Alan Cross says it’s time to bring back matinee concerts

Sporting events, theatre, and casinos all have events scheduled for the afternoon. Why not concerts? It's time to reconsider the matinee.

The Beatles played Toronto three times (1964, 1965, and 1966), all at Maple Leaf Gardens. Demand for tickets was huge and the band was on a tight touring schedule. They needed to get in and get out while performing for as many people as possible. Adding a second night wasn’t in the cards so the only thing they could do is play two shows on the same day: the usual evening gig preceded by a matinee performance. In between, they grabbed a bite to eat and held a press conference.

Matinees (usually as part of a doubleheader) were common back then. All the early rock pioneers — Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, The Rolling Stones, The Who et al — did them. It was exhausting for the act but the effort made good business sense. Not only did the scheduling of a matinee double a fan’s chances of being able to see a show, but if you were too young to go out at night, there was a chance your parents would let you attend an afternoon show.

Matinee concerts continued for years. I recall in the 1990s when some bands insisted on playing an early all-ages show followed by a licensed event in the evening. Punk bands were especially good at serving their younger demo with early sets. It was a great way to satisfy both the adults (who could avail themselves of the bar) and the kids (and the venue didn’t have to worry about underage drinking because the bar was closed to alcohol sales).

But as the rock business matured, afternoon performances slowly disappeared. Today, they’re all but gone. Unless you’re at a festival, it’s extremely rare to find an artist who’s willing to play an afternoon slot.

This is unfortunate because these days, it’s not just underage kids who want shows at that time of the day but also a growing number of adults.

Look, just because you’re on the lee side of 30 doesn’t mean you’ve given up on the live music experience. You’d love to see more shows but life always seems to get in the way. There are the kids, getting up for work the next morning, and the enormous scheduling conflicts.

And let’s be honest: After a certain age, you’re kinda tired of waiting until 10:30 pm on a Tuesday night for a band to hit the stage. Heck, I’m in bed most nights long before that.

By not catering to the demo that doesn’t want/can’t afford to be out late, artists and promoters are leaving a lot of money on the table. And let’s not forget that the older demos are the ones with more money to spend at shows.