Ticket tangle persists for Hey Rosetta! December shows
Duplicate online orders, stalled web pages and lightening-speed sellouts means hundreds, if not thousands, of fans didn't get tickets to the final shows of Hey Rosetta! — and they are hoping the band comes to the rescue.
"It was pretty clear I wasn't going to get tickets anytime soon. I've been a music fan for a long time. Usually with concerts with a lot of hype like this, tickets are gone within 10 to 15 minutes," says Dave Connors, a musician and producer.
"It seemed a lot more like they were gone within two to three minutes this time."
Connors said he refreshed the website "five or six times" trying to buy tickets for the shows on Dec. 21 and 22 in St. John's, but then gave up.
"It is a little heartbreaking that I'm going to be missing their final farewell show," he told CBC Tuesday.
Duplicate tickets for some orders
Etix Now, the website that served as the ticket portal for the December Hey Rosetta! shows, acknowledged problems did occur — despite increasing capacity in anticipation of high demand.
"Some patrons' requests resulted in duplicate orders ... This resulted in a double payment and an incorrect number of e-tickets issued," the company said in a statement to CBC News.
Duplicate orders had to be refunded and cancelled because "the events were sold out and at capacity, " according to the company.
As for bots scooping up tickets online, Etix Now said, "We have not found any evidence to this effect. We would, and do cancel any orders that are made by bots."
While some people received a message indicating the page was over-capacity, "it was not a crash," according to the company.
Not giving up
It's clear many fans are keeping hope alive that they'll get to see the band perform before its planned hiatus.
As of Tuesday afternoon, there are almost 70 ads on Kijiji, the buy and sell website, posted by people looking for tickets to the St. John's shows.
A tweet by the band Monday afternoon also had fans crossing their fingers.
"Thanks so much [for the] support all. We hear/love you — checking into onsale systems & also the [possibility] of larger venues for the shows — stand by," read the post.
Fans have speculated that could mean the band will either add more shows or announce Mile One Centre, for example, will be the larger venue in order to accommodate more ticket sales.
Connors, who actually got to open for Hey Rosetta! years ago by winning a Battle of the Bands contest in Corner Brook, is only lukewarm to the latter idea.
"I hope they don't change from the Delta because it's a really great venue and that's where the tradition lives," he said.
"Hockey stadiums [like Mile One] don't sound good ... don't feel intimate."
Connors is hoping for additional shows to be added.
"I think Hey Rosetta! have been such a monumental band and force of music here in Newfoundland ... and the idea that it's … unavailable to a lot of people who really want to go is a little disheartening."
