The Rolling Stones’ concert in Hyde Park this summer sold out in less than five minutes today — sparking immediate speculation that they could play a second date. All 65,000 tickets for the band’s return to the site of their historic 1969 performance were gone almost as soon as public bookings opened at 9am. Sources suggested the demand might warrant the addition of a second gig while concert promoter Rob Hallett of AEG said only the time it took for people to provide credit card payments stopped the show selling even quicker than four-and-a-half minutes. “It’s amazing. It’s just incredible. I didn’t think that was possible any more,” he said. “Basically we sold 65,000 tickets in the speed the system could handle it. If the system could handle it in seconds, we would have probably sold out in seconds. There are all these other artists out there this year — we’ve got Bruce Springsteen, Justin Timberlake, Bon Jovi — but the tickets went as quickly as the system could do it. Wow — the Rolling Stones.” Hospitality packages of up to £300 had prompted disgruntlement among fans after the concert was announced. But Mr Hallett promised that anyone who has secured the basic £95 ticket will be able to get a ringside view on July 6. “The band wanted the regular ticket-holders to be right at the front of the stage staring at the whites of their eyes, not 200 yards away,” he said. “The people who have coughed up for hospitality packages will get looked after in a way they have never known before. But when the doors open, if you can run faster than the next guy, it will be like any other general admission gig.” A number advanced tickets went on sale early to Barclaycard customers and then to Westminster residents, some of whom have previously objected to the disruption of Hyde Park concerts. But Labour leader Paul Dimoldenberg said even those seemed impossible to get hold of. “There seems little point in offering Westminster residents special offers on Stones tickets if it ends up generating frustration,” he said. But a council spokesman said the offer had been a “goodwill gesture” from the promoters AEG. The limited offer simply offered residents “a better chance”.
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