What's the earliest you've ever lined up for a show?

[CatherineZeta]

Has anyone here done anything crazy like camp out overnight before a concert?

For shows I've been to that were general admission I've always gotten to the front of the crowd by showing up just an hour and a half or so before the doors opened which in my opinion is pretty early. For lesser known bands I got there at showtime and there wasn't any problem.

I'm seeing Morrissey in October and had an extra ticket which I sold to some dude on a Morrissey message board (which I am not a member of as they are far less civilized than here or any message board I've ever been a part of even as a 13 year old who was obsessed with No Doubt and posted on their forum). He advised me to show up as early as 3AM for an 8PM show saying that people who saw the show the previous night (He's doing a Friday and a Saturday show at this venue, I'm going to the Saturday one) will probably camp out overnight at the venue to get in line for the next one.

Has anyone ever done that/heard of people who do that? I wouldn't be surprised if teeny boppers did that for someone really huge like Justin Bieber, but on the other hand I would hope their parents wouldn't allow that. I'm really hoping this guy is wooshing me.

[Accidental Martyr]

The only thing I ever did like that was when Bob Dylan played at The University of Alabama when I was a student in 1990. You had to buy the tickets at the student center on campus and people had camped out the night before they went on sale. I went early in the morning with a friend of mine, around 6am, to get in line. It took us a few hours of waiting to get the tickets.
I liked The Smiths back in the day, but there is no way in hell I would stand in line that long to see Morrissey. Especially not at my age now!

[CatherineZeta]

That does remind me- when I was in college I was part of an honor society that sold discount Broadway tickets to members (I went to college in NYC) and people lined up as soon as the building opened up to get tickets for Equus, the show Daniel Radcliffe was in. To prevent that from happening again the administrators of the program instituted a lottery system for all future ticket sales. Thankfully they also found extra Equus tickets for those of us who waited in line but didn't get them.

[blondebear]

I think the longest time was arriving at the Cow Palace at 11AM for a Ten Years After/King Crimson show. The doors opened at 6:30 and the show started at 8.

Then there was the time we went directly from a Yes concert to get a place in line for Springsteen tickets that were going on sale the following morning. That was a huge clusterfuck as a bunch of BASS employees decided to skim off tickets for themselves before opening the doors that day.

[Erdosain]

I've seen Morrissey several times (and I'm going again in October) but I've never bothered sleeping overnight. Frankly, I think your correspondent is deluded. Morrissey isn't Justin Beiber anymore and I doubt there would be more than a handful of people sleeping over. You could almost certainly get a spot at the rail if you show up the morning of. (Is Moz even doing any GA shows this tour?)

I tried to get Radiohead tickets once (one-off show in NYC in 1999) but I arrived at 6 am to a crowd of several hundred who had slept overnight in pretty cold weather and all the wristbands were gone.

[gaffa]

24 hours to get tickets to Tori Amos at the Park West, followed by 24 hours to get in to get seats. She was trying to do it the old way to reward the big fans.

Which was then completely shit upon by the record company weasels who let in a few hundred people standing room, all of whom were standing in front of us.

[Maggie the Ocelot]

Camped overnight for Bowie tickets, twice. The second time was totally worth it - intimate show, less than 100 people in the audience. Fucking awesome.

[Joey P]

I saw Radiohead at some field a couple of blocks away from Soldier Field in Chicago. I believe this would have been either for Kid A or whatever came after Kid A. I think the 'doors' opened around 5 or 6 hours ahead of time. It was blazing hot out and the water was so stupidly expensive that no one was buying it (like 7 dollars a bottle). At some point, someone convinced management to turn a couple of firehoses on the crowd. It was a welcome relief.
Anyways. We all sat there, nice and spread out for hours and had a good time. It was like a giant picnic. My friend and I were probably about 50 feet away from the stage and were pretty psyched about our decent seats. That is, until Radiohead took the stage. Everyone pushed their way forward and we got shuffled to the back. We might as well have gotten there 10 minutes after the opening act got on instead of sitting in the sun all day.

[CatherineZeta]

Originally Posted by Erdosain

(Is Moz even doing any GA shows this tour?)

