The Motels Tickets

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The Motels Tickets

Moody saxophone lines, cinematic keyboards, and Martha Davis’s smoky lead vocals give a night with The Motels its unmistakable new wave atmosphere. If you’re looking for The Motels tickets, you already know the pull of songs like “Only the Lonely” and “Suddenly Last Summer” — music built for late-night emotion, singalong recognition, and the intimate focus of a theater or music hall.

This page covers everything you need — from what to expect at a The Motels live show to finding the right seats and buying with confidence.

About The Motels

The Motels are an American new wave band formed in 1978, with roots tracing back to an earlier Berkeley, California lineup before the band rose to prominence in Los Angeles. Fronted by singer-songwriter Martha Davis, the band developed through the Los Angeles club circuit, including influential rooms such as Whisky a Go Go, the Roxy, and Madame Wong’s. Their identity took shape around atmospheric arrangements, pop-crafted melodies, and Davis’s husky, emotive vocals.

The band’s early era included key contributors such as guitarist Jeff Jourard, keyboardist and saxophonist Marty Jourard, guitarist Guy Perry, bassist Michael Goodroe, and drummer Brian Glascock. That lineup helped define the group’s early-1980s sound, pairing dramatic vocals with saxophone and keyboard textures that fit the MTV-era new wave landscape.

The Motels reached their commercial peak with All Four One, a Gold-certified 1982 breakthrough album that included “Only the Lonely.” The song became one of the band’s signature chart successes, reaching the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Suddenly Last Summer,” from 1983’s Little Robbers, also reached the Top 10 and remains one of the band’s most enduring songs. Alongside tracks such as “Take the L,” “Shame,” and “Total Control,” those hits helped establish The Motels as a defining female-fronted act of the early-1980s new wave era.

After a late-1980s hiatus, The Motels reactivated and continue to tour, led by Martha Davis. Current shows often appear on the ’80s nostalgia, theater, casino showroom, and festival circuit, where the band’s atmospheric catalog continues to draw longtime fans. For listeners who connect with the moody-pop side of new wave, The Motels tickets offer a chance to hear those songs in the focused setting they suit best.

Why You Want to See The Motels Live

Seeing The Motels live is about atmosphere as much as recognition. Their best-known songs are built around longing, tension, and nocturnal mood, and Martha Davis’s commanding vocal delivery gives those ballads a dramatic center on stage. In a theater, casino showroom, or music hall, the band’s sound has room to breathe without needing oversized spectacle.

The catalog also gives the show a strong emotional arc. “Only the Lonely” and “Suddenly Last Summer” are the major singalong moments, while songs like “Take the L,” “Shame,” “Mission of Mercy,” and “Total Control” give fans a deeper connection to the band’s peak new wave years. The mix of early hits, select deep cuts, and later material keeps the set tied to the band’s history without losing the familiar hooks fans came to hear.

The crowd experience is rooted in shared memory. The Motels draw predominantly adult audiences who came of age with 1980s radio and MTV-era alternative pop, so the biggest songs tend to land with immediate recognition. The result is a concert that feels intimate, nostalgic, and vocal-focused, with the audience becoming part of the biggest refrains.

What to Expect at a The Motels Concert

A The Motels concert typically runs roughly 75 minutes to two hours, depending on whether the band is playing a headline theater or casino date, or appearing as part of a festival or multi-act ’80s package bill. The show is usually built around the songs that defined the band’s early-1980s breakthrough, with room for deep cuts and later-era material.

The setlist tends to emphasize the peak years. Fans can expect a strong focus on “Only the Lonely,” “Suddenly Last Summer,” “Take the L,” and “Shame,” with other catalog favorites filling out the night. The sequencing often works best when the band leans into contrast — moody ballads, sleek new wave textures, and familiar radio-era hooks.

The atmosphere is centered on performance and vocals. The Motels are especially well suited to theaters, casino showrooms, performing-arts centers, clubs, and festival stages, where Davis’s voice and the band’s understated arrangements can stay at the front of the experience. Production is typically intimate and song-focused, matching the band’s brooding, late-night sound rather than relying on large-scale spectacle.

Additional Performer Information

The Motels Albums

The Motels discography traces the band’s path from moody new wave beginnings to their commercial peak and later Martha Davis-led releases:

The Motels (1979) — Debut album establishing the band's moody, art-tinged new wave sound.
Careful (1980) — Second album that expanded the band's new wave profile.
All Four One (1982) — Commercial breakthrough and Gold-certified album, home to "Only the Lonely."
Little Robbers (1983) — Featured the hit "Suddenly Last Summer," cementing the band's early-'80s run.
Shock (1985) — The band's final studio album of its original era, with a more polished, synth-forward sound.
This (2008) — Martha Davis / The Motels studio return after the band's long hiatus.
Clean Modern and Reasonable (2007) — Re-recordings and reimaginings of classic Motels material.
If Not Now Then When (2018) — Later-era studio release under the Martha Davis and The Motels banner.

