GUIDE | Where We'd Buy Concert Tickets, And What Happens If The Show Gets Canceled
Face value, small club nights and sold-out shows: where we'd buy each one, and what you actually get back when a show is canceled.
By The Music Festival Event team · Published · Updated
Here's the part nobody mentions when you buy a ticket: the site you buy from decides what happens if the show falls through. A canceled show can mean an automatic refund, a credit you never asked for, or a long wait. We travel a lot to see live music, so we think about this every time we buy. Here's where we'd buy, depending on the show.
One thing is already on your side. In the US, since May 2025, ticket sellers have to show the full price with mandatory fees from the very first screen. If the price jumps at checkout, walk away.
The short version
| Where you buy | If the show is canceled | If it's postponed |
|---|---|---|
| Ticketmaster | Automatic refund, fees included | Tickets move to the new date; a refund is the organizer's call |
| AXS | Automatic refund | Tickets move to the new date; a refund is the promoter's call |
| Eventbrite | Full refund, fees included | Full refund if it isn't rescheduled within 90 days |
| DICE | Refund | Depends on the event's terms |
| StubHub | Full refund with fees, or StubHub credit | Tickets usually move to the new date |
| SeatGeek | Refund, or credit where state law allows | Tickets usually move to the new date |
| Vivid Seats | Refund or credit, Vivid Seats decides | Help reissuing or reselling your tickets |
You want face value and no drama
Buy from the official seller. That's the venue's box office, or wherever the venue's own website sends you, usually Ticketmaster or AXS. You pay the price the artist and promoter set, and the refund rules are the clearest you'll find.
If a show is canceled, both refund you automatically to the card you paid with. If it's postponed, your tickets usually carry over to the new date, and whether you can get your money back instead is up to the promoter. Watch your inbox, because that refund window can close fast.
Where we'd buy: the box office if we're already in town, the venue's official link if we're not. If plans change, both Ticketmaster and AXS let you resell your tickets officially.
It's a club night or a small show
Smaller shows usually sell through DICE or Eventbrite, and they play by different rules.
DICE tickets live in the app, which makes them hard to scalp. If a sold-out show has its Waiting List switched on and you can't make it, you put your ticket on the list and get your money back when the next fan buys it, at the original price. The catch is simple: no buyer, no refund.
On Eventbrite, each organizer sets their own refund policy, anywhere from 30 days before the show to no refunds at all, so read it before you pay. The safety net is solid, though. If the show is canceled, or postponed and not rescheduled within 90 days, you get everything back, fees included.
Where we'd buy: wherever the artist or the venue sends you. For small shows that's usually the only real option, and that's fine.
It's sold out and you still want in
Welcome to resale. StubHub, SeatGeek and Vivid Seats let fans sell to fans, prices land wherever sellers set them, and all three promise your tickets will get you in. The real difference shows up when a show is canceled.
StubHub says you get the full amount back, fees included, to your card or as credit. SeatGeek refunds you or gives you credit, depending partly on your state's laws. Vivid Seats' guarantee leaves the choice between a refund and credit to Vivid Seats.
Where we'd buy: check the all-in price on two of them, and if it's close, go with the one that's clearer about giving cash back.
Three habits that save you later
Pay with a credit card, because it can give you another way to get your money back if a seller lets you down. Screenshot the refund policy when you buy, since policies can change after the fact. And if a show is postponed, decide quickly, because refund windows don't stay open long.
Now the fun part. Find a festival, catch a show or pick a city for your next trip. Enjoy!