Sick of high priced concert ticket prices? You should have some extra pocket change to rattle for your rock 'n' roll in the new year.

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2010 was tough for the concert business as high prices kept many fans at home. Promoters now say they plan to make shows more affordable in 2011. But they'll also try to sell more T-shirts and other merchandise to make up for lost revenue.

In 2010 many fans stayed home and dozens of shows were canceled. Lots of venues filled seats with fire-sale prices.  Now, rather than charge lots early and offer discounts later, some promoters say they'll offer cheaper tickets from the start, partly because they know fans will spend as much as usual on beer and tchotchkes when they arrive.  Unless you are tired of paying $15 for a beer.

Overall, though, more artists than ever are going out on the road to make up for falling CD sales. With more tickets on sale and consumers still pinching pennies, the pressure on prices is down.

Concert attendance fell 12 percent in the first half of 2010, compared with the same period a year ago, according to trade magazine Pollstar. The world's largest concert promoter, Live Nation Entertainment Inc., said attendance from July to September dropped 16 percent from a year ago, even after it slashed fees and prices for dozens of acts.

Although the average isn't expected to fall drastically in 2011, there'll be bargains at the back of the house. Prices for front row seats may actually go up as part of Live Nation's bid to grab revenue that might otherwise go to ticket resellers. But the company has said it wants to cut prices even further for the cheap seats to let in more fans, which is great news!

To read more of the article by AP Business Writer Ryan Nakashima click here

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