There are always tickets - even if the local press declares that all tickets are gone.
Big bands often announce second shows after the first show sells out. You might get a second bite of the apple if you missed out on tickets to the first show.
Official hospitality partners also resell tickets as "package deals" - these are available long after the box office has closed. We discovered we could still get package deals (including tickets, accommodation and "exclusive souvenirs") for the Sevens a month and a half after general sales had sold out. But they were very expensive compared with booking your own accommodation and tickets a few months in advance.
Add your contact details to the waiting list on the official event website if you can't afford a package deal. The organisers will contact you if more tickets become available. But there's no guarantee the tickets will be in your price range or in good seats.
For certain shows, Ticketmaster now offers online auctions. The amount you're willing to bid will determine whether you receive tickets as well as the type of seat you're allocated. Ticketmaster auctions are between artists/promoters/venues and concertgoers rather than private sellers and buyers.
If all else fails radio stations, sponsors and event organisers will run competitions leading up to the event. Keep your ear to the ground: you might pick up free tickets.
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