Waits gig promoters under fire in tout war
Tom Waits performs at the Phoenix Park in Dublin last night
THE Consumer Association of Ireland (CAI) last night accused music promoter Aiken Promotions of being "unreasonable" for standing by strict anti-touting measures rolled out for the Tom Waits concert.
The criticism came as angry fans yesterday took to the airwaves to vent their frustration at the attempt to clamp down on ticket touts, claiming they would be out of pocket.
Management of the musician, who played the first of three gigs in the Phoenix Park last night, have insisted ticket-holders present a photo ID matching the name of the purchaser on the ticket.
This means anyone who bought a ticket from a friend, or were given a ticket from someone else as a present, cannot enter the venue.
Tickets for the concert went on sale in May and sold out in under an hour. Some were also sold online in recent days.
The gigs are part of the musician's Glitter and Doom tour.
Michael Kilcoyne of the CAI last night criticised the restrictions last night.
"Anything that puts a tout out of business is to be welcomed, but not at the expense of the consumer," he said.
However, the music promoter said the measures were working to combat touts. A spokesperson said the they were advertised and people knew about them when they purchased the tickets. "So far it has worked," he said.
- Patricia McDonagh
