(FINAL) Navigating Music Festival Ticket Purchases in LA: A Guide

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Navigating Music Festival Ticket Purchases in LA: A Guide

Picture yourself in the middle of a wave of music enthusiasts like yourself, pulsating with energy as the beat of the stage speakers travels through the crowd while looking at the city skyline as sunset falls behind the building and you stand in the heart of vibrant Los Angeles.


Whether you're a die-hard fan eagerly awaiting your favorite artists or simply seeking an unforgettable weekend adventure, unlocking affordable tickets is the key to making your dream a reality. Dive into my step-by-step guide and discover game plans tailored to every level of enthusiasm, ensuring your journey to LA's hottest music festivals is as thrilling as the performances themselves.

First Things First...

Before you make your first move, always ask yourself these two vital questions – how badly do you want to go, and how much you are willing to spend?

I will make things a little simpler by categorizing music lovers’ levels of interest into 3 groups: 
  • 10/10 The Die Hards
  • 5/10 The In-Betweeners
  • 1/10 The Last Resorters
The combination of your budget and interest level will determine how much money you will eventually save in your ticket hunt.

Choosing a Festival

Los Angeles is home to a wide selection of concerts, raves, and music festivals. From intimate rock concerts in The Wiltern to four-day multi-genre music festivals like Coachella, there is a little bit of something for everyone. However, for the sake of this article, I will use Rolling Loud as my example (Alvarado).

Rolling Loud is a global touring hip-hop music festival with over 70,000 fans attending in 2023. The event features performances from both mainstream and up-and-coming acts like Lil Baby, Lil Uzi Vert, Moneybagg Yo, 2 Chainz, Shenseea, OhGeesy, Rubi Rose, and Tyga. Also, they have hosted hip-hop icons through the decades including Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Kendrick Lamar, and Nipsey Hussle (Alvarado).

Important details:
  • When: March 3-5
  • Where: Hollywood Park, 1011 Stadium Drive, Inglewood
  • Tickets: $329 three-day general admission; $479 three-day general admission plus; $849 three-day admission VIP; $999 three-day admission VIP + Munchie Pack (Alvarado).
Considering that Inglewood culture and history have had monumental influences on hip-hop, I thought Rolling Loud would be the most iconic for Los Angeles.

Buying Your Tickets by Interest Level

1. For Die-hards (10/10)

    If attending the festival of your choosing is a non-negotiable for you, then I would say you fall under the 10/10 interest level, Die Hard. Fair warning, this will be the most expensive method of buying tickets, behind paying for them at regular price. There are two common methods for those who want to lock in their tickets beforehand and save a couple of extra bucks:
    Official Pre-sale Tickets
    Most official festival websites allow you to subscribe to their email lists and newsletters to get the most recent updates on early bird ticket release dates and presale ticket pricing.
    Third-Party Pre-sale Tickets
    • Ticketmaster: Sign up for special offers and receive notifications on upcoming sales.
    • Live Nation: Account holders get email alerts, with passwords like SPOTLIGHT or ENERGY.
    • Album Pre-order: Pre-orders may unlock presale codes.
    • Credit Card: Some companies offer presale access to cardholders.
    • Fan Club: Loyalty rewarded with presale access, often bundled with membership.
    • Social Media, Radio, Spotify, Venue: Keep an eye out for unique presale codes.
    • Verizon Up: Exclusive offers for eligible Verizon customers (“How Do I Get a Presale or Offer Code?”).

2. For In-Betweeners (5/10)

    If you want to go to a festival but the hefty price tag is keeping you from buying a ticket, then I would say you belong in the 5/10 interest group. To find the best bang for your buck, experiment with the following methods:
    Utilize Selling Apps (Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, Craigslist)
    • Pro tip: The closer to the festival date you hold out, the more desperate the sellers will be to get rid of their tickets, and the more money you might save. In my experience, I waited as long as an hour before the start of the first artist for Rolling Loud 2022 and attended the first day for half the original price.
    Promote Ticket Searches on Social Media
    • Post about your interest in buying tickets, and the word will spread to your followers. 
    • This method has better outcomes for people who have a higher following and are connected with other concertgoers
    Beware of Scammers: Strategies to Outsmart Them
    • Avoid sellers who are marketing a price way below the average asking price of other sellers.
    • Given that most festival admission tickets are wristbands, do not trust someone who is not willing to meet up in person to do the exchange.
    • Avoid people who only accept cash, rather than digital payment services that protect buyers (Lawler).

3. For Last Resorters (1/10)


    Are you feeling spontaneous, have the day off anyway, and are torn between listening to some good live music or curling up with a good book at 10 pm under the covers? Then you might be what I like to call, a Last Resorter. The excitement of possibly getting to attend a music festival for a fraction of the price your friends paid is almost as satisfying as the music itself. Here is the ticket-finding method, specifically for festivals in LA, for those would don’t care where the night takes them.
    Just Show Up
    • I call this method the “Show up and Hope”. All music festivals and concerts in LA are notorious for being flooded with resellers and scalpers outside of the venue. These people are known for buying tickets in bulk and trying to make a profit on Last Resorters looking for a ticket. 
    • The best way to identify one is to look for people who don’t seem to be standing in line to get inside the venue and are trying to avoid security. Most of the time, they make themselves known with little signs or by advertising that they are selling tickets (“Ticket Scalping”).
    Don't Forget to Negotiate
    • Negotiation is key to getting a good price. Remember, whoever has the least to lose has the upper hand. 
    • If you are within the 1/10 interest group, you don’t mind going home if you don’t hear a price you like – this is your advantage. 
    • Pro tip: If a reseller is not willing to bargain, threaten to move on to the next reseller.
    Safeguard Against Fraudulent Tickets
    • From my experience getting into Rolling Loud in 2023, only do business with resellers who were willing to accept payment after the tickets/wristbands worked. In other words, they have to be willing to walk with you to the entrance before you pay them. 
    • In my case last year, our reseller agreed and he snuck my entire friend group (and himself) into the venue to earn his payment.


Key Takeaways

Remember, assessing your financial situation and level of interest is crucial. Take precautions, weigh risks, and adapt as festivals evolve. While these strategies have proven effective, each event is unique. So, if everything aligns, sit back, and immerse yourself in the magic of the music.

P.S. -- If you want the secret to getting in completely free follow the steps in this link: 

























Works Cited

Alvarado, Holly. “Rolling Loud Will Celebrate Hip-Hop Music and Community at Hollywood Park.” Daily Bulletin, Daily Bulletin, 27 Feb. 2023, www.dailybulletin.com/2023/02/27/rolling-loud-will-celebrate-hip-hop-music-and-community-at-hollywood-park/.

“How Do I Get a Presale or Offer Code?” Ticketmaster Help, ticketmaster-us.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9670692314897-How-do-I-get-a-presale-or-offer-code. Accessed 11 Feb. 2024.

Lawler, Opheli Garcia. “A Fraud Expert Shares Tips on How to Avoid Concert Scams.” Thrillist, 13 Apr. 2023, www.thrillist.com/news/nation/how-to-avoid-festival-ticket-scams. 

“Ticket Scalping.” SEON, 14 Sept. 2023, seon.io/resources/dictionary/ticket-scalping/.

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