Rolling Stones fans are being very badly let down by the "organizers" of the BST Hyde Park concerts.

The story unfolds starting around page 45 of the Hyde Park thread: [www.iorr.org]

Sometime last week all the non-UK-resident Hyde Park festival-goers who had paid an extra 100 GBP for the Barclaycard Unwind Bar add-on were told our wristbands/tickets won't be posted to us - we ALL have to collect them at will-call, and we can't do that until the day of the show. Several of us protested by email and on the Barclaycard Unwind Facebook page, asking them to let us pick up our passes before show day, and it seemed they saw the light: Their rep stated that people with Tier 1-2 + Barclaycard Unwind Bar would be able to collect our tickets on Thursday, Friday and Saturday before the show after all. Say hallelujah.

But then it emerged that large numbers of Tier 3 ticketholders, along with holders of disabled-access tickets, have received emails from Frontgate Tickets and/or AEG saying (more or less) "sorry, we neglected to send your tickets and now it's too late, so you've got to collect them at will-call". (That includes a lot of people who had previously been told their tickets had already been shipped). And they're saying those people can collect them ONLY on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday (show day) - inexplicably and unbelievably not on Friday.

Obviously, this is not at all okay with the masses of people who are arriving in London on Friday (not earlier) and want to collect their tickets then. Needless to say, no one wants to be forced into long angry will-call queues on show day instead of racing to the front-of-stage area.

Back in April, when it emerged that during the presales the layout of the venue had been seriously misrepresented, Rob Hallett (the head of AEG) stated that the lack of "diamond/gold circles" at the Stones show would ensure that "anyone who can run fast enough" would have a chance to be in the FOS area. Well, there's not much chance of them managing that if they're stuck in will-call queues!

A number of us have been writing/phoning AEG, Frontgate and BST trying to make them understand that this is unacceptable, unjustifiable and simply wrong. They've already caused enormous distress and confusion by failing to deliver tickets - it's simply insane to relegate all these people to will-call queues and then inexplicably curtail the dates when they can collect their tickets. Why don't they understand that they emphatically do NOT want to force large numbers of angry Stones fans to stand in will-call queues on show day??



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2013-07-01 19:23 by with sssoul.

Ok.

The BST Facebook page: [www.facebook.com]
The AEG Facebook page: [www.facebook.com]
Frontgate "customer service": uksupport@frontgatetickets.com
Rob Hallett's email address: rob@aeglive.co.uk

The Barclaycard Unwind personnel seem to have the right idea, but just in case here's their Facebook page too: [www.facebook.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-07-03 11:24 by with sssoul.

Y'know, when they changed the rules of the lottery for the Zeppelin reunion show after it went into effect, several people got an organized group together, made "class action suit" noises, etc., only in British, and got the rules changed in their favor. It helped enormously that some of these people were lawyers. I'm not suggesting actually bringing a suit, because you usually lose and it costs way more time/money than it's worth, as their lawyers are professionals at finding loopholes, BUT I AM suggesting that if there are any lawyers in the house, they could maybe help out with strategies.

Because this sucks beyond belief, and has made pleasurable anticipation into a total nightmare for many people, and it's all so unnecessary.

No that I expect it to make any difference, but I tweeted a link to this thread on all the official stones and related musicians twitter accounts.

Not directly concerned but thanks for starting that thread.

It doesn't justify the way they are handling this (starting with the T1/T2 fiasco : [www.iorr.org]) but I think the explanation for the "no will call tickets on Friday" is probably due to the Bon Jovi concert taking place on that day, i.e. they don't want to have thousands of Saturday people mixing it up with Friday people who chose "Will Call" from the beginning...

That doesn't make any sense, though, gotdablouse.
They're the ones who failed to deliver the tickets, and they need to make up for that failure in a decent way.
It is not reasonable to make people stand in long angry queues on show day when the FOS area is going to be occupied by the swift.
(That doesn't apply to BJ fans - they still have their diamond/gold circles.)

They could've chosen to send print-your-own tickets by email.
They could've used the 30-GBP fee they charged to pay for express couriers.
They could and should set up two sets of box offices (BJ will-call here! RS will-call over here!)
and add lots of extra personnel to deal with both groups on Friday. And they should serve them refreshments in the queues as well.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-07-01 16:35 by with sssoul.

