Unfortunately, yes, The Cure’s October 15, 2023 show at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia is sold out. The iconic British rock band is currently on their first North American tour in over a decade, and their stop in Philly has been one of the hottest tickets around. Fans jumped at the chance to see Robert Smith and company play hits like “Just Like Heaven,” “Lovesong,” and “Friday I’m In Love,” leading to a swift sellout once tickets went on sale earlier this year. While you can still find resale tickets on sites like StubHub, you’ll have to pay a hefty premium over face value to secure seats. If you missed out on getting tickets directly from the venue, your best bet now is to keep monitoring resale sites leading up to the show for any last minute deals. The good news is The Cure plans to keep touring in 2023, so more opportunities to see them live are on the horizon. You’ll just want to prepare and act quicker next time so you don’t get shut out of the presale and general on-sales. This Philadelphia stop may be sold out, but more Cure concerts await you in the future if you’re patient and diligent about getting tickets.
When did The Cure Philadelphia tickets go on sale?
The Cure originally announced their 2023 North American tour back in May 2022. The 32-city jaunt would be their first proper trek across the continent since 2008. Along with the tour announcement, the band released tickets for most shows through artist presales and venue/LiveNation presales in mid-May. For The Cure’s Philadelphia concert at Wells Fargo Center, the presales started on Wednesday, May 11 at 10am local venue time. Presales are opportunities for fans to purchase tickets early before the general public on-sale by using special codes or links provided by the artist, venue, or promoters. These presales can sell out quickly, especially for big legacy acts like The Cure with an eager fanbase ready to buy. So securing tickets during the presale period was the best way to get seats before the masses had access. After the presales, The Cure Philadelphia tickets then had their general on-sale starting Friday, May 13 at 10am local time through WellsFargoCenterPhilly.com. Even with a sizable presale allotment, most of the tickets were likely purchased during this wider on-sale as fans flooded the site all looking to get seats. Within hours, the prime lower bowl and floor seats were gone. By the end of the day, only scattered singles and obstructed view seats remained. The Cure Philadelphia had effectively sold out completely in less than a day once the general on-sale began.
When did The Cure Philadelphia sell out?
While we don’t have access to Wells Fargo Center’s exact sales figures, we can deduce that The Cure Philadelphia concert was essentially sold out either by the end of the general on-sale day on May 13 or within the proceeding 24 hours shortly after. Again, based on reports from fans online, the prime lower and floor seats were snatched up rapidly, signaling intense demand to the show. By Saturday, May 14, the only tickets left were marked as “limited view” meaning they were obstructed or behind the stage. Within a week after the on-sale, no tickets were left on primary vendor sites at all – just resale tickets marked up exponentially higher over face value prices. So while we don’t have an exact “sold out” time, it’s clear this show sold through its full allotment of tickets almost immediately. Given The Cure’s legendary status but long absence from North America, it’s no surprise their Philadelphia date joining this tour sold out so quickly. Fans jumped on the rare opportunity to see Robert Smith and co. perform. The band is avoiding small venues and theaters on this tour in favor of big arenas too, so the Wells Fargo Center offered a chance to see them in a big but still intimate setting compared to stadium shows. The velocity of sales and lack of standard tickets left illustrated the intense demand among The Cure’s loyal fans, who wasted no time securing seats to the Philadelphia stop on the 2023 tour.
What were the face value ticket prices for The Cure Philadelphia originally?
Face value is the original base price set by the artist and/or venue when tickets first go on sale, before any dynamic pricing or resale markups occur. This table illustrates the face value starting prices for The Cure Philadelphia tickets across each section of Wells Fargo Center:
Section | Starting Face Value Price |
---|---|
Floor | $129.50 |
Lower Bowl | $89.50 – $149.50 |
Upper Bowl | $39.50 – $89.50 |
As you can see, the premium Floor and Lower Bowl ticket prices ranged from $89.50 – $149.50, while the Upper Bowl seats were $39.50 – $89.50. Floor tickets offered general admission “festival-style” standing room access closest to the stage. Lower and Upper Bowl were reserved seated tickers arranged by row and section number around the venue. Generally the closer you got to the Floor and Stage, the higher the face value ticket price. But compared to many other rock concerts today, even The Cure’s floor tickets were priced moderately rather than exorbitantly high. This fair pricing was likely done to reward dedicated longtime fans with good value tickets rather than gouging based on market demand. But it also reflects that tickets were likely underpriced for the actual interest level, contributing to the swift sellouts. In hindsight, The Cure could have charged higher face values given how coveted these tickets became.
How much are resale tickets for The Cure Philadelphia going for now?
With the Wells Fargo Center original ticket allotment completely sold through, fans now must look to the secondary market and resellers to try and buy tickets. Sites like StubHub, VividSeats, SeatGeek, and Ticketmaster Resale offer resale ticket marketplace where holders can re-post tickets for sale. However, these resale tickets come at exponentially inflated prices over the original face values. Currently on StubHub, for example, here are some asking prices for The Cure Philadelphia tickets:
Section | Resale Asking Price |
---|---|
Floor | $500+ |
Lower Bowl | $230-$350 |
Upper Bowl | $125-$199 |
These astronomical resale prices are unfortunately standard for sold out major concerts in demand. While face value Floor tickets started at $129.50 originally, you’ll now pay over $500 and up just to get in the door. Lower Bowl seats are marked up into the multiple hundreds instead of the $100s. And even the Upper Bowl cheap seats are now $100+ rather than $50 or less. Clearly, resellers are preying on high demand and scarcity to set exorbitant rates 5-10x the face values or more. And these prices could go even higher the closer it gets to the show if supply shrinks further. So buyers must carefully weigh how badly they want to see The Cure versus these inflated costs. Ultimately, the ideal solution was getting tickets during the original on-sale. But if you missed out, StubHub, VividSeats etc now offer last chance options – just prepare your wallet for the realities of today’s out-of-control resale concert market if you go that route.
