Tickets for the British rock band Oasis’s reunion tour went on sale this week, causing a frenzy among fans eager to attend the 17 scheduled dates. However, the ticket-buying process was met with complaints and frustration due to high demand. Social media was flooded with complaints about inflated prices, long waiting times, and error messages from Ticketmaster, the ticketing company handling the sales.
One city councilor in Dublin, Darragh Moriarty, took to Twitter to criticize the prices of the standing tickets, which were labeled as “In Demand” and significantly more expensive than the standard tickets. Ticketmaster responded by clarifying that they do not set ticket prices, as they are determined by promoters and artists. The company also offered market-based tickets labeled as “Platinum” or “In Demand,” which attract higher prices based on demand.
Despite the complaints of long waiting times and error messages, Ticketmaster maintained that their site did not crash during the ticket sales. Fans shared their frustration online, with one individual from London, Stephen Lowell, reporting a five-hour wait only to receive a message informing him that his session had been suspended. Oasis is set to begin their tour in July, with shows scheduled in various cities, including Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh, and Dublin.
A presale opportunity was offered to applicants who received an email confirming their access to tickets. Oasis warned on their Instagram page that tickets would be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, and success in the presale ballot did not guarantee tickets. The tour was described by Ticketmaster as “one of the biggest live moments and hottest tickets of the decade.”
The ticket-buying process for major concert events has frequently been criticized by buyers for various reasons, including inflated prices, long waiting times, and technical issues. Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, faced backlash in 2022 for their handling of the Taylor Swift Eras Tour, which was highly anticipated and resulted in similar frustrations among fans. Despite the challenges, the excitement surrounding major tours and the opportunity to see beloved bands live often outweigh the difficulties experienced during the ticket-buying process.
