“We are at 95% sales, and we hope to achieve full capacity in the coming days,” stated production director Pedro Viegas during a press conference introducing the event, held today.
New data indicates around 20% of attendees hail from Coimbra and its surroundings, the highest percentage from a single location, though 80% of Guns N’ Roses fans will travel from other parts of the country.
The sixth concert in Portugal by the band led by Axl Rose features tickets priced between 90 and 155 euros. According to Pedro Viegas, these prices are set considering the overall costs of the event and the fees requested by the artists.
When asked about the increase in ticket prices compared to the band’s previous concerts in Portugal, also produced by Everything is New—where in 2017 and 2022, tickets cost 69 euros, versus 95 euros for this year’s event on the lawn in Coimbra, a 37% increase—Pedro Viegas noted that all costs have risen in the last three years.
“Everything has increased, so ticket prices have to rise accordingly, and this assessment is always made,” explained the production director.
He elaborated on the factors contributing to the ticket price increase, highlighting production costs and particularly the ‘artist’s fee’: “And when we say the artist’s fee, it includes a lot of things. The Guns N’ Roses team consists of 220 people, arriving next week, needing accommodation, over 30 arriving trucks, buses, and vans for transport—all factored into the fee’s cost,” he emphasized.
Pedro Viegas also mentioned that rising costs have affected not only music events but also other sectors like sports, hotel accommodations, and meals in recent years.
Regarding the decision to host the Guns N’ Roses event in Coimbra this year, Pedro Viegas noted that selecting the central Portuguese city was more straightforward after four Coldplay concerts were held there in May 2023.
Despite the decision by promoter Everything is New, “there must be authorization from the artist—ultimately, the decision isn’t ours,” he stressed.
The city council president, José Manuel Silva, commented that the organization of major events is competitive at all levels, and Coimbra “must be competitive to assert itself and attract large events.”
“People may not realize, but when we speak with potential investors, businesses, and industries during international meetings, we present the beautiful image of a full stadium at the Coldplay concerts. We held four Coldplay concerts, which tremendously impacted our city’s image,” he remarked.
“With the current conditions, we’re hosting major concerts in Coimbra, which positively impacts the city—it’s that intangible effect measured in profitability in euros, though we’ve never requested such evaluation as it would entail a cost. Still, it significantly impacts Coimbra’s image at all levels,” added the mayor.
After hosting the Rolling Stones (September 2003), George Michael (2007), U2 (two concerts in October 2010), Madonna in 2012, and Coldplay (four dates in May 2023), the Cidade de Coimbra stadium will welcome Guns N’ Roses for a single performance on Friday, June 6, four days after a concert in Istanbul, Turkey, and three days before a show scheduled for Barcelona, Spain.
The Coimbra concert marks the 11th stop—and the first in Western Europe—of the world tour titled ‘Because What You Want & What You Get Are Two Completely Different Things’ by Axl Rose and Slash’s band, which began on May 1 in South Korea and will conclude on July 31 in Wacken, Germany, spanning 30 dates.
