More than 2,000 tickets were sold Thursday when sales opened for the Homecoming concert, in a sharp contrast to last year’s sparsely attended show.
Carolina Union Activities Board sales for the Oct. 29 concert — featuring indie-electronic rock band Passion Pit in Carmichael Auditorium — prompted hundreds of students to line the Student Union’s Great Hall for hours.
CUAB officals said that all 1,500 of the $15 premium floor level tickets were sold by early afternoon, and that at least 500 additional riser seats were sold before the box office closed at 6 p.m.
“We will sell out,” said CUAB president Adele Ricciardi. “But just not today.”
At least 2,000 tickets remained for sale as of 5 p.m. Thursday.
Despite the high demand for tickets, CUAB and Union officials said the box office staff would not be able to physically process all 4,500 tickets in the six-hour span of sale.
Sophomore Cat Hoffman was the first student in the ticket line.
“I’m a transfer student, so when I heard Passion Pit was playing here, I completely freaked out,” Hoffman said.
Although the Union Box Office policy does not allow students to camp out for tickets, Hoffman was in the Union gallery by 7:40 a.m. on Thursday.