February 28, 2015
Update 3/9: A week removed from one of the biggest ticket on sales of all time, the Grateful Dead have seen tickets continue to flood the secondary market. The iconic jam band is set to play Soldier Field in Chicago over three nights in July, and the massive hype surrounding the three shows have made it the most expensive concert series since TicketIQ began tracking ticket data in 2010.
As of March 9, the average price for Grateful Dead tickets during the band’s summer stint in the Windy City is $1,401.03. Interestingly enough, the most expensive show will also own the cheapest get-in price That will be the opening concert on July 3, which currently owns a secondary average of $1,446.15 and get-in price of $361.
The second show on July 4 sees tickets currently average at $1,411.68 and get-in price start at $363 on the secondary market. The Dead’s final show on July 5 owns the cheapest secondary average at $1,348.36, but boasts the most expensive get-in price among all three shows at $401.
For die-hard fans hoping to attend all three nights, the average price for a 3-day pass is now $3,173.57. The cheapest 3-day pass can be found for $1,080. It’s likely that prices will only continue to increase as the Fare Thee Well shows inch closer, so now may be the best possible time to grab tickets while they’re still available.
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The day many have been waiting for is finally here. Grateful Dead tickets have gone on sale. Since being announced in February, the Grateful Dead Fare Thee Well 50th Anniversary shows at Soldier Field have been some of the most demanded tickets. Speculative tickets on the secondary market have been listed for thousands of dollars, though unlike a in demand event like the Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao fight in Las Vegas, this event spans three nights in a 61,500 capacity stadium.
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Face price tickets for these shows have a range between $59.50 and $199.50. Fans who got in at that price will be lucky as secondary market prices won’t be close to that level after tickets sell out. Tickets were already in high demand when the band announced a mail-in only pre-sale, which saw an overwhelming response. More than 300,000 tickets were requested via the mail, an amount that could not be fulfilled by the pre-sale alone.
Being promoted as the last time the four original members will perform live together, the reunion will also feature an All-Star supporting cast in Phish frontman Trey Anastasio and keyboardists Jeff Chimenti and Bruce Hornsby. Hornsby was an integral piece of the band from the late 80s up until Jerry Garcia’s death in 1995 and has frequently been involved in the band’s subsequent projects. The Dead’s swan song performances this summer boast a jam-packed bill, but fans will have to pony up big to get past the turnstile.
As tickets continue to flood the secondary market, the average price for Grateful Dead tickets on TicketIQ is $2,083.71. The most expensive of the three shows will be the final show on July 5, with tickets averaging 2,143.27 and a get-in price starting at $644. The group’s first concert on July 3 owns the second highest secondary average at $2,097.71 and the get-in price is $620. The middle concert on July 3 will be the cheapest, though tickets still average at an astronomical $2,021.29 on the secondary market. The least expensive ticket that night is priced at $599. For the biggest Deadheads, a three-day Fare Thee Well pass will be pricey, but might also return the best value. With limited passes available on the secondary market, the average price for a three-day pass is $4,493.63 with the cheapest passes available listed at $1,457.
Their performance in 1995, also at Soldier Field on July 9, was the final time the band played with frontman Jerry Garcia. Garcia died a month after the show from a heart attack and the band had not played together since. Now, to celebrate its 50th anniversary, the Grateful Dead will be playing their final three shows in July. It will be a big event and secondary market ticket prices have already agreed.
