‘Oldchella’ tix sell out on first day available

Tickets went on sale — and sold out — Monday for “The Desert Trip,” a festival that organizers expanded to span two weekends in October at Indio’s Empire Polo Grounds, featuring six legendary classic rock acts.

But it didn’t take long for people who bought tickets to try to re-sell them at a hefty profit.

Less expensive single- and three-day general admission passes sold out quickly when sales began this morning, followed by the more expensive VIP and reserved seating tickets.

Single-day general admission passes were priced at $199 and three-day passes at $399. Passes with shuttle service were $224 for a single day and $424 for three days. Three-day standing pit, reserved floor and grandstand seating passes ranged from $699 to $1,599.

The sales process became frustrating for some people trying to obtain tickets, with many complaining on social media about being shut out from affordable passes as third-party ticket sellers scooped them up.

But the re-sale process didn’t take long to begin. Passes are already being peddled on ticket re-sale sites, with three-day passes being offered at prices beginning at around $1,700 each. One reseller website showed eight top tickets in front of the stage going for $14,300 each.

With interest in the show booming, the festival that was originally planned for the weekend of Oct. 7-9 was expanded Monday to a second weekend — Oct. 14-16.

Though the pricing plans were similar to the recent Coachella and Stagecoach festivals, Desert Trip won’t be a day-into-night affair and will have stadium-like seating. The Polo Grounds will open each day at 2 p.m. with sets to start after sunset. There will be no opening acts.

Grandstands will border five rows of reserved floor seating, with standing room tickets available up front and near the stage.

World-renowned chefs from 40 restaurants will be on hand. For an extra $225, attendees can choose an “Outstanding in the Field” option featuring a four-course meal while they watch the concert, with two available dinner seating times per night.

Overnight car, tent and RV camping will be available, and may be necessary for some as Coachella Valley hotel rooms are reportedly already filling up for the Desert Trip weekends.

Car and tent camping will be available for $99, while RV camping is $950 for a 20-by-50-foot space, which comes with free showers, food and beverage vendors, 24-hour medical and security personnel, a fully stocked general store and internet cafe. Campers can also stay at Coachella’s Lake Eldorado, which features teepee style tents, for $1,600.

The concert will feature The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, The Who and former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters, performing at the same venue where the Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals are annually held.

Dylan and The Rolling Stones are set to perform on the first night of each weekend; McCartney and Young, with his brother Lukas’ band, Promise of the Real, on the second night; with Waters and The Who closing out the festival. The event has been dubbed “Oldchella” by some because of the older demographic it is expected to attract.

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— Staff and wire reports