Fans of Rage Against The Machine – including many Canadian ones – are raging against the prices for tickets to the band’s upcoming reunion tour.
Tickets went on sale Thursday morning and within minutes Twitter was filled with complaints that prices are “ridiculous,” “insane” and “exorbitant.”
“Rage against the machine IS the machine. Wtf are these prices,” fumed @ChemicalEffects, a Canadian who found tickets priced at $552.26 in Section 121 of Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre.
“You think MCR bent fans over with their reunion tour ticket prices? Check out the prices for the Rage Against The Machine tour,” tweeted @Bnowakowski85 of Saskatchewan.
“Random thought: What if TNSE extended Paul Maurice yesterday to deflect from Rage Against the Machine prices today? Discuss,” shared Winnipeg’s @paulquaye, referring to Winnipeg Jets owners True North Sports and Entertainment.
Edmonton Journal web editor Chad Huculak (@northsidechad) called the prices “absurd” and joked that he is surprising his wife with a Rage Against the Machine ticket for Valentine’s Day. "I’m not looking forward to telling her I had to take out a second mortgage to afford the tickets, however.”
Edmonton mom @RenDan81 was more succinct. “Rage Against The Machines ticket prices can go eat a giant d**k.”
RATM has not responded to criticism of ticket prices but posted a message on its website assuring fans that it was trying to combat scalpers and ticket brokers who sell at inflated prices.
“At many concerts, up to 50% of the seating is scooped up by scalpers and then resold to fans at much higher (fees). We are doing everything we can to protect 90% of the RATM tickets from scalpers, and then WE are holding in reserve 10% of the seating (random seats throughout each venue) to sell at a higher ticket price (but low enough to undercut the scalpers),” the statement reads. "We will donate 100% OF THE MONEY over the fees and base ticket price to charities and activist organizations IN EACH CITY. We are confident this will help many more fans get tickets at face value and put a big dent in the aftermarket gouging.
“WE HATE SCALPING AS MUCH AS YOU DO and will continue to try to find ways to combat it.”
Still, some fans believe the band is doing its own gouging. @DreamofJanney tweeted: “If I've done the math correctly, given the ticket prices, Rage Against the Machine can tear down the machine, rebuild it, and tear it down again with the surplus of funds now in the warchest.”
Buffalo, New York journalist Dan Telvock complained: “$125 are cheapest ticket to Rage Against the Machine in Buffalo. I saw them for $15 once. My my. I wish my paychecks increased the same pace as ticket prices have.”
Zack de la Rocha, Tim Commerford, Tom Morello and Brad Wilk, who haven’t performed together since 2011, shared details of the tour this month after announcing a series of shows in March and April. The band will stop in Vancouver on May 1, Edmonton on May 3, Calgary on May 5, Winnipeg on May 7 and then in Hamilton on July 21 and Toronto on July 23 and 25. RATM will play Ottawa’s Bluefest on July 17 and Quebec City’s Summer Festival on July 18.
Here’s a sample of some of the reactions to RATM prices:
I love me some Rage Against the Machine and desperately want to see them live, but the ticket prices for their return tour are a damn joke. pic.twitter.com/ShinycKDfT
— Dustin George (@DustinatTheStar) February 13, 2020
When I see Rage Against The Machine prices pic.twitter.com/8G6DeW4h0P
— Brett (@BLeez17) February 13, 2020
I don't know man. Maybe Devo will announce a tour that comes through NorCal and I can go to that.
— Roberto Baldwin (@strngwys) February 13, 2020
This RATM ticket fiasco is bumming me out.
Rage Against the Machine ticket prices.
— Mark (@TheGreenClovers) February 13, 2020
Me: pic.twitter.com/Sn4Ij16Vtc
Imagine being able to afford RATM tickets in 2020... pic.twitter.com/yJkVUbGCFn
— RickyFTW (@rickyftw) February 13, 2020
With those concert prices, I think @RATM should change their name to Rage Against The ATM Machine. Yikes! #HowMuch??
— OhBehaves (@OhBehaves) February 13, 2020
My Chemical Romance fans:
— James (@lordhamlet73) February 13, 2020
Look at these reunion tour scalper prices!
Rage Against the Machine fans:
Hold our beers...
Thought about buying Rage Against The Machine tickets for a V-day gift then saw the prices and thought....... pic.twitter.com/hvCoPfTvtb
— Courtney Rutherford (@CourtRutherford) February 13, 2020
Twitter rage for Rage Against the Machine ticket prices is very real today. Seats start at $190 for 300 level. Band plays #Winnipeg May 7 #RATM pic.twitter.com/nfzWIH2iIb
— ChrisD.ca (@ChrisDca) February 13, 2020
14yr old me would be so pumped to see Rage Against the Machine. But at those ticket prices, seems a little bit like raging with the machine. Hard pass.
— Rob Watson (@robbiedxc) February 11, 2020