Shayanna Love took a little break from school on Tuesday to camp out with two of her friends in a tent on a grassy area just outside the United Center.
They weren’t bailing on their studies. They were hoping to be first in line to score the best spots in the general admission floor area for Harry Styles’ concert, which kicks off more than 48 hours later.
“Camping is just like a good experience, we just like sit here and chill,” said Love, 23, who attends the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has been killing time by doing her homework.
“It gets us really excited for the concert,” Love’s friend Janetza Garcia said. Joining them at the front of the line is Kylie Gossman, 20. All hail from the Chicago area and have seen Styles perform before.
The three had been in line outside the United Center for about 24 hours by Wednesday evening. They were joined by at least 73 other Styles fans who also coveted prime floor spots for Thursday’s 8 p.m. show. It’s the first of six performances at the United Center for Styles’ Love on Tour.
Love and other eager fans get in line so early because hours before the concert, at 9 a.m., the United Center will give general admission ticket holders official numbered wristbands. They represent the order in which fans will be allowed into the pit when doors open at 4 p.m. Those at the front of the line will be able to get right up to the barricades, just a few feet away from the stage and Styles.
Many of the fans have seen Styles perform multiple times, some back when he was with One Direction. They still want to get as close to the star as they are allowed.
Aubree Hayden, 23, has followed the singer all over the country. She saw him in New York twice, Arkansas, Chicago and Milwaukee. She hopes to see him perform in Los Angeles soon.
“If you’re at the barricade you have a perfect view of everything that he does,” Hayden said. “It’s really nice.”
Hayden, who lives in Kankakee County, and her friends Jessica Emery, 24; Baylee Kuk, 25; and Chloee Kuk, 21, had been in line for 17 hours by Wednesday night and were near the front. Once they get their wristbands, they plan to fold up their tent and stow it with their other gear in one of their cars. The group then plans to head to a hotel nearby to get ready for the show.
The friends said the weather has been cooperative, and they hope it stays that way, though Thursday’s forecast shows scattered showers are possible throughout the day and low temperatures dropping into the 40s at night.
Frances Messina, 20, remembers the first time she saw Styles in 2014 when he was with One Direction. Since then, she said she’s made it her goal to see him whenever he comes to Chicago and has traveled to California to see him.
“I just love him, I think he’s the best person in the world,” Messina said, adding that for her it doesn’t matter where she sits at a Harry Styles concert because “it’s always a great experience,” but she likes to be near the singer.
Messina and her friend Janet Marquez, also 20, lined up about 5 p.m. Wednesday. They were busy attaching gems to their concert outfits, hoping to steal a glance from Styles.
“When you’re close to him it’s just a different vibe to see him from up close,” Messina said. Marquez added that “It just feels more real.”
Contributing: Anthony Vazquez
