What began as a trickle turned into a tsunami, as thousands of Twenty One Pilots fans flooded Columbus recently for the duo's sold-out show at Ohio Stadium.
As if seeking a vicarious brush with stardom, Skeleton Clique members from around the globe flocked to sites where Twenty One Pilots' music videos were filmed.
On Oct. 15, two days before the concert, fans were queueing up at Big Fun Columbus, 672 N. High St., before opening hours at the vintage toy store, where the video for "Choker" was shot.
"We opened at 11 a.m. and when I got there at 9, there were already people waiting. It was nonstop through Sunday [Oct. 18] night. We stayed an hour past closing on Sunday." co-owner Jason Williams said.
At times, the line snaked from the front of the store,
down the East Russell Street side of the building and around the back to North Pearl Street.
About 30-35 people at a time were permitted in the store, where they snatched up popular items like the shirts seen in the "Choker" video: Josh Dun sports a Big Fun T-shirt, while Tyler Joseph's shirt proclaims, "Tree Huggers Make Better Lovers."
"Our top five sales days have all been orbiting Twenty Five Pilots concerts," Williams said.
At 2:44 p.m. Oct. 18, Big Fun posted on its Facebook account that all Twenty One Pilots-related merch and items featuring the store's logo were sold out.
Lavash Cafe, 2985 N. High St., featured in the video for "Lavish," also saw a deluge of fans both before and after the concert.
"People were lined up [Oct. 16] morning at 10 a.m. around the building. From then, it didn't stop until [Oct. 17] at 5 p.m., when it was time for the show," owner Jamal Latif said. "The next morning, they were lined up until we closed."
The fans were organized and patient, he added, with some even bringing him gifts such as a custom-made candle with the Lavash logo.
Apparently, the Skeleton Clique has a collective sweet tooth because the group relieved Lavash of all of its desserts except 10 baklavas. They also left 70 five-star reviews for the cafe on Google, Latif said.
"So many people say they're picky eaters but wanted to come here because we're in the music video," he said. "Then they say, 'It turns out I love seasoning in food!' That's an honor."
Williams expressed gratitude for the Skeleton Clique, whose sense of community he likened to that of Deadheads, the famous Grateful Dead