Fans queue overnight in heat for Vietnam concert series

Though gates for the event were not scheduled to open until 2:00 pm, and the concert itself was set to begin later in the evening, crowds had already formed early Saturday morning. 

Many fans holding standing-zone tickets arrived the day before to gain an edge in line.

The concert, held in Hung Yen Province, northern Vietnam will continue Sunday night with a sixth show.

Among the earliest to arrive was a group led by Thai Thi Huyen Trang, 32, from Hanoi. 

"We came here at 5:00 pm yesterday — just the five of us, no one else was in line yet," she said. 

"We booked a hotel nearby and took turns resting every two hours."

Trang said the effort was worthwhile to get a close-up view of the performers, whom they will only see on LED screens otherwise. 

"Seeing them in real life, up close — it makes all this worth it," she said.

Despite it being the fifth night of the concert series, fan enthusiasm remained high. 

Some attendees said they had not missed a single show.

"We flew in from Ho Chi Minh City yesterday," said Doan The Huy, 24, who began queuing at 5:00 am Saturday. 

"This isn't our first concert — we've attended all five nights."

Huy said standing close to the stage was key to the experience. 

"The energy is different up front — we can see the artists we love clearly, and it feels more exciting."

His friend, Kien Hanh Quyen, 24, shared hopes of seeing new performances on Saturday night that had not been featured in earlier shows. 

The group plans to return for the sixth night on Sunday, undeterred by the weather.

For 22-year-old Thu Trang, enduring the sun was a small price to pay. 

"Once you've stood close and seen them with your own eyes, you realize everything you did was worth it," she said.