Tickets for a Bahrain concert by award-winning American performer John Legend sold out within two hours yesterday (February 23).

Hundreds of fans started queuing at a booth in City Centre Bahrain from 9am, even though tickets were not due to go on sale until midday, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

The Grammy Award-winner, who yesterday picked up an Oscar for Best Original Song for Glory along with fellow performer Common, will take to the stage at Arad Fort from 8.30pm next Monday.

He is headlining this year's Spring of Culture festival, which is organised by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities in collaboration with the Economic Development Board (EDB).

"The crowd was overwhelming and there were over 300 people queuing up since 9am, though it was announced that ticket sales would open at 12pm," EDB employee Yasser Ahmed told the GDN.

"They were ready to wait and were patient for three hours ahead of time, which shows the enthusiasm of Legend's fans.

"Total available tickets for the show are 2,233 and more than 90 per cent of tickets were sold within an hour."

The tickets were priced at BD30 ($79), BD40 and BD50 - and the most expensive were the first to be sold with people snapping up tickets online even as they waited in line at the booth.

"Most of them were buying four to five tickets for families and very soon there was no choice left for seats together," added Ahmed.

John legend is an R&B singer, pianist, songwriter and actor and is performing for the Spring of Culture festival's 10th anniversary.

The two-month festival gets underway next Sunday and will continue until April 30 under the slogan 'Ten Bright Years'.

Among fans desperate to get hold of tickets was 13-year-old French School student Elise Travers.

"I love his voice, especially the lyrics," she told the GDN.

Elise was accompanied at City Centre Bahrain by her mother Sirirat Jenrattanasathien, from Thailand, who is also a fan.

"His wife is Thai-American and that's how I took a liking to him," she explained.

"My husband, who is French, is also a great fan.

"We tried to buy our tickets online as soon as the sales opened, but it was difficult to access the site and by the time we could, there weren't any BD50 tickets left - and we could not get seats together for the family."

National Evangelical Church chairman Reverend Hani Aziz was among those queuing to get a ticket.

"I believe that good music is food for your soul and John Legend is the kind of singer who, I feel, is soulful in his rendition," he said.

"My wife and two daughters are also great fans of Legend."

A rush of people trying to buy tickets through the festival website www.springofculture.org, when they went on sale meant some people had to try multiple times to make the purchase.

"I tried to access the site from office, but it was crashing and I had to wait till I finished work to come here (to City Centre Bahrain)," said a Bahraini woman on condition of anonymity.

"I hope I get a ticket."

Tickets for Korean comedy and martial arts performance Jump also went on sale yesterday.

"Around 20 per cent of the total tickets (2,233) for Jump were sold in the first hour," said Ahmed.

The slapstick comedy show, which is a combination of martial arts and acrobatics, will be performed at Arad Fort on March 5, 6 and 7 from 6.30pm onwards.

Tickets for a April 10 performance by British singer Joss Stone will go on sale on Sunday at noon.

Other highlights of the Spring of Culture Festival include Emirati singing sensation Hussain Al Jassmi, Egyptian composer Omar Khairat, Bollywood dance musical Bharati and slapstick comedy The Magic Chicken.

Shows will be held in 10 venues across Bahrain. - TradeArabia News Service