The Stone Roses sold out three concerts at Heaton Park in a little over an hour today, grossing over £12m in ticket sales for what are claimed to be the fastest selling rock gigs in UK history.
A total of 150,000 tickets for their home city concerts on Friday, June 29, and Saturday, June 30, next year were snapped up by eager fans within 14 minutes of going on sale at 9.30am.
The band then announced an extra gig on Sunday, July 1. Tickets went on sale for the thrid gig at 10am but these also sold out 38 minutes later.
A total of 220,000 tickets were sold in the 68 minutes in what the band claimed were the fastest selling rock gigs in UK history. Two years ago, Take That sold 600,000 tickets in five hours for the band's Circus tour.
An overjoyed Ian Brown said: "We plan on spending the rest of the day jumping up and down with our hands in the air."
Official websites crashed as thousands of fans tried to log on and tickets are already being flogged on eBay for up to £190 each - more than three times the face value.
Some people voiced their frustration on Twitter.
Una Mullally, from Dublin, said: "After half an hour of cursing at the Ticketmaster website, I'm giving up on Stone Roses in Manchester tickets."
Matt Wilkinson complained: "Dear Ticketmaster, why have a website for Stone Roses tickets when it keeps crashing. Did you not think there'd be lots of people?"
And a fake GMP account on the social networking site said: "If you call us to report a crime today, the line might be busy as we're trying to get Stone Roses tickets. Sorry."
But some boasted about getting their hands on the tickets.
Andy Walker tweeted: "Stone Roses tickets in the bag :-). Now to get some new baggies and a bright hoody!"
It is understood the concerts have been 'months in the planning'. Band members had long dismissed talk of ever getting back together after falling apart in 1996.
But at a press conference in London they buried their differences and announced the hometown shows at Heaton Park, plus further dates around the world.
Guitarist John Squire said he and singer Ian Brown had been reconciled when they met at the funeral of bass player Gary 'Mani' Mounfield's mother.
Follow our live coverage of the ticket sale by clicking on the grey box below, or if you're using a mobile device then click here.
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Wonder how many comments there will be around 9 30 on this website ?
Does anyone know of anywhere other than ticket master where you can buy tickets?
The website wil crash at 9 30am.
Fan since '88..nothing....I'm sure all the johnny comes latelys were sorted though
Is this news?
These tickets that were bought this morning by Roses "fans" are now on EBay & they are going for £255 & rising.
Utter bull**** ticketmaster has bought all the tickets marketing ploy for all the plums to pay over the odds. If it was like spike island then don't waste yr money.................
Should be compulsory to upload a photo of yourself to be printed on the tickets when you buy.
All THREE days sold out in a flash......can't help but think that opportunists have bought these tickets to sell at vastly inflated prices on eBay.....
Its all a fix I was on that Ticketmaster site for my son over a hour and it was proccessing and doing the security code then kicked you in the teeth my son is gutted yet there on E BAY now fetching £300 the touts win again.... Big fiddle.
My friend phoned Ticketmaster yesterday and was told they would be selling tickets at the MEN Box Office. He turned up this morning to be told they were only selling Westlife there today. What a load of crap they are. He wasn't the only one to leave the queue!!!!! Glad we managed to get ours from gigsandtours!!
The only people I know who have managed to get tickets are my rich mates who have got hospitality tickets. Not very fair is it.
This article is wrong. I bought two tickets for the Friday just after 11am from TicketMaster. In fact the Sunday sold out before the Friday.
This is blatantly untrue as my friend bought some after an hour and 14 minutes.
Got 5 for the Sunday!Get in there!!!!!!!! I wanted Saturday but just happy I got some!
why heaton park rain rain rain bad sound and no toilets
say's it all really that manchester have 2 football grounds and a cricket ground
and would hold more than 50.000 but they put them in a park
i would never pay to watch a gig in heaton park just stand outside the park you can see the same and hear the sound as somebody at the back
Wonder if Brown will be wearing his money t shirt? ;-)
Something tells me those who have bought tickets to make a profit won't be all that smug by next Summer....
Got 4 for the first night from Jumbo Records in Leeds website , The God of Baggys was looking down on me today!!
12-15
Ebay has lots on sale. Cheapest £119, dearest £350
£55 to listen to music from from 20 odd years ago what a joke there new album is called we haven.t got one.
Has-beens.
Save your money.
IF TICKET SALES ARE £12m HOW MUCH HAVE TICKETMASTER ETC MADE WITH THE EXTORNIATE BOOKING FEE THAT IS ADDED AND THEN THE POSTAGE/TICKETFAST CHARGE ON TOP.
A LOT OF TICKETS FOR SALE ARE PUT UP THERE BY PROMOTERS AND TICKET AGENCIES AND HAVE NEVR BEEN ON SALE TO THE PUBLIC - IT'S JUST A SCAM SO THAT THEY CAN SELL A £55 TICKET AT 2 OR 3 TIME THE FACE VALUE AND POCKET THE CASH.
HOW DO YOU THINK ALL THE FRONT BLOCK TICKETS AT THE MEN ARE AVAILABLE ON RESELLING SITES AS SOON AS THEY ARE SOLD OUT ,AGAIN PROMOTERS AND VENUE STAFF CASHING IN.
WHY DO THEY INSIST ON PUTTING TICKETS UP FOR SALE AT 09.00 ON A FRIDAY MORNING WHEN THEY KNOW DEMAND IS GOING TO OUTWAY THEIR ABILITY TO PROCESS THEM - WHY NOT STAGGER RELEASES AND PUT THEM UP OVER THE WEEKEND THEN THOSE THAT ARE WORKING CAN HAVE A CHANCE TO BUY THEM.THEY SHOUL ALSO LIMIT THE PURCHASE TO 2 PER TRANSACTION.
Got 2.
I bet they're overjoyed - that's an obscene amount of money especially for one of the most overrated bands ever. When did the recession end by the way?
The band have previously been adamant that a reunion was out of the question, wonder what changed their minds, could it be they are doing it for the money? Are they reuniting and getting back in the studio to make new material?
Save your money, Ian Brown's voice can barely fill a room, never mind an open air arena.
"When it's just a get-together for a big payday and everyone gets their old clothes out, that seems tragic to me,” he said.
Speaking of recent rumours that the group might get back together, Squire added: "I don't see these rumours as special or flattering.
“It's a symptom of the times. People who can afford to waste money on gigs now are of a certain age and The Stone Roses fit their brief." - John Squire
Blatantly exploiting people's nostalgia. I'd rather not ruin the memories.