Final Blast Off club night is a sell-out
The promoter of Wolverhampton club night Blast Off today promised it would go out with a bang, as the final tickets sold out in minutes.
Dozens of revellers have been left dissapointed after failing to secure a ticket for the last of the legendary club nights, on March 8, which have been axed after 18 years.
And organisers have also revealed that while the last ever Blast Off is taking place in the Civic – its fellow long-running event Cheeky Monkey will also be brought back to the Wulfrun Hall, making it a nostalgic double header of events.
Tickets for Indie and alternative rock Blast Off went on sale on Friday afternoon and were selling at the rate of 200 per hour over the weekend.
The remaining 380 tickets went in just four minutes this morning.
People reported that the website was crashing as they struggled to purchase their place for the club night's big farewell.
Blast Off promoter Dave Travis today admitted that the huge interest had taken him by surprise.
But with just 250 people turning up for last Saturday's Blast Off in the Wulfrun Hall, he still feels the decision to end the night after 18 years is vindicated.
"It's great news that it's sold out and it took us a little bit by surprise this morning," Mr Travis said.
"I thought it would be a busy night but I didn't expect to sell 2,500 tickets in a couple of days two months in advance.
"But it's going to be a brilliant night and I'm looking forward to it.
"It's all worked out well, this is what we wanted to happen, one big final night.
"We're not going out with a whimper – it'll be with a bang.
"But for people who didn't get tickets, they've got eight nights to say goodbye before it finishes so hopefully we'll have a few more nights which are close to sell-outs, if not better."
The Express & Star has launched a Save Blast Off campaign:
Send us your pictures of Blast Off! nights out
Just 400 tickets had been sold on Saturday, but the remaining 2,100 have been snapped up since then by revellers keen to be there for the historical final night.
Those who missed out on getting a ticket have taken to Twitter.
Among them was Ruth Elizabeth who said: "How are all the tickets for the last Blast Off sold out already?!"
When it was announced last week that Blast Off was to finish the news sparked an outcry from fans of the cult night, which is 9,000 customers shy of the one million visitors mark – making it second only to Manumission in Ibiza as the most popular club night in the world.
A petition set-up by the Express & Star to save Blast Off has now achieved 1,223 signatures.
Wolverhampton Civic spokesman Jonn Penney said: "We're delighted that it's sold out and delighted Blast Off will be going out with a bang and its legacy will be there for all to see.
"Because of the number of sales we have had for the final night of Blast Off we will be opening up the Wulfrun Hall for Cheeky Monkey.
"The situation will be similar to what happens at Christmas and New Year's Eve where people's ticket will be valid for both events.
"Blast Off, the Civic room has got a capacity so we had nowhere to go other than the Wulfrun but that can't be Blast Off as well.
"The only option we had was to put Cheeky Monkey in the Wulfrun and it's nice because we know that historically that works on New Year's Eve.
"It's going to be a huge night.
"We'll be talking about it for years to come probably."
Cheeky Monkey was axed as a weekly fixture in the Wolverhampton nightlife calendar in 2010 and is currently only held on special occasions.
Promoter Dave Travis said last week the club night had become 'a labour of love' for him and he wanted to end on a high.
The remaining tickets for the final club night of Wolverhampton's Blast Off sold out in just four minutes today.