The two shows at Terminal 5 in New York are general admission.

[JpnDude]

For both of U2's Zoo TV Tour stops in the San Francisco Bay area in the early 90s. My college roommate and I waited overnight in south Oakland to buy tickets the next morning. It's not a good feeling to be in Oaktown in the middle of the night having a few hundred in cash on you.

I never really waited too long for general music concerts. However, for many special events and new shows at the Tokyo Disney theme parks here, I've been known to wait up to 12 hours in order to get a prime viewing area. For the annual "New Year's Countdown" parties on Dec. 31st, I've waited two days in the parking lot braving the elements in order to secure a spot. Yikes!

[CatherineZeta]

Originally Posted by JpnDude

For the annual "New Year's Countdown" parties on Dec. 31st, I've waited two days in the parking lot braving the elements in order to secure a spot. Yikes!

Two days?? How did you shower/use the bathroom/etc? I'm assuming someone was with you to save your spot?

[TBG]

I've showed up about an hour or so early for some wrestling shows. One time it frustratingly did no good at all because when they opened the doors for some idiotic reason they let the general admission ticket line in in its entirety before they started letting the ringside (which was assigned seating) ticket line in. I don't know why they even had separate lines, it was the only time I'd ever seen them divide them that way.

I would never camp out in line overnight (or longer) for pretty much anything. I can't think of anything I want THAT badly.

[Eyebrows 0f Doom]

Originally Posted by CatherineZeta

That does remind me- when I was in college I was part of an honor society that sold discount Broadway tickets to members (I went to college in NYC) and people lined up as soon as the building opened up to get tickets for Equus, the show Daniel Radcliffe was in. To prevent that from happening again the administrators of the program instituted a lottery system for all future ticket sales. Thankfully they also found extra Equus tickets for those of us who waited in line but didn't get them.

People have started lining up to get $26 rush tickets to the newest Best Musical winner Once on Broadway as early as 3am! The box office opens at 10am, so I guess it's "only" 7 hours even though the show is at 8pm, but still, 3am!! And when Al Pacino was starring in Merchant of Venice at Shakespeare in the Park a couple years ago, people would start lining up before the show had even ended for tickets to the next day! (Of course, those tickets were free.)

Earliest I've personally done was probably this past Saturday when I waited for tickets to One Man Two Guvnors and got there at 7:45am. (Totally worth it, btw.)

[CatherineZeta]

Cool. I haven't seen anything on Broadway in a while- I'm too impatient to get rush tickets though- I normally just pay full price.

I saw Shakespeare in the Park though when Anne Hathaway was in Twelfth Night, but I waited for a day when it was drizzling figuring I'd take my chances as to whether or not the performance was canceled. And it wasn't! Didn't have to wait in any lines. There was a brief break where it was raining too hard for the show to continue, but they came back on as soon as it let up- kudos to the actors for putting on a great performance outdoors in shitty weather.

[Crotalus]

In 1985, I was part of a group that lined up for Springsteen tickets on Friday morning waiting for the ticket office to open on Monday morning. My brother and his girlfriend got there first, and by Friday afternoon had organized a system that allowed people to leave and come back periodically. My brother and a couple of his friends were there most of the time, and I stayed all weekend. The Baltimore Sun published this story about it, in which I was quoted. I was interviewed for the story by David Simon, who moved on to bigger things not long after.

I ended up in the front row for the concert.

[Ludovic]

I've never shown up more than an hour before the gates open for an event. But when I went to laser light shows I was always afraid of the Pink Floyd ones selling out even though they never did and I'd show up an hour early for basically nothing.

My most successful was when I showed up an hour before a Fountains of Wayne concert and was third in line for a decent sized show (almost 1000 people.) Needless to say I did get front row seats standing.

[BwanaBob]

Got on line for a General Admission Jethro Tull concert in Binghamton, NY 1977, arrived at 8AM; show was at 8PM. Wound up in 3rd row center.

[Ludovic]

Originally Posted by Joey P

My friend and I were probably about 50 feet away from the stage and were pretty psyched about our decent seats. That is, until Radiohead took the stage. Everyone pushed their way forward and we got shuffled to the back. We might as well have gotten there 10 minutes after the opening act got on instead of sitting in the sun all day.

