Ben Westhoff*SECOND UPDATE 4:47 pm: There are still more tickets to be given away for folks at the El Rey. Details on the second page of this post.
*UPDATE 2:29 pm: Who got in and who didn't? Details on the second page.
See also: Our review of the Rolling Stones' show at the Echoplex
The Rolling Stones are playing the Echoplex tonight.
Tickets are onsale right now at the El Rey. $20, cash.
It's a lottery. (Here's the full info on the show from aeglive.com.) They're handing out tokens at this moment.
The official announcement just came down within the hour, but rumors and speculation have been brewing since last night.
That's when folks started lining up in front of the El Rey on Wilshire. One guy we talked to had been there since 1 am.
But too bad for him, because his odds of getting in are the same as someone who just showed up five minutes ago.
The line stretches down Wilshire and north on Dunsmuir, all the way to West 6th Street.
No one has any idea how many tickets will be available. The folks working at the El Rey say they know nothing.
Rumor has it that even folks tight with the Stones don't have access to tickets. “This is a true lottery,” said someone in-line, though that hasn't been confirmed.
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After the band's tour dates for their “50 and Counting” tour were announced, folks speculated they'd play at Coachella, as a warm-up.
But it would have been a “warm-up” in front of tens of thousands of people.
The Echoplex only holds 700 or so, so this seems to make more sense, ahead of their Staples Center show on Friday.
Updates below
2:20 pm: The lottery has just been held, and lots of people are upset, particularly those who have been waiting the longest. Apparently the lottery favored those at the back of the line, who had just shown up, while those who arrived early — as early as 1 am — walked away empty-handed.
This is what it looks like to be lucky; Credit: Lina Lecaro
4:47 pm: After the initial lottery, some more tickets were given out to those who stuck around the El Rey.
In fact, there are still some people at the El Rey — many of whom are inside the theatre — and according to a Goldenvoice representative, there is still a chance (albeit a longshot) that they might still at a ticket. Apparently there are 350 tickets to give away, all told.
Beyond these, however, it seems unlikely that more tickets will be released.
If you do get a ticket, there's a very strict protocol for attending. There are no transfers. Once you receive your pass they photograph you inside the El Rey. They write your name on your wristband, and copy your ID info.
Credit: Lina Lecaro
There's no photography allowed, and they really, really mean it. Attendees are told to leave their cameras and cell phones in their cars or at home.
UPDATE 5:45 pm: Lina Lecaro received a ticket, and her review will be on West Coast Sound tomorrow morning.
-Additional reporting by Lina Lecaro
See also: Our review of the Rolling Stones' show at the Echoplex
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