NEWS PHOTO BY DICK DAVIS

A long line forms down the stairway of the May-D&F store by rock fans hoping to get tickets to The Who performance.

The Who rates 3-day wait in line

By Jackie Campbell, News Staff

Bottles, Big Mac wrappers and odd socks. They were three days old and stuck in the nooks and crannies of the stairwells at May-D&F in downtown Denver Friday morning.

The first person in line for tickets to the upcoming concerts of the rock group Who had arrived at 9 a.m. on Tuesday.

Here's how it happened: Two concerts by the Who were announced on Monday night for April 23 and 24 at McNichols Arena. Friday morning, 36,000 tickets went on sale at 14 outlets throughout Colorado. Prices range from $11.10 to $13.30.

But people began arriving at May-D&F on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, rolled out their sleeping bags and camped out to get "the list" started. The scene was duplicated at many of the other ticket outlets.

There's always a list — on a sheet of cardboard or a corrugated carton. Somebody fixes it up with a fancy two-color logo — THE WHO — and a block-lettered subhead which reads: "Each group must have a representa- tive present at all times." Next, the times are listed at which "roll call" will be taken.

"No problems so far," said one of the police officers on duty at 10:30 a.m. Friday. A large German shepherd snoozed at his feet. May-D&F has a sheltered stairwell leading to the glass doors of its lower level basement, and it served as a spiral, sleeping ramp for those who queued up early.

"If you didn't mind sleeping on a concrete floor with rowdy people it was OK," yelled one man. "It was real noisy all night." There is only a moderate amount of litter now imbedded in the corners, including the bottles, Big Mac wrappers and odd socks.

One policeman commented: "The kids asked for a broom and some trash bags at 6 this morning. They cleaned most of it up themselves."

The line moved slowly. At 11 a.m. No. 47 was admitted inside the doors. There were 188 names on this particular list. Another 150 people had arrived after midnight Thursday and didn't bother to sign up.

Rock 'n' roll fans will stand and wait days for tickets. "I waited in line all night for tickets to Rush," said one sleepy 17-year-old. "I'd wait in line a week for Led Zeppelin," said a boy wearing a sleeping bag. "Or for Pink Floyd," yelled a glassy-eyed kid. "Four days for the Rolling Stones," somebody else called out.

"We Won't Get Fooled Again" (a Who song) was playing on a half dozen radios up and down the stairwell. Inside, at the ticket windows, people bought tickets, 20 at a time. The limit was 10 for each night's concert.

Restroom facilities during the nights were located in the Denver Hilton across the street.

A girl on the stairway outside began inviting everybody in the ticket line to her birthday party the next day. "One o'clock in Wash Park," she called down the stairwell to anyone and everyone.

At 1:15 p.m. Friday, promoter Barry Fey announced that 16,000 tickets had been sold and the limit had been lowered to 10 tickets per person at windows. The announcement reduced the amount of cash passing across the counter for each transaction. It had been averaging well over $200 for each. "If a robber had a machine gun there last night . . . " speculated one boy.

Fey said he expected all 36,000 tickets would be sold by the time the ticket windows closed Friday evening.

Earlier in the day, as tickets went on sale elsewhere around the state, police cars were called out in Colorado Springs and one person reportedly was taken into custody by police in Fort Collins. No name was released.

The Who's current U.S. tour was marred at the outset by the deaths of 11 fans in Cincinnati last October. Seating there was on a first-come, first-serve basis. Fans stormed unopened doors there in an attempt to get good seats, and the resulting stampede caused the deaths.

Fey said that such a situation can't occur in Denver because seats are sold on a reserved basis, and there will be greater access at arena doors and a larger security staff to handle any problems.