In an effort to promote their new album, Red Pill Blues, and a North American tour that kicks off next May, Maroon 5 set up a vending machine that sold cassette tapes and concert tickets for $2.22 each – a reference to Adam Levine’s record label called 222.

Yes – you read all of that right. A vending machine. Selling cassette tapes. And <$3 concert tickets.

Maroon 5 fans in Los Angeles will have an exclusive early access to the album, as it doesn’t hit stores until this Friday, November 3 (if they can find a cassette player, that is).

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The tickets being all-but-given away are for the band’s June 4, 2018 concert at LA’s The Forum.

The band announced the news to fans yesterday afternoon via Twitter.

Last night, fans got a sneak peak of the vending machine and eventually, an announcement of its whereabouts:

And of course, they began lining up immediately.

In an industry where first or best access to tour tickets has become increasingly monetized, it’s refreshing to see this fun and innovative way of bringing music to dedicated fans for (almost) free.

With that said, I will point out that Maroon 5 is not guiltless of this practice: for non-Californian fans, buying merchandise from the band’s official store is indeed the way to gain access to a presale code for their full-priced tickets.  maroon 5

No word on whether the band will bring vending machines to more cities before the Red Pill Blues tour begins. Tickets go on sale this Saturday, November 4 from Ticketmaster. See the full tour itinerary below:

MAY 30, 2018 – TACOMA DOME in TACOMA, WA
JUN 01, 2018 – ORACLE ARENA in OAKLAND, CA
JUN 02, 2018 – GOLDEN 1 CENTER in SACRAMENTO, CA
JUN 04, 2018 – THE FORUM in INGLEWOOD, CA
JUN 07, 2018 – TALKING STICK RESORT ARENA in PHOENIX, AZ
JUN 09, 2018 – AMERICAN AIRLINES ARENA in DALLAS, TX
JUN 10, 2018 – TOYOTA CENTER in HOUSTON, TX
JUN 12, 2018 – AT&T CENTER in SAN ANTONIO, TX
JUN 14, 2018 – SMOOTHIE KING CENTER in NEW ORLEANS, LA
JUN 16, 2018 – AMALIE ARENA in TAMPA, FL
JUNE 17, 2018 – BB&T CENTER in SUNRISE, FL
SEP 07, 2018 – VIVINT SMART HOME ARENA in SALT LAKE CITY, UT
SEP 09, 2018 – PEPSI CENTER ARENA in DENVER, CO
SEP 11, 2018 – SPRINT CENTER in KANSAS CITY, MO
SEP 13, 2018 – SCOTTRADE CENTER in ST LOUIS, MO
SEP 14, 2018 – UNITED CENTER in CHICAGO, IL
SEP 16, 2018 – WISCONSIN ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORTS CENTER in MILWAUKEE, WI
SEP 18, 2018 – XCEL ENERGY CENTER in SAINT PAUL, MN
SEP 20, 2018 – BANKER’S LIFE FIELDHOUSE ARENA in INDIANAPOLIS, IN
SEP 22, 2018 – KFC YUM! CENTER in LOUISVILLE, KY
SEP 23, 2018 – BRIDGESTONE ARENA in NASHVILLE, TN
SEP 25, 2018 – NATIONWIDE ARENA in COLUMBUS, OH
SEP 27, 2018 – AIR CANADA CENTRE in TORONTO, CANADA
SEP 29, 2018 – PPG PAINTS ARENA in PITTSBURGH, PA
SEP 30, 2018 – LITTLE CAESAR’S ARENA in DETROIT, MI
OCT 02, 2018 – CAPITAL ONE ARENA in WASHINGTON, DC
OCT 04, 2018 – SPECTRUM CENTER in CHARLOTTE, NC
OCT 06, 2018 – PRUDENTIAL CENTER in NEWARK, NJ
OCT 07, 2018 – TD GARDEN in BOSTON, MA
OCT 10, 2018 – XL CENTER in HARTFORD, CT
OCT 12, 2018 – WELLS FARGO CENTER in PHILADELPHIA, PA
OCT 14, 2018 – MADISON SQUARE GARDEN in NEW YORK, NY
OCT 15, 2018 – MADISON SQUARE GARDEN in NEW YORK, NY