For Radiohead? Wow. That's happened to me occasionally but only for moshable shows. Okay, at one concert there was a rush forward and I voluntarily went backward out of fear of being crushed but I don't remember who that was, but that usually only happens when people are moshing (and granted sometimes they use that as an excuse to move forward in the crowd.)

[DrDeth]

Return of the Jedi, we had the out of work guy camp out over nite, we got there after work the next day, first show was at midnite. So he camped more than 24 hours, we waited in line about 6-8 hours.

Note that this had become a tradition as we also saw the first show of Star Wars (hour line), and ESB (where our guy got in line that morning around 10).

[UncleRojelio]

Back in 1978, I lined up for Star Wars about an hour early. That is the last time I lined up for a show.

[campp]

Sat in line all night for Led Zepplin tix about 1978. Bought them at 5:30 am and went home and crashed.

[cjepson]

Originally Posted by Accidental Martyr

The only thing I ever did like that was when Bob Dylan played at The University of Alabama when I was a student in 1990. You had to buy the tickets at the student center on campus and people had camped out the night before they went on sale. I went early in the morning with a friend of mine, around 6am, to get in line. It took us a few hours of waiting to get the tickets.

So how was the show?

I did something similar in 1995, to see Dylan in a club. It was general admission, no advance ticket sales... I got there around midafternoon and was about 30th in line. It was cold and drizzly, and the management took pity on those of us who had shown up early and let us into the lounge an hour or so before the doors opened. I ended up center stage about 6 feet from the front. My favorite concert ever!

[Scougs]

There's two different things being discussed in this thread. One is camping out overnight to get tickets for a show. It used to be the thing to do in the days before Ticketmaster, pre-sales and scalpers.

What I think the OP is talking about is queueing up for hours for show to which you already have a ticket - to ensure you get as near the front as possible. Which I generally regard as plain bonkers.

Yesterday I was going to see Jack White at the Olympia in Paris. I had booked my ticket online on a "will call" basis. I turned up at about 1.30pm and was told to come back at 6pm. As I was pondering my next sightseeing move, there were two fairly young French girls asking questions of the guy at the box office. He gestured to one side, and they promptly sat down on the pavement.

Fast forward five hours. I've had a leisurely lunch, wandered around the Latin Quarter, seen the Pantheon, popped back to the hotel to change, stopped in a pavement cafe for a light pre-gig salad and a couple of cheeky glasses of wine, and I return to the Olympia. There are barriers out, and right at the front of the line are the two girls who had been there earlier. They had queued all that time. When the doors opened, I have no doubt they got right to the middle front (to stand for another hour before even the support act came on). Whereas I wandered in, got a beer, enjoyed the support band - and still managed to be about five rows from the front. Along with the inevitable folk who waited and then just shoved in.

The thing is, unless you're right at the very, very front, it all just kind of sorts itself out anyway. One verse and chorus of Hotel Yorba was enough to separate out those who could really stand being in the front six or seven rows, and those who suddenly felt it wasn't such a good idea any more.

[drewtwo99]

It wasn't a show, but I did wait nearly 16 hours in line outside a freezing walmart when the Nintendo Wii came out.

[Accidental Martyr]

Originally Posted by cjepson

So how was the show?

I did something similar in 1995, to see Dylan in a club. It was general admission, no advance ticket sales... I got there around midafternoon and was about 30th in line. It was cold and drizzly, and the management took pity on those of us who had shown up early and let us into the lounge an hour or so before the doors opened. I ended up center stage about 6 feet from the front. My favorite concert ever!

It was pretty good. I saw him a year or two after that and it was a better show.

[Hal Briston]

We'd regularly camp out overnight outside of the Jamesway (and later, the video store) that had a TicketMaster inside of it.

Maiden, Priest, Kiss, Bon Jovi...all of them had an overnighter on the sidewalk before getting tickets. A couple of times we didn't even know what the line was for at first -- we'd be driving by, see a bunch of fellow longhairs on line, and pull in to see whose tickets would be going on sale the next morning.

