Scott Kara from Nzherald.co.nz is reporting:

With the global downturn, gig-goers are likely to face higher prices for concert tickets this year.

In the current economic climate it is getting more expensive to bring overseas bands to New Zealand because the majority of touring acts are paid in either American dollars or the euro. This squeezes concert promoters' margins which forces ticket prices up.

And Vector Arena chief executive Guy Ngata warns that tickets for big name acts could be especially pricey but he believes people will still fork out for shows they are "desperate" to see.

"It's about ticket price and trying to make the price competitive, but the disadvantage we have on top of that is the US dollar and the foreign exchange rate," he says.

Brent Eccles, the promoter who did the recent Leonard Cohen shows and is bringing the Kings of Leon and the Killers to town, says with the NZ dollar now around 50c American promoters have felt the pinch.

"A while ago we were basing it on 70-something [cents], so it has had a big impact and some damage has been done." But, says Eccles, the bottom line is that if acts want to come to New Zealand and Australia to tour they will adjust their costs accordingly.

Ngata agrees: "The message that is coming out is that the artists are willing to negotiate and no one is saying they are not going to tour."

In terms of recent ticket sales there are signs the credit crunch is already biting the punters. Hip-hop outfit N.E.R.D cancelled for reasons the band put down to recording commitments but TimeOut believes ticket sales were slow.

IRON MAIDEN, who last played the Logan Campbell Centre in 1992, have already downsized their Christchurch concert from AMI Stadium to the Westpac Arena. The official word on the change of venue was "due to logistical reasons" following a date change from February 21 to 22; the British heavy metallers also play the 45,000 capacity Mt Smart Stadium on February 20.