L.A. Philharmonic tickets get pricier at the Hollywood Bowl
The price of many tickets to see the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl will increase for the 2014 season, according to a pricing plan approved Tuesday by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
The ticket increases range from $1 to $9, while some tickets will stay the same price or decrease by $1. Overall, the price changes are expected to bring in an additional $30,000 of revenue, which will be used to fund “increased production, labor, marketing, and artists’ costs,” according to a staff report prepared by the county Department of Parks and Recreation.
Two county critics faulted the move, saying such ticket price increases are too common.
“This should be accessible to ordinary residents,” Eric Preven testified. “We need to hold the line on some of these ticket prices.”
Arnold Sachs questioned whether parking and food costs would increase in the future.
Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, whose district includes the bowl, countered that the price increases were “de minimus,” and noted that there were still many low-cost ticket options.
“It is still the people’s amphitheater,” he said. “There is no place [else] in the world where for $1 or $2 or $5 you can go hear one of the world’s great orchestras.”
The ticket changes vary by section and event type, with the closest seats seeing the greatest increases. The most expensive tickets, in the pool circle and garden boxes during special events, are increasing $9 to $310.
A breakdown of the changes:
Tuesday and Thursday classical nights: a $4 increase for 164 seats; a $3 increase for 2,923 seats; a $1 increase for 2,853 seats; and a $1 decrease for 4,178 seats.
Wednesday jazz nights: a $4 increase for 164 seats; a $3 increase for 2,923 seats; a $2 increase for 1,061 seats; and a $1 increase for 9,949 seats.
Sunday world nights: a $4 increase for 164 seats; a $3 increase for 2,923 seats; a $2 increase for 2,853 seats; and a $1 increase for 11,476 seats.
Friday and Sunday pop nights: a $5 increase for 164 seats; a $4 increase for 2,923 seats; a $2 increase for 1,923 seats; and a $1 increase for 10,139 seats.
Saturday pop nights: a $6 increase for 164 seats; a $5 increase for 2,923 seats; a $3 increase for 2,853 seats; a $2 increase for 6,830 seats; and a $1 increase for 4,646 seats.
Special event tickets: a $9 increase for 1,455 seats; a $7 increase for 1,632 seats; a $4 increase for 2,853 seats; a $3 increase for 4,563 seats; a $2 increase for 5,861 seats; and a $1 increase for 1,052 seats.
Gala benefits: 3% increase, with tickets ranging from $21 to $180.
A detailed breakdown of the affected sections can be seen at tinyurl.com/lnvk997.
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