Two Coachella lifetime pass NFTs fetch $250k each
Ten Coachella lifetime passes auctioned off as part of a non-fungible token (NFT) series have sold for a combined $1.5 million (€1.3m).
The ‘Coachella Keys’ collection grants admission to the 125,000-cap festival in Indio, California every year, along with a unique experience, and fetched a total of $1,474,000.
Two of the packages were sold more than $250,000 each. The Infinity Key NFT, which guarantees front-of-house views for one act, culinary experiences and private transportation, went for $270,000 and the Key to the Safari, which includes a luxury air-conditioned tent, raised $256,000. Elsewhere, the Key to the Dinner in the Garden, which also offers a professionally cooked meal in the Rose Garden, was snapped up for $140,000.
The NFTs, which can be bought, sold and traded, were issued on Solana’s blockchain. Resale prices for individual packages on Coachella’s marketplace have now reached up to $500,000.
Two other NFT collections: Sights and Sounds, comprising 10 digital collectibles “made up of iconic festival photos and never heard before soundscapes from the Polo fields”, and Desert Reflections, offering one of 10 digital renditions of an iconic Coachella poster, were limited to 10,000 and 1,000, respectively. Both sold out within hours, reports The Press-Enterprise.
“One year ago, NFTs were just starting to take off. Can you imagine where we might find ourselves two years from now?”
“One year ago, NFTs were just starting to take off,” Sam Schoonover, innovation lead for Coachella, told the publication. “Can you imagine where we might find ourselves two years from now?”
Coachella, which partnered with the cryptocurrency exchange FTX on the venture, says a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Give Directly, Lideres Campesinas, & Find Food Bank, while a royalty will support the creators involved.
Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Ye (aka Kanye West) are to headline the Goldenvoice-promoted festival’s first in-person event since 2019, which will run across two weekends (15–17 and 22–24 April) at the Empire Polo Club. General sale tickets cost $449-$549, with VIP passes priced between $929 and $1,119.
Goldenvoice has announced vaccine passes and facemasks will no longer be required for this year’s Coachella and Stagecoach festivals.
A tweet from Stagecoach’s Twitter account reads: “As we prepare to spend an incredible weekend in the desert together we are announcing that there will be no vaccination, testing or masking requirements at Stagecoach 2022, in accordance with local guidelines.”
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Ticketek integrates mobile tickets with Covid apps
Ticketek has simplified entry for Australian live events by integrating mobile tickets with Covid check-in and vaccination status apps.
In what the TEG-owned firm is hailing as a global first for the live entertainment industry, the digital technology will enable fans to check in to venues directly from their mobile ticket and verify their vaccination status in just a few taps on their phone.
Ticketek has partnered with the Victorian government on the innovative scheme, which will be available to fans at Ticketek venues in the state from this week.
“Ticketek is proud to support the Victorian government in helping Victoria reopen using our Australian-built, world-first technology, which will allow fans to return faster and safer to venues to watch their favourite artists and sporting events,” says Geoff Jones, CEO of Ticketek’s parent company TEG. “We are thrilled to help Victorians enjoy the magic of live sport and entertainment again.”
We have transformed the ticket from just a means to gain access to venues into a rich communication platform
Concert-goers will be able to check in directly from their mobile ticket through a deep-link into the Service Victoria App, then verify their check-in and vaccination status at bag check by switching between the government app and their mobile ticket in a single tap.
Cameron Hoy, MD of Ticketek, adds: “Innovation is at the heart of everything we do, and our team has consistently led the world in digital ticketing technology. We have transformed the ticket from just a means to gain access to venues into a rich communication platform to promote Covid-safe measures and enable other engagement opportunities for our partners. We are excited to be partnering with the Andrews Labor Government in their efforts to make the return of crowds as safe as possible.”
The digital ticketing check-in solution will be rolled out across Ticketek venues in other Australian states in the coming weeks.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.