Who said it made sense? I'm just saying that there is a likely explanation for the "no Stones will call tickets on Friday".

This really is a cluster f.ck!

I hesitate to post because what I have been told is very unhelpful, but here goes.

My July 6th Tier One + Barclay Unwind bar tickets have not yet arrived and the BST website is saying they have not been shipped yet. I live in the UK.

I just spent 20 minutes talking to a friendly guy from AEG (aka BST aka Frontgate)

He referred to the whole ticket thing as a "debacle". Apparently tickets are being posted from the US because it is cheaper and quicker than posting from the UK!

What I was advised
1. Don't believe your order status on the BST website - it is inaccurate
2. Unless you bought in the last 2 days your tickets have been sent
3. If they don't arrive by Wednesday, call AEG / BST and arrange to pick up from box office
4. PICK UP IS ONLY POSSIBLE ON DAY OF GIG

I challenged this last point, explaining that others on this board were being told to pick up Wednesday / Thursday / Friday. A manager who was called re-iterated "No advance pickup for tickets bought from BST"

So where does that leave us ? Everyone trying to pick up tickets on the day ? Golly

Quote
gotdablouse
Who said it made sense? I'm just saying that there is a likely explanation for the "no Stones will call tickets on Friday".

She smiled sweetly: And what I'm saying is that that isn't an explanation.
Anyway let's let AEG/BST speak for themselves, okay?

Quote
His Majesty
Not that I expect it to make any difference, but I tweeted a link to this thread on all the official stones and related musicians twitter accounts.

Thanks HM! Excellent idea :E

Quote
johnnythunders
I hesitate to post because what I have been told is very unhelpful, but here goes.

My July 6th Tier One + Barclay Unwind bar tickets have not yet arrived and the BST website is saying they have not been shipped yet. I live in the UK.

I just spent 20 minutes talking to a friendly guy from AEG (aka BST aka Frontgate)

He referred to the whole ticket thing as a "debacle". Apparently tickets are being posted from the US because it is cheaper and quicker than posting from the UK!

What I was advised
1. Don't believe your order status on the BST website - it is inaccurate
2. Unless you bought in the last 2 days your tickets have been sent
3. If they don't arrive by Wednesday, call AEG / BST and arrange to pick up from box office
4. PICK UP IS ONLY POSSIBLE ON DAY OF GIG

I challenged this last point, explaining that others on this board were being told to pick up Wednesday / Thursday / Friday. A manager who was called re-iterated "No advance pickup for tickets bought from BST"

So where does that leave us ? Everyone trying to pick up tickets on the day ? Golly

I have same problem, and asked Barclays paybands team if we could pick up from Thursday like oversea people.
But we will know only on Wednesday, if our tickets arrive or not.
Then if we call them Wednesday afternoon, it may be too late to arrange to pick up on Thursday. So we need to start to demand on Facebook or by emails.

Sorry to hear about these problems you're all having.

If any of you know any people who work in various news outlets (print, tv, radio, Internet) perhaps with their help this story can be publicized.

Big companies don't like negative publicity. (AEG would be accustommed to negative publicity, though... AEG is currently on trial, alleged to have hired the doctor who's responsible for the death of Michael Jackson.)

Quote
johnnythunders
What I was advised
1. Don't believe your order status on the BST website - it is inaccurate
2. Unless you bought in the last 2 days your tickets have been sent
3. If they don't arrive by Wednesday, call AEG / BST and arrange to pick up from box office
4. PICK UP IS ONLY POSSIBLE ON DAY OF GIG

I challenged this last point, explaining that others on this board were being told to pick up Wednesday / Thursday / Friday. A manager who was called re-iterated "No advance pickup for tickets bought from BST"

So where does that leave us ? Everyone trying to pick up tickets on the day ? Golly

Golly is right :[
How can the AEG/BST customer support people not be informed that Barclaycard Unwind
have made different arrangements for people who bought their Unwind Bar add-on?
Or at any rate they are stating publicly that they have - here's their rep stating to several people
that Unwind customers can collect their passes on Thursday, Friday or Saturday:





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-07-01 17:12 by with sssoul.

