Touts sell Edinburgh Rolling Stones tickets at four times face value

RIP-OFF touts are trying to sell tickets for this Saturday's highly-anticipated Rolling Stones gig at more than four times their face value, the Evening News can reveal.
The Rolling Stones perform live on stage on the opening night of the european leg of their No Filter tour. Picture: Charles McQuillan/Getty ImagesThe Rolling Stones perform live on stage on the opening night of the european leg of their No Filter tour. Picture: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
The Rolling Stones perform live on stage on the opening night of the european leg of their No Filter tour. Picture: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

We found one pair of tickets in the upper west stand for sale on auction site eBay at £823.95 – the same tickets would cost £179.50 through the official site.

With the wrinkly rockers’ return to the venue they first played nearly 20 years ago still to sell out, their fans are being urged to check prices before they buy.

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“It’s a dysfunctional system,” said Adam Webb, campaign manager for FanFair Alliance. “There are still tickets available at face value but people are getting misled.”

Hefty prices are charged when tickets are sold on “secondary sites” which add a premium to the cover price.

The Get Me In website was selling a pair of £179.50 tickets for £251.68 yesterday – a markup of 40 per cent.

Viagogo were selling the same for £212, an 18 per cent increase, while Seatwave were charging £294.76, a 64 per cent hike.

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A fourth site, Stubhub, was selling similar tickets for £240 – a 34 per cent increase on the cover price.

Mr Webb urged fans to follow a ten-point online advice guide available on the FanFair Alliance website when buying tickets.

“Don’t trust search engines,” said Mr Webb. “Because they pay big service fees for their pay per click ratings.

“And go to the artists’ websites which will have ways to buy their tickets.”

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No offers had been made for the £823.95 tickets on eBay last night.

Saturday’s concert will be the legendary band’s seventh appearance in Edinburgh – their first was back on September 19, 1964 at the Usher Hall.

They have played Murrayfield once before, in 1999, as part of their Bridges to Babylon world tour.

The second part of the Stones No Filter tour will see fans treated to hits such as Paint It Black and Brown Sugar.

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Fans are being urged to 
turn up early amid tight security following last year’s Manchester Arena terror attack.

Security staff will be conducting searches with concert goers urged to only bring small bags.

Banned items include umbrellas and liquid containers such as perfume and even 
water bottles.

Fans are also advised to take public transport to the stadium with no parking available for the event.

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Frontman Mick Jagger has said: ‘‘This part of the No Filter tour is really special for the Stones. We are looking forward to getting back on stage in the summer and playing to fans.

“It’s always exhilarating going to cities we haven’t played for quite a while.”

Guitarist Keith Richards added: “It’s such a joy to play with this band there’s no stopping us, we’re only just getting started really.”

Charlie Watts said: “The Stones audience is the glue that keeps us together. The best and most satisfying moment is when you are reaching the end of the show and they are all going nuts.”

Ticket buying advice is available at the FanFair Alliance website at: http://fanfairalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/30-FFA-Guide-final.pdf