Last week, a New York Times article was published that looked at the current state of live music and the costs associated with it.

One of the individuals interviewed in the piece was a 20-year-old college student from California who was looking to purchase tickets to a Beyonce concert for himself and his sister.

The problem? Tickets were priced at a minimum of $600, with most of the tickets costing well over $1,000.

While artists like Beyonce and Taylor Swift are at the higher end of the cost spectrum, anyone who has attended a concert in recent years will tell you that the cost of seeing your favorite artist live is astronomical.

The reasons for the absurd cost of live concerts are complex. Of course, there is regular old inflation to blame, as well as the myraid fees associated with buying tickets through monopolistic companies like Ticketmaster.

One of the major reasons for the high cost of live music comes from how people get their music these days: streaming services. While you can still purchase CD’s and vinyl albums have made a comeback, streaming music is still the most common way to consume your favorite songs.

Years ago, the money made from touring was a smaller piece of the pie for artists, with physical media sales making up a large portion of their finances. Those days have changed and musicians now rely more heavily on live concerts to make their cash.

The absurd cost of live music is probably only going to get worse but that presents a great opportunity for music fans to support their local economy and their local artists.

Upper Peninsula music fans will be the first to tell you that our small area has great live music and great live music experiences.

Not only can you listen to fantastic music for a tiny fraction of the price, you get to support local venues and make a positive impact on the local economy.

Of course, Taylor Swift or Beyonce didn’t start out playing Madison Square Garden, they started in smaller, local venues. Supporting local music gives you a chance to see the next big thing before it costs $1,000.

The Upper Peninsula has plenty of amazing venues and music festivals with a great mix of artists for any taste. Whether it be Hiawatha Music Festival in Marquette or the Dam Jam in the Keweenaw, you will always have an opportunity for great music close to home.