Marquee promoters want certainty on Cork ticket prices as talks of Springsteen Páirc gigs gather pace

AIKEN Promotions have applied to have next year’s Live at the Marquee concerts covered by legislation banning the sale of tickets for vast sums above face value.

Tickets for the June 25 concert by Christy Moore at the venue are selling on one website for more than seven times their face value.

The tickets, which had a face value of just under €50, are on sale for up to €351, despite a warning by the concert promoters, Aiken Promotions, about the sale of the tickets for such high sums. One website is advertising tickets for the June show for between €213 and €351, while tickets for Deadmau5 are available for between €118 and €200.

A spokeswoman for Aiken Promotions told The Echo that the company has now applied to have the Live at the Marquee concerts designated under the Sale of Tickets Act, which came into effect at the end of July.

The legislation bans the above-price resale of tickets for live events at venues with a capacity of at least 1,000 people.

However, because the Live at the Marquee concerts are rescheduled dates, the tickets were sold before the legislation was introduced, meaning that Aiken now has to apply to have the concerts included under the legislation.

Designations are sought from the Office of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment.

When designation is granted, reselling of tickets above the original sales price for that venue is then prohibited and punishable.

Penalties of a fine of up to €100,000, or up to two years of imprisonment, face anyone caught defying the Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational, and Sporting Events) Bill 2021.

Earlier this month, Aiken Promotions issued a statement about the sale of tickets for the concert online at high prices, saying the company could not verify if the tickets are genuine or if the ones advertised exist.

The company’s statement added: “To avoid disappointment, we reiterate our advice to fans not to purchase tickets on any secondary sites.”

Spokesman for the Consumer Association of Ireland, Dermot Jewell, urged people not to purchase such tickets.

He said: “This is a crazy situation. Do not buy these tickets. It is the only way to stop this.”

In March, Aiken Promotions announced that the following acts have been rescheduled to appear in next year’s line-up:

•The Coronas (May 28, 2021), rescheduled for May 27, 2022; 

•The 2 Johnnies Podcast (May 29, 2021), rescheduled for May 28, 2022; 

•John Bishop (June 13 and 14, 2021), rescheduled for June 9 and 10, 2022; 

•Deadmau5 (June 18, 2021), rescheduled for June 17, 2022; 

•Orbital (June 19, 2021), rescheduled for June 18, 2022; 

•Pet Shop Boys (June 23, 2021), rescheduled for June 22, 2022; 

•Sinéad O’Connor (June 20, 2021), rescheduled for June 19, 2022; 

•Christy Moore (June 26, 2021), rescheduled for June 25, 2022.

It is being reported by the Irish Examiner that US singer Bruce Springsteen could be in line to play Páirc Uí Chaoimh next year, with talks ongoing between Aiken and Cork GAA about a series of concerts in April at the redeveloped venue.