*UPDATE FROM THE GRATEFUL DEAD*
Thank you to all of the Deadheads for the amazing support that you have shown for the Fare Thee Well shows in Chicago! This morning you broke Ticketmaster’s on-sale record when nearly half a million of you queued up to buy tickets. If you do not have tickets, please know that we are working on various ways to help everyone experience these shows in a way that will help you share this special moment with us. Stay tuned, and thank you for showing your love, we feel it!
FARE THEE SORRY. As expected, The Grateful Dead’s Fare Thee Well event in Chicago over the Fourth of July weekend sold out quickly, with most fans being completely shut out of Ticketmaster’s online system. All three nights (180,000+ tickets) went fast, with some lucky fans scoring after waiting 45 minutes “in line.” If you weren’t in the queue by 10:05am CST you were probably already putting a social media finger in the air hoping for a miracle. The thousand-dollar-plus VIP packages sold out instantly on Friday as well, solidifying this event’s stature as the toughest ticket of the summer. It’s already a scalper’s paradise in the aftermarket with StubHub listing some tickets at $1500 each. Forbes has a breakdown of the current ticket market and Mashable quotes a StubHub agent saying this is the biggest event he’s seen in nine years of working for the company:
“The Super Bowl is always going to be bigger than anything. But this is definitely the biggest concert. By far. By far.”
Social media was abuzz during the entire process with positive reactions from the lucky ones and mostly negative (and humorous) reactions from the unlucky fans. It will be interesting to see what Peter Shapiro and his production team do to open this event up to the masses. A broadcast of some sort is certainly being scheduled, but it seems like most fans are in favor of a Couch Tour webcast, not just exclusive viewings at select theaters and Shapiro’s Brooklyn Bowl venues. We’ll keep you updated!
TWITTER REACTION
It's official – this is how I'll be listening to gd15-07-04 Solider Field Chicago IL #dead50 pic.twitter.com/lAF0yVqEv2
— Chris Duffey (@rosebudcassidy) February 28, 2015
https://twitter.com/tourphish/status/571706547887214592
#FAIL #GD50 Whole site down. #ticketmaster pic.twitter.com/XGHaIphQ3V
— Parker (@tmwsiy) February 28, 2015
I AM THE TICKETMASTER!!! Score 3 day passes 100 level!!!! #dead50
— Josh Korin (@joshkorin) February 28, 2015
https://twitter.com/adamicculus/status/571704795439992832
https://twitter.com/jay_young/status/571720971612266496
You're my only hope #dead50 #stillwaiting #ineedamiracle pic.twitter.com/MuYLr3cgiu
— Rosie (@rosietexecano) February 28, 2015
Not giving up hope… but perhaps these shows were just not meant to be for me.
— Tomorrow's Verse (@tomorrowsverse) February 28, 2015
https://twitter.com/samgmorrissey/status/571705310391500800
spinning wheel of fuck-all
— J.M. Hart (rowjimmy) (@rowj) February 28, 2015
Score! All 3 nights. Chicago here we come!!! #GD50 #FareTheeWell
— Bryon Whitley (@bryontreece) February 28, 2015
How much for just one set?
— jiggslikesphish 🦒 (@jiggslikesphish) February 28, 2015
If you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem. pic.twitter.com/iZrLtBtygy
— matt (@therealburnham) February 28, 2015
I blame #netneutrality #Dead50
— ginz (@youenjoyme) February 28, 2015
https://twitter.com/languagestrange/status/571712990866755584
#Deadheads see whos tweeting bout @GratefulDead50 @GDTSTOO #Dead50 #GD50 tickets #FareTheeWell http://t.co/XDxvI1TAJc pic.twitter.com/g0RKFhMbxc
— Nettie Ginocchetti 🛰🐴🌍🐕🧭 (@nettiequette) February 28, 2015
Make your happy home this July 4th at High Sierra Music Festival! @highsierramusic TICKETS: http://t.co/kQMPVSoblq pic.twitter.com/Sunb2vDbZJ
— High Sierra Music (@highsierramusic) February 28, 2015
