Tickets for the Dave Matthews Band's April 21 benefit concert at Scott Stadium will go on sale a day early for Charlottesville area residents and students.
Students and local residents will be able to purchase tickets tomorrow through a wristband lottery at the Scott Stadium box office.
Numbered and color-coded wristbands will be distributed to students and local residents between 4 and 5 p.m. at the Stadium's southeast gate.
At 5 p.m., officials will draw the number of the first wristband eligible to buy a ticket in each of the three wristband colors. Wristband holders will then line up by color group inside the stadium in numerical order, starting with the number designated by the drawing.
Proceeding in numerical order, wristband holders will then buy tickets between 6 and 10 p.m.
"It's a security, logistical and fairness issue," PK German Chairman Jbeau Lewis said.
PK German is the University Programs Council committee that coordinates on-Grounds concerts. "The [wristband] lottery system is time-tested, efficient and fair to all students," he said.
The University relied on the expertise of SFX, a Virginia Beach-based promotional company in charge of ticket sales for the concert, to come up with the best way to distribute tickets locally, University spokeswoman Louise Dudley said.
Under the lottery system, students who arrive at the stadium early have no advantage because everyone who arrives between 4 and 5 p.m. will have an equal chance of getting tickets.
To many students this means that camping out for tickets is no longer a reasonable option.
"Now it doesn't really matter when you get there," first-year Engineering student Jill McConaughy said. "I was looking forward to camping out, but it was a busy week anyway."
After negotiations with University officials, the band announced in early February it will open its 2001 tour at the University accompanied by special guest Neil Young & Crazy Horse.
The Dave Matthews Band is touring to promote its new album, "Everyday," released Tuesday.
Doors will open for the 6 p.m. concert at 4 p.m.
The ticket pre-sale is part of the Dave Matthews Band's effort to make the concert directly beneficial to the Charlottesville community, Lewis said.
Proceeds from the benefit performance will go to the Bama Works foundation, the band's organization that gives money to various non-profit groups.
Ticketmaster will also take pre-sale ticket orders from local residents tomorrow, beginning at 6 p.m. on its Web site and by phone at 804-262-8100. The wristband lottery at the stadium, however, will be a way for students to avoid the overload of phone calls and web hits as well as additional Ticketmaster surcharges, Lewis said.
Tickets cost $46.50, and purchases will be limited to four tickets on the field or six in the stands. Tickets for the general public will go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster outlets.
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