Albert Perez Jul 19, 2023

The end of the paper ticket frenzy era: Before online ticket purchasing raped consumers with service fees, people actually had to wait in line to buy paper tickets- sometimes at the venue. I bought tickets for this show , the day they went on sale, months in advance, AT THE BLOCKBUSTER PAVILION- THE ACTUAL VENUE.. . These tickets went on sale during the Renaissance faire, which occupied most of Glen Helen park- the surrounding area of the blockbuster pavilion. So staffed did not let purchasers into Glen Helen Park until the MINUTE tickets were to go on sale. Cars lined up along the entrance to the section of the park that led to the box office. I rode my bike that day. On my BICYCLE, 27 years old, I passed up all the cars in line and talked with security at the gate. They appreciated the fact that I rode my bike 10 mi from the north end of San Bernardino to their gate. So, When it was time to open the gate to let the vehicles in- security told me they were going to give me a 30 second jump on the cars. I still had to ride through the length of the regional Park to get to the box office. The gates opened, I started pedaling as fast as I could. I look back, cars are entering and catching up quick. By the time the first car caught up to me- I made it to the stairs to the box office where you could no longer ride. It became a foot race. We raiced up the stairs on foot and I made it to be FIRST in line. I ended up watching Motley Crue and the Scorpions FRONT ROW, that summer in 1999.

It's a classic tale of how purchasing tickets used to be. A shot out to the old generation- who used to wait in line for hours at venues and record stores, even camped out overnight on sidewalks, and even ended up in foot races like I did that summer- just to buy tickets!. True story. I Still have the ticket stubs.