Frustrations are brewing over skyrocketing concert ticket prices, and rock and roll veteran Sammy Hagar is no stranger to these concerns. The iconic frontman behind hits like “I Can’t Drive 55” recently addressed the issue on social media, offering surprising insight.
Hagar empathized with a fan who commented on the high cost of tickets for his upcoming shows. In a candid response, he revealed a surprising truth: the musicians themselves often have no say in how much fans pay to see them perform.
“The bands never get to participate in that money, and I’m sorry it works that way unfortunately there’s nothing I can do,” the Red Rocker explained.
This revelation sparked a conversation, leaving fans wondering who pockets the profits from these expensive tickets, and what can be done to make concerts more affordable.
A Nostalgic Birthday Tribute
The former Van Halen frontman paid tribute to Alex Van Halen on the drummer’s birthday a few days ago with a special social media post. Hagar dug deep into his archives, unearthing an old clip from a past Van Halen show.
“Alex had a birthday on Wednesday and I was digging through some archives looking for something to post,” Hagar wrote in the caption. “I went so far down that rabbit hole… I’m still deep down in there. So many great memories from one of the greatest rock bands ever!”
Looking ahead, Hagar expressed his excitement for the upcoming “Best of Both Worlds Tour” this summer. “I am so looking forward to this summer, Best of All Worlds Tour digging deep into our unbelievable catalog of music and serving it up to the best of our abilities!”
Addressing Fan Frustration Over Ticket Prices
But a disappointed fan named lisabowren commented on Hagar’s post, expressing concern about the high ticket prices for his upcoming Tampa show. “I love me some Sammy,” Lisa wrote, “but Tampa prices were insane for some reason! I am thankful I got to enjoy you and Loverboy before greedy Ticketmaster, etc hiked the ticket prices out of control!”
Understanding the fan’s frustration, Hagar responded with transparency. He assured Lisa that he advocates for affordable tickets: “Lisa, that bums me out going in,” he wrote. “I made sure there were some inexpensive tickets and prices were certainly reasonable. I always make sure of that.”
The rocker continued: “Problem is sometimes the show sells really fast scalpers and ticket agencies grab all the good seats and check them up. The bands never get to participate in that money, and I’m sorry it works that way unfortunately there’s nothing I can do if I want to go out and play which I do hopefully you have another shot at it.”
A Not-Really-Van-Halen Van Halen Tribute Tour
Hagar concluded his response by promoting the prices of his shows, “I think this week is $25 ticket week for all shows check it out.”
Avoiding any official “Van Halen tribute tour” branding, Hagar, along with former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, Jason Bonham, and Joe Satriani are still bringing the spirit of Van Halen to fans this summer with their The Best of All Worlds North American tour.
This distinction is important. David Lee Roth, the band’s original frontman, and drummer Alex Van Halen are absent. Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie Van Halen’s son and former Van Halen bassist, is also not involved.
However, guitarist Satriani’s past discussions about a potential official Van Halen tour with Roth and Alex hint at the true nature of The Best of All Worlds. Fans can likely expect a setlist heavily featuring Van Halen classics, offering an experience as close to a genuine tribute as possible.