With U2’s “360” World Tour in full effect, the Irish Rock band broke tour attendance records at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl Stadium on Sunday Night when 96,000 fans poured into the venue. The revolving stage was set. Bono’s glasses were cleaned and ready to shine. The Black Eyed Peas were set to open up the show. Everything was set for a great show. Outside, however, things were amiss. A number of loyal fans found themselves not with the miracle ticket they had acquired for the sold out show but rather a well played hoax at the cost of $150.00 a joke.
This is not the first time U2 has had this problem. In 2005 fans in Boston were treated to fake tickets that were priced as much as $2000 a piece. Those were computer generated “Cybertickets” that Ticketmaster allows you to print in lieu of getting a mailed hard ticket. Print one…or 100…no telling the difference of those.
This time fake tickets were purchased on the, often reliable source for tickets, craigslist.org. Craigslist operates as an online bulletin board where individuals can sell or buy just about anything…including scam tickets.
So, here’s some tips on how to tell if your ticket is real:
1. Grab your trusty bic lighter. Light it. Hold ticket (or the receipt which is also the same thermal paper) over the flame but not too close and not near the barcode. If the face of the ticket turns black over where the flame is…it’s real, have a great show. If it catches fire. You held it too close…extinguish the fire.
2. Buy from a reputable source like a ticket broker or individual with one or two for sale.
3. Never buy the Ticketmaster computer printout tickets. These can be printed over and over again but only one barcode can get in.
That being said, U2 is coming back to So. Cal!!! They’ll be back in the US June 6 at Anaheim’s Angel Stadium, according to concert promoter Live Nation. Full ticket information and tour dates can be found on www.U2.com.
