I read on twitter someone complaining of trying to book tickets, through Ticketmaster for a gig, only to find that they were all sold out. He then went onto LetMeIn and found whole blocks available at inflated prices. This was for a gig where individuals were restricted to the number of tickets they could purchase, so it seemed a bit strange that large numbers of tickets in concentrated blocks became available. You don't have to be a conspiracy theorist to suspect that something not quite kosher was taking place

One explaination for "concentrated blocks" being available is whether these had been sold as part of a a priority pre-sale, prior to tickets going on general sale. I know that American Express and O2 customers sometimes have these offers availalbe to them, 24 hrs before general release.

Or, it could just be a conspiracy, since its very frustrating to be denied the opportunity to buy tickets to an event, despite trying as soon as they go on sale, only to find them on inflated resale almost immediately after.

Because the supply & demand model is being skewed by (and increasing number of) resellers who have no intention of actually attending the event, but are reducing the available tickets by maximising the numbers they buy purely for profit purposes, and by allowing this to occur, and taking a percentage of resale value, Ticketmaster are contributing to the problem, whilst maximising their income.

Pure market forces in action. You snooze you lose.
Promoters couldn't care less as they sell their tickets and bank the money no matter who buys them.

It took me about 2 mins to have a couple of tickets for 41 quid in my shopping basket. Just checked and Phoenix Nights has 12 nights in Manchester. I think if you can't find reasonable priced tickets you're just not looking hard enough.

Keep voting Tory and rip off Britain will continue. As for UKIPers any policy that is not racist would be interesting, but as they are a one trick pony I ain't waiting in anticipation.

I still shake my head and wonder how the hell we ever got to a position where people were ready, willing and able to pay £41 each (and more) to watch a comedian.

My father was a huge supporter of the CIU and in his role as amateur singer and comedian went out of his way most weekends to watch the country's top comedians perform in a club somewhere in this, and other cities - if he ever had to pay a cover charge on the door then he'd walk away stating that his £5 a year CIU card covered all of that mullarky, he NEVER paid a cover charge, he would have apoplexy having to pay a £41 (and the rest) cover charge to watch a comedian.

Mind, none of the comedians he ever saw were millionaires, most were full time professional though.

To be fair, although many may be millionaires, describing them as comedians would probably breach trades descriptions

Absolutely not, with the single exception of stuff where there is some sort of public interest justification (public order at designated football games, alcohol minimum pricing, and suchlike) the government can't and won't interfere with a free market. It is entirely up to the vendors to self-regulate and could quite easily (but at significant cost) do, but never will. They also mostly have contractual terms that tickets can't be resold but for the most part have zero interest in the bother of enforcing this.

There was the famous instance of rlViagogo and the RFUrl but I don't think it came to much and certainly had no impact on the vast secondary market for RU tickets

When I was in the first year of University in Salford, the Spice Girls decided to pop up again to make a few extra quid.

We thought, 'Great! That'll make US a few quid too' .. We queued overnight (around 15 hours), got on morning TV and all sorts and I bought 7 tickets. That was the maximum allowed, each at around £75 for front row floor tickets. I kept two, so I could take my sister for her Birthday and sold the remaining 5, well above face value. I made close to a grand.

I can't actually see a problem with a bit of ticket touting if you put the work in. After that, I did it for a few other big artists like Jay Z and 50 Cent and never had any agro from people buying them off me near the venue. Surely if someone really wants to go to a gig, they'll pay for it?

I understand it's frustrating on the phone lines, but the alternative is to go to the venue early and just wait..

(edit)

Obviously, nowadays I'd take a day off work and do it, but I would make sure it would be financially viable for me to do so..

But surely the fact that Ticketmaster run both companies means that when Ticketmaster get the tickets they may sell half to the public and then half to Getmein or to staff who work for one or the other companies.

The opportunity for fraud seems quite high to me.

I have tried getting tickets for various things over the last couple of years and have given up trying to buy online

Heartwarming tales of greed at Christmas ....
Oooh, evoking fuzzy warm feelings of joy and hope.
Are you turning in your grave Charles Dickens?

Ah great. Well done you.

This forum does make me laugh;

Someone complains they can't get tickets to a gig. Helpful dose of reality ensues from some people, others balk and whine.

A related event is shared and the comments get mardy. Precious time wasted from the off.

That's the way it goes!

It's not an event I'm going to lose much sleep over missing. If however I'd worked my rocks off to get tickets for a favourite band and lost out to the touts I'd be turning up to the venue and kicking some heads in! Although it's unlikely to happen with the amount of pre-sale and priority schemes I've signed up for to avoid the disappointment of losing out to fly by night touts.