Stones' fans struggle to get some satisfaction

It's deja vu for music fans hunting gig tickets - a website crashed, some people got tickets before they were supposed to, and scalpers were selling them in online auctions minutes after official sales opened.

It's an almost identical story to that which unfolded when tickets for Irish rockers U2 went on sale in December.

Tickets for the Rolling Stones go on general sale on Wednesday, but Visa card holders were able to buy them from 9am yesterday.

But some logged on to the Visa site earlier and were surprised their payments were accepted.

Then, when the site was officially active, fans said it crashed.

Meanwhile, tickets began springing up on Trade Me shortly after 9am and by last night more than 200 were for sale amid furious bidding and angry messages aimed at scalpers.

The cheapest tickets ($55) for the Mick Jagger-fronted shows were going for up to four times the cover price.

Visa spokesman Andrew Woodward said the firm was investigating how its website allowed card holders to purchase tickets prematurely.

He said that despite an early flurry, only 10,000 tickets were sold at each venue and he urged fans not to give up.

The Rolling Stones will perform at Western Springs on April 16, and in Wellington on April 18.