MILWAUKEE — Fans camped out overnight to get the best spot possible inside The Rave's Eagle Room for the Olivia Rodrigo concert on Tuesday night in Milwaukee.
The first people in line for the show were Jackie and Arley Valle who said they set up camp at 6 p.m. on Monday, more than 24 hours before the pop star's show was scheduled to start at 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
"We're really tired, but we're excited," Arley said.
Olivia Rodrigo is most know for singing "Driver's License" and for her role on "High School Musical The Musical The Series."
"It's Olivia Rodrigo, three-time Grammy award winner. And this is a small venue, it's a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity. She's going to blow up even more than she has. When are we ever gonna be up close ever again? So, we had to be here super early," Jackie said.
By mid-afternoon on Tuesday, hundreds of fans had lined up for the concert. The line started at 24th and Wisconsin, stretched down to 25th, and went around the block to Clybourn. And the line kept growing.
"We were like, 'oh my god how much further are we walking?'" said one fan who showed up around 4:30 p.m.
A security guard at the venue told TMJ4 he thought it was one of the biggest shows ever at The Rave. The concert is one of the few shows that has sold out at the venue since the pandemic began. The max capacity is 3,500, according to The Rave's website.
"I didn't think concerts were going to come back. I really did not think that was to be a thing for a very long time and then they came back, and I was like 'oh my god'," said another fan.
Proof of vaccine was required for the Olivia Rodrigo concert, but masks were not. Fans said that lifting of restrictions feels like a return to normal.
"This is the first time I've been in a place where they're less restrictions," Jackie said. "I mean, restrictions are lifting everyday, we were just discussing it today. This is going to be a newer experience where now you don't have to worry about your face covering."