[CatherineZeta]

Originally Posted by Scougs

What I think the OP is talking about is queueing up for hours for show to which you already have a ticket - to ensure you get as near the front as possible. Which I generally regard as plain bonkers.

This is what I'm talking about. I'm very thankful that buying tickets online has erased the need to line up for hours to buy tickets, I don't have that kind of time.

I'm short which is why I like to be in the front row. Some people just want to be as close to the artist as possible which I'm guessing was the case with the girls at the Jack White show. I've been at the very front for two shows this year so far- The Heartless Bastards and Garbage. Both times there was at least one person who kept trying to reach out and grab the lead singers. The Heartless Bastards completely ignored those people but the members of Garbage were very gracious, high fiving people and Shirley Manson signed someone's LP.

In the case of Morrissey fans, people like to jump on stage and ambush him with hugs which he seems to encourage. He also shakes the hands of the grabby people up front. I would never, ever jump on stage, but getting a handshake would be fun. I'm impressed that after 30 years of this he hasn't been seriously molested by a crazy person or dragged off the stage by a horde of crazed fans.

[Erdosain]

Bumping this because the concert in question was tonight.

So, how early did you show up and more importantly, did you get in the front row?

[RealityChuck]

Two hours, and that was because the show started two hours late. I can't think of any group (and that includes the resurrected Beatles) that I'd waste time waiting in. Line for; the ones I'd most want to see wouldn't draw big crowds, anyway.

[Boyo Jim]

When I tell you the one opening night film I got in line for hours and hours ahead of time, you'll understand why I never bothered to do it again.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

[gaffa]

Originally Posted by Boyo Jim

When I tell you the one opening night film I got in line for hours and hours ahead of time, you'll understand why I never bothered to do it again.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

I was in line for The Phantom Menace. The movie was OK, but the experience of waiting in line with such a huge bunch of geeks was much better. It's a bonding experience. I mean, some folks leave their homes and sleep in a tent in the middle of nowhere, if you can believe that!

[ministryman]

Overnight for George Benson. Got front row center. Tower of Power opened for them. Yes, you may bask in my afterglow now......

[CatherineZeta]

Originally Posted by Erdosain

Bumping this because the concert in question was tonight.

So, how early did you show up and more importantly, did you get in the front row?

I'm impressed that you remembered! I got there at 10AM and was number 25 on the list that the early birds had started- some of them had been waiting since 5AM! These were people who just follow him around though.

I was in the second row- VIP people (aka people who follow Morrissey EVERYWHERE and have become known to him) were let in to get to the barrier before those who'd lined up. I was right behind the woman who runs his website and was trying desperately not to let the crowd push me into her- she's very tiny and it was clear she's not a big fan of all the other Morrissey fans- why not watch from somewhere else then? I made it to the barrier during the encore when people were leaping over to reach the stage.

Anyway, it was definitely one of the most intense crowds I've ever encountered. Not the best venue either in terms of ventilation- it was very hot and people were passing out. One girl had a seizure- I got kicked in the head as she was passed over everyone to get out of the pit. The woman who runs Morrissey's website got very upset by a girl next to me tapping her shoulder asking her to let her through- turned out the girl was about to be sick- thankfully security noticed and helped her out.

[PunditLisa]

I stayed out all night for the BeeGees "Spirits" concert back in 1979 or 80. It was a really fun, and exhausting, night.

I stayed out half the night for Journey tix, circa 1982. Totally worth it.

[Zebra]

In High School it was a cool thing to do. So I camped out overnight for tickets for KISS, Fleetwood Mac, and Queen. Camping out was better than the concerts. Actually I didn't go to the KISS concert.

My sister was a huge Manilow fan so she camped out, with my help, for tickets for five days before the show. The next person in line showed up 4 days before the show. So I have front row tickets to Manilow.

[gaffa]

Originally Posted by Zebra

In High School it was a cool thing to do. So I camped out overnight for tickets for KISS, Fleetwood Mac, and Queen. Camping out was better than the concerts. Actually I didn't go to the KISS concert.

Been there, done that. I waited in line for my niece's favorite band, Green Day, when they played Kansas City's Municipal Auditorium. I saw the show, but I was fine being up in the cheap seats while she was down in the scrum.

