Falling out over concert logistics

[RightWhereTheSpiritMeetsTheBones]

My childhood best friend moved across the world 3 years ago. Found out that there’d be a concert held where she is, and managed to snag 4 tickets for it. One for me, one for her, and another 2 for a friend and her boyfriend who wanted to get tickets too.

The vague plan was always for me to stay with my friend at her studio apartment and for the other friend and her boyfriend to get a hotel. We got tickets together but we’re not necessarily going together IYSWIM.

After seeing hotel prices though friend thinks they should stay with us!! Obviously that’s not going to happen especially since friend will not want strangers living in her apartment for a week and I’m not going to put her in the difficult position of being the ‘bad guy’.

Actually not even that chuffed to hand tickets over—they haven’t even paid—to friend and the boyfriend after how rude they’ve been about the whole thing but have accepted that I did promise them I’d get tickets for them.

AIBU to not be more accommodating to friend and boyfriend?

I was not going to travel all the way across the world WITH them. If you read my earlier posts people are getting what tickets they can get wherever and with the limit of 4 everyone thought it’d be nice to help others get 2 if they manage to actually get to the page you can buy tickets from. Was never a group trip.

I can kind of understand you going to a concert if you're also visiting a friend there but I'm baffled as to why someone else would fly halfway round the world for one. Isn't this person/group playing anywhere closer?! (Not the point of your thread though I know!)

Yeah she’s playing closer too but there’s no guarantee we’ll get tickets and I’ve seen a few people taking the opportunity to go on a trip too if they manage to snag tickets elsewhere.

“Wow, so sorry to hear about the cost of hotels. What a bummer. Really appreciate that with the cost of the flights and the tickets it might all be too much. Since you haven’t paid for the tickets yet don’t worry, I can sell them on. Though if you do still want them please pay for them by xxxxx date at the latest. My bank details are xxxxxx. I suggest you send a small amount first then I can confirm that it has arrived before you send the rest. Best wishes etc. “

Sorry for the snippiness. I’m just feeling a bit frustrated I guess. Was really excited when I got the tickets and was so happy to go with my old friend again (we went to all her previous tours together too) and just wasn’t expecting to have to deal with all this too.

The ‘friend’ label is perhaps generous and muddies things as the setup was always 2 separate groups of 2 going to the show. i just so happen to somewhat know them instead of us all being total strangers.

This Op

but would I be correct in thinking that you’d prefer to have it out with her?

The vague plan was always for me to stay with my friend at her studio apartment and for the other friend and her boyfriend to get a hotel. We got tickets together but we’re not necessarily going together IYSWIM.

so you had discussed accommodation? The way you have changed the arrangement is that your sole discussion to date was purely a financial transaction

Have they bought flights yet ?

OP I get what you're saying. You helped out a friend/acquaintance get tickets since you were buying them anyway but there wasn't any suggestion beyond that of attending or travelling together and now it's suddenly morphed into her trying to dictate accommodation plans when you already have your own plans that don't involve them.

Just be clear and direct, you don’t have to deal with anything.

‘Hi guys , my whole plan was to visit my friend and spend time with her, staying at her place.
Ot’s a really small studio. I was happy to give you first shout in getting the tickets, but can’t help you with the accommodation issue. can you transfer the ticket ££ by (give them a week? 5 days) and I can let you have the tickets, otherwise I can sell them elsewhere! Fingers crossed you find a solution! “

I love a gig abroad so totally understand why you’re doing the trip. Also go to loads of gigs and get that helping other people out with tickets does not mean you all have to go ‘togethwr’. They’re CF friends. Just do your own thing. And who is the artist? (Just being nosy!). If it’s Oz I saw U2 there a few years back and Aussie audiences are great fun 😀

No. There wasn’t much discussion before because we thought we wouldn’t be able to get any tickets at all so was just a ‘get 2 for us if you get in’ then a double confirmation that they knew it was Australia and not Austria or anywhere else and then my exact text was ‘I’ll be staying with X btw so you’ll have to book hotels on your own’.

At this point it was all just casual chat we didn’t think we’d actually get tickets.

It’s Taylor Swift PP were right 😂

Oh well then if they haven't got flights and you think you can resell the tickets I'd be suggesting you can do just that as the whole thing is more expensive than they planned.

It’s a real cachet to have friends in Sydney or Melbourne you can stay with, so this couple are clearly envious and think because you’ve sorted booking of tickets you should also sort their accommodation.

Could you post their text to you and your response? I’m fascinated by their entitledness.

Surely your friends can see TS in Europe or somewhere else in the world that is nearer than Australia! It would. be cheaper to buy via a ticket resale company than buy flights to Oz. There are so many extras costs too like insurance, airport transfers etc. Its a very tiring flight with transit etc, hardly a holiday.

Just tell her it is only a studio flat and there is no room
Especially when they couple are not well known to flat friend

Honestly taking a step back I think a bit of it is that fear of missing out. I was reading the forums/discords and there are Canadians with access codes preparing to queue for Singapore tickets tomorrow. Not judging because I’ve done the same but it’s just one of those things.

Exactly.

For those who aren't getting it: OP has a particular credit card that allows one to jump in early and buy up to four tickets to certain events, before the general public can access the sale. She did so and is re-selling two of her four tickets to some acquaintances who also will make the trip to Australia.

This transaction does not obligate the OP to travel with, or find accommodations with, or provide accommodations for, the purchasers of those extra two tickets.

Now she is feeling pressured to combine the two sets of people and doesn't want to. Also, the people who want the other two tickets haven't forked over the money for the tickets.

OP, keep it short. Don't give them room to argue.

"Sorry you are having difficulty; unfortnately there isn't room for more than two people at Childhood Friend's flat. If you still want the tickets, please transfer the funds by Saturday. If I don't receive the money then, I'll assume your plans have changed and will sell the tickets elsewhere. Please confirm receipt of this message today, thanks!

@RightWhereTheSpiritMeetsTheBones if you sell the tickets, please just sell them for what you paid. 😊
People are being royally ripped off because they're desperate to see her.

This. The scenario isn't rocket science.

Yeah ... they're not coming. 😆

Give them a deadline of Monday to pay for their tickets or you'll sell them on.

If they pay you, transfer the tickets and leave them to sort themselves out or sell the tickets on if/when they decide not to bother with what is clearly a deranged plan if you didn't intend to fly there anyway LOL.

It's hard work starting a thread on here these days OP - the lack of basic reading comprehension skills from some posters are shocking.

They are being cf. I think they jumped in without considering the true cost of a trip to Australia. I'd be surprised if they paid you for these tickets tbh.

If it's Taylor Swift- in Melbourne, and you're selling the other 2 tickets......my kid would be delighted and I can pay you.......without any need for accomodation......

people are being stupid. it was clearly tickets to Taylor Swift (congrats by the way!) and people would have paired up with strangers on the street to get in the virtual queue to get tickets.

There was no plan to go to the concert together, more like a lottery --whoever gets in gets as many tickets as they can and then they get divided up among the winners.

Either they pay up or you sell them on (which you will have no problem doing). For the US tour people sold their extras and funded their own seats, making their trip free.