Melbourne Concert Sells Out in 30 minutes

Clay Aiken Show Sells Out in 30 minutes
BY BREUSE HICKMAN
FLORIDA TODAY

Kristiana Strickland was among the first in line Friday morning to buy tickets to see Clay Aiken perform Dec. 16 in Melbourne.

Kristiana Strickland, 30, and her sister Kelly Strickland, 28, both of Vero Bach, got to the King Center in Melbourne at 3 a.m. to be the first in line for tickets to the Clay Aiken concert Dec. 16. Tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. for the "American Idol" alum's performance at the King Center for the Performing Arts. They sold out in a half-hour.

Strickland, 30, arrived at the ticket office at 3 a.m. Friday with her sister Kelly, 28.
"I knew this was a smaller venue and that we needed get here early," said the Vero Beach resident, adding that she wasn't a fan until Aiken released his CD "Measure of a Man."
"I never even watched him on the show," she said. "Then I heard the CD and I was hooked."
But Lola Iasell, 62, has been a fan since Aiken first made his appearance on the Fox talent show two years ago. She drove from Fort Lauderdale to get tickets.

"I love his voice," said Iasell, adding that she's seen him twice before in concert.
"I'm going to get his book and his DVD as soon as they come out." she said.

By 10 a.m. more than 100 people -- mostly women -- stood in line waiting for tickets to go on sale.

Stacy Heslin, 19, of Rockledge also has seen Aiken perform live and arrived several hours before tickets went on sale.

"I wasn't really an 'American Idol' fan until he came on the show," she said. "One night I had it on in the background and heard this beautiful voice. I turned around and here's this scrawny little guy singing. I couldn't believe it."

Susan Dike, 41, of Melbourne came to the ticket office at 9:30 a.m.

"Women my age love him," she said. "He started as the underdog and we all saw this nerdy little guy become this huge star."