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).
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.
We will also have pairs of tickets for our LA show for $2.22
— Maroon 5 (@maroon5) October 31, 2017
Last night, fans got a sneak peak of the vending machine and eventually, an announcement of its whereabouts:
Vending Machine is available at our mural in LA. Melrose & Orange Dr tomorrow. 11am-5pm. First come first serve. See you all there!! pic.twitter.com/tfhCB6huC6
— Maroon 5 (@maroon5) November 1, 2017
And of course, they began lining up immediately.
People are lining up. Get your exclusive cassette and tickets to our Forum show starting at 11-5pm. Melrose & Orange Dr. in Los Angeles pic.twitter.com/n3qxu24BhO
— Maroon 5 (@maroon5) November 1, 2017
Praying i get a ticket 😭🙏🏼 @maroon5 pic.twitter.com/5j56r8PSmM
— Johanna (@Johanna_Babee) November 1, 2017
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. 
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:
