- Editor: Amira Gamil
- Photographer: Omar Abozeid
For the majority of Egyptian university students, in-house concerts are an affordable, entertaining distraction from the stress of finals. But this semester at AUC, the Amr Diab posters plastering walls and countdowns ticking for his much anticipated “Polaroid” concert on May 16, mark a different kind of worry.
Concert tickets were on sale in waves, and a limited number of tickets priced at a fixed rate before these prices rose in the next wave. They went on sale on April 15 on the Tazkarti website and AUC’s ticket sales team. Tickets in Wave 1 started from 1,000 EGP for general entry, 1,850 for Fanpit, 6,000 to 7,000 for VIP, and a whopping 150,000 EGP for a private lounge. When Wave 2 opened, prices went up: general admission to 1,200 EGP and Fanpit to 2,150 EGP. The VIP and lounge prices were not changed, but for most students, the damage was already done.
“AUC concerts have always been a spirited celebration of student life — open, inviting, and meant for everyone. This concert is not the same, however. When the prices are high, it stops being inclusive. Events should bring together the entire community, not some select few,” said Malak Ayoub, a senior accounting student.
Most students who spoke to The Caravan agreed, adding that even though AUC is a private university, its events need to be inclusive, open, and based on the shared student experience.
“I was shocked,” said Malak Reffai, an economics senior. “A thousand pounds for the cheapest ticket? That’s not a student concert. That’s something else entirely.”
And that feeling has become the pulse of campus debate: has the Student Union (SU) lost sight of student life?
The Student Union organizers aren’t giving into the criticism. In fact, they saw it coming.
Head of Ticket Sales at the SU and Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) junior Joud El Hady acknowledged the student body complaints, explaining that it is “fair” for them to say the prices are high.
“But there’s context. We didn’t just pick these numbers. We looked at his ticket prices over the last decade, especially the last three years, and our prices are right in the middle. Our VIP ticket is actually cheaper than the last public concert he did,” she added.
She added, “Our VIP ticket is actually cheaper than his most recent concert.” VIP ticket prices for Amr Diab’s last two concerts, whether at Cairo Gate or at the Al Alamein Festival held on August 9, 2024, at the North Coast Arena, ranged between EGP 12,000 and 15,000, depending on the ticket.
El Hady continued to explain that this justification will mostly be understood by Diab’s hardcore fans who have been keeping an eye out on his concerts’ prices over the years.
The SU stands by its decisions pointing to production demands, logistical hurdles, and Diab’s fee.
It checks out: Diab’s recent shows across Egypt, especially at upscale venues like North Coast resorts, have often cost as much or more. The SU insists this event matches that level of production just on campus.
Still, that hasn’t silenced student mumbling that the concert is not readily affordable.
But others question if a more creative approach like a sliding scale, a special student batch, or a lottery could’ve helped.
The deeper issue isn’t just about cash, it’s about losing a sense of belonging to a campus community.
Other universities in Egypt consider offering discounts or free tickets for their students so they can engage and share the sense of belonging and the campus experience. Students at the British university in Egypt (BUE), for example, pay for most of their concerts but at lower prices or attend pro bono—it depends on the performing artist.
Take the European Universities in Egypt (EUE), which had a 2023 Tamer Hosny concert free for their students and also gave them limited tickets so they can invite whoever they want.
“They thought of doing a discount for AUC students, but this is so hard in our university. It’s not because of the admissions, and secondly, it’s not fair to non-AUCians, especially since we do many parties for AUCians for free; for example the welcome party where we got Ruby for the students,” says El Hady.
Some are holding out for other alternatives in hopes of finding lower prices. Others are simply resigned to following the show from afar.
“I’m going to dress up and pretend I’m there,” joked Farah Hassan, an IMC major. “If I’m lucky, I’ll hear it from the dorms.”
Psychology senior Rokaya Radwan, still feels left out.
“This was supposed to be something for all of us,” she said. “Now it feels like something for the few.”
“We’re not asking for freebies,” said Radwan. “We just want to be part of the moment.”
But for students who managed to snatch up the tickets in the first wave, the price tag is moderately fair.
“I know many students feel that the price is really expensive, but I believe it’s fair, especially considering that his concerts outside AUC are much more expensive,” says Hana Kamal, a graduating senior majoring in Multimedia Communication and Journalism (MMCJ).
”As a huge fan, I’m willing to pay this amount, and I’ve already bought my ticket.”
Nevertheless, as May 16 draws nearer, tickets continue to sell despite the steep prices. For many, it’s become a personal decision: spend for nostalgia, or sit this one out. Despite these concerns, waves 1 and 2 are sold out, and many people bought the tickets.
The SU informed The Caravan that Amr Diab’s real fans are the ones who pay for the tickets, and a lot of people bought the tickets because the capacity for this concert is huge.
Still, for those who won’t budge on the steep price tag, the concert is a bittersweet moment.
“This artist is part of our lives. We’ve danced to his songs at weddings, cried to them in hard times,” said Merna Elkafrawy, a Marketing senior.
“And now he’s coming to our university and we can’t even be there? It’s really sad.”