Should you buy resale tickets for more than face value?
Only you can decide if paying hundreds of dollars extra per ticket over original face value prices is “worth it” to attend the show. Some fans with the means may gladly pay the premium just for the chance to see their favorite band, especially given The Cure’s lengthy absence from Philadelphia until now. It ultimately comes down to your budget, level of fandom, and comfort paying inflated rates. My advice is to set a reasonable spending ceiling for yourself before you start browsing resale sites. Only you know your limits. Remember, these additional hundreds or even thousands of dollars are going into a scalper’s pocket, not the band themselves. Try not to feed into the worst exploitative aspects of concert resellers by overpaying. But if money is no object and this is your absolute favorite group, paying resale rates may provide satisfaction despite the costs. Yet it’s still possible some last minute deals could pop up, so don’t overreact and overpay at the first prices you see either. With patience and persistence, you may luck into closer to face value tickets as show date nears. Stick to your budget but keep checking back if you want to minimize the hit to your wallet.
Will more tickets be released later?
In some cases when concerts instantly sell out, the artist or venue will “release” extra tickets leading up to show dates if they’re able to due to production adjustments etc. However, unfortunately for this Cure Philadelphia concert, don’t expect significant quantities of tickets to suddenly appear later. Given the swift across-the-board sellout, Wells Fargo Center likely put all tickets up for sale already. Major venues plan carefully to sell out all seats possible from the start. Any remaining scattered singles leftover now probably are held for band guest lists etc rather than fan sales. There’s always an outside chance of a small production hold for technical staff getting freed up or a contract requirement kicking in closer to show date. Maybe a few side-view obstructed seats could emerge then. But the prime Floor and Lower Bowl tickets are highly unlikely to materialize out of thin air after being gone for months already. So if you missed out initially, hope of new tickets is very small. Your only real recourse now is the secondary resale market, for better or worse. Don’t let wishful thinking on extra releases stop you from acting to buy what’s available now if attending is your priority. This Cure Philadelphia show won’t have major new blocks of seats – it’s sold out for good unfortunately.
Should you wait until last minute to buy resale tickets?
A frequent question from fans shopping resale tickets for sold out shows is – should I buy now, or wait until the last minute for prices to drop? While it’s generally true that resale prices tend to decline the closer you get to a show date, that isn’t a hard rule either. Several factors can keep resale prices high regardless of how close showtime is:
– Low ticket supply. If very few tickets are available to begin with, prices remain higher across the board since demand exceeds supply. The Cure Philadelphia doesn’t have huge quantities left on resale sites.
– Diehard fanbase. Legacy acts like The Cure have dedicated longtime fans willing to pay higher prices, keeping rates inflated. Casual fans won’t pay as much.
– First tour in ages. Since The Cure hasn’t toured North America since 2008, their fans are extra eager to see them after 15 years away. That enthusiasm pushes resale prices up.
– Market manipulation. Resellers can strategically adjust prices to maximize profit, counteracting natural drops over time through rate hikes.
Given the above factors, it’s quite possible Cure resale prices remain high in Philadelphia all the way up until showtime. There are simply too many fans competing for too few tickets. My advice is to buy once you find seats you’re comfortable with at an acceptable price on your budget. Don’t let waiting until the last hour or day backfire by getting shut out entirely or stuck paying even more if rates jump again. Secure what you can afford wisely once available. With The Cure’s ardent fans and limited tickets left, banking on major last minute deals is risky. Act sooner than later.
Should you buy now or wait for closer to the concert date?
This builds off the previous question – since The Cure Philadelphia is sold out, when should you buy resale tickets? My general guidance is this:
– If you see seats you like at a price you can afford, buy now. Resale inventory is low, so once tickets are gone, they’re likely gone.
– Don’t watch prices daily and obsess over every dollar. Find an acceptable rate and lock it in.
– But, keeping monitoring prices still just in case. New postings pop up as people’s plans change.
– 10-14 days out seems idealtimeframe to purchase for balance of supply and demand.
– Don’t wait until last 12-24 hours. That’s too risky with too few tickets available.
So in summary: Buy sooner than later when you see a good option. But don’t jump at the first price you see either. Watch for deals in the 2-3 week pre-show timeframe. And avoid waiting until the very last day unless you want to chance getting shut out entirely. Pay close attention but don’t overreact. Move at a measured pace so when tickets become available at an acceptable price, you’re ready to seamlessly secure them.
Conclusion
The Cure’s much-anticipated Philadelphia concert is unfortunately sold out. Huge initial demand caused a swift sell-out once tickets went on sale earlier this year. If you don’t already have tickets, your only option now is resale sites like StubHub where tickets are marked up heavily over face value pricing. While frustrating to long-time fans, this is the new reality of seeing in-demand legacy acts on “reunion” tours. Given The Cure are playing their first North American tour in 15 years, demand overwhelmed supply rapidly. This isn’t price gouging per se by the band – they likely priced tickets fairly. It’s simply market dynamics in action. Considering your budget and view on these economics can help decide if paying resale markups is worthwhile to you. There’s no totally “right” answer – just what feels reasonable for your personal finances and desire to attend the concert. Keep monitoring resale sites for any price shifts or new listings, but likely this show is locked in as sold out aside from some stray resale singles popping up. The Cure in Philadelphia is THE hottest concert of the year, hence the difficulty scoring tickets. Hopefully the band tours again soon to give you another chance to buy in early and see them live. But for now, this October 15, 2023 concert is a unicorn – tough to land but rewarding if you can make the economics work through rigorous resale searching. Best of luck securing seats to see Robert Smith back on stage where he belongs!