Concert tickets go digital, to some fans' delight

Some of the fans filing in to the Keith Urban concert Friday night at Time Warner Cable Music Pavillion weren't carrying a ticket. Instead, they showed digital, or paperless, proof of their purchase.

Posted 1:57 a.m. Jul 27, 2013 — Updated 11:21 a.m. Jul 27, 2013

RALEIGH, N.C. — Some of the fans filing in to the Keith Urban concert Friday night at Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion weren't carrying a ticket. Instead, they showed digital, or paperless, proof of their purchase. The paperless ticket is the latest industry attempt to limit scalping and hold down the rising cost to see a show.

Linda Walsh likes the idea. Friday's concert was the third time she's used the paperless option.

"So far, it's all worked fine, as long as you remember which credit card you used," she described. "They scan it and print out your seat numbers."

Walsh, a member of the Keith Urban fan club, said the artist was allowing paperless tickets as a nod to fans who asked for greater access at lower prices.

"The fan club had always kind of complained about how many tickets were bought up by scalpers and sold at a higher price, and so they actually campaigned to have him do something about scalpers and reserve the tickets more for the fans," she said.

Urban is not alone. Other artists supporting paperless tickets are Kid Rock, New Kids on the Block and Paramour. That group offered fans buying paperless tickets additional incentives for its fall tour.

Not everyone is convinced the new method is the way to go.

"I don't like bringing credit cards into public venues," said Katherine Eval. "I like leaving things locked up in the car or at home.

Casey Nesbitt shrugged at the e-ticket option for a more sentimental reason. "I like having it on my phone, but it's also nice having the paper as a souvenir," she said.

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