Ticket delays anger AC/DC fans

BY MICHAEL FOX

Frustrated AC/DC fans have had to deal with Ticketek blunders today which saw many buyers ending up with more tickets than they wanted and others struggling to buy any at all.

But the Ticketek country director said it had been a successful day and the problems that some people experienced were not large-scale faults and were to be expected with large customer demand.

Many customers have expressed their frustrations at Ticketek, the agent for AC/DC concert ticket sales in Wellington, saying they experienced website problems this morning.

Weta Digital visual artist Dave Abbott was one of the people affected by the meltdown.

"I was pretty frustrated this morning," he said.

While he had managed to finally get tickets, at least six other people in his office experienced the same problem, he said.

"The cornerstone of their business (should be) making sure that that whole stuff is flawless but it just completely fell apart under pressure."

Though the website had said not to book any more tickets and to ring to check whether his purchase had been successful, he had spent half an hour trying to get though only to have an automated message tell him the phone lines were overloaded, he said.

"I tried to (book tickets) twice so potentially I could've spent $700 on tickets."

Ministry of Health analyst Brett Lousich wanted five tickets but ended up with 15 - costing him $2,700 in what he called an "absolute debacle".

He said he had thought his efforts to buy tickets had been aborted twice before a message told him not to buy any more after his third attempt and to call them to see whether his order had gone through.

He said when he finally got though to Ticketek he was told he had ordered five tickets successfully but a call to his bank showed he had paid for 15 tickets and been charged $2700 worth of charges.

"Even to this point in the day I still haven't received any confirmation that my order's gone through via email," he said.

"I guess the thing that annoys me is they haven't put anything on the website explaining at all what's gone wrong. They could have emailed all the people that have had issues," he said.

Ticketek country manager Brendon Bainbridge said there hadn't been a major problem and he expected there was a number of issues rather than one big problem.

He said there had been such high demand that problems were inevitable.

If it was obvious that people had accidentally bought more tickets than they meant to, they would be refunded.

A number of comments from Stuff.co.nz readers expressed frustration at the issue.

"I now have 12 bloody tickets when I only wanted two. Ticketek is completely useless. Their system obviously couldn't handle that many people on the site. And I can't get hold of them for refunds," said a poster called Tom.

"I'm pleased I'm not the only one who has problems with the Ticketek site ... wanted four, got message saying it had timed out, rebooked for tickets but now have eight tickets! Tried ringing the 0800 number but engaged constantly so have now sent them an email through the website!" said DP.

Concert promoter Garry Van Egmond, who has worked with AC/DC since 1981, admitted things hadn't gone smoothly when tickets went on sale at 9am this morning.

"We had a slight problem in Wellington with the system overloading," he said, adding that Ticketmaster in Auckland hadn't experienced the same problem.

"We don't know how many people can't get on ... but the capacity is bigger now," he said.

Despite the problems and tickets selling for $160 each, demand has been strong for the January 28 concert at Westpac Stadium. A second show in Wellington, for January 30, was added at midday.

The band will also play Auckland's Western Springs on February 4.

The set will see the band play 21 songs - four from the new album Black Ice and 17 of their greatest hits - over two hours and 10 minutes.

A "huge" train would land on the stage during the concert, he said.

The props would also include bells, cannons "and all the other things they're known for".

"I saw it in London and it's a great concert - it really is. High energy rock and roll."

"They're characters, you know, and what they do is they enjoy it. You get that feeling when they're on stage - you get the feeling that they really are having a great time and they want you to have a great time."

There were 48 40-foot containers worth of staging and equipment being shipped from South America where the last dates before the New Zealand shows are being held.

He said AC/DC were professional performers and "great people to work with".

He was surprised by how well the band members were going in spite of their advanced years.

"I think they look after themselves ... and I think the main thing is they enjoy it so much. If you enjoy something it becomes easy doesn't it," he said.

He said their appeal had broadened over the years and he was amazed to see a range of people, from kids to grandparents who were lining up for tickets.

"It was more a male dominated audience but it's now spread," he said, adding that it was the same over the world.

Mr Van Egmond, who listed his favourite AC/DC song as Highway to Hell, said that while the band was getting on in years, they were showing no signs of slowing down.

"They're certainly not thinking of retiring."

AC/DC was one of the top three bands he has worked with along with Dire Straits who he promoted in 1981 and 1986 along with James Taylor, he said.

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