Huge concerts that raked in big bucks in 2023

This year, Taylor Swift took the crown from Queen B (Beyoncé) as her blockbuster Eras Tour earned her $305 million (Sh47 billion), more than two times what Beyoncé made for her record breaking Renaissance Tour in the same period.

Beginning March to the end of August, the 33-year-old Swift performed in 56 stadium shows across 20 US cities and Mexico city, according to Forbes Report. The second leg of her tour began in November and is scheduled to end in 2024, and Forbes estimates it will be the first tour in history to gross well over $1 billion.

According to the report, Swift was first in the list of top 10 earning summer concert tours in 2023, followed Beyoncé who netted $145 million. Briton Ed Sheeran’s closed the top three as his Mathematics Tour earned $110 million.

The average ticket price for the Eras Tour was $253 (Sh40,000) and Swift played to more than three million fans. For Beyoncé, lower-priced tickets, depending on the location, ranged between $185 and $300 (Sh28,000 to Sh46,000). Ed’s average ticket price was $100 (Sh15,000).

In Kenya, the top following were the top-earning concerts in 2023. This compilation is based on findings and interviews conducted by Nation Lifestyle with event planners/organisers and booking agents as well as the announced ticket prices and attendance.

Sol Fest

Budget: Sh70 million

Attendance: 16,000

Headliner: Sauti Sol

Tickets: VIP Sh20,000; Regular Sh3,500

Revenue: Over Sh97 million

For their last dance before taking an indefinite hiatus, Sauti Sol staged two shows for their third edition of Sol Fest.

With the second edition in 2022 drawing a lot of criticism for poor execution and not meeting fans’ expectations, Sol Fest’s management was forced to release a statement acknowledging the poor planning and committing to do better; a promise they kept.

For the November edition, Sol Fest tapped the expertise of seasoned event’s organisers, Saida Suleiman and Kavutha Asio.

With the two on board, Sol Fest came up with a plan to stage two separate shows in a space of two days, with a VIP concert hosted first on November 2 and a regular show dubbed The Fan Show on November 4.

The band ignited mixed reactions online when it announced the VIP show would cost Sh20,000. A section of Kenyan said that the pricing was a reap off but Sauti Sol explained that the show was meant to be a lifetime experience.

The VIP package included a 5-Star banquet dinner, welcome drinks, a meet-and-great with the band and an exclusive merchandise pack. 

The show eventually sold out, with 1,000 revellers attendance. Initially, only 600 tickets were available and they sold out in less than two days. Pressure from fans to have more VIP tickets resulted in an additional 400 dubbed Late comers, which came at a higher price of Sh25,000.

From the VIP tickets sales, Sol Fest made Sh22 million, without factoring in the income generated from the sale of vendor spots and several brand partnerships, including Coca Cola who were the official soft drink partners. Brand partnerships are estimated to have brought in not less than Sh15 million.

“Pricing differed based on the category of the vendor, with fees ranging between Sh50,000 and 70,000. I was a food vendor and the turnout at the fan show was quite impressive, I sold out everything I had,” James Ngare said.

According to Sauti Sol Group of Companies Head of Business Affairs Moriasi Omambia, the Fan Show clocked the numbers they expected.

“We had 7,500 people in 2021, in 2022 we sold 11,300 tickets and this year’s target was 15,000 which we met. This year’s, we wanted it to be a smooth, seamless experience, building on what we had done before,” Omambia said.

For the Fan Show, 600 tickets were available for those who fancied access to behind the scenes as well as a meet-and-greet with the band. The tickets sold for Sh6,500 each, generating Sh3.9 million.

Standard tickets went for Sh3,500 and 13,500 were made available, generating more than Sh47 million.

A further 2,000 tickets were released to accommodate late buyers. With each late ticket priced at Sh4,500, this brought in Sh9 million.

Omambia said this year’s Sol Fest was good business and they look forward to the 2024 edition.

“This year’s Sol Fest was a huge investment. It cost quite a lot; between Sh50 million to Sh70 million. We are satisfied with the investment. This same plan we will carry it to Sol Fest 2024, it might not have Sauti Sol in it, but the experience has to be top notch,” Omambia said.