[Erdosain]

Originally Posted by CatherineZeta

I'm impressed that you remembered! I got there at 10AM and was number 25 on the list that the early birds had started- some of them had been waiting since 5AM! These were people who just follow him around though.

I was in the second row- VIP people (aka people who follow Morrissey EVERYWHERE and have become known to him) were let in to get to the barrier before those who'd lined up. I was right behind the woman who runs his website and was trying desperately not to let the crowd push me into her- she's very tiny and it was clear she's not a big fan of all the other Morrissey fans- why not watch from somewhere else then? I made it to the barrier during the encore when people were leaping over to reach the stage.

Anyway, it was definitely one of the most intense crowds I've ever encountered. Not the best venue either in terms of ventilation- it was very hot and people were passing out. One girl had a seizure- I got kicked in the head as she was passed over everyone to get out of the pit. The woman who runs Morrissey's website got very upset by a girl next to me tapping her shoulder asking her to let her through- turned out the girl was about to be sick- thankfully security noticed and helped her out.

Actually, that's a bummer that they let VIPs in before the people who lined up at 5 am. Not very fair. Oh well. And you met Julia! If she gets annoyed with other fans, I'm surprised she doesn't just get a VIP space on the side.

Your tales from the pit reminded me why I'm too old to do that anymore. That was my least favorite part of concerts. You're enjoying the show and suddenly some asshole lands on your head. Ugh.

I saw Morrissey last week, but I was sitting in the mezzanine in seats with little tables between the armrests, so you could leave your drinks there. Heh. Slightly less intense, but it was a great show. Way better than the last tour.

[Evin]

Originally Posted by UncleRojelio

Back in 1978, I lined up for Star Wars about an hour early. That is the last time I lined up for a show.

Actually, I also lined up for Star Wars an hour early, but it was in August, 1977, not 1978. I had been studying for the bar exam continuously for 5 weeks to occur the next morning, and while standing in line I developed a splitting headache, and opted to leave the line and consume several martinis instead at The Bombay Bicycle Club.

It was a good choice.

[Chefguy]

Spent the night sleeping on the street in Pasadena with a girlfriend, waiting for the Rose Parade. That was 45 years ago!

[Khadaji]

At most and hour, maybe an hour and a half.

[CatherineZeta]

Originally Posted by Erdosain

Actually, that's a bummer that they let VIPs in before the people who lined up at 5 am. Not very fair. Oh well. And you met Julia! If she gets annoyed with other fans, I'm surprised she doesn't just get a VIP space on the side.

Your tales from the pit reminded me why I'm too old to do that anymore. That was my least favorite part of concerts. You're enjoying the show and suddenly some asshole lands on your head. Ugh.

I saw Morrissey last week, but I was sitting in the mezzanine in seats with little tables between the armrests, so you could leave your drinks there. Heh. Slightly less intense, but it was a great show. Way better than the last tour.

I think Julia just wants to be near him- she was one of the few who got a handshake. The gap between the barrier and the stage was really wide and he nearly fell off shaking hands with someone else.

Where did you see him? I went to Radio City last week, but was in the middle of the orchestra section.

I missed out on the last tour- poor and in college.

I'm hijacking my own thread! I don't know if there are a lot of people here who like Morrissey though to make it worth starting another thread- I'm pretty sureJackknifed Juggernaut has mentioned being a fan (and now I know you are), but that's all.

[CatherineZeta]

Originally Posted by Khadaji

At most and hour, maybe an hour and a half.

Normally I am able to get to the front by waiting for this amount of time. Some people just have more intense fan bases I guess!

[Erdosain]

Originally Posted by CatherineZeta

I think Julia just wants to be near him- she was one of the few who got a handshake. The gap between the barrier and the stage was really wide and he nearly fell off shaking hands with someone else.

Where did you see him? I went to Radio City last week, but was in the middle of the orchestra section.

I missed out on the last tour- poor and in college.

I'm hijacking my own thread! I don't know if there are a lot of people here who like Morrissey though to make it worth starting another thread- I'm pretty sureJackknifed Juggernaut has mentioned being a fan (and now I know you are), but that's all.

