International Eisteddfod Llangollen

[Chislenko]

Now when I was a lad going to the International Eisteddfod was a chance to see and meet amateur performers from around the world. (It also gave some of these people a chance to disappear and apply for asylum).

Entry to most of the tents was usually free.

But this year I see there is a "star studded list" of entertainers with tickets prices up to £221.00!!!

Who in their right mind would pay £221.00 to watch a two / three hour performance?

The International Eisteddfod used to be about welcoming the world to Llangollen and celebrating each other's culture, now it appears to be about "how much can we screw out of people"

Hopefully the National Eisteddfod does not go the same way.

 

[Gwylan]

I've just been able to value my patriotism. About £200, it seems.
At that price I'm happy to let someone else have my seat

 

[biggs682]

How much ?
I could buy a few decent bikes for that

 

[Drago]

Much cheaper to buy an instrument and play it yourself. Indeed, I got paid £200 on Sunday for playing mine for two hours.

 

[Beebo]

Much cheaper to buy an instrument and play it yourself. Indeed, I got paid £200 on Sunday for playing mine for two hours.

I suspect that’s the reason for the cost.

Performers, marquees, security, lighting and sound doesn’t come for free.

Did the local council used to fund it? Budgets are very tight these days, and is the price competitive with other festivals?

 

[Chislenko]

https://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/events/tuesday-evening/

 

[Alex321]

That £221 is the most expensive ticket for Tom Jones (Tickets for his show range from £78 to £221). Other evening concerts are much cheaper (though some outside the "core festival week" haven't been announced yet, such as Madness or Kaiser Cheifs).

And the cheapest season ticket - which gives access to all the daytime pavilion competitions during the core week but no evening concerts is £44.

Given that a day ticket to the national Eisteddfod is £20 (which also doesn't give access to the evening concerts), a cost of £44 for the week doesn't seem too bad.

 

[Beebo]

That £221 is the most expensive ticket for Tom Jones (Tickets for his show range from £78 to £221). Other evening concerts are much cheaper (though some outside the "core festival week" haven't been announced yet, such as Madness or Kaiser Cheifs).

And the cheapest season ticket - which gives access to all the daytime pavilion competitions during the core week but no evening concerts is £44.

Given that a day ticket to the national Eisteddfod is £20 (which also doesn't give access to the evening concerts), a cost of £44 for the week doesn't seem too bad.

Wow. Suddenly the whole story seems like a storm in a tea cup.

 

[T4tomo]

Isnt it cheating having professionals like Tom Jones and the kAiser Cheifs entering an amateur poetry and singing competition?

Although Dolly Parton famously entered a Dolly Parton lookalike competiton and came 2nd....

 

[Chislenko]

That £221 is the most expensive ticket for Tom Jones (Tickets for his show range from £78 to £221). Other evening concerts are much cheaper (though some outside the "core festival week" haven't been announced yet, such as Madness or Kaiser Cheifs).

And the cheapest season ticket - which gives access to all the daytime pavilion competitions during the core week but no evening concerts is £44.

Given that a day ticket to the national Eisteddfod is £20 (which also doesn't give access to the evening concerts), a cost of £44 for the week doesn't seem too bad.

Yes, I accept the high priced tickets are to see "stars" but to me the International Eisteddfod was never about "stars" but more about amateur musicians / singers etc from around the world and a chance to see and appreciate different cultures from far flung places.

To me it is going away from it's core values.

Let's face it everybody in the world will probably have heard of Tom Jones and can readily see him (and the other "stars" on YouTube) How many people visiting will have witnessed Cerdd Dant, a more Welsh tradition than "It's Not Unusual"

That to me was the ethos of the gathering, to share lesser known aspects of the people's who were performing.

 

[T4tomo]

Seems to me like there are 2 events - The traditional Eisteddfod, reasonably priced, a serious of evening concerts that coincide with it to take advantage of lots of visitors in the area, priced "commercially". no-one is forcing the OP or others to go to the evening concerts

 

[Chislenko]

Seems to me like there are 2 events - The traditional Eisteddfod, reasonably priced, a serious of evening concerts that coincide with it to take advantage of lots of visitors in the area, priced "commercially". no-one is forcing the OP or others to go to the evening concerts

To be honest even if these "stars" were free I wouldn't want to see them, forced or otherwise!

 

[Alex321]

Seems to me like there are 2 events - The traditional Eisteddfod, reasonably priced, a serious of evening concerts that coincide with it to take advantage of lots of visitors in the area, priced "commercially". no-one is forcing the OP or others to go to the evening concerts

And I think the profits from those evening concerts will be what helps to keep prices reasonable for the daytime events.

The few times I have been, there have also been various dance stages set up around the town, away from the pavilion, and those were free - but the last time I was there at eisteddfod time was quite a few years ago (probably 25 years).

 

[cougie uk]

Although Dolly Parton famously entered a Dolly Parton lookalike competiton and came 2nd....

What did she say ? It takes a lot of money to look this cheap?

 

[T4tomo]

What did she say ?

she apparently once said "my feet are so small because nothing grows in the shade"