Idol worship comes at a heavy price
by Trung Hieu
From just several hundred thousand dong rising to several million, the price of tickets for pop concerts has increased sharply over the past two years, making it practically impossible for many people to fulfil their dreams of seeing their idols perform live.
Enjoying live pop concerts has become a form of luxury entertainment, only accessible to the rich.
Six years ago, the price that composer Phu Quang charged for a ticket for the show to celebrate his 40-year music career shocked many people. It was the first time a ticket to a show had sold for VND1 million (members of the audience were presented with a book, a CD and a cocktail during the show).
More recently, concert tickets have been regularly selling for between VND500,000 and VND2 million (US$95), and the best seats for most live shows held in Ha Noi are even more expensive. For example, a ticket for overseas Vietnamese singer Nguyen Hung's live show Love and Dancing Steps cost VND2.5 million, while a ticket for the Golden Autumn show featuring divas Thanh Lam, My Linh and Hong Nhung cost from VND800,000 to VND2 million. Overseas Vietnamese singer Che Linh's concert set audiences back from VND500,000 to 3 million.
"Because tickets prices for domestic concerts are always high, when a famous band like Westlife performs in Ha Noi with tickets costing between VND350,000 and VND1 million each, many fans say it's cheap," says Le Van Luong, a young fan.
Organisers explained that they were forced to raise ticket prices because singers were demanding more and the cost of hiring a venue had increased.
To hold a show at the Ha Noi Cultural Friendship Palace costs around $2,000, while the cost for a high-profile venue – the National Convention Centre – is much more expensive, up to VND700 million ($33,000).
Popular singer Dam Vinh Hung holds the record for the most expensive ticket price, with VIP tickets for his show White Night Party sold for $500. Audience members were treated to fine wine, chocolate that Hung brought home from the US, and a vase with their name on it.
Musicians from other genres may feel an element of envy towards these pop stars, as they may earn the same from one tour as other artists do in a year. Classical musicians at the Ha Noi Opera House receive a few hundred thousand dong per show, while pop stars make several thousand dollars.
Tuoi Tre (Youth) Theatre in Ha Noi can feel proud of the many famous artists that have graced its stage, but even for some of the top shows that the theatre has built its reputation on such as Laughing Lives, tickets are available from VND100,000-VND120,000.
"This price is less than one-tenth of a ticket for a Uyen Linh show, a new singer who recently rose to fame on Viet Nam Idol," says music fan Do Kim Chung.
Director Si Tien, deputy head of the Theatre's Troupe 2, says the theatre doesn't plan to raise ticket prices.
"It doesn't matter if it's a long, complex play that requires lots of rehersals, or a short, light-hearted performance, the ticket price remains the same to encourage audiences to experience different genres and enjoy the art," he says.
For other kinds of art performance, such as comedy and circus, prices are only reach as high as VND100,000, and could be lower.
Perhaps audiences' obsession for pop music has pushed the price up so much that only the rich can afford to attend concerts.
Lucky for others, there are still shows held by famous domestic and foreign artists that are free.
Student Ha Lan knows that the Goethe Institute in Ha Noi often organises cultural activities, music and film shows with free admission. Lan registered her email address with the institute to receive the latest updates on what's going on.
"I'm happy to have the chance to attend these shows. Most exhibitions held at the Goethe Institute are free and invitations for the shows are also delivered free of charge," says Lan.
The European Union in Viet Nam along with the Japanese and Korean cultural centres and the embassies of Italy and Denmark have held cultural and entertainment programmes in Viet Nam. Aiming to popularise and exchange culture, many leading artists from other countries have performed free of charge for Vietnamese audiences.
They include annual events such as the European Music Festival, European Concert, European Film Festival, International Documentary Festival and Modern Dance Festival.
Similar to Lan, many people often attempt to hunt down tickets for these events. However, because of limited numbers, not many are made available to the public, so the "hunters" must be quick.
These free programmes are a great opportunity for members of the public to experience different forms of art, but some organisers are not so sure, even if they succeed in securing sponsorship for the shows.
Most organisers say that if people don't pay to see a show, they won't realise its true value.
Only people who love the arts and know how to appreciate them are ready to pay for tickets, they argue. Free tickets should only be available for students and pensioners.
"It's necessary to get the public into the habit of buying tickets, regardless of whether they are expensive or not. That way, organisers will be able to attract international artists to Viet Nam as part of their world tours," says organiser and MC Anh Tuan.
Recently, many cai luong (reformed theatre) troupes in southern provinces have reduced ticket prices to attract audiences, many of whom are poor and live in the countryside.
Organiser Ngoc Hanh of Minh Phuong Troupe says: "We'd prefer to sell tickets at a lower price and have a large audience. It gets the artists' adrenaline pumping and they give a better performance," he says.
Director Si Tien says the most important thing to attract an audience isn't the ticket price, it's the quality of the show.
"If you have a good idea, interesting content and talented performers, then surely the audience will pay attention to your show," he says.
Perhaps he is correct. — VNS