AB's Billboard Boxscore Results

News and discussion about Alter Bridge. Get the latest updates here!
User avatar
AB4Lyfe
Achilles
Posts: 5873
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2012 5:17 pm
Location: Seattle

Re: AB's Billboard Boxscore Results

Post by AB4Lyfe »

“Freemium Posting”
Image

User avatar
Tigra
Isolated
Posts: 463
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2017 6:26 am

Re: AB's Billboard Boxscore Results

Post by Tigra »

gbruin wrote:$100 to get Tigra to respond to my posts.
You can't possibly think that my replies are that cheap!
Anyway, where's my money?

User avatar
anguyen92
Expert Comma Negotiator
Posts: 10359
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2012 12:31 pm
Location: California

Re: AB's Billboard Boxscore Results

Post by anguyen92 »

AB's back on the Boxscore this week and well, here's what happened.

Alter Bridge, In Flames, Devour the Day Starland Ballroom Sayreville, N.J. May 2, 2017 $49,833 1,471 / 2,000 1 / 0 $40, $37.50 The Bowery Presents

On the one hand, making $50k in revenue in a headlining show in the US is pretty good for a band like AB nowadays. On the other hand, they played this very venue three years back and did much better in attendance and revenue. What happened? Did the $8 price increase turn people away? Why promoters think that it would be a great idea to increase the ticket price that much if AB did not sell it out, but came close to selling it out back in 2014? This was how they did back in 2014 in this very same venue.

Alter Bridge, Like a Storm, California Breed Starland Ballroom Sayreville, N.J. Oct. 10, 2014 $58,102 1,962 / 2,000 1 / 0 $32, $29.50 AEG Live

On the other hand, here's what Sevendust did in the same venue.

Sevendust Starland Ballroom Sayreville, N.J. June 22, 2017 $41,329 1,573 / 2,000 1 / 0 $35, $29.50 The Bowery Presents

I'm surprised with the exception of back around 2008, I think, that AB and Sevendust have not done a tour together. They should be touring together more honestly since they know each other pretty well. I think the UK and Europe would welcome Sevendust with open arms as a support for an AB tour there and an AB/Sevendust co-headlining tour in the states could do some good business.

Here's another result of AB's show in Kansas City.

Alter Bridge Harrah's VooDoo Lounge North Kansas City, Mo. Dec. 12, 2017 $15,839 869 / 1,398 1 / 0 $65, $36.50 C3 Presents/Caesars Entertainment

Sadly, second time was not the charm for them at Kansas City as they could not sell out the same venue that they did earlier in January 2017.

User avatar
One Drew Remains
Slip To The Void
Posts: 4521
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:40 pm
Location: Mizzou

Re: AB's Billboard Boxscore Results

Post by One Drew Remains »

Thought about going to KC. But a weekend show in St Louis was much better for me. I think The Pageant was pretty full.
Altered:
9/17/11, 5/02/14, 10/16/14, 10/08/16, 1/28/17, 5/13/17, 12/08/17, 10/14/19, 8/17/23

User avatar
anguyen92
Expert Comma Negotiator
Posts: 10359
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2012 12:31 pm
Location: California

Re: AB's Billboard Boxscore Results

Post by anguyen92 »

Ok, now that I think about looking at this week's boxscore. How AB did in terms of generating revenue at Starland Ballroom is pretty darn good in comparisons with the below. The following below are relatively somewhat known bands that drew in less money than what AB drew in at the Starland Ballroom in 2017.

The Pretty Reckless Starland Ballroom Sayreville, N.J. Nov. 10, 2017 $48,850 1,975 / 1,975 1 / 1 $30, $25, $12.50 The Bowery Presents

Seether, Shaman's Harvest, The Dead Deads Starland Ballroom Sayreville, N.J. Nov. 29, 2017 $44,226 1,791 / 2,000 1 / 0 $35, $30.50, $10.55, $9.59 The Bowery Presents

Hollywood Undead, Butcher Babies, Demrick Starland Ballroom Sayreville, N.J. Nov. 24, 2017 $38,040 1,644 / 2,000 1 / 0 $30, $25, $12.50 The Bowery Presents

Hatebreed, Dying Fetus, Code Orange Starland Ballroom Sayreville, N.J. Dec. 9, 2017 $33,130 1,876 /2,000 1 / 0 $25, $20, $10 The Bowery Presents

I Prevail, Escape The Fate, The Word Alive, We Came As Romans Starland Ballroom Sayreville, N.J. Oct. 19, 2017 $30,852 1,381 / 2,000 1 / 0 $27, $24, $12 The Bowery Presents

Theory of a Deadman, Ayron Jones and the Way Starland Ballroom Sayreville, N.J. Oct. 18, 2017 $20,406 1,229 / 2,000 1 / 0 $23, $20, $10, $9.59 The Bowery Presents

It's the weirdest thing. I hear a lot of songs from bands like The Pretty Reckless, Seether, I Prevail, and Theory of a Deadman on the active rock radio station I listen to frequently, and yet, those bands did not generate as much revenue as AB did in the same venue in a big area like New Jersey.