I am leaving for London on Wednesday and still have no tickets.
Great work !! Is it so hard to get tickets from the UK to Holland ???

Quote
TheSpider
I am leaving for London on Wednesday and still have no tickets.
Great work !! Is it so hard to get tickets from the UK to Holland ???

I recieved my tickets last saturday. I live in the Netherlands too.. Maybe you get it today?

But no wristband (Tier2).. I think I'll get that when I give my ticket for control

@ TheSpider, that is weird... my tickets for the 13th (T3 GA) already arrived at my house in the Netherlandse today (sent by Eventim through DHL last Friday or so). Make a call.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-07-01 17:43 by Limbostone.

I emailed a link to this thread to
<[email protected]>
and to
<[email protected]>

He referred to the whole ticket thing as a "debacle". Apparently tickets are being posted from the US because it is cheaper and quicker than posting from the UK!

Absolute bull, my tier 2 have a London postmark on the envelope

Quote
maxx
my tier 2 have a London postmark on the envelope

My tier 3 and tier 2 tickets also come from London

-------------------
Keep On Rolling

I wonder if they will return the delivery money back - those greedy jerks.
It is capitalism when it is worst.

If you used a credit card, contact your credit card company to request a chargeback to AEG (or whatever company name appears for the charge on your statement) for the delivery fees. If you don't get tickets for whatever reason due to this, have then chargeback the ticket price, as well.

I bet the Stones know about this ticket chaos by now,at last someone MUST have told them!
I wonder if there will be any apologies at the shows,maybe they would play an "Aftermath"-track with "new lyrics" ("I AM WAITING")
like Glasto's "Factory/Glastonbury Girl"????

It will "ticket delivery girl" or AEG girl.

This "Thread", especially the 1st message of it, should be posted around the internet and should also be send forward to newspapers, especially in the UK. That should be printed. Every concert goer in the world should know, what can happen when you buy tix for AEG Events.

Luckily my tickets for both shows have arrived, but I hope everyone else gets in OK.

If I were you I'd do everything in my power to pick the tickets up the day before. It sounds like there are going to be some extremely long queues to pick up tickets on the day.

In addition, things up to now have been chaotic and diorganised. Who has any confidence in them getting things right on the day? Who's to say you don't turn up and find out they've got the tickets down as already sent out by post and refuse to issue you with "another" one?

DON'T LEAVE IT UNTIL JUST BEFORE THE SHOW!

Quote
maxx
He referred to the whole ticket thing as a "debacle". Apparently tickets are being posted from the US because it is cheaper and quicker than posting from the UK!

Absolute bull, my tier 2 have a London postmark on the envelope

Mine are also post stamped in the UK, tix for the 13th arrived 2 days after the tix for the 6th here in Sweden. Last week.

Vilhelm
Nordic Stones Vikings



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-07-01 22:40 by mickijaggeroo.

I can't do it on the device I'm on right now, but somebody send this thread to Rolling Stone magazine.

As far as BST / AEG / Barclaycard are concerned .............if their lips are moving , THEY ARE LYING

Cut up our Barclaycards. Will never deal with them again after this.

sc uk

Quote
TheSpider
I am leaving for London on Wednesday and still have no tickets.
Great work !! Is it so hard to get tickets from the UK to Holland ???

Or to Norway.... Ridiculous! We do not exactly live in the jungle, a tiny village without electricity or something... I do not leave town until Friday afternoon, but even if the B.O. is open until 9 pm we do not have much time (if any) to reach it before closing time...and that leaves me to pick it up on Saturday morning.

I sent a long e-mail to FrontGate last night, but did not get much reply to all my complaints. I asked if they could send it by express or to our hotel in London (after all, we have paid for shipping!), or even a PDF copy of tickets by e-mail just as assurance, but no reply regarding that.

I have now received a 2nd e-mail from FrontGate, this time from someone named Hannah. We can pick up tickets Wed and Thu as well, and get others to pick them up for us with authorization letter etc etc. The latter does not sound safe to me, giving others credit card information and still not having anything in our own hands? Not my first alternative....

I have commented many places on Facebook, which we should all do. I definitely think they should have extra staff and have more lines for us RS ticket buyers! I am mentioning this for the second time in my e-mail to FG now.