I'm about to buy a ticket
A step-by-step article: where to buy, what to check before paying, and how to keep your right to a refund.
a live music listener's handbook
Downcast: a live music listener's handbook
A concert starts long before the first song: with buying a ticket, reading the venue rules and planning your night. Here you'll find practical answers on how to buy a ticket and get your money back if plans change, how to avoid damaging your hearing near the speakers, how recording formats differ, and where to find old pages in web archives.
We only publish what can be checked against a law, a standard or a document. When there's no exact answer, we say so.
Where to start
My plans changed and I want a refund
Refund deadlines and percentages, canceled and postponed shows, in brief.
I want to understand the numbers
Decibels, volume limits, sample rates and recording formats.
Handbook sections
- Handbook sections
Handbook map: tickets, safety and hearing, venues and sound, recordings and archives.
- How-to articles
How to buy a concert ticket without losing money, plus a list of upcoming articles.
- Questions and answers
Short answers on ticket refunds, concert volume, recording formats and filming.
- Reading lists
Reading paths: before your first concert, when plans change, and for record collectors.
- Reference
Terms and numbers: refund deadlines, decibels, recording formats, web archives.
- What's new
A dated feed of new handbook articles.
- Archive
All articles by year and topic, including the domain's historical address.
Example: returning a ticket one week before a concert in Russia
Count the days to the show
A week is less than ten days but more than five. So under Russian rules, a full refund at the ticket holder's request is no longer available.
Work out the minimum amount
If you return the ticket no later than five days before the event, the organizer must refund at least 50% of the ticket price.
Check for special terms
A ticket bought in a promotion or special program may be non-refundable. This is stated in the seller's terms.
Apply where you bought it
Contact the organizer or the ticketing service. Keep proof of your request, the receipt and the ticket itself until the money arrives.
Quick answers to common questions
Is this the Downcast band's website?
No. This domain used to belong to a band's website, but the current handbook is not affiliated with the band and does not publish its news, shows or recordings.
Can I buy a ticket from you?
No. We don't sell anything or accept payments. Buy tickets from the organizer or from the ticketing service the organizer links to.
How loud is too loud?
The WHO global standard for venues caps the average sound level at 100 dB over 15 minutes. If you stand near the speakers all night, bring earplugs and take breaks in quiet areas.
About the project
Downcast is an independent reference project. The domain used to host a band's website; the current project is not affiliated with that band, and the old site's content has not been preserved or reproduced.
We write about what matters to any live music listener: tickets and refunds, hearing and safety, sound and venues, recordings and archives. We don't sell tickets, rate venues or publish reviews that can't be verified. Our ticket refund rules describe events in Russia; rules in other countries differ.
Sources
- Fundamentals of the Legislation of the Russian Federation on Culture (Art. 52.1)
- WHO. Global Standard for Safe Listening Venues and Events (2022)
- Internet Archive / Wayback Machine
Information is current as of the preparation date. Ticket sale and refund rules, as well as venue policies, change over time. Before you buy, check the law in force and the organizer's terms.