Paul McCartney Ticket Prices Skyrocket for UK Tour Dates

After Paul McCartney announced his first UK shows in years, England-based fans of the Amagansett rock and roller were shocked to find tickets fetching outrageous prices—to the tune of £16,800 for a pair on Monday—just a short time after they went on sale.

Tickets originally sold starting at £192 per pair at 10 a.m. on Monday, but after selling out in mere minutes, resale sites such as StubHub and Viagogo had listed them for exorbitant sums. Fans going solo have it a bit better. Those intending to see Sir Paul and the Freshen Up tour in England alone will have to fork over a mere £500 per individual ticket.

McCartney, 76, has remained mum in response to the extreme markups, but regarding the tour, he says, “There’s nothing like performing in front of your home crowd, especially when it’s been a while. I can’t wait to finish the year on such a high by partying in Liverpool, Glasgow and London.”

His first live UK shows in four years (since 2015’s Out There tour), this string of concerts will support McCartney’s upcoming 14-track concept album Egypt Station, which releases 10 days before the first Freshen Up concert, on September 7. So far, just two songs from Egypt Station have been made available via McCartney’s YouTube channel: a ballad, “I Don’t Know,” and an upbeat tune, “Come On To Me.”

The Beatles icon is currently preparing for his worldwide Freshen Up tour. McCartney will play here, there and everywhere, but is kicking off the tour’s first leg in Québec City on September 17. From Canada, the tour will continue in Eastern Europe before concluding in England in December.

The UK shows begin at Liverpool’s Echo Arena on Wednesday, December 12, followed by dates at Glasgow, Scottland’s SSE Hydro on Friday, December 14 and the O2 Arena in London on Sunday, December 16.

More dates are subject to be announced.