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Elton John tickets worth the wait, fans say
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
YOUNGSTOWN
A hearty handful of shivering folks shook off the chill as morning broke Friday, warm in knowing that their all-night vigil would soon be rewarded.
The small group outside Covelli Centre was at the front of the line of folks who wanted to make sure they got tickets for Elton John when the box office opened at 10 a.m.
The line swelled to 100 strong by 9 a.m. as more people started showing up. By late afternoon, all tickets for the Feb. 1 concert — a little more than 6,000 — were gone. Covelli officials declared it a sellout at 4:30 p.m., but some single seats remain available.
Although demand was strong, only a few people stayed overnight outside the arena.
Among them were Tracy Santiago and her son, Michael, of Youngstown.
The two showed up at 5:30 p.m. Thursday with a tent and camping gear. Only one man, Jim O’Neill of Lake Milton, who arrived at 11 a.m. Thursday, was ahead of them.
Santiago said the small group of overnighters took turns going to their cars for warm-up breaks.
A big Elton John fan, she also saw the rocker the only other time he came to Youngstown, a May 2010 concert also at Covelli.
“I got his autograph,” she said. “I was holding a giant cardboard pair of glasses that read ‘No. 1 fan’.”
At the end of that concert, Elton John signed autographs for dozens of fans at the edge of the stage.
The 2010 show still holds the record for fastest sellout and most tickets sold for a concert. The 7,000 available seats were snapped up in 30 minutes.
Santiago said she prefers to buy tickets at the box office rather than online or by phone. “Last time people couldn’t get through [on the Internet],” she said. “You’re guaranteed to get [tickets] here.”
Michael also was glad he stayed in line all night.
“I let him miss school today,” said Santiago. “But this is not a normal day. It’s a lifetime experience. He will remember this day for the rest of his life, every time he hears an Elton John song.”
Beau Morrison of Youngs-town also waited in line all night.
He got there at 11:30 p.m. Thursday. At 8:30 a.m., he was huddled in a chair under several blankets but in good spirits.
“My girlfriend and I are going,” he said. “She was going to get the tickets for Christmas, but I drove by last night and saw there were people waiting in front so I came back and got in line.”
Morrison said he had no trouble sleeping, despite the 30-degree temperatures. The building’s overhang protected him from the freezing rain.
Morrison also attended the 2010 Elton John concert at Covelli, but had won his tickets in a local radio station contest.
Mike Rossi of Austintown got in line at 3 a.m.
“It was raining and sleeting, but it wasn’t windy,” he said. Rossi bundled himself against the cold with several layers of clothing and a blanket.
He decided to get the tickets in person because things didn’t turn out quite as he planned for the previous Elton John concert.
“I got tickets online for [the 2010 concert at Covelli], and it was difficult,” said Rossi. “It took a lot of trying, and when I finally got through I wound up paying more than I wanted because the lower-priced tickets were all gone. I had to pay $146 per ticket.”
As with just about everyone else at the front of the line, Rossi was buying eight tickets — the maximum allowed.
“I might as well if I’m going to stay here all night,” he said. “I know people who will want them.”