Monday 29 June 2009

How we used to buy concert tickets before the internet

From a Newsweek archive piece of people buying tickets for the Jackson's 1984 Victory tour:

When newspapers containing the first official ticket order forms rolled off the presses in the early hours of June 19, fans were lined up to buy them. "It's ridiculous!" said disc jockey Roy Leonard, who has been following the Jackson craze for the Chicago radio station WGN: "People were stealing papers off other people's front lawns." When newspapers containing the first official ticket order forms rolled off the presses in the early hours of June 19, fans were lined up to buy them. "It's ridiculous!" said disc jockey Roy Leonard, who has been following the Jackson craze for the Chicago radio station WGN: "People were stealing papers off other people's front lawns."

Big Brother: As every newspaper thief soon learned, Michael's show was no easy mark. Anxious fans were instructed to mail a money order (four tickets for $120), with no guarantee of a specific date, a good seat—or even any tickets at all. Despite the stiff price and chancey prospects (tickets were to be randomly distributed), customers in Kansas City jammed into post offices to buy money orders—15,000 in one day.

Crazy! I remember having to line up outside Blue Moon Records in Port Huron, MI for Depeche Mode tickets back in 1989... with a TicketMaster imposed cash-only policy. Still, I didn't have to cut coupons from newspapers or post off money orders with NO guarantee of getting anything back.

Still $120 for 4 tickets for a top draw artist is a nice indication of the times.
I imagine these days that price would be per ticket.
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