Rolling Stones Tickets Gathering Moss?

Concert industry critic/philosopher Bob Lefsetz, the man behind the Lefsetz Letter, pointed out this week that you could still purchase two tickets for the tour opener at Los Angeles’ Staples Center “right down in front” as of May 1.  What’s more, a grouping of eight tickets (the maximum per order), offered seats “in desirable sections.”

Duplicating Lefsetz’s ticket searches on May 2, Pollstar found similar availabilities.  A two-ticket search for “best seat at any price level” yielded a pair in Section 5, the area directly behind front-and-center section 2.  A search for eight tickets wasn’t as close to the stage as Lefsetz described.  Instead, our search returned with a cluster of seats in Section PR7, the second level up across the floor from the stage in the corner of the arena.

A search for tickets for The Rolling Stones’ May 8 gig at San Jose’s HP Pavilion came back with similar results, providing two tickets in floor Section 3, row 9.  Meanwhile, across San Francisco Bay in Oakland, California, you can still purchase tickets for the Stones’ May 5 show at the Oracle Arena.  Querying Ticketmaster for two tickets at any price, the result was floor Section A, row 9.

Why are Stones tickets not selling like, well, Stones tickets?  Lefsetz maintains that it’s all about the prices which, at Staples, range from $85 to $600 before you toss in additional fees.

“But this time around, prices are so damn high the public is balking, which surprises even me, because this truly looks like the last tour,” Lefsetz wrote, going on to say “there’s just not that much demand.”

What do you think? Are Stones fans passing on this tour because of price?  Or are they holding back in hopes of snagging one of those $85 seats a posting on the band’s website promises will become available “once production is loaded in and availability can be determined?”   The comment thread awaits your insight.