Avenged Sevenfold frontman M Shadows says the band's upcoming tour will cost an extra $2million compared to pre-Covid treks – and that's just for buses.
Shadows and co hit the road next month for a widespread North American tour in support of their upcoming eighth album Life Is But A Dream, which is released on June 2.
The worldwide Covid-19 pandemic made touring impossible for large parts of the last three years. And since restrictions have lifted and life has returned to somewhat normal, costs have soared across the board.
With fans having to pick up the slack through inflated merch and ticket prices, some bands are finding it difficult to tour at all.
Shadows tells the Jaxxon Podcast: "It's completely different than the last time we toured. We toured seven years ago and it was one way. Now we've noticed that the crew costs more, the production costs more, buses cost more, ticket prices are going up. People aren't happy about it. Everything costs more.
"And you're dealing with a completely inflated situation where there's bands like Godsmack who just canceled South America based on not enough tickets sold. Because the prices are so high to get there, and then you get there and you're, like, 'Okay, I'm gonna go there for a month and make no money or lose money.'
"And so you're starting to see a lot of bands cancel Europe, cancel South America. The States are already hard enough. I know that even our busing on this tour – I think it was something like two million dollars more this time to get the busing for the normal tour.
"That's, like, two million dollars added on. Well, where do you make that money back? It's on the ticket price. And so it gets handed off to the fans, who are already pissed off, and they're having the same problems we are."
As well as the cancelled Godsmack dates, other bands to pull out of scheduled tours include Anthrax and The Agonist. Last year, Shinedown pulled the plug on a string of European dates.
Avenged Sevenfold 2023 Tour Dates
May 11-14: Las Vegas LIBNAD 360 (Immersive Album Experience), NV
May 19: Daytona Beach Welcome to Rockville, FL
May 26: Columbus Sonic Temple, OH
Jun 09: Los Angeles Kia Forum, CA
Jun 23: New York Madison Square Garden, NY
Jul 18: Camden Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, NJ
Jul 19: Mansfield Xfinity Center, MA
Jul 21: Québec City Videotron Centre, QC
Jul 22: Montreal Bell Centre, QC
Jul 24: Ottawa Canadian Tire Centre , ON
Jul 26: Clarkston Pine Knob Music Theatre, MI
Jul 28: Tinley Park Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, IL
Jul 29: Minneapolis Target Center, MN
Jul 31: Winnipeg Canada Life Centre, MB
Aug 02: Saskatoon SaskTel Centre, SK
Aug 04: Edmonton Rogers Place, AB
Aug 05: Calgary Scotiabank Saddledome, AB
Aug 07: Vancouver Rogers Arena, BC
Sep 16: West Palm Beach iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre, FL
Sep 17: Tampa MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre, FL
Sep 19: Charlotte PNC Music Pavilion, NC
Sep 20: Alpharetta Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, GA
Sep 22: Nashville Bridgestone Arena, TN
Sep 25: Maryland Heights Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - St. Louis, MO
Sep 26: Kansas City T-Mobile Center, MO
Sep 28: Denver Ball Arena, CO
Sep 30: Salt Lake City USANA Amphitheatre, UT
Oct 02: Tacoma Tacoma Dome, WA
Oct 03: Portland MODA Center, OR
Oct 05: Sacramento Aftershock, CA
Oct 07: Chula Vista North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, CA
Oct 08: Phoenix Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, AZ
Oct 10: Albuquerque Isleta Amphitheater, NM
Oct 12: The Woodlands The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, TX
Oct 13: Austin Germania Insurance Amphitheater, TX
Oct 15: Fort Worth Dickies Arena, TX
