Oliver Anthony Urges Fans Not to Pay $99 for Concert Tickets
Oliver Anthony, the singer of “Rich Men North of Richmond,” recently voiced his displeasure on Instagram over the steep ticket prices for his now-canceled show at the Cotton Eyed Joe venue in Knoxville, Tennessee. The 31-year-old artist took to social media to express his frustration, urging fans not to shell out $99 for a ticket or pay exorbitant prices for VIP access.
In an Instagram video, Anthony revealed that the booking agent, who also works as a plumber, had arranged the show without considering the ticket prices, leading to what he called a “miscommunication.” He vehemently discouraged his fans from paying these inflated prices and vowed to find an alternative venue if necessary.
In the video’s caption, Anthony stressed that meet-and-greet tickets priced at $200 were unacceptable, pledging to rectify the situation. He emphasized that his shows should ideally cost no more than $40, with some even being free. He urged fans to hold off on purchasing tickets until the matter was resolved.
Shortly after posting the video, Anthony informed his followers that the Cotton Eyed Joe show had been canceled, apologizing for the confusion and expressing a commitment to improving in the future.
However, the venue responded through its official Facebook page, asserting that they had decided to cancel the event themselves. They explained that the pricing was set at $99 to cover expenses like taxes and ticket website fees, aiming to break even and provide an enjoyable show to their customers.
Cotton Eyed Joe claimed that Anthony had a contractual agreement to perform for $120,000 for 60 minutes. The venue, with a capacity of approximately 1500 people, insisted that they had set ticket prices to meet their financial obligations.
Oliver Anthony gained fame when his song, “Rich Men North of Richmond,” soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 after going viral on YouTube. The track garnered support from conservatives due to its critical lyrics aimed at politicians in Washington D.C. and individuals receiving welfare.
With the song becoming a topic in a 2024 Republican presidential primary debate, Anthony clarified that it was written about the candidates on the debate stage, emphasizing that he did not align with any particular political group.
In a video posted on YouTube, Anthony expressed frustration with both conservatives and liberals attempting to associate him with their respective ideologies. He urged everyone to stop politicizing his music, stating that his political stance was centered and did not align exclusively with any group.
In conclusion, Oliver Anthony’s passionate stance against high concert ticket prices led to the cancellation of his show at the Cotton Eyed Joe venue, sparking a debate about the appropriate cost of live music events and his political stance amid rising fame.