Grateful Dead tickets selling for up to $1 million on StubHub

Although the “farewell tour” concept has recently been losing its meaning as more and more bands get back on the stage a year or two after their “final” performance, it seems as though Grateful Dead fans are taking this band’s “Fare Thee Well” concerts very seriously.

The shows, which will be held at Chicago’s Soldier Field on July 3-5, will also celebrate the band’s incredible 50 years on the music scene. Their last show was held at the same venue on July 9, 1995, exactly a month before the death of lead guitarist and vocalist Jerry Garcia. The three-day-long festival has become something of a pilgrimage for Deadheads, as fans of the band are known.

However, after half a million people lined up to buy tickets online – breaking Ticketmaster’s on-sale record, according to concert organizers – scalpers and resellers are clearly hoping to cash in on people’s wish to see the band for the last time.

The face value for the tickets ranges from about $60 to $200. The cheapest asking price on secondary ticket sales sites like StubHub is currently over $630 for a nosebleed, no-view seat. General admission tickets for the pit average at more than $10,000, and a three-day pass was offered for over $1 million.

Some fans have been upset at the outrageous resale prices. “I don’t think it keeps with the spirit of the band, the spirit of the music and the spirit of the vibe,” said Aaron Darnell, a fan from St. Louis.

Concert organizers have responded with vague reassurances: “Please know that we are working on various ways to help everyone experience these shows in a way that will help you share this special moment with us,” they posted.

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