There used to be another big Morrissey fan here but he got banned a couple years ago. How did Radio City compare to Terminal 5? I've seen Pulp and Travis at Radio City and the experience really changed depending how far away the seats were. I was in the rafters for one of the shows and I might as well have watched on TV.

I caught the Waterbury show and it was great. Weird venue but very nice. Each tour he digs some gems out of the back catalogue, so it's worth it to see him every few years. This time it was "Spring-Heeled Jim," "Maladjusted," and "I Know It's Over." I've been waiting my whole life to hear that last one live.

My life goal is to get on stage one time, but I have to hurry because it would just be sad to see some white-haired old man stage invading.

[CatherineZeta]

Originally Posted by Erdosain

I've seen Pulp and Travis at Radio City and the experience really changed depending how far away the seats were. I was in the rafters for one of the shows and I might as well have watched on TV.

That was my experience seeing Florence + The Machine at Radio City and I was in the second mezzanine.

Radio City was really good but the audience was kind of tepid- part of it was being stuck in seats and maybe there were just more casual fans there- a lot of people were walking in and out to get beer throughout the show. At one point Morrissey asked if he should go. I liked Terminal 5 a lot better even though the audience was crazy.

Glad you enjoyed Waterbury! He skipped "Maladjusted" at Radio City- it was on the set list, but I guess he just wasn't feeling it or wanted to get done sooner. Heard it at Terminal 5 though and it was amazing (I love "I Know It's Over" live too- do you have the Smith's live album Rank?). Getting on stage would be nice, but I'm afraid of getting put in a headlock by security.

This makes me sound like a nutter but I did get to smell part of his shirt though- a girl I'd been standing in line with caught a scrap of it when he tossed it. He must drench himself in cologne- it smelled like potpourri.

[That Don Guy]

I don't know about "show" - in fact, I don't think I've ever been to a live music concert, except for the ones where I was performing (school bands) - but I once got in line three hours early for a football game to get into the general admission seating area. It's remarkable only in that the game in question was the 1982 Cal-Stanford "band is out on the field" game (and no, I did not leave early).

[Lightlystarched]

In 1988, I lined up about 4 hours early for general admission to Aerosmith/Dokken. I met a nice guy in line and we just talked and talked the whole time. We've now been married almost 20 years.

[Erdosain]

Originally Posted by CatherineZeta

That was my experience seeing Florence + The Machine at Radio City and I was in the second mezzanine.

Radio City was really good but the audience was kind of tepid- part of it was being stuck in seats and maybe there were just more casual fans there- a lot of people were walking in and out to get beer throughout the show. At one point Morrissey asked if he should go. I liked Terminal 5 a lot better even though the audience was crazy.

Glad you enjoyed Waterbury! He skipped "Maladjusted" at Radio City- it was on the set list, but I guess he just wasn't feeling it or wanted to get done sooner. Heard it at Terminal 5 though and it was amazing (I love "I Know It's Over" live too- do you have the Smith's live album Rank?). Getting on stage would be nice, but I'm afraid of getting put in a headlock by security.

This makes me sound like a nutter but I did get to smell part of his shirt though- a girl I'd been standing in line with caught a scrap of it when he tossed it. He must drench himself in cologne- it smelled like potpourri.

That second mezzanine is a killer. It's like watching from the space shuttle. I have Rank, but I haven't listened to it in ages. I forgot that IKIO was on that; I'll have to dig it out. But yeah, that one song was worth the price of admission for me. I think the only all-time favorite I haven't heard live yet is "Pigsty."

At my show, he left the stage briefly before "Let Me Kiss You." Maybe he was dunking his shirt in a vat of cologne in the wings.

[CatherineZeta]

I love Rank, I listen to it all the time- "Bigmouth Strikes Again" and "Panic" sound amazing live too (well, on the CD, I wasn't around for the Smiths).

"Life is a Pigsty" is great. I hope he comes back to the states for another tour soon- despite what he sometimes says I think he'll continue touring until he keels over.

Originally Posted by Lightlystarched

In 1988, I lined up about 4 hours early for general admission to Aerosmith/Dokken. I met a nice guy in line and we just talked and talked the whole time. We've now been married almost 20 years.

That's so sweet!