How the party sponsored by a brand of beer will find itself with a $14 seltzer?
That enquiry fell in the midst of a free “Post Malone and Friends” performance at Fort Mason Center of Arts and Culture in which the rapper-turned-country performer opened Super Bowl weekend in front of a crowd who anticipate the typical math of the arena and stadiums: loud music, big energy and beverages that seem like a splurge. On the stage, he was playfully indicating an incentive based on his home-state loyalties and informing the room that Dallas Cowboys fans would receive free beers the rest of the night. It was a joke until a member of the audience screamed that the beverages were not free at all.
As a reaction, Malone reacted in real-time. I had a young man across on this side tell me the beers were not free, he said, before he continued, $14 a beer? … That is simply inexcusable at a Bud Light concert. He then vowed to begin taking the tab, promising initially to pay half, then to compute it into even larger discounts, and then to laugh that he would set aside a rock-bottom price to Cowboys fans.
It was a timely moment, since it was timely and also recognizable: customers are already aware of the fact that major-event pricing can make a beer-run a budget issue. Nor did the pressure of price extend in the Bay Area during Super Bowl week to concert venues. The expected price of a 16-ounce canned beer in Levi’s Stadium was 14-17 dollars and a concessions menu was to be designed based on regional taste and local flavors. The stadium menu also featured Super Bowl exclusive foods such as freshly shucked oysters, as well as more general selections that included gluten-free and vegan selections.
However, at Fort Mason, the offer made by Malone on-mic crashed against point-of-sale systems and event operations. Those fans who pulled out their seats to take advantage of the promised discounts discovered that the bartenders were still charging the usual prices: $14 to get a Bud Light seltzer, $12 to get a regular Bud Light and 15 to get a Bud Light draft. People quarreled in the bar, though the atmosphere was allegedly generally light. Corinne Reece, a 25-year-old concertgoer, was able to sum up resigned logic of live events: I expected it to not be real, but I thought I would give it a chance, and she concluded: Honest, it is cheaper than the most concerts.
What was even more than a throwaway gripe was the timing of the scene. The week of the super bowl in San Francisco attracted an uncharacteristically high amount of celebrity-headlined events, large rooms, invitees, and surprises piled atop one another, producing an atmosphere in the city where special weekend markups have become a topography. The week was filled with parties and concerts that had big headliners and events supported by brands, and one of the most buzzed brand-visible events in the schedule was the Fort Mason show by Bud Light.
The set used by Malone was so fast it did not allow people to ruminate on the register totals. He performed some hits such as Circles, I Had Some Help and Sunflower, as well as had some unexpected guests like T-Pain, Quavo and country singer David Stanley. The act was a mix of his rap hits with his country turn, balancing on the heavy hand and still introducing moments of silence and deep focus, which the longtime audience anticipates.
Eventually, the crowd paid whatever the bar charged, and not what the stage promised. The more cacophonic point was easier: once one beer costs 14 dollars, even the main act can sound like the most relatable member of the audience.
