(Hypebot) — With ticket prices soaring and the economy in doubt, this survey of music festival fan complaints reveals areas where fests can improve the attendee experience and ensure the ticket price aligns with the quality of the event.
Conducted by event chair rental service conCHAIRto, the top music festival fan complaints include a mix of logistical issues, safety concerns, and overall experience-related grievances.
The Top Music Festival Fan Complaints
- Overcrowding: Many attendees complain about festivals being too crowded, which leads to long lines for food, restrooms, and merchandise, as well as difficulty seeing the performances.
- High Ticket Prices: The rising cost of tickets is a frequent complaint, especially when attendees feel that the experience doesn’t justify the price. This includes complaints about additional fees and costs for premium experiences. Historically, over the past decade festival ticket prices have increased 55%-
97%. Year over year that equates to 7%-10% annually. - Poor Sound Quality: Inadequate sound systems, poor acoustics, or issues with audio clarity
are common complaints, particularly for attendees farther from the stage. - Insufficient Facilities (Restrooms and Water Stations): Long lines and dirty or inadequate restroom facilities are frequent complaints. Similarly, a lack of sufficient water stations, especially in hot weather, is often criticized.
- Expensive Food and Drinks: Festival-goers often find the prices for food and beverages to be
excessively high, sometimes leading to frustration when the quality does not match the cost. - Security Issues: Attendees sometimes express concerns about security, including intrusive searches, lack of visible security presence, or the handling of crowd control in emergencies.
- Weather-Related Issues: While weather is uncontrollable, poor planning for adverse conditions,
such as inadequate shelter from rain or heat, can lead to significant dissatisfaction. - Lineup Changes or Delays: Last-minute changes to the lineup, delays in performances, or technical difficulties that disrupt the schedule are often met with frustration, especially if a headliner cancels.
- Overpriced Merchandise: Attendees often feel that the merchandise sold at festivals is
overpriced, especially when compared to similar items available elsewhere.
Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, a Berklee College Of Music professor and founder of the Skyline Artists Agency
