Music
Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott praised for capping concert tickets to fight music industry ‘greed’
‘I’m very much against greed within the industry because I feel as though there is quite a lot’
Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott have been praised by fans for capping their concert tickets at £30 in a stand against ‘music industry greed’.
The musicians, who were famously part of pop rock group The Beautiful South, appeared on BBC Breakfast last week to discuss the reasoning behind their affordable ticket prices.
Paul said it was important to keep their gig prices low for fans, adding that he hopes he will ‘set an example’ to other artists and musicians.
He said: “It’s really important through the coming months and possibly years that we tell the fans that we’re getting paid enough and we want to keep it low for you. I think people are delighted.
“I’m very much against greed within the industry because I feel as though there is quite a lot.
“We’re trying to just battle and say look we’ll do it as low as we can. And you know… set a bit of an example.”
Paul’s comments were met with a warm reception on social media, with countless fans rushing to praise his and Jacqui’s decision to lower the cost of tickets.
One person wrote: “What a man. Brilliant. Understands people are struggling and he’s making enough… why can’t others think like that.”
A second noted: “Love Paul Heaton, what a legend. Hope more follow suit the price of gig tickets is ridiculous nowadays.”
And a third commented: “Fair play Paul Heaton. Always been on the right side of things. Gig tickets are ridiculous now.”
Though this isn’t the first time Heaton has been applauded for his generosity; earlier this year, the singer turned sixty and, to celebrate, put thousands of pounds of his own money behind the bars in sixty pubs across the UK.
He said at the time: “To celebrate my sixtieth birthday I’d originally intended to do another bicycle tour, visiting and performing at sixty pubs across the UK and Ireland.
“However, due to recording delays caused by the pandemic, I’ve had to shelve these plans for the time being.
“Instead, I’ve decided that the next best way to celebrate this coming of age is to handpick sixty pubs across the UK and Ireland and put a given amount of money behind the bar of each one. Then, both regulars and yourselves can enjoy a birthday drink on me (until the money runs out, or the bar runs dry!)”