Popular The Motels Songs

These are the tracks fans most anticipate at a live The Motels concert — expect strong crowd reactions throughout:

"Only the Lonely"
"Suddenly Last Summer"
"Take the L"
"Remember the Nights"
"Shame"
"Shock"
"Mission of Mercy"
"Total Control"
"Celia"
"Danger"
"Icy Red"
"Days Are OK"

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How Much Do Tickets to The Motels Cost?

The Motels tickets typically range from around $35 to $90 for general seating at theaters and casino showrooms, with premium or VIP meet-and-greet options available at higher price points depending on the venue and market.

Prices are shaped by venue size and market, whether the date is a casino showroom or standalone theater performance, whether The Motels are part of a festival or package bill, and the strength of local demand. Smaller rooms can make well-positioned seats more competitive, especially in markets with strong Gen-X and boomer audiences.

Buying earlier generally secures better seat selection and pricing, especially for limited-capacity theater and casino rooms. As the show date approaches and inventory tightens, the best remaining seats can become more expensive.

> No hidden fees. At Box Office Ticket Sales, the price you see is the price you pay. All fees are shown before checkout — no surprise charges when you reach the final step.

How to Buy The Motels Tickets

Getting your tickets through BoxOfficeTicketSales.com is fast and straightforward. Here's how the process works:

Browse The Motels tour dates — Search for The Motels tickets and select the city and date that fit your schedule
Pick your seats — Use the interactive seating map to compare sections, rows, views, and real-time pricing side by side
Secure checkout — Pay with a credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Affirm for flexible payment options
Receive your tickets — Digital tickets are delivered to your email or mobile wallet before the show, ready to scan at the venue entrance

Every order is backed by our 100% verified ticket guarantee and on-time delivery promise. Once your order is confirmed, you'll receive an email with your invoice and everything you need before show night.

The Motels Seating Guide

The Motels most often play theaters, music halls, casino showrooms, performing-arts centers, clubs, and ’80s-themed festival stages. Where you sit shapes the experience, especially for a performance built around vocals, atmosphere, and close audience connection.

Best Seats for a The Motels Concert

The right seat depends on what kind of show experience you're after:

Best value: Reserved seats farther back in the theater or music hall — these offer a clear full-stage view and keep you connected to the crowd at an accessible price.
Closest to the stage: Front orchestra, front-of-stage, or club-floor positions — these put you nearest to Martha Davis’s vocal performance and the band’s intimate stage presence.
Best overall experience: Center reserved seats on the main floor or mid-room sections — these balance sightline, proximity, sound, and the shared energy of the room.
For groups: Coordinate contiguous reserved sections early, since blocks in popular theater and casino showroom sections can disappear quickly.

The Motels Seating Chart

You can view an interactive seating map for The Motels shows directly on BoxOfficeTicketSales.com while browsing available listings. The map lets you compare sections side by side, check row depth and distance from the stage, and see real-time pricing for what's currently available — all before committing to a purchase.

Can I See Where My Seats Are?

Yes. The interactive seat map on BoxOfficeTicketSales.com shows your exact section and row placement before you buy. Use it to understand your angle to the stage, your distance from the front, and whether you're in a front-of-stage, main-floor, balcony, or reserved theater section — so the tickets you choose match exactly what you're looking for on show night.

Getting Ready for Show Night

Once your tickets are confirmed, a little preparation makes the whole evening run smoother — from the parking lot to the final encore.

Download your tickets before you leave. Cell service around theaters, casino showrooms, performing-arts centers, clubs, and festival venues gets congested as show time approaches. Save your tickets to your phone's wallet or screenshot them before heading out so you're not searching at the gate.
Charge your phone fully. Digital ticketing is standard at most venues, and your phone is your entry. A portable battery pack is worth having for a full evening out.
Arrive before the listed start time. The Motels appear in theater, casino, club, and festival settings, and show pacing can vary by engagement — getting there 45–60 minutes early helps you clear entry, find your seats, and settle in before the music starts.
Check the venue's bag policy before you go. Individual venues set their own security guidelines; reviewing them before you leave home prevents delays at the entrance.

Is Box Office Ticket Sales Legit?

Yes — Box Office Ticket Sales is a fully verified, secure ticketing platform that has served over 1 million customers since 2012. When you buy The Motels tickets through BoxOfficeTicketSales.com, here's what backs every purchase:

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The Motels tour stops — particularly theater, casino showroom, and ’80s package dates in strong nostalgia markets — move fast. The best-value listings tend to disappear well before show night. If you have a specific date or city in mind, now is the time to move. Browse The Motels tickets and lock in your seats before inventory tightens.

Need Help With Your The Motels Tickets?

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