Social Series Encore?

Naysayers be damned. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers closed out what organizers are calling a smashingly successful summer concert series in East Hampton, N.Y., with discussions reportedly under way for a similar event next year.

Bulldog Entertainment took a risk with this summer’s big ticket series, offering patrons the chance to rub elbows with the rich and famous for a mere $15,000 per five-show "passport." Along with performances by an all-star lineup featuring Prince, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds, Billy Joel, James Taylor and Petty, concertgoers were treated to exclusive settings, food prepared by famous chefs and luxurious lounges.

But rumors of slow sales at the start of the series led Bulldog to begin selling individual show tix at $3,000 each prior to Joel’s August 4th performance to drive tickets for the remaining concerts.

Patti Nishamura purchased one of those individual tickets for the Petty show, and explained that before the Social series, the most she’d ever paid for a ticket to one of his concerts was $700.

"He’s not touring this year, that’s why we’re here," she told the East Hampton Star. "I pay big money to get to the front row all the time, but never this much."

And Bulldog paid big money to hold the series at the Ross School, donating about $1.25 million of ticket sales to the school’s scholarship fund, Diana Aceti, director of programs, told the Sag Harbor Express.

The series employed about 700 locals and was well organized, she said, adding that the school would gladly host a repeat performance next year.

Lizzie Grubman, whose firm handled PR for the concerts, told the paper Bulldog has considered returning to the Hamptons next year and that an announcement is forthcoming regarding rumors that the Social series, reportedly backed in part by Edgar Bronfman Jr., could take place in other resort communities such as Aspen or Dubai.