Reunited grunge rock band Soundgarden will play its first show in more than a decade tonight, April 16. The special performance is booked for the band’s hometown of Seattle, WA, at the 1,100-capacity Showbox at the Market.
Listed under the anagram “Nudedragons,” tickets for the secret show went on sale on Ticketmaster.com earlier today and sold out in just about 15 minutes.
Fans were alerted to the sale through a last-minute e-mail sent to members of Soundgarden World, and through an identical post on frontman Chris Cornell’s official Web site. The message read in part, “Your loyalty has not been forgotten, we would like to invite you to the Showbox tonight for a chance to see us for the first time in a long while.”
Despite the quick sell-out, fans will reportedly have a second chance to snag Nudedragons tickets.
Soundgarden’s official Twitter account started a contest at 12:15 p.m. (PT) on April 16 that has fans searching for a dragon-imprinted bottle cap hidden somewhere in Seattle to win tickets to the concert. (A picture of the hidden cap, posted on Twitter as a clue, accompanies this article.)
Because of the limited ticket supply and high demand for tickets, the band has gone to great lengths to discourage ticket resale and scalping. In addition to the last-minute ticket sale, buyers were required to enter a passcode in order to complete the Ticketmaster search for available tickets.
Other limitations were placed on ticket orders and delivery in order to restrict purchases and maintain exclusivity for the special concert. A note on the event’s Ticketmaster listing states:
There is a two ticket limit per houshold per family that is strictly enforced!!! Tickets are will call and internet ONLY! All patrons are required to be present at will call for pick up at which point you will be let in the doors. There will be NO hand-offs!! No alternate pick up names!!! No ticket pick up until 7:00 PM door time. Patrons MUST bring valid ID and credit card used to purchase tickets to pick up tickets!
A dozen years after the band announced its split in April 1997, Cornell announced Soundgarden’s official return in January. Just about two weeks ago, the band issued the first concert announcement of its reunion — a headline position at this year’s Lollapalooza. The festival gig signals a full-circle return for the rockers, who last played the event in 1996 before their break-up.
