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Cost to produce Madonna Concert?


thelight

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HI guys,

I'm obsessed since being 4 seats from our Queen at Boston's RHT. Can anyone refer to articles or information on the actual cost to create a past or current Madonna concert?

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I think MDNA surly will rank her most expensive.

She created a stage that had never bee made before plus the technical elements were in a grand scale indeed.

It was a showcase for sure.

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She's stated that her show costs $1 million to produce - but not sure if that's for the three month rehearsal process - or just the cost to get the thing up and running in each venue - but for comparison, it costs $10 - $20 million to produce a Broadway musical - which is to say pay everyone, build the stage, build the sets, create costumes, rent lights, rent sound equipment, insurance, and publicity - and by comparison, that is a MUCH smaller undertaking than creating an arena show. For M, the lighting, sound and video equipment is all rented, as are barricades, etc, but the decking for the stage and the screens are custom built, as are the costumes (obviously) and set pieces. Then there's the cost to create the video backdrops, renting a sound stage for two months, renting Nassau Coliseum for a month, renting tour buses, tractor trailers to move everything, hotel rooms, feeding 200 people 3 meals a day (the 100 people on the tour and the 100 local people who come in to put the stage up and take it down), overtime surcharges when she starts the show late (yes, she pays a lot for that), security, her travel (as she doesn't do tour buses for herself), renting 4 planes to fly the stage and everything else from one continent to the next - easily $50 million if not more - as such, if there are 80 shows, it probably costs $80 million dollars or more

Here's the details from MDNA - does not include cost - but gives a sense of how many moving parts you're dealing with - http://www.tpimagazine.com/production-profiles/1594407/madonnas_mdna.html

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Does Madonna pay for everything with her own money or does her label pay for it?

Her labels got nothing to do with the tour....Live Nation will provide the resources.

Madonna does make it all back, what she "costs live nation"....although the profit left over this time round won't be anywere near what it has been due to ticket demands not being there.

But even so, she still makes all the costs back but the greater the production the least profit....

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Her labels got nothing to do with the tour....Live Nation will provide the resources.

Madonna does make it all back, what she "costs live nation"....although the profit left over this time round won't be anywere near what it has been due to ticket demands not being there.

But even so, she still makes all the costs back but the greater the production the least profit....

Look, this is something only her accountants or other "people in the know" are able to answer. No one knows what the profits of any of her tours have ever been. The tricky thing with profit is that there are two sides. Revenues and costs. While it may be true that the revenues (from ticket sales) might end up being lower than with S&S and MDNA we don't know anything about the cost side. Let's just say her costs were lowered the way they expected a drop in revenues the profit is still the same after all. It's basic economic knowledge. Again, we don't know about the cost side. We don't know about the rents she pays for arenas. We don't know about the tax side. We don't know what security costs in each country. We don't know what her stage cost to bulid or what the transportation of the production costs, what accomodation costs. There are many IFs involved. Some of them she doesn't even have control over. Like accomodation. Hotel prices vary by supply and demand. Let's just say in many cities there is low season (compared to last time) and there is no fair or vice versa there is a fair going on it all will have an effect on the room rates and therefore the costs. I would like to believe the same goes for the venue. I doubt to rent an arena always costs the same. Staff: it is no secret the stage for this tour is not as elaborate or complicated as the last time. It might be faster to be set up and therefore needs less people. The list goes on and on. And that doesn't even include the merchandising. Her share is smaller (I think 50 percent? compared to the 90% she gets from tickets) but the profit margin is much higher.

Again, just because revenues might be lower that doens't necessarily mean the profits are smaller as well.

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Well put above, there are sooo many variables we don't know, so essentially we don't know SHIT and cant do much but guess...

However I am pretty sure it doesnt cost 100 mil. That would be ridicilous! :D Noway in hell... Most tours don't make near that sum and M's tour isn't ALL that much elaborate in production and staff (its more than most but Not that much) Touring is a profitable business so yeah, that alone is proof of it bit being anywhere near 100 m.

