For a Family of Four

"For a family of four to get good seats, you are looking at $1400. If you add the price of gas and, say, $50 for concessions, you are looking at quite a price tag."

Darrel Goodin runs country station KSON (97.3 and 92.1 FM), which is owned by Jefferson Pilot. He thinks his competitor, KUSS (95.7 FM), which is owned by Clear Channel, is promoting a pricey concert package: $350 buys a "Country Concert Super Ticket" that provides good seats at four Coors Amphitheater shows featuring country headliners Kenny Chesney (June 18), Rascal Flatts (July 15), Toby Keith (August 14), and Brooks & Dunn (October 23).

"The average San Diego home costs $570,000," says Goodin. "Gas is approaching $3 a gallon.... And they are trying to sell tickets for 350 godawful dollars?"

Goodin says KSON is offering $5 concerts. The first KSON show will be on May 14 in Oceanside. Josh Gracin, who was a Camp Pendleton Marine and American Idol finalist two years ago, headlines. (Gracin's single "Nothin' to Lose" went to number one on the Billboard country charts two months ago.)

"We sold 250 tickets in 30 minutes at the Poway Wal-Mart," says Goodin.

Josh Gracin, Jamie O'Neal, and Sugarland appear at 6 p.m. at the Oceanside Pier Plaza Amphitheater (the show is sold out).

Tickets for the four Coors shows will go on sale separately. (Chesney tickets are on sale now.)

The other two $5 KSON shows will be at the 6000-capacity Lakeside Rodeo Grounds on July 23 and October 22, with artists to be announced in May.