You're immensely lucky if you've ever seen your favourite artist in concert. Maybe it was Queen at Live Aid, a hometown 'Phonics or Manics show, or an underground gig by some unknown singer-songwriter who you're secretly glad nobody else has heard of.
With a concert that special you might wish you could bottle it up and relive it over and over and over again. For some Harry Styles fans that's become a reality as they've spent years of their life travelling the globe to see the superstar.
Australian friends Sarah Russell, Nicola Tracey, and Fauve Walker-Damarell have all seen the former One Direction member at least 20 times – with one of them clocking in a whopping 45 shows. Speaking to our reporter in Cardiff on a warm Tuesday afternoon, the trio had already been in the queue for a day – more than 24 hours before the singer performs the first of two dates in the capital.
READ MORE: You can still get tickets for £50 for Harry Styles in Cardiff
To make things worse the friends didn't even have a tent. Styles' shows are known to be a fantastic and uplifting night out – but what motivates someone to go the extra mile, dedicate their time and money to following his tours, and endure two nights on the street in the process?
"He's just one of those people," said Sarah, 20, from Melbourne. "For the majority of us we've been fans since One Direction. We grew up with his music and he puts on the best show out of anyone I've seen ever.
"There's something electric about him I guess. It's addictive, going to a show of his, and that's why we've done it so many times."
Sarah, Fauve, and Nicola met online and became friends when they started attending the singer's concerts together. They've got a hotel booked in Cardiff but can't afford to give up their place in the queue so they'll take it in turns to drop off their sleeping bags and blankets in their room before the show.
Until then they're sleeping on the streets without a tent. But Fauve, 22, from Melbourne, said she "slept really well" on Monday night. She added: "We'll probably come straight out of the stadium and get back in the queue for Wednesday night."
The Mancunian singer is playing two shows in Cardiff as part of the final leg of Harry Styles Love on Tour, affectionately dubbed HSLOT by fans. Many of those waiting outside the Principality Stadium will be attending both shows, heading straight back into the queue after a marathon shift vying for spots by the barricade at the front of the standing section on the first night.
Some of them are even keen enough to queue, a full day early, just for the merch. Dozens of fans were seen doing so on Monday with the line stretching across the bridge over the River Taff.
Fauve holds the crown for most shows attended in her group of friends with 45 under her belt. She's even started to recognise people from other queues. "There are Italians who do a lot of shows and some Scottish ladies at the front who did Edinburgh. You just recognise people."
This level of dedication costs a lot of money – as evidenced by the Beyonce fan who's spent £20,000 following Queen Bey around the world. But, laughed Nicola, 25, from Brisbane: "I don't want to think about how much it has cost."
Whatever the sum it's worth it for Nicola who added: "It sounds really cliched and silly but I feel the happiest when I’m in the room with him. The whole atmosphere is everything."
Nicola, Fauve, and Sarah aren't the only international fans pitching up in the queue. Ciara McCormick, a 22-year-old behavioural psychologist from Canada, has tickets for Jonny's Place – the exclusive section of standing tickets at the very, very front of the concert – but is queueing to get to the very, very front of that.
"I think I've been to 16 Harry shows," she said. "And I went to all the One Direction ones when I was a kid. I've been a fan of his since I was nine years old so his shows are kind of a 'healing the inner child' thing." Ciara said it was an "unbelievable" feeling to be so close to the man himself, adding: "I’ve gone to many One Direction and Harry Styles concerts over time but every single time I’m in the front I’m reminded he’s a real person."
She's taken eight days off work and will be attending both shows in Cardiff but isn't planning on queueing for the front on night two. Instead she and her friend Maggie will opt to stand at the back where fans line dance, form conga lines, and generally have a great time too.
Crowds in the UK have something special about them according to Ciara, who's travelled to New York, LA and Vegas following Styles. "Because this is his home the crowds go so crazy for him and it's so exciting."
The atmosphere at his concerts is so good that it extends to the queue. Ciara said: "Everybody is always so sweet. Everyone just wants to help each other and make sure everyone is okay.
"Today was a super-hot day and everyone was offering to get people water when they made trips to the store. It’s obviously like-minded people and it’s comfortable. At night I’m never scared because I know people have got my back."
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