Fatboy Slim has weighed in on the ticket fiasco across the Oasis 2025 reunion tour, and labelled the usage of dynamic pricing as “sick”.
Liam and Noel Gallagher introduced the reformation of the long-lasting Britpop band earlier this yr, and confirmed that they are going to be taking part in their first dwell reveals collectively since 2009 subsequent summer time.
The dates kick off with enormous stadium gigs within the UK and Eire, and from there’ll head to North America earlier than returning for two additional dates at London’s Wembley Stadium in late September. The brothers then confirmed Australia for reveals in Melbourne and Sydney, earlier than saying their first South American dates in 16 years.
Upon tickets going dwell for the UK and Eire reveals, nonetheless, the band had been on the centre of controversy when some followers discovered enormous value will increase resulting from Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing coverage upon accessing ticket pages.
The ticketing platform’s “surge pricing” scheme, launched in 2022, will increase ticket costs primarily based on demand. Ticketmaster have clarified on their web site beforehand that tickets which might be “market-priced” and “might improve or lower at any time, primarily based on demand. That is just like how airline tickets and lodge rooms are bought.”
Now, Fatboy Slim has shared his ideas on the ticketing technique applied, and expressed his contempt for dynamic pricing getting used for dwell performances.
“The one drawback I’ve bought is with scalping the followers. That dynamic pricing, that’s ripping off the followers. It’s like auctioning tickets as a result of you already know they’re doing effectively,” he instructed The Solar’s Weird column. “It’s dangerous sufficient with the touts doing it, however the precise promoter and band doing it, it’s sick.”
He continued: “So far as I do know, it has by no means occurred on my watch. I get a say on making tickets, on the entire, low cost. I all the time say, ‘Let’s have a good value’. Ticket costs are so exorbitant. It’s simply revenue for people who find themselves very, very wealthy already – and that’s for the bands and the promoters.
“I can’t see how one can justify making it much more costly, simply because you already know you’ve got a gig that everyone needs to go to.”
It’s value noting that Oasis did communicate out concerning the ticketing debacle in September, and mentioned they had been unaware that the ticket costs would improve so drastically.
“It must be made clear that Oasis go away choices on ticketing and pricing fully to their promoters and administration, and at no time had any consciousness that dynamic pricing was going for use,” the replace learn.
“Whereas prior conferences between promoters, Ticketmaster and the band’s administration resulted in a constructive ticket sale technique, which might be a good expertise for followers, together with dynamic ticketing to assist maintain basic ticket costs down in addition to cut back touting, the execution of the plan failed to fulfill expectations. All events concerned did their utmost to ship the absolute best fan expertise, however because of the unprecedented demand this turned unattainable to realize.”
Elsewhere within the interview with The Solar, Fatboy Slim – actual title Norman Prepare dinner – shared his help for Coldplay vowing to assist help grassroots music areas throughout the UK with their upcoming tour dates.
“I actually fucking hate Coldplay. At the very least, I did till they introduced their new area tour they usually introduced they’re giving 10 per cent of the entire ticket costs for the entire tour, which is able to assist maintain smaller venues going,” he mentioned.
“That’s the dynamic pricing you need to be having. They don’t seem to be making a lot of cash, they simply wish to survive. They only like to see rock ‘n’ roll… New bands need to have someplace to come back.”
Following the preliminary backlash round Oasis tickets, the band introduced that they’d be cancelling 1000’s of tickets to their upcoming UK 2025 reunion tour which have been bought through resale web sites.
The divide in opinion round dynamic pricing went to parliament too, and it was reported {that a} new legislation could also be launched that requires music and sports activities occasions to inform followers most costs at the start of a ticket-buying course of. The transfer adopted on from Britain’s Tradition Secretary Lisa Nandy condemning dynamic pricing and calling for a evaluate of the coverage.
Across the identical time, the problem was delivered to the Promoting Requirements Company and the European Fee, with a separate name for an investigation introduced by the UK authorities. Consultants additionally advised that not warning Oasis followers of the dynamic pricing might breach shopper legislation.
Following the backlash, the band later confirmed {that a} dynamic pricing construction wouldn’t be utilized to their North American reunion tour dates.
As for the hopes of additional UK appearances being introduced, Oasis have dominated out a headline efficiency at Glastonbury 2025 and mentioned they gained’t be showing at every other festivals subsequent summer time. Liam and Noel shot down rumours of a return to Knebworth in 2026 too.
As for the already-announced gigs, it has been confirmed Cage The Elephant might be serving as opening help on their North American leg whereas former Verve frontman and soloist Richart Ashcroft and Solid might be becoming a member of the Mancunian icons on their UK and Eire dates.
As for Fatboy Slim, the artist might be taking part in extra dwell reveals throughout the rest of 2024, together with dates within the UK and the US. He has additionally been confirmed for festivals in the summertime of 2025, together with headline units at Latitude and Kendal Calling.