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What we know is that Madonna said: "cost a fortune to make and no one makes any money " :lol: I wonder how much truth is behind that statement, I know she was half joking but....

Well, considering she is a "Material Girl" afterall I think her comment was meant to get away from the financial topic. We know she NEVER says anything about her income or wealth. Remember how she brushed Howard Stern off when he asked her about being a billionaire and said that she has to feed and entire nation (Malawi). Truth is, if no one would make any money, why do it? Especially when touring is more or less the only profitable way to make money these days. Selling records? Hardly! Streaming? The biggest fraud in the music industry there ever was.

I think what she meant was that there are easier ways to make money these days. And that going on tour is a lot of hard work of all people involved. She could make some endorsement deal that will make her 10 million for one or two days of work instead of going on tour for 6 or 8 month straight. On the other hand I'm sure she makes at least 2 dollars for every dollar she invested when going on tour. Not a bad business afterall.

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It depends on city and stadium / arena as well.

Back at MDNA, renting the Istanbul stadium cost Madonna 300.000 $.

Plus, she had 300 people their costs like flight and lodgement,

I think it cost ca. 1 million.

I suppose the same with this tour aswell. Its never a cheap Madonna tour.

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Well put above, there are sooo many variables we don't know, so essentially we don't know SHIT and cant do much but guess...

However I am pretty sure it doesnt cost 100 mil. That would be ridicilous! :D Noway in hell... Most tours don't make near that sum and M's tour isn't ALL that much elaborate in production and staff (its more than most but Not that much) Touring is a profitable business so yeah, that alone is proof of it bit being anywhere near 100 m.

I don't remember exactly if it was S&S or MDNA that had exactly the 100 million number floating around. Anyway, we need to keep in mind that this number includes all costs for the production already. An insane number nevertheless. But let's do the math. MDNA had ticket sales of 305 million. Minus 30 million fee that went to LN. Makes 270 million minus the production costs of around 100 million. That's around 170 million for Madonna. Well not really. Before that tax authorities get the income tax. She certainly has excellent lawyers that have set up a tax saving construct of firms. Therefore she should not pay more than 20 percent (unfair, I know, but she hasn't made the rules). So that makes around 130 to 140 million. Not a bad deal. Still a lot of variables involved but it doesn't even include merchandising or partnership deals that we have no idea about. But one thing is for sure: she is making tons of money.

Also, the 100 million number is not that outrageous. I think production costs for U2s 360 tour were really insane. They were reports that after the first leg they haven't made any profits. And this was with a few hundred million on the books already.

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I'm sure Madonna herself said the MDNA stage had never been made before, she was the first.

I think you're referring to the video screens used for that tour which was said to be the largest in the world.

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I'm sure Madonna herself said the MDNA stage had never been made before, she was the first.

There's an interview with the guy that was in charge of building the stage. They built a new system of pieces that snap together using really strong magnets. It made the entire process run a lot faster and made things a lot easier.

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I think you're referring to the video screens used for that tour which was said to be the largest in the world.

No, it's true. The stage system was something that had never been done before.

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That's were I heard her say it backstage of MDNA that the stage was a world first.

Thanks I was raking my brains!

To put it simply, the "cost" of the actual staging/technology of RH is far less that MDNA yet the cost of tickets remain the same, and in some cases are higher.....

....but there have been more ticket slashes this time round than for MDNA so far.....plus she's playing to smaller venues ect.

But in the great scheme of things the production being scaled down does mean more profits surly.

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INNOVATIVE STAGE SYSTEM

Stageco developed, manufactured and supplied an innovative new XL stage system for MDNA, also providing full logistical support throughout the tour. Fulfilling the artist’s desire to entertain her fans, the production included a significant amount of state-of-the-art moving video and LED technology, which required large, clear visual spans within the stage in order to achieve the desired impact. The MDNA tour production team specified that a cantilever roofing system was required, which entertainment architects Stufish incorporated into the stage design. From these designs Stageco developed the system and technical elements for the stage’s curved roof with a central spine giving extended weight-loading capability.