User avatar
gbruin
MEGLADONG
Posts: 7872
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 6:27 pm
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO

Re: AB's Billboard Boxscore Results

Post by gbruin »

Same here. Every one of those bands, The Pretty Reckless, Seether, Hollywood Undead, and Hatebreed, and ToaD get lots of airtime on our stupid "hard rock" station while AB gets, exactly, zero airplay. I call to request AB and they say, "We don't play them". It's such a damn joke.

No wonder AB rarely comes here and MK doesn't come at all.
Another photobucket casualty... :(
As your courage crashes down before your eyes, don't lay down and die

Samsquanch
Brand New Start
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon May 28, 2018 1:57 pm

Re: AB's Billboard Boxscore Results

Post by Samsquanch »

gbruin wrote:I call to request AB and they say, "We don't play them". It's such a damn joke.
Does that have anything to do with them using their own label instead of a major label? It always feels like one of the reasons AB isn't more popular is due to lack of air time (someone said this previously). I've heard them on the radio twice: once in 2004 when they released One Day Remains, with "Open Your Eyes", which is when I got hooked, and again in ~2014 or so with "Isolation" (I think). Edge using "Metalingus" also seemed to give them a boost. What gives?

User avatar
gbruin
MEGLADONG
Posts: 7872
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 6:27 pm
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO

Summary: tl;dr

Post by gbruin »

It's an interesting question, and there are far more issues that go into it than I understand, but I think it's much more complicated than the label. When AB was with Universal, they didn't get significantly more airplay (though Universal pretty much sucked at promoting AB too). I think it's much more about a specific plan by the AB camp on how to focus their marketing efforts.

A while back, one guy very close to the band mentioned on here once that AB wasn't "spending" much effort on increasing US radio airplay, which I jumped to interpret that they aren't paying for access. I know payola is technically illegal, but so is buying cars for college athletes. Business interests will do what they can get away with to help their bottom line, so it's naive to think it isn't happening. One one hand, you have a band like Metallica that deservedly gets tons of airplay here, but that's a band that is big enough to program itself. The station (KBPI, for the record) gets far more out of Metallica than vice versa. But that same station has played a 5FDP song every 1-2 hours for the last 5 years and that smells funny. Similarly with certain bands in AB's genre that are in regular rotation while AB and a few others who clearly fit the format never get a note. It's easy to see via social media that I am far from the only one who laughs at KBPI's ultra-narrow playlist. Considering that advertisers are spending money to reach a target audience that isn't listening to the degree it could, you have to wonder where the radio station is supplementing that income.

Alter Bridge has clearly made a decision not to go that route, and it's a respectable decision and probably doesn't hurt them too much in the big picture. It's questionable whether popularity drives airplay or airplay drives popularity. With all the various ways to hear new music these days, I think it's much more the former.

I'm an old guy who grew up in a time when hearing a band on the radio was the only real way to hear new music, and so to me there is something magical about hearing your favorite band on the radio. That's one issue I have with KBPI not playing AB. The bigger problem though is that I sincerely believe it deters bands from coming here because of a perceived lack of support by the rock fans here. Denver is a full day's travel from the nearest major cities so it's a serious commitment for a band to come here, and there are an inordinate number of bands who bypass Colorado on their US tours. When KBPI refuses to play AB, they create the perception there aren't Alter Bridge fans here, even though every concert AB has played here proves just the opposite. But when touring is the lifeblood of a band these days and resources are limited, bands have to prudently target their tour stops and venues, and the absence of any airplay here makes us an easy place to skip. That fucking kills me.

The business of music has always been a darkly fascinating topic and it has changed a ton in the last couple decades. Gone are the days of Barry Fey that I grew up with and also gone are those old strategies how to promote a band, and I think radio airplay is one of those targets which has diminished. Man, I'd love to sit down with Tim and get a primer on what goes into managing a band and running a tour these days. It's a world I'd like to understand better and I can't imagine all the variables that go into it.
Another photobucket casualty... :(
As your courage crashes down before your eyes, don't lay down and die

User avatar
gbruin
MEGLADONG
Posts: 7872
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 6:27 pm
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO

And more..

Post by gbruin »

How weird that the word payola was the correct answer to Q6 on HQ tonight. The world is connected in funny ways, although my 16 y/o son had never heard of it.

