TICKETS:ON FRIDAY morning, early bird tickets for Oxegen 2009 go on sale. Tickets will be pegged at 2008 prices (€224.50 for a weekend ticket with camping), writes Jim Carroll.
Getting tickets early has now become the norm for live music fans. Those wishing to go to see a big act have become used to queuing on the phone or online, with credit card details to hand.
In 2006 and 2007, Oxegen's early bird tickets went on sale in November. This year, they're being sold 11 months before the event - although there's no indication of who might be playing at Punchestown Racecourse next July.
Early sales are good news for the promoter. There's all that money in the bank, and no need to keep buying radio, TV and newspaper ads to flog the tickets.
At least Oxegen has had the good grace to wait a few weeks after the last outing before making a grab for your wallet again. Oxegen's Scottish twin, the T In The Park festival, put its early bird tickets on sale the week after this year's event. All 40,000 tickets sold out in a couple of hours.