Through rain, wind and biting cold, Victor and Adriana Castillejos held an all-night vigil in the name of love - love for their favourite band that is.
The Tauranga couple were among a dozen die-hard U2 fans gathered at Baycourt early this morning to snap up tickets for the Irish mega
group's November 25 show at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland. The Castillejos, who arrived at Durham St with books, blankets and wrapped in thick jackets about 7pm last night, are no newcomers to ticket sale camp-outs.
Mr Castillejo has been a fan of U2 since 1987, when their smash album The Joshua Tree hit record stores and he's since tried to get concert tickets three times in his native Mexico and once in the US.
He still hadn't found what he was looking for - until today.
"The last time I tried to get tickets in Mexico there were thousands of people already queued up the night before and I just had no chance. When I was living in the US, I instead tried booking tickets by calling on the phone but again I missed out. So I thought I wouldn't take any chances here."
Despite waking this morning to find only two other fans with them, the Castillejos still reckon it was worth the effort. "Look at this beautiful morning we got to wake up to. It was a bit cold but then it's all part of the adventure."
Waiting with them were Tauranga residents Ryan Hunt and Lisa Price, who had been in the 400-strong queue that snaked around Rebel Sport when tickets for U2's last concert went on sale in 2005.
"There's nowhere near that many of us here this morning but then that's the thing about trying to get tickets," Ms Price said.
"You just never know how many are going to turn up."
