Greta Van Fleet fans camp out downtown ahead of Indy concert
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — At least 20 hours ahead of the guitar riffs, cymbal splashes, and soaring vocals they’ve come from far away to hear, fans of Greta Van Fleet showed up on the steps of Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The popular rock band has a show in Indianapolis tonight, and the layout includes a standing-room-only General Admission area close to the stage. To get passes for it, hopefuls had to line up early. The official starting time for the line was 8 a.m., but a fan at the front of the line, Kaylee, says she arrived at 10 Thursday night.
“I’ve traveled all over the country to be able to see these guys,” she told News 8. “From the West Coast all the way out to the East Coast and everywhere in between. I adore them.”
The head of the line looked like a craft show; Kaylee and fellow fans Brooklyn and Callie spent the overnight hours threading beads to create friendship bracelets to wear or trade during the show. One of the trio also brought candles with the band members’ faces on them.
“This is another way for people to make friends. Trading bracelets, other things, just silly things to do,” Kaylee explained with a laugh.
Greta Van Fleet has built a passionate following since it formed in Michigan just more than a decade ago. The band burst to national prominence with its debut single “Highway Tune“, which hit #1 on the rock charts. Several more No. 1 singles followed, cementing the group as a popular part of the country’s current rock scene.
Those in the overnight line outside the Fieldhouse appeared to be a wide range of ages, reflecting the band’s overall fanbase. Many young fans tout the music as lively and fresh; older fans have said they appreciate hearing the echoes of Greta Van Fleet’s influences, most notably, Led Zeppelin.
“We connect over art, music, and older generations of music, too,” Callie told us. “Kind of like brings the generations together.”
Brooklyn put it this way: “Their music just makes me happy.”
The early risers who got their wristbands have to return this afternoon, to line up once again to get their spot in ‘the pit’.
If you don’t mind sitting in a seat, there are still plenty of tickets available. The show is set to start at 7:30.