tickets so far/question for Chicago ledgies

[Stephanie]

I am trying at the moment for Atlanta and Chicago, and the AMEX presale is so far garbage. Anyone with other luck? Also, Chicago people...where is this venue relative to hotel and airport and do you recommend it? Thanks!

[Erin]

Originally Posted by Stephanie

I am trying at the moment for Atlanta and Chicago, and the AMEX presale is so far garbage. Anyone with other luck? Also, Chicago people...where is this venue relative to hotel and airport and do you recommend it? Thanks!

Which airport? Midway and O'Hare are not close to each other, and actually neither are close to the United Center. United Center is not within walking distance of any hotel you would want to stay at. They do have buses (public transportation that is, not hotel shuttles) that will take you from hotels in the loop to the stadium. However, it's not a good venue for music.

[Stephanie]

Originally Posted by Erin

Which airport? Midway and O'Hare are not close to each other, and actually neither are close to the United Center. United Center is not within walking distance of any hotel you would want to stay at. They do have buses (public transportation that is, not hotel shuttles) that will take you from hotels in the loop to the stadium. However, it's not a good venue for music.

aw, I hate that!! I wondered if it may not be in the best part of town. Either airport since the prices are the same from BHM.

[rockhopper]

Well my attempts to snag decent seats to the Blond on Blond tour at Toronto's ACC was a joke. Had to wait until the general sale today as no Amex or passwords for the 4 pre-sales !!. So today at work at 10am sharp I, by luck, pull up the closest seating (have to sit cause my friend wont stand) section to the stage- row 23 -not fabulous but ok ! I put in my credit card # then address, hit submit - all within time of ticketmaster's countdown then boom...message says I exceeded the time limit which I know I did not as when I hit submit there was 1 minute plus to go and lost the tickets. I tried again for almost 2 hours but only crappy tics were popping up. I called ticket master and got what I expected " sorry, try again". I hate ticket master - always have. I really am down about this -almost as much as the time I lined up for 8 hours back in 1983 and got first row floors (only time ever able to do that!!) only for Stevie to cancel and never rebook the show.

So do I try again each day until the show for something half decent and lets face it for close to 400$ for a pair of tics, I want to see the show relatively close and not on a big screen at the back of the arena or go the to secondary market and buy tics from a "vendor" who just happens to have a listing of 60 plus tics even before the general sale despite ticket master's policy of no more then 8 tics per order or do I give up and just read about the show here and see it on Youtube.

[MacMan]

rockhopper, I'd keep trying... Sometimes closer to the date of the show better tix show up then what are on offer right off the bat.

[Nicks Fan]

I tried to get tix through TM as well for TO and the best I got was row 29 and as soon as I went to cko it crashed and gave some weird message. I hate TM because it never works. They know it doesn't and yet they do nothing. I think they hope you will use their secondary market website and pay scalper prices.

[LukeA]

Its in a ****ty neighborhood, but there's tons of activity/security on game days. Its a short cab ride from downtown, although getting a cab after the show can be kind of hard/annoying.

If you don't mind public transportation, the CTA runs extra United Center shuttles to/from downtown for major events, so they'll surely do this for this show. Or, the Blue Line El (subway) stop works too (Medical Center stop), which also goes to O'Hare, if you end up staying near there instead of downtown.

[Stephanie]

Originally Posted by LukeA

Its in a ****ty neighborhood, but there's tons of activity/security on game days. Its a short cab ride from downtown, although getting a cab after the show can be kind of hard/annoying.

If you don't mind public transportation, the CTA runs extra United Center shuttles to/from downtown for major events, so they'll surely do this for this show. Or, the Blue Line El (subway) stop works too (Medical Center stop), which also goes to O'Hare, if you end up staying near there instead of downtown.

How is it flying into Midway? Does the El go from there too?

[Erin]

The Orange line runs to Midway, but it will be a pain to try to get to the United Center and back from a hotel around Midway, if that's what your plan is. Stay downtown, and take the stadium bus #19. All CTA info: http://www.transitchicago.com/

[Stephanie]

Originally Posted by Erin

The Orange line runs to Midway, but it will be a pain to try to get to the United Center and back from a hotel around Midway, if that's what your plan is. Stay downtown, and take the stadium bus #19. All CTA info: http://www.transitchicago.com/

thanks! sounds like a plan.

[LukeA]

Plus, there's no hotels worth staying at around Midway. I'm in Chicago frequently, and always use Priceline for my hotel. I've never paid more than $70/night for a four star hotel in downtown, usually at one of the Hyatts or Hiltons (see www.biddingfortravel.com and www.betterbidding.com)

[DavidMn]

Originally Posted by Erin

The Orange line runs to Midway, but it will be a pain to try to get to the United Center and back from a hotel around Midway, if that's what your plan is. Stay downtown, and take the stadium bus #19. All CTA info: http://www.transitchicago.com/

Hey Erin! I'm going to this show also but Ive been to way moe concerts at teh Allstate. Ive only seen 1 show at United and that was Fmac in Sept of '03. My question is what train line runs closest to United Center?

[slc4236]

Originally Posted by Stephanie

I am trying at the moment for Atlanta and Chicago, and the AMEX presale is so far garbage. Anyone with other luck? Also, Chicago people...where is this venue relative to hotel and airport and do you recommend it? Thanks!

I have not had any luck with tickets so far. The passcode I was sent after buying Rod's CD never worked so I cancelled the order. Five different pre-sales were going on at one time. The nearest chain hotel is the Quality Inn on Madison and Halsted. this hotel used to be a Holiday Inn. The area is fairly safe and right on the Madison bus line, the number 20 and the number 19. I would not recommend a female from out of town take the Blue Line to the stop nearest the Untied Center walking around that neighborhood sometimes is not good. I do it but I have lived in Chicago since 1963 and I look over my shoulder all the time. At either airport you can get downtown with to Blue(Ohare) or Orange line (Midway). You can buy a one day fun pass for about $6.00 and ride buses and trains unlimited for 24 hours. They also sell a three day fun pass also. This is the cheapest way to get around. A one way fare is $2.25 so if you get the train at the airport and then go out you will save money. You have to pay exact change on the bus and train. Also the pass machines you have to pay exact also. The machine dose not give change. Susan

[slc4236]

Originally Posted by DavidMn

Hey Erin! I'm going to this show also but Ive been to way moe concerts at teh Allstate. Ive only seen 1 show at United and that was Fmac in Sept of '03. My question is what train line runs closest to United Center?

David, the Blue Line runs close to the United Center. The stop to get off at is the Illinois Medical District which is Damen Ave.

[Erin]

I'm advising everyone, don't take the Blue Line, take the stadium bus (#19) from downtown. The bus will take you right to the stadium and pick you up from it as well.
Check out the website I posted earlier. You can put in the location where you are starting from and it will tell you how to get there using public transportation.