And even more apropos to the subject...there was a really interesting interview with Mark on Ultimate Guitar where he talks about the role of larger-than-life figures and their connection to stardom, and gives the example of how Myles is a great frontman but he and the band don't get much push in the media. That's another part of the equation as to why AB doesn't get tons of airplay - they're just too nice. Let's face it, we live in a ridiculously image conscious society and entertainment is a ridiculously image conscious industry. Frontmen like Axl Rose and Steven Tyler and David Lee Roth (look him up, younglings) will always be huge stars as much for their style as for their substance. They are accomplished singers, but none of them has the musical chops that Myles has vocally or none are in the conversation when it comes to guitar, but those guys are far more prominent frontmen and will always generate a huge media push - and airplay. Daredevils and train wrecks will always make the biggest headlines, even if they can't begin to play a slide on a resonator.

You can read the interview here: https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/ge ... _push.html

I'm damn grateful every day that Myles and Mark and Flip and Brian are such good humans, and there is a huge personal story for me about that. Alter Bridge is about the music, not the image. And while I'd give a lot for the boys to get more airplay and media attention because they deserve it and because it might help get them to my part of the continent more often, I wouldn't ever want them to be anything different than who they are, no matter how much media push might come from a few arrests and public displays of idiocy.
Another photobucket casualty... :(
As your courage crashes down before your eyes, don't lay down and die

User avatar
TenaciousBe
On The Rail
Posts: 1780
Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:04 pm
Location: Iowa, USA
Contact:

Re: And more..

Post by TenaciousBe »

gbruin wrote:I'm damn grateful every day that Myles and Mark and Flip and Brian are such good humans, and there is a huge personal story for me about that. Alter Bridge is about the music, not the image. And while I'd give a lot for the boys to get more airplay and media attention because they deserve it and because it might help get them to my part of the continent more often, I wouldn't ever want them to be anything different than who they are, no matter how much media push might come from a few arrests and public displays of idiocy.
Abso-fuckin-lutlely! I love these guys just as much for WHO they are as I do for the music they make. I mean, back during the hiatus between the disbanding of Creed and the announcement of "the new band," I jumped on board and helped create this site (which was AlterBridgeBand.net at the time) simply because I loved the guys and wanted to support their new venture. I hadn't heard a note of their new music yet, and I committed myself to supporting them no matter what I thought of the music itself. Luckily, they're pretty good at music and Myles ended up being my all time #1 favorite singer, so that helped. Their lack of commercial success does suck, but I'm proud that they don't sell themselves out.
Join us on the Alter Bridge subreddit!
Sponsored by Moonrise Blue.

User avatar
anguyen92
Expert Comma Negotiator
Posts: 10359
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2012 12:31 pm
Location: California

Re: AB's Billboard Boxscore Results

Post by anguyen92 »

Yikes, almost a two year bump. Well, because Billboard decided to be stupid with their system and lists only the top 50 of the week rather than like 150-200 entries for the week, AB will not show up in these lists unless they do a big arena show in Europe and thankfully, Billboard did list this one.

34 Alter Bridge O2 Arena London, England Dec. 21, 2019 $729,188 12093/14649 1/0 $61.21, $48.18 Live Nation

Much, much better result than when they played the O2 Arena back in 2016 (listed below) despite having a repeat main supporter (Shinedown) and Sevendust pulling out at the last second due to a medical emergency. Had 2,000 more people showed up that is logged and average ticket price per person was higher. Around $60.00 in the show in December compared to $37.00 in 2016. I don't foresee average ticket prices going any lower in the UK for AB in the near future if they were able to pull this off.

Alter Bridge, O2 Arena London, U.K.. Nov. 24, 2016. $372,716. 10,009 / 11,791. 1 / 0 $37.24. Live Nation

abw1987
Blood Machines
Posts: 8967
Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2012 9:27 am
Location: Flipadelphia
Contact:

Re: AB's Billboard Boxscore Results

Post by abw1987 »

Wow, good for them. That's actually incredible... sure they didn't "sell out" either time (a bit of an arbitrary concept since they are still blacking out some of the upper seating sections) but they increased their attendance and basically *doubled* their revenue in three years. Pretty amazing to see they're still growing, especially considering I wasn't under the impression they had any breakout singles off of the last two albums.
Image

User avatar
anguyen92
Expert Comma Negotiator
Posts: 10359
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2012 12:31 pm
Location: California

Re: AB's Billboard Boxscore Results

Post by anguyen92 »

I think what helped the most in terms of attendance was that there was not a lot of AB's contemporaries touring around the same period as well. Back in late 2016, Black Stone Cherry was doing their tour, Steel Panther was doing their tour, Bring Me the Horizon had a tour as well and A7X was doing a tour two months later. Around this point in late 2019, the only band I can think of that's doing a UK tour nearly the same time as AB's was Halestorm. As a result, with less saturation going on, I imagine there were more casual fans in AB's show in 2019 than in 2016. Having Shinedown helps as well bringing in a more casual audience, despite what people may think of them, moreso than say Volbeat or Gojira (and those bands are good bands to have to be on a bill for an AB show).

Post Reply