Red hot tickets sales for Kings of Leon at Slane

The 80,000 tickets for the Kings Of Leon’s Slane Castle concert next May sold out within 40 minutes of going on sale on Friday morning. Among those who managed to buy the highly-prized tickets, at €79 each, were dedicated fans who had queued outside The Music Box in Navan from 4pm last Thursday to ensure they obtained their entry passes for the 30th anniversary gig at Slane Castle. About 300 people were in the queue, which stretched along Trimgate Street, Navan, on Thursday night and Friday morning. According to Andy O’Brien of The Music Box, some had brought tents, chairs, food and even bags for their rubbish. “We did our best and 95 per cent of those in the queue got their tickets,” he said. The Music Box were told ticket sales were closed at around 9am and most of those who did not get tickets were among a few who arrived to the shop on Friday morning, having failed to get tickets online. The US rock band will headline the 30th anniversary gig at Slane Castle on 28th May. Following the massive demand for tickets, the Tennessee-born band announced a further Irish gig in the O2 Arena, Dublin, on 11th December this year. There will be a number of modifications to the concert site next year in light of a litany of complaints which followed last year’s event at which Oasis played to 80,000 patrons. Last week, Lord Henry Mountcharles said the Dublin entrance would be widened and there would be modified transport arrangements, including different turning facilities for buses and a new emergency exit. He said he was very excited at the prospect of Kings of Leon playing the Meath venue as he is a big fan of the quartet who, in the last two years, have become one of the biggest bands in the world. Kings Of Leon’s highly acclaimed fifth album, 'Come Around Sundown’, became their third consecutive album to debut at number one when it topped the Irish and UK album charts on release. 'Come Around Sundown’ is the follow-up to the hugely successful 'Only By The Night’, which sold over six million copies worldwide and garnered four Grammy Awards. The first outdoor gig at Slane Castle was headlined by Thin Lizzy in 1981 and U2 who were the support act at that first concert, headlined the 20th anniversary gig in 2001. Other big names to have starred at Slane have been The Rolling Stones, Oasis, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Queen, Guns 'n’ Roses, Neil Young, REM, The Verve, Stereophonics, Robbie Williams, Madonna, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Bryan Adams.