Ticket pricing isn't a guess — it's the difference between a night that pays for itself and one that quietly loses money. Start from your numbers: work out your break-even per head once the venue, artists and all the extras are covered, then look at what your crowd actually pays for comparable nights. Underprice and you leave money behind and can even make the night look low-value; overprice and you scare off the walk-ups and casual buyers who fill the room. The right number sits where your costs, your lineup's draw and your audience's expectations meet.

Tiers are how you turn that price into momentum. Early bird is your cheapest, limited batch — it rewards the people who commit first, brings cash in early, and creates the social proof that makes everyone else feel the night is happening. Advance (or general release) is your main price, where most sales come from. On the door is your highest, both because walk-ins carry more risk for you and because a higher door price nudges people to commit in advance. The rising staircase from early bird to door gives people a reason to buy now rather than maybe.

Release them in a way that builds pressure in your favour. Set realistic allocations for each tier, announce when early bird sells out (that's free marketing — proof the night's in demand), and roll into the next tier so there's always a reason to act. Factor booking fees in and decide whether you or the buyer absorbs them. Done well, your pricing does more than cover costs — it drives the urgency that fills the room before doors even open.