PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Concertgoers who can prove they have the Covid-19 vaccine will get a $981 discount on their ticket to a show in June in St. Pete.

The band Teenage Bottlerocket is performing at the VFW Post 39 on Central Avenue June 26 at 7 p.m.  

The tickets are $18 if you can prove you have both doses of Moderna, Pfizer or the one dose of Johnson and Johnson. If you can’t prove you’re vaccinated, those tickets are $999.99.

Teenage Bottlerocket Bass Player Miguel Chen said the vaccine pricing was the promoter’s idea.

“This one particular promoter in St. Pete had this idea that tickets would be $999 or if you show proof of vaccination, $18,” Chen said. “We really wanted to leave it up to each promoter to do what they think is best and to try and hold a show safely and he came up with idea and we backed it.”

Chen said he wondered about the rules in Florida when it comes to proof of vaccination.

Governor Ron DeSantis’ order banning vaccine passports doesn’t seem to apply to events like this. This event isn’t barring anyone from attending. They’re giving a discounted ticket for those who have the vaccine and can prove it.

“The way he (the promoter) kind of described it to me is he was like it’s like Krispy Kreme or Dunkin donuts or whatever giving you a free donut or a discount if you show your vaccination card,” Chen said. 

As you can imagine the band has gotten mixed reviews. 

“We’ve gotten a lot of hate mail. A lot of very angry people,” Chen said. “And I think a lot of people boycotting our shows who had never heard of our band or would never come to our show to begin with.”

For those who do support the band, the ticket discount was music to their ears.

“From people in our scene and in the punk rock community who know us and are familiar with our band, a lot of love and support,” Chen said.

They say this is their only show where the vaccine discount is being given.