Most of you probably watched the 12.12.12 Sandy Relief Concert last week, which took place at Madison Square Garden featuring some of the biggest names in music. Bon Jovi, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen were just some of the headline artists that rocked the stage for an important cause – encouraging fans to donate funds to support the victims of Hurricane Sandy. From Red Hook to Coney Island to the Rockaways, millions were affected by Sandy, and we were proud to be among the supporters of the Robin Hood Foundation’s relief efforts.

As we announced last month, all revenues from 12.12.12 tickets purchased on StubHub were donated to the Robin Hood Foundation. We are proud to share that we raised $1 million for the relief effort. Chris Tsakalakis, the president of StubHub, joined Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Norah O’Donnell on CBS This Morning last week to talk about the concert. Check out the clip here: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50136891n.

We want to thank everyone who donated to this cause!

(Source: tumblr.com)

I’m back with Part II of my Q&A with Michael Pingel. Today we’ve got some great suggestions for those of you who are heading out to camping festivals this year. We know you’re already brave enough to sleep in the elements for a few days, but why risk forgetting anything when these tips could make your weekend great!

Michael hanging out at his fully-stocked campsite during Wakarusa 2010 in Arkansas.

JF: You’ve already shared some great tips for daytime festivals – but what about the ones where fans will camp overnight?

MP: For the most part, these festivals are held in remote locations, and unless you want to become a scavenger by the last day you’d better be overly prepared. If you think you’ll go through a case of bottled water, pack two. If you think you’ll change your socks and drawers once a day, pack another pair just in case. There are also questions you must ask yourself before departing:

1. Where will I sleep? Tent camping is most common, but also the least comfortable, and chances of sleeping in are slim to none. Most festivals include tent camping in the admission fee, and some offer a VIP upgrade to a location that may offer more relief from the elements. Most also offer limited RV camping, but passes sell out quickly. RV is the way to go if you want to enjoy comfort while you’re there.
2. How will I feed myself? Vending options tend to resemble a local county fair. If bringing your own food, check the festival website to ensure small grills are allowed – most do not allow open fire pits. Also, make sure you have a plan to keep your perishable goods fresh. Ice is typically available in the campgrounds, but melts fast. A quick trip to a dry ice factory will save your bacon and eggs come Sunday morning.
3. Will I be camping near my car? If the festival doesn’t allow you to park near your campsite you’ll want to bring something with wheels (wagon, wheel barrel, dolly, etc.) to move your gear. If you can park and camp in the same location, be careful that your car doesn’t get blocked in. You never know when an emergency trip to the nearest Wal-Mart or 7-11 will be necessary.
4. Where’s the nearest convenience store? If I was a betting man, I’d bet more than 75% of festival attendees will make at least one run to the store for something they ran out of or forgot. Use your favorite online mapping application to locate these spots. 
5. How will I recharge my electronics? You’ll be in the middle of nowhere, so will you really need to stay in touch with anyone not at the festival? If you absolutely need to connect with the outside world, consider portable charging devices that use batteries, and buy a lot of batteries. Car chargers work, but the last thing you want is to drain your car battery charging a cell phone.

JF: Those are definitely helpfully things to keep in mind! Are there any other things you’d recommend for the overnighters?

MP: Absolutely! Other very important things to remember:

1. A campsite identifier – There is nothing that will turn a great day of music into a miserable night of wandering if you can’t locate your tent. Take some time to build a 10-12-foot pole and attach a unique flag to it. The most important part is to remember what flag you put on the pole.  Make sure yours is unique!
2. Potable and non-potable water – Most festivals offer showers or bathing options for campers.  There is usually a small fee for these facilities and lines can be very long. Bring a large jug of water to dump on your head so you can avoid the fees and lines. You’re just going to get dirty again, so why bother showering?
3. Flashlight/lantern/head light – It’s going to get dark while at the festival and there are many trip hazards on the grounds. An injury will be the biggest buzz kill at a festival. 
4. Chair/hammock/stool – You probably won’t be able to bring a lounging device into the actual concert area, but you’ll need a place to take a load off at your campsite. Build some rest time into your day so you can make it to the late night shows and dance the night away.

