Tickets hard to come by for sold-out Twenty One Pilots concert at Save Mart Center

Twenty One Pilots did give you ample warning.

The Ohio rock duo – Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun – announced dates for its Emotional Roadshow tour last May, giving fans more than a half-year advanced notice. There were clues this would be a popular ticket – like the fact that the band had already sold out a two-night stand at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre and at Madison Square Garden in New York. Also, the announcement included a reminder about the six-ticket limit per household and warnings that there were checks in place for those making duplicate orders.

“People were legitimately surprised they couldn’t get tickets,” says Jason Squires, aka Hammer, the director of programming and marketing at radio station New Rock 104.1 FM. The station is giving away tickets to the show and also the chance to play Mario Kart 64 on stage with the band. It’s become a signature moment at Twenty One Pilots shows.

“Many of us felt there would still be tickets available,” Squires says. “But we’re seeing that climate change. Word gets around with promoters and bands that Fresno wants live music and can support it.”

If it wasn’t obvious, the band’s concert, Tuesday night at the Save Mart Center is sold out. You can sign up to be alerted if more tickets become available and there are tickets available on secondary market sites like Stubhub and Vivid Seats, if you’re willing to pay extra. Upper level tickets are selling for $60-$125 on Stubhub. Floor seats start at $293.

Twenty One Pilots comes into the show riding a massive wave of popularity.

The duo – known for performing much of its concert in ski-masks – plays Fresno just two nights after the Grammy Awards, where they are nominated in five categories: Record of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best Rock Performance, Best Rock Song and Best Song Written for Visual Media. Last year, Twenty One Pilots won at the AMA’s and the MTV Video and Billboard Music Awards. You have likely heard the singles “Stressed Out” (the video has been viewed close to 800 million times) and “Heathens” (from the Suicide Squad soundtrack). The songs were No. 1 and 2 on Billboard’s Top 40 charts, respectively.

“The massive success they’ve had doesn’t appear to have changed what they do live,” Hammer says.

What they do defines most genre definitions. Joseph sings and raps and creates keyboard and synth sounds (and occasionally plays ukulele) to Dun’s live and electric drumming.

“You can hear these guys listened to everything as kids, from Green Day to rap. Incorporating drums, ukulele, electronic, live bass, it all comes out in their music,” Hammer says. “They are where music is going currently.”

This story was originally published February 8, 2017 at 1:08 PM with the headline "Tickets hard to come by for sold-out Twenty One Pilots concert at Save Mart Center."