporate and out would come the credit cards.

 

[NealCassidy]

And again, as I predicted, those defenders of free-speech and staunch defenders of bigotry are piling in here marking down posts because they DON'T WANT YOU TO SEE THEM.

Hurrah for free speech! Except when I don't like what you're saying.

These defenders, those that are left, are blind to facts, Trumpian in their outlo0k and utter cowards who cannot revoke their logically indefensible stance.

Thank you Adolf

 

[klaus]

did you see the grablines?

 

[Uncleskinny]

I would say the poor ticket sales are more to do with the poor quality of the last few albums, rather than what the chattering classes would describe as Morrissey's "unacceptable" opinions.

If these shows had been announced off the back of an album of Vauxhall & I or You Are the Quarry's quality, they'd have sold out. No question.

Also, if for argument's sake The Smiths announced a reunion tour, the tickets would sell like hot cakes. All of a sudden the principles of former fans would evaporate and out would come the credit cards.

The problem with your logic here is that he's selling elsewhere. It's only in the UK where the populace are more aware of his bigotry. Are you suggesting the critical appreciation of his most recent releases stops at borders? It's only a matter of time until the rest of the world catches up.

 

[Anonymous]

The problem with your logic here is that he's selling elsewhere. It's only in the UK where the populace are more aware of his bigotry. Are you suggesting the critical appreciation of his most recent releases stops at borders? It's only a matter of time until the rest of the world catches up.

It's not, actually. The rest of the world just isn't that interested in his non-musical activities/views. He has made it to the front pages of all the largest media organisations (including the BBC website) in the UK several times in the last two years, and all in relation to very negative stuff (largely his own doing). So, the perception of him amongst the wider population is now of an extreme right-wing sympathiser when the reality is, he's just a deeply muddled man when it comes to politics (no-one else on the planet has urged people to vote for Bernie Sanders and also a far-right party - it just makes no sense). But the main news/media organisations away from the UK simply aren't that interested in his non-musical views/actions to bother broadcasting them, so his reputation will never be as damaged elsewhere. He will remain better known for being an eccentric, vegetarian anti-royalist.

 

[Anonymous]

The problem with your logic here is that he's selling elsewhere. It's only in the UK where the populace are more aware of his bigotry. Are you suggesting the critical appreciation of his most recent releases stops at borders? It's only a matter of time until the rest of the world catches up.

Concentrate on your own life. Stop trolling an artist, it makes you look like a daft teenage

 

[The Chameleon]

Anonymous trolls will be anonymous trolls I suppose... Banned ex-members no doubt.

And Paris is sold out.

Ex-band members?