The '60s gave us Beatlemania, where adoring fans screamed, yelled and cried when the band made fleeting public appearances. Now some 50 years later, to show appreciation for your favourite singer one must queue for five hours to spend no less than $50 on mass market produced merchandise.
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Such is the case for Kanye West enthusiasts who are flocking to Bondi this weekend to patronise one of the rapper's 21 "temporary stores" set up around the world that are selling 12 pieces of his merchandise from his latest album, The Life of Pablo.
Ahead of opening day on Friday, more than 50 fans slept on the street overnight before they were joined by 250 eager customers at 8am at the Campbell Street site.
Amani Mokdad, from Kogarah, was one of the first in line at 6pm on Thursday. She made it to the front of the line at midday Friday.
"I was safe but wasn't warm last night. I was pumped but I'm over it. I have to go to work after this until 7.30pm," she said.
Shaun Bones, star of reality TV show Bondi Ink, cut the queue. "That's the beauty of being on TV," he said. He spent $2000 on jumpers, t-shirts and jackets. "I like it because it's grungy but it's also high fashion at the same time. It hits the mark. He puts a lot of thought and a lot of passion into it, which is what makes it great."
Only three people at a time are allowed into the blackened out studio, which will operate until 5pm Sunday.
Prices start from $50 for a cap emblazoned with "Sydney" to $400 for a green satin military jacket that screams "Pablo, Pablo, Pablo, Pablo". Shoppers are not allowed to touch the merchandise.
Customers are only permitted to purchase three items of each style, a ploy to minimise stock then being resold online.
Orders are marked on a sheet of paper before entry. People then have two minutes to cross check their wish lists before being told to exit "the space".