Stageco was first engaged in September 2011, when CEO Hedwig De Meyer discussed the concept for the new system. Stageco’s Project Director, Dirk De Decker, explained:

“No existing stage-roofs on the market served the set-designers requirements with regards to weight loadings across wide spans and I think this new system looks fantastic, offering designers a different canvas for their ideas. The flown PA and video areas are all incorporated within the single stage roof, which spans 57m and 27m deep at the widest central point, removing the need for PA and video wings. In addition to design and engineering factors, we have created this XL system being mindful of economic and environmental considerations, so after the tour finishes we will be able to assimilate the XL Stage into our rental stock in 2013.

“We’ve advanced our understanding of larger scale demountable structures since working with U2 on their 360° tour and developing our XL Towers for the Abu Dhabi show last December. It is this heavy duty truss which forms the central spine of the roof, a continuous beam across the entire width of the roof, which gives the roof additional strength over traditional systems. There is over 60 tonnes suspended in the roof for this MDNA tour.”

Stageco were diligent while creating this new stage system with its increased capacities, not only in relation to weight loadings, but also making sure it was logistically practical and safe for crews to work with the heavier steelwork. A cluster tower support infrastructure is another unique element of the XL stage, which uses the company’s hydraulic lifting system to enable an efficient build and de-rig.

Another feature of the XL stage is the ingeniously designed flat roof, which minimises wind loading pressures applied to the stage through reducing its horizontal surface areas. Its pressurised air cushion roof panels create an angled roof for water to run off into gulleys, gutters and then hoses to move water away from the stage. With less steel therefore needed in the stage roof, there are also benefits in weight efficiency and subsequent transport savings. Stageco has manufactured four MDNA tour roof systems, each being transported in 20 trucks, with three specialist crews of 16, managed by Patrick Martens, Hendrik Verdeyen and Patrik Vonckx

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I still doubt its like 1 mil for show. Thats just way too much! Like I said, M tour is not that much bigger production than many others so IF it was that high, nobody would make any money... My guess would be 200k to 500k max. But yeah, these are ALL guesses. Noone knows. :)

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http://www.forbes.com/sites/ruthblatt/2013/05/20/the-impossible-feat-of-madonnas-billboard-award-winning-mdna-tour/

This is why TAIT designs sets by thinking about the choreography of how the stage will be put together. The goal is to do it as fast as possible, with as few people as possible, and using, at most, one tool. TAIT stages are composed of lines of magnets built into corners that lock together quickly with a single tool. In contrast, most stages are built from platforms that are framed with wooden 2X4s that somebody has to screw together manually with a handful of drywall screws. “By providing scenery that bangs up very quickly we reduce the need for local labor in a given city. You need fewer guys, you need them for less time and that’s a huge cost savings for a tour right off the bat.” Shortening set up time also means that the crew gets more sleep, which also improves safety.

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Guest Rachelle of London

Madonna also said her manager is upset with her because her shows are so expensive.

Take That re used the mdna stage in their last show and reviews kept saying how innovative their stage was :lmao:

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Madonna also said her manager is upset with her because her shows are so expensive.

Take That re used the mdna stage in their last show and reviews kept saying how innovative their stage was :lmao:

:chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:

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I still doubt its like 1 mil for show. Thats just way too much! Like I said, M tour is not that much bigger production than many others so IF it was that high, nobody would make any money... My guess would be 200k to 500k max. But yeah, these are ALL guesses. Noone knows. :)

Others? U2's 360 definately. Katy Perry. Maybe. Take That. Maybe. But many others? Care to elaborate?

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Others? U2's 360 definately. Katy Perry. Maybe. Take That. Maybe. But many others? Care to elaborate?

Well yeah, many artist. And I said ALL that much, meaning it is more expensive but not by soooo much that it would constitute that much more huge production costs. Ergo, it cant be that high as 1mil oer show/100 mil or whatever. IF it were, then only hand full of tours would make money even if they have half the production costs as M. And thats not The case, just cant be.

But I don't want to argue about it since its ALL a guessing game. :) I suppose I can be wrong ofcourse, but thats how my logic views it. :)

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