The WebIs YourInside Track To Top Tours (NAPSA)—Traditionally, when the weather gets hot, the concert circuit gets even hotter. For artists of all genres, summer means getting out and playing a host of outdoor venues, from are- nas and stadiums to the smaller “sheds”—and this year will see the likes of Madonna, the Dave Matthews Band, Rod Stewart, Fleetwood Mac and Van Halen hitting the road in support of new releases andtheir greatest hits. No longer do concertgoers have to wait on long lines at the box office or try to get through on overloaded charge-by-phone lines. Instead, music lovers can log on, find the artist they want to see, choose the venue andpick up tickets with just a few mouseclicks. There are a numberof online services that allow ticket-seekers to click for tix’ such as Ticket master.com or Tickets.com. One of the most popular (and convenient) is AOL Tickets (available at AOL Keyword: Tickets or at www.aoltickets.com). The site was put together in partnership with all the top ticketing companies, so consumers don’t need to figure out which service is offering the tickets they need. Other features include: Seating charts that allow you to instantly know what you’re buying; e “First Tix”: For some shows, online pre-sales that give consumers an early headstart before the general public; “Hot Tix”: The most current information on just-announced shows with one-click access to purchasetickets to these events in your area; and Personalized alerts and reminders that notify consumers (by e-mail, text messages on cell phonesor instant messages) who’s coming to town and when. If you ever miss out on buying tickets for that concert you’ve been A popular Webportal can be your ticket to some of the hottest concerts. dying to see, you may be glad to know AOL tickets’ new partner, Stubhub.com, lets consumers buy and sell tickets to each other— which meansthey canstill get tickets for sold-out shows and have a safe way to sell tickets they can’t use. In addition, StubHublets people bid for tickets to exclusive events like Hollywood premieres, TV tapings, film festivals, front-row concert tickets followed by the chance to meet the artist, etc., with proceeds going to charity. “Online ticketing has brought a new level of convenience and availability to the concert ticketbuying experience,” says Geno Yoham, executive director, AOL Tickets. “Concertgoers can get everything they need from one easy-to-use resource and never have to worry about missing ticket sale information.” In addition to concerts, AOL Tickets also offers tickets to sports events, including Major League Baseball teams, arts and cultural outings, theater, family events and more. Tickets can be found through AOL CityGuide (AOL Keyword: CityGuide or aolcity guide.com), which also offers information on restaurants, nightlife and other entertainment options for more than 300cities. To learn more, visit www.aol tickets.com.
