"I Think I Physically Saw My Heart Plop Out Of My Mouth" ...

Having established TOOL's touring schedule last week, and going all out to add the San Francisco leg onto the front of my trip, to say I was taking a HUGE gamble is an understatement. I was banking on a single event, and somehow securing tickets for said event, all the way from Australia of all places. But what's to lose if the dice is never rolled?

Tickets went on sale Sunday 10AM Local Time. Yes ... thats 1AM Monday Morning Perth WST, but nothing was going to stop me trying, and boy, how fate just played its hand perfectly.

So a day before, I log in, and begin to check seating plans for the venue. Like any concert theatre, its a mix of GA (General Admission) Floor standing areas, Low level seats and higher Balcony Seating. For a two hour show I'm always looking for seats to get a better view and to relax. Thinking I'm prepped and ready to go, I wait for 1AM .... and then it all hits the fan.

Heading to the TicketMaster site (US) I log on at exactly 1AM, and im greeted by a panel stating quantity of tickets : price : location. Putting in all my details, and jumping through every security feature they have on this site, I somehow get to a queuing screen. Yeh a virtual "Que". I know its crazy, and I can just imagine the mice on the other end running round in wheels processing our orders. Finally after 3 mins of "Refreshing Pages" and holding my breath, I reach a purchase screen stating the "Best Available" Seat selection I made has delivered a ..... GA (General Admission Ticket). ahhh What the hell ?

Now here's the kicker. I freak out, thinking "No Way In Hell Do I Want A GA Floor Seat!!". I Quickly cancel the order at 1:02AM, thinking I can still get in que for a Balcony selected seat. WRONG!

Upon trying again, EVERYTHING JUST GOT SOLD OUT! .... I kid you not. In the space of 2:20 secs, It was now impossible to get a ticket, with warning screens appearing saying, "Your selection can not be accepted" no matter WHAT your selection was. I tried it all 20 to 30 times, and quickly figured there was only one selection available from the start, that being General Admission!

I had a ticket ... and had given it up. I think I physically saw my heart plop out of my mouth and stop beating on the floor. 1:16AM. One. Last. Try.

Then ... by some strange means, fate played it's hand and at 1:17AM, my screen changed. It now read ... Single General Ticket Available : Purchase Now ? HELL YES IM PURCHASING NOW!!! I've never entered credit card details in so fast to a site in my life, given they have you on a 4 minute counter until your tickets are taken away and reintroduced into the main pile. Having no idea how this happened, I secured a ticket, and proceeded to just reflect on what had gone from the lowest of lows, to the highest of highs. Sometimes, things just happen for a reason. Sometimes the dots are just ment to be joined.

Just to double check, I spent the next hour searching for another ticket with no luck. completely SOLD OUT. I also logged onto the TOOL forum and was greeted by a flurry of fans complaining that tickets were sold out in 2 minutes, and that some had also fallen for the GA "Best Available" Ticket scenario. To say im on a lucky roll is an understatement.