Miami bashes going unsold

On recent New Year’s Eves in Miami Beach, booking Lindsay Lohan and R&B; singer John Legend as the entertainment would have caused a ticket stampede almost regardless of the cost.

But with the economy in recession, that’s not the case this year: Tickets to see Legend perform at Prive had not all been sold as of Tuesday, and down the street at Mansion, where Lohan and gal pal Samantha Ronson will be hosting an event, organizers were still hustling to sell VIP tables ranging from $1,500 to $5,000.

“Because of the weakness in the economy and the rising unemployment rates, we’ve noticed a backlash against flaunting money and excessive spending among young adults,” said Paige Newman, an editor at Zandl Group, a New York-based consumer trend research company. “Even people who are not concerned about their finances are deciding to cut back, and paying extra for a party hosted by a celebrity is off-trend now.”