The recent Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts held in London and Los Angeles have left many fans wondering where the money raised from the shows went. The concerts, held in honor of the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins who passed away in March 2022, featured an all-star lineup of artists across two nights of incredible performances. However, despite tickets being sold for both events, there has been little information provided on where proceeds from the concerts were directed.
How Much Were Tickets?
Looking at the ticket pricing for each event can give us an idea of how much money was potentially raised:
London Concert Ticket Prices
Section | Price |
---|---|
Level 1 | £95 |
Level 2 | £80 |
Level 3 | £65 |
Level 4 | £50 |
Wembley Stadium holds a maximum capacity of 90,000 for concerts. If we estimate an average ticket price of £70, total ticket revenue for London can be estimated at approximately £6.3 million.
Los Angeles Concert Ticket Prices
Section | Price |
---|---|
Floor A | $249 |
Floor B | $199 |
Lower Bowl | $129 |
Upper Bowl | $79 |
The Kia Forum holds a maximum capacity of 18,000 for concerts. If we estimate an average ticket price of $150, total ticket revenue for Los Angeles can be estimated at $2.7 million.
Where Did the Money Go?
Based on the above estimates, the two concerts potentially raised around $9 million in ticket sales. However, there has been no official word from the event organizers on where this money was directed. Here are some of the possibilities:
Production Costs
A portion of the money likely went towards the high production costs of putting on such large-scale events. Between stage setup, sound equipment, lighting, video screens, and more, big concerts like these can cost millions to produce. Payment for all the crew, vendors, and logistics teams that help execute the events also adds up.
Artist Fees
It’s unlikely the performers donated their time for free. Big-name artists like Foo Fighters, Queen, Led Zeppelin, and Red Hot Chili Peppers expect proper compensation. Even if they took a reduced rate to honor Taylor, their appearance fees still probably accounted for a chunk of the concert revenue.
Venue Rental
Booking major venues like Wembley Stadium and The Forum does not come cheap. Rental rates for a single night can be $100,000 or more. The London concert was a 2-day event, doubling that overhead.
Charity Donations
A percentage of the proceeds likely went to nominated charities. Based on information provided to ticket buyers, these may have included Music Support and MusiCares, organizations that help provide mental health resources and addiction recovery support to music industry professionals.
The Hawkins Family
Some proceeds probably went directly to the Hawkins family. After losing their loved one, contributing funds to Taylor’s wife and children would be an appropriate use of a portion of the concert revenue.
Foo Fighters
The concerts were organized and headlined by the Foo Fighters themselves, so some of the money may have gone back to the band to cover their own production costs associated with putting the events together.
Record Labels
The record labels representing the various artists who performed may have also collected royalty payments from the concerts. This would likely be a small percentage relative to the other payouts, but is still a factor.
Desire for More Transparency
Ultimately, without disclosure from the event organizers, it’s impossible to know precisely where the money trail leads. Many fans feel the Hawkins family should receive the bulk of proceeds, especially considering Taylor’s wife Alison spoke very emotionally at both events, thanking the performers and attendees for honoring her late husband’s memory.
There is debate however around how ethically obligated the concert organizers are to donate versus recouping production costs or profiting. Some argue the magnitude of these commemorative shows would make meaningful transparency around the finances not only respectful to fans, but an opportunity to set an exemplary standard for large-scale charitable events in the music industry moving forward.
Conclusion
In summary, based on ticket sales and venue capacity, the two Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts likely generated close to $9 million in revenue. Deducting expenses for production, talent fees, venue rental and other overhead, net proceeds were presumably in the range of several million dollars. But with no public accounting of the money’s distribution, speculation continues around where exactly it was directed after the lights went down. Many hope the organizations involved will provide that clarity soon, maintaining the spirit of community and inspiration that Taylor Hawkins’ music and memory deserve.