Tickets to see Ben Folds perform Nov. 21 are almost sold out after one day of sales, said A&O Productions Chairman Jonathan Berman.
“We are very pleasantly surprised,” said Berman, a Weinberg senior. “There has been a constant stream of people.”
When the Norris Box Office closed at 5 p.m., 75 tickets were left out of the 1,750 originally available.
Tickets are being sold for $5 each, and students can buy up to four tickets with a WildCARD.
Students have bought tickets at a much faster rate than for many previous concerts, Berman said.
A&O leaders attribute the fast pace to students’ enthusiasm to see Folds and the four ticket limit.
A&O set a similar policy for the Jurassic 5 show last week. For more popular concerts such as Bob Dylan in 2000, students only could buy two tickets each.
“It’s sort of ridiculous if you want four tickets, having to come back (to the box office) four times,” Berman said.
A&O announced Monday that Folds, a well-known vocalist and pianist, will perform Nov. 21.
When the Norris Box Office opened at 10 a.m. Wednesday, students quickly lined up to secure concert passes.
By 10:30 a.m., the end of the line reached Norris’ front entrance and took more than half an hour to get through, said some ticket purchasers.
Folds also will perform Nov. 27 at the Vic Theatre in Chicago, but those tickets are selling for $25.
Brian Bockrath, a member of A&O’s concerts committee, said the group began trying to book Folds early last summer after surveying the interest of A&O members in the spring.
“We thought the campus would enjoy it,” said Bockrath, a Tech sophomore.
The Ben Folds concert is A&O’s second of the year, a marked improvement from last year when the group failed to program a single big-name concert on campus. Many students complained when the group failed to bring as many performances to campus as in previous years.
“We knew we were coming off a disappointing year last year,” Berman said. “We had our work cut out for us over the summer.”
Students at the box office said they were surprised at the long line and large demand for tickets.
“I came this morning at 10:30, and the line was enormous,” said Chrysandra Halstead, a Communication sophomore. “I had a class to get to, so I decided to come back later.”
Because of the first day’s sales, many said they expect tickets to be gone by today.
“They’re probably going to sell out soon,” said Debra Blade, assistant director for building services, who also manages the box office. “They did sell faster than Jurassic 5.”
Some students said the long wait for tickets was worth it, because they are excited to see Folds perform.
“I have a Ben Folds Five CD and I really like the music,” said Sarah Cooper, a Medill sophomore. “I think it’s cool that someone so well-known is coming to campus, and it’s something fun to do on a Thursday night.”