JF: Any last tips you have for those heading out to festivals this year?

MP: Yes, make sure you have a full tank of gas! Chances are very strong that there will be a line of cars waiting to get into the grounds and you’ll be in traffic for a long time. Fill your tank before you get in this line of traffic. You won’t want to hear your car chugging for gas when you want to leave.  Jumper cables are also handy.

Thanks to Michael for his really helpful tips. Hopefully this will help you find even more enjoyment at your music festival of choice this year.

The country has spoken! We’ve collected all the data from the 2011 concert series and found that Taylor Swift is the most popular touring artist in America. Her Speak Now tour passed rock legend U2’s 360 Tour and pop diva Lady Gaga’s Monster Ball Tour as the top selling concert tour of 2011 on StubHub.

 As much as StubHub fans love Taylor Swift, I have a special place in my heart for the U2 360 Tour — I managed to make my way to the shows in Philly, NY, and Minny. Last year, we put together a “Take Off Your Boots” campaign and we were able to give away hundreds of tickets to several of these concerts in exchange for a pair of shoes. We received an incredible amount of shoe donations (2500+) and I want to thank all the fans for letting me take their boots!

We also calculated gross ticket sales per capita and researched which city was the most “rockin’”. And the winner is, drumroll please, Hartford, Connecticut! Surprisingly enough, they’ve always been near the top of our lists for the past three years  (No. 2 in 2010 and No. 1 in 2009). Maybe all the StubHub employees who work at the nearby East Granby Call Center are Taylor Swift fans?

It’s also interesting to note that 2011 marked the year that we sold the most concert tickets ever, all while prices have continued to drop — 29% since 2007! That is the strength of the secondary market for consumers. As more tickets become available in the marketplace, the more prices decrease, and better odds fans have of finding tickets to see all their favorite artists. I know that it’s almost impossible to score tickets these days, as they sell out in minutes, but everyone should know that we have tickets available for all the huge concerts and at affordable prices!

Here are the lists for all the top tours, events, and Rockin’ Cities of 2011. A special thanks to all the music fans for making 2011 StubHub’s best concert selling year ever!

StubHub’s Top Tours of 2011

Based on gross ticket sales, StubHub found the top tours of 2011 were:

1.      Taylor Swift
2.      U2
3.      Lady Gaga
4.      Kenny Chesney
5.      Katy Perry
6.      Jay-Z
7.      Paul McCartney
8.      Phish
9.      Kid Rock
10.     New Kids on the Block

StubHub’s Top Concert Events of 2011

Based on gross ticket sales, StubHub found the top concert events of 2011 were:

1.      U2 with Interpol at MetLife Stadium - 7/20
2.      Paul McCartney at Yankee Stadium - 7/15
3.      U2 with Interpol at Lincoln Financial Field - 7/14
4.      Coachella Music Festival featuring Kanye West and Arcade Fire at Empire Polo Field - 4/15-4/17
5.      U2 with Florence and the Machine at Sun Life Stadium - 6/29
6.      U2 with Lenny Kravitz at O.co Coliseum - 6/7
7.      Paul McCartney at Yankee Stadium - 7/16
8.      U2 with Interpol at Soldier Field - 7/5
9.      Kenny Chesney with Zac Brown Band at Gillette Stadium - 8/27
10.     Taylor Swift at Lincoln Financial Field - 8/6

StubHub’s Most Rockin’ Cities of 2011

Based on gross ticket sales per capita, StubHub found the cities with the biggest music fans were in the following cities, with the most popular music event in the area listed for each:

1.      Hartford, Conn. - Taylor Swift
2.      Boston - Kenny Chesney
3.      Miami - U2
4.      Atlanta - Taylor Swift
5.      Las Vegas - iHeartRadio Music Festival
6.      Kansas City, Mo. - Kenny Chesney
7.      Minneapolis - U2
8.      Detroit - Kid Rock
9.      Pittsburgh - U2
10.     Orlando - Taylor Swift