Walker Town Nairobi

Budget: Sh77 million

Attendance: 11,000

Headliners: Fally Ipupa, Tiwa Savage

Tickets: VIP Sh8,500; Regular Sh2,000

Building on the success of the debut and sophomore editions, Walker Town Nairobi, organised and hosted by YDX Agency on September 30 at Uhuru Gardens, broke the ceiling.

Of the three concerts hosted since October 2022, Walker Town Nairobi was significantly intense — capital intense, labour intense and attendance intense — so much so that even by 11pm on the D-Day, there was still a mammoth crowd waiting by the gates to access the venue when the tickets ran shot. 

The organisers had to execute a contingency plan to manage the excess.

“Honestly, we were not expecting such a turn out. Close to 15,000 people showed up for the Walker Town Nairobi. We had anticipated around 10,000 but the numbers went slightly above that,” Ciru Ngigi, YDX Agency Managing Director said.

Ms Ngigi admits that the presence of the 45-year-old Congolese lingala maestro Fally Ipupa, who delivered a scintillating one hour plus performance, played a key role in marshalling the numbers. The venue set up, from the state-of-the-art grand stand to the premium lounge and the JW Flavor studio added to the experience.

The Nation understands that an estimated $500,000 was invested in organising the event

There were two sets of tickets for the Johnnie Walker-sponsored event: the JW Flavor Lounge VIP sold at Sh8,500 and the JW Flavor studio General Area at Sh2,000.

Besides ticket sales, extra income was generated from the sale of merchandise as well as vendors spots at the venue. Some 20 food vendors took the lion’s share of the vendors space, alongside drinks vendors exclusively selling EABL products.

For his headlining act, Ipupa who flew into Nairobi from Uganda, pocketed Sh15 million.

“Fally’s payment was a landing fee to Kenya of $100,000. The organisers then took care of his accommodation and transport while in town. He flew in with a team of 28 people,” a booking agent privy to the details disclosed.

Nigerian Tiwa Savage, who was accompanied by a cavalry of 13 assistants, was paid $130,000 dollars (about Sh20 million) for her act.

Stanbic Yetu Festival

Budget: Sh35 million

Attendance: 6,000

Headliner: Boyz II Men

Tickets: VVIP Sh30,000; VIP Sh15,000; Regular Sh8,000

Revenue: Over 72 million

It was a show that promised everything going by the massive hype and publicity thanks to an early announcement of the headline act, but by the end of the night, Stanbic Yetu Festival was nothing but a damp squib.

The only positive thing on that night of June 10 was the one hour performance by Sauti Sol. Nothing else mattered.

For an event where so many had complained about the tickets being very expensive, everyone wanted to be there, and yes everyone was there.

The problems were myriad — bad sound, limited Chevron in the VIP arena that had no clear distinction and ended up merging with the regular arena, a leaking dome that let in the heavy downpour and faulty screens that were supposed to give the regulars a closer view of Boyz II Men.

While revellers went back home disgruntled and feeling cheated having spent such considerable amounts on tickets for a show that ended two hours before midnight, the organisers, Radio Africa Events, took home the loot. The main sponsors, Stanbic Bank, had to contend with the bad publicity. The bank injected Sh35 million towards the event.

The VVIP tickets sold out within 72 hours, the VIP ones in six days and the regular ones dragged to almost the last week before the event.

Only 600 VVIP tickets were made available, generating Sh21 million, while the 1,200 VIP tickets brought in Sh18 million.

Speaking to Business Daily two days before the event, Lilian Onyach, Head of Consumer and High Networth at Stanbic Bank, said while coming up with the price of the tickets, they had projected a turnout of 6,000. 

The turnout superseded the expected 6,000, with unconfirmed reports putting it at more than 10,000.

But even the 6,000 attendance was a massive increase compared to the first Stanbic Yetu Festival headlined by Antony Hamilton which had 2,000 in attendance.

Using the 6,000, the remaining regular tickets were 4,200, which generated Sh33.6 million.

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