Paul McCartney fans fume over ticket prices as queue gets 'stuck'

Fans claimed they were disappointed at the price of Paul McCartney tickets.

The Beatles icon is set to bring his highly praised Got Back tour to Manchester's Co-op Live later this year on Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15. He will also take the stage at The O2 in London on Wednesday, December 18 and Thursday, December 19, marking the only four UK dates announced.

The tour, which marks his first performance in Manchester in 13 years, follows his headline set at Glastonbury in 2022. His last performance in London was six years ago.

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Announced last week, a lucky few fans managed to secure Co-op member or O2 Priority codes for access to Wednesday's pre-sale (June 19). However, the pre-sale was met with concerns from fans who struggled to navigate the online booking system in time to secure tickets.

Yesterday's general sale has also seen high demand, with fans expressing disappointment and shock at the ticket prices, with some options costing up to £600 for the UK shows. Fans have also reported getting 'stuck' in the online queues for tickets, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Regarding the ticket price, the cheapest options available for the two dates have ranged from £30.95 to £182.95 for standard options. However, fans online have been sharing ticket prices ranging from £429.10 for section 312 in the Co-op Live arena, to £592.25 for section 104 on the Sunday, 15 December show.

One disappointed user on X said: "Spent 40 minutes in a Ticketmaster queue to see Paul McCartney in December only to find out that the prices were £655 per person, a price which is beyond unreasonable. People obviously pay it but it's completely unfair."

Another perplexed fan asked: "@PaulMcCartney £600 a ticket? ! Are you serious? @Ticketmaster @TheCoopLive."

Essex Labour candidate Mark Maguire expressed his frustration after an attempt to purchase tickets this morning only revealed the cheapest seats were an eye-watering £655.70 each, prompting him to suggest it's "something that needs addressing".

While some decided not to share their spending details, the strain on their pockets was implied in comments. One fan said: "I'll have to sell a kidney to pay for them, but he can't go on forever, can he?"

For those looking at section 313 seats, expect to part with £418.60 for each one, sold as 'official platinum tickets' without any extra privileges over the standard ones. Ticketmaster, addressing these premium costs on its website, explains that such "are premium tickets made available by artists and event organisers through Ticketmaster. They give fans safe and fair access to some of the most in-demand tickets.

Others experienced the dismay of actually securing the tickets, leading one fan to post about feeling "cheated and disappointed" by the challenging process. Fans took to X to express their frustration with the ticketing process for Paul McCartney's upcoming shows.

One fan tweeted: "@TMFanSupport trying to buy seats for #PaulMcCartney. Queued - got in promptly. Have spent 20 mins putting tickets in my basket and finding that can't get to checkout. Enough of the horrid yellow sign."

Feeling cheated and disappointed by another fiasco, another fan shared a similar experience during the pre-sale, which said: "I had the same on pre sale, I was 195 in the queue and got nowhere, could not complete the sale. Something very wrong."

Fans also received a pop-up message informing them of the high demand and warning that ticket availability is now "extremely limited". At one point, the queue exceeded 20,000 eager buyers.

For those still trying to snag tickets for the second night at Co-op Live, some of the more affordable options were listed at £592.25 each in section 104, while tickets in section 110 were going for £154.95. However, the cheapest £30 seats were nowhere to be found.

Resale sites such as Viagogo are already listing tickets for purchase, with prices ranging between £295 and £934. Customers are reminded that buying from these platforms comes with its own risks.

However, Viagogo insists it is a "regulated marketplace where fans have the guarantee", but fans attending live events with tickets acquired through resale websites are always advised to double check the ticket terms and conditions at the point of sale - such as Ticketmaster or Live Nation - to ensure a smooth live event experience.

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