Costco offers gift of live music

LOS ANGELES Costco has become the first retailer to distribute Live Nation concert tickets, Live Nation announced today.

According to Live Nation, the world's largest live music company, it has launched a new initiative to sell general admission lawn tickets for the 2008 amphitheatre concert season in 263 Costco retail stores nationwide. Beginning last weekend, Costco shoppers were able to purchase an Amphitheatre Concert Pack card, which retails for $39.99, which includes two general admission lawn tickets to any 2008 concert in Live Nation's owned and operated amphitheatres, subject to availability. In addition, music fans will get six MP3 downloads from the Live Nation music download page supplied by Puretracks.

"For the first time ever, consumers can give the gift of live music this holiday season and provide their friends and family tickets to some of the greatest concerts in the world," said Nathan Hubbard, president of Live Nation Ticketing. "This is an exciting new way for music fans to come see their favorite artists play live, and a great opportunity for Live Nation to extend the live concert experience to a brand new audience."