With the announcement of the Coachella lineup fans of live music have been reminded to turn their attention to summer concerts. The winter is comparably a slow time for music, but it’s also when some of the biggest shows of the year are announced. These are must-see events, where you never know what’s going to happen, just that the result will be glorious. But as much as you don’t want to miss the best concerts, tickets are very expensive, and with the fees tacked on top it can often get out of hand. So here are five ways you can score concert tickets for less.
First of all, get more involved with your favorite artists by joining their fan clubs. If you want to attend a rod wave concert, for example, you can also check out various ticket-selling websites and then you can see where Rod will be performing over the next several months. You can then select the time and location that works best for your schedule. Since many musicians now rely heavily on ticket sales as a core revenue stream, their promotional teams put far more energy into creating a vibrant fan club. And it isn’t only to disseminate information about tour dates. You will often get access to tickets in advance of the general sale, and will be able to buy them from the artists themselves. That will save you at least a few of the fees the larger ticket sellers tack on top of the face value.
You’ll find a similar benefit from many credit card companies. If your card has some sort of membership benefits club you can use the points you accrue to purchase tickets. But many of the larger, international credit cards often set up relationships with major venues to offer their cardholders reduced ticket prices and early purchasing windows. American Express is very well known for this. You will still have to pay the fees, but you’ll get a discount, or maybe even lower rates on better seats.
Another great way to circumvent those annoying fees is to buy your tickets directly from the venue. You’ll have to be in physical proximity, and actually go to the box office to do the purchasing. But you’ll buy your ticket at face value and avoid all of the fees. You should also think about going to the box office to look for last minute deals. Even after a show is supposedly ‘sold out’ there are still available tickets. Promoters will hang on to a chunk of seats for the band to use, and if they go unclaimed they will be released back to the box office.
You’ll also save cash if you sign up for the mailing lists and membership programs of the venues. This helps you in two ways. First off, you’ll know about the concerts as soon as they are announced, which will allow you to take advantage of any presale deals that are announced. But secondly, you can keep tabs with venues outside of your local area. Expand it out to your entire region. If an event is an absolute must for you, you might find cheaper tickets at a venue that’s a bit of a further drive. The difference in ticket price may be worth the extra trip.
Finally if you’re looking to save money you’ve got to avoid dealing with scalpers. These are the folks that stand outside all venues, even the prestigious Boston Opera House selling off reams of tickets. You might be tempted to just show up at the venue and get a ticket however you can. But these folks will always overcharge you, and at some point it just isn’t worth it. There’s also the chance that they are forgeries and you’ll leave disappointed. Even if they are legal the venues and many bands frown at this practice, and some will actually banish you from future shows if you buy from scalpers.
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