Stormzy gig at Kingston's Rose Theatre sells out in seconds

The platinum-selling grime artist and producer is touring his new album Heavy Is The Head.

Most residents and fans will be left outside the venue however — tickets sold out in a matter of seconds after going on sale at 11am today (January 2).

understandably the site struggled with 12000 people trying to get their hands on 600 tickets. last ticket into cart at 11:00:24, but that's with the site being AWOL for 15 seconds

— Banquet Records (@BanquetRecords) January 2, 2020

Kingston's Banquet Records, who are promoting the gig, said that tickets fully sold out in the first 24 seconds after 11am, despite the main ticketing website crashing for 15 seconds of that time.

There were around 600 tickets available at Kingston's much-loved theatre.

Banquet said that over 12,000 people attempted to buy them in the miniscule window they were available before selling out.

A spokesperson for Banquet said on Twitter:

"Understandably the site struggled with 12000 people trying to get their hands on 600 tickets.

"Last ticket into cart at 11:00:24, but that's with the site being AWOL for 15 seconds."

if you didnt get a ticket, then hit "notify me" as more might become available in time. Lead Booker conditions apply, and we're happy to cancel tickets if we see them in the wrong hands.

— Banquet Records (@BanquetRecords) January 2, 2020

Banquet added that there might be further tickets available despite the stampede that sold the initial run out.

The record store instructed fans who didn't get hold of a ticket to turn on notifications on the Banquet Records site that sold the tickets in the event that any become available.

"More might become available in time.

"Lead Booker conditions apply, and we're happy to cancel tickets if we see them in the wrong hands," a spokesperson said.

Stormzy's appearance in Kingston comes off the back of a momentous 2019 that among other highlights saw him play a headline slot at Glastonbury festival while wearing artwork designed by the world-famous British Artist Banksy.

Before the ticket rush, a short statement promoting the gig was uploaded to Banquet Records' website.

It proved to be prescient:

"In celebration of new album Heavy Is The Head, Stormzy comes to The Rose Theatre for the most intimate of performances.

"The festival headliner is making the quick trip to Kingston for a short set of tracks from what is already an arsenal of heavyweights.

"Tickets for this will fly."