About three hundred enthusiastic Pat Benatar fans flocked to the Barnes & Noble book store in Bethlehem Township late Sunday morning to see the iconic 80s rocker and have copies of her book, “Between a Heart and a Rock Place: A Memoir,” signed.
The diminutive singer arrived about 20 minutes late to applause from a patient, but eager crowd of about 300, lined up in a queue that snaked through the store all the way to the front door.
Wanda Reitz, of Kunkletown, Pa., was the first to arrive with her husband, at about 5 a.m.
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“We didn't know what the scene would be,” she said, adding that she'd called the store Saturday night to see if people were camping.
“If they were, I was ready to get in the car last night,” Reitz said.
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A fan “since the beginning,” Reitz has seen Benatar perform about five or six times and will be attending the show at the Sands Casino Sunday evening. Her husband bought her the tickets as a surprise, she added.
“I can't wait,” she said, while awaiting Benatar's arrival. “I was up before the alarm this morning.”
Reitz and her husband arrived at about 5 a.m.
Others joined them a couple of hours later, many with out-of-state license plates.
By mid-day, the crowd had swelled to hundreds, all with book in hand, quietly buzzing with excitement while waiting in line.
“She's so tiny!” said one person as Benatar arrived.
“She looks great! Just the same!” said another.
Many seemed to be looking forward to the Sands concert in the evening, discussing which songs they hoped Benatar would perform.
Just then, someone's cell phone rang. The ringtone? “Hit Me with Your Best Shot.”
Pat Benatar will be playing at the Sands Casino with Neil Giraldo this evening at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $44 and $59. They are available by phone at 610-332-3378, and the Sands & Co. store at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.
