Jam band Widespread Panic announced this week that it will use restrictive paperless tickets to thwart the resale of tickets for several 2012 concerts.
Paperless tickets will be sold starting Friday, November 18, for the band’s shows on January 24-25 at the Fillmore in Silver Spring, MD; January 27-29 at the Tabernacle in Atlanta, GA; and February 10-12 at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, CO.
The paperless tickets will run $59.50 to $69.50 and will be sold online through LiveNation.com and at each venue’s box office. Buyers must use a credit card their purchase; cash sales will not be permitted.
According to the Web site JamBands.com, Widespread Panic sent out a note to fans this week explaining that the decision to use paperless tickets was meant to “ensure fans have secure and convenient access to these event tickets at the original sale price.”
According to the band’s official Web site, all members of a party must arrive together at the event doors to claim their ticket order and gain admission to the event. No exceptions will be made, and orders will be strictly limited to four tickets.
A growing number of acts have turned to paperless tickets in recent years to thwart potential resellers. The tickets are non-transferable and require the purchaser to swipe their credit card at the venue’s doors to gain entry.
The use of such tickets is opposed by the consumer advocacy group Fan Freedom Project, which believes the use of restrictive paperless ticketing limits fans’ ownership rights. Restrictive paperless tickets are also prohibited in New York, and several other states are considering adopting similar regulations.
