Why so expensive?

Many Britney Spears fans were shocked to find tickets to the pop icon’s first full-length gig here cost more than double of that for concerts by top artistes like Sting, aMei and G.E.M at the same venue.

Ranging from $188 to $568, the tickets for her June 30 show at Singapore Indoor Stadium will be on sale from noon tomorrow (May 18).

The Facebook page of the organiser IME Singapore has been bombarded with criticisms by fans calling for a lowering of the prices after ticket pricing was announced last Friday.

Said Riffa Sancati: “They should really review their ticketing price! The price is not this high in other Britney’s Asia concerts!”

Disappointed with the stage set-up and venue, Anesya Miłość exclaimed: “For your crazy price, expect it all to be way much better than this! Shame.”

Priced considerably less are the other three artistes’ concerts: $108 to $288 for Sting’s upcoming concert this month; and $98 to $288 for Mandopop star aMei’s concert in June; and $128 to $248 for the August concerts of G.E.M., popularly known as the Chinese Taylor Swift.

Upset with the pricey Britney tickets, one netizen sarcastically remarked that he might as well go for wrestling event WWE Live, which costs $48 for a seat with less than favourable views to $488 for ringside, and will be held two nights before her show.

As a rough gauge, Britney prices compare with those of rock legend Guns N’ Roses whose tickets range mostly from $199 to $568 for their concert here earlier this year apart from the more expensive VIP seats.

Perhaps the higher pricing reflects Britney’s wildly successful comeback after her epic mental meltdown in 2008 which crippled her career and personal life for some years.

The singer’s concert here is part of her Asia tour, which includes stops in Bangkok, the Philippines and Hong Kong.

chenj@sph.com.sg