Music fans love to joke that they’d give up an organ for tickets to certain shows — and now concertgoers in Sweden actually can (sort of).
Gothenburg’s Way Out West festival has introduced a new “Kidney Pass” that allows fans to win free tickets if they sign up for the country’s national organ donation registry. The festival’s organizers explained that the idea was inspired by the hyperbolic things people say when they’re desperate for a hot ticket.
“This year, tickets to Way Out West sold out earlier than ever. With no tickets left, the FOMO kicks in hard,” the festival explained in a statement on their website. “People start saying they’d give up just about anything to get one. One phrase you often hear when tickets are gone? ‘I’d give a kidney for a ticket.’”
This doesn’t mean a potential winner would give up a kidney (or any other organ) now — just that they’re promising to become a donor in the future.
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“[It] means you’re positive to the idea of your organs being used for donation in the event of your death. In Sweden, this is done through the National Organ Donation Registry, operated by Socialstyrelsen,” the statement explained. “And by joining it, you’re not just saying you’d give a kidney for a ticket, you’re showing you truly support organ donation — by being willing to donate your organs after your death.”
Fans over 18 who have a Swedish social security number are eligible to register for organ donation in the country. Once they’ve done so, they must submit a screenshot of their registration to enter the lottery for the free Kidney Pass. (The website notes that “limited amounts” are available, so not everyone who registers will receive a Kidney Pass.)
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The site’s imagery also includes a photo of a wristband reading, “I gave a kidney for this,” hinting that Kidney Pass winners may receive one to wear to the festival.
This year’s Way Out West will take place from Thursday, August 7, through Saturday, August 9. The enormous lineup includes everyone from Charli XCX and Chappell Roan to Iggy Pop, Mavis Staples, Khruangbin and Queens of the Stone Age.
Way Out West was founded in 2007 and is held annually in August in Gothenburg, which is the second-largest city in Sweden. Past performers have included Chance the Rapper, Solange, Julien Baker, The Cure, Orville Peck, Herbie Hancock, Tame Impala and Girl in Red.
