Concert season peeks around the corner

DO NOT LOSE HOPE. Things sometimes do not work out in the concert ticket process. But do not fear. There will always be more opportunities to see your favorite artists in the future. And if you did not get the front row seats you wanted, reconsider. Being seated in the back is better than not being at the concert at all. 

   February marks an important month for me; it is the month that I am entering the battlefield of buying tickets to see the K-pop supergroup BTS. Buying tickets is a strategic and stressful game. Playing it well will, however, just might fulfill your dream of being close to your swoon-worthy musical stars. Here are some tips to aid you throughout your experience. 

1. Gather all the information

Make sure to have all the information gathered before the fateful day. Some artists have early VIP sales or general pre-sales. Make sure to take note of these dates. Double-check the time that tickets drop. Sometimes websites release tickets in the time zone of the city instead of your local time zone. If tickets are dropping on multiple platforms, do your research on which platforms are most honest in prices and availability as well as speed. 

2. Master Ticketmaster 

Ticketmaster is often the platform of choice for most musical artists. Yet, the website is tricky and cumbersome. Make sure you have created your account ahead of time and have multiple devices open before tickets drop. Ticketmaster often has tickets available through phone calls which can be a quicker and more efficient way to buy tickets. Presale codes are often hidden in plain sight. Do a quick keyword twitter search to see if you can snag a code. 

3. Beware of scalpers

Scalpers are people who snatch all the best tickets from honest buyers and resell them at insane prices. Usually, scalpers act on the day tickets drop and a short period of time following it. There is not a real solution to this problem. But if the concert is happening nearby and transportation and lodging isn’t an issue, scalpers will usually release their unsold tickets at lower prices in the days immediately preceding the concert. 

4. Do not believe that tickets are sold out

This is a ploy often used by ticketing platforms to create hype and sell out more expensive seats first. After all, concerts are expensive and platforms are trying to make a hefty profit. Twitter and Instagram are great places to look for people selling tickets if conventional websites say they are sold out. Often, people are in dire need of selling their tickets and will lower their prices significantly. Exercise caution with suspicious sellers and when handling methods of payment such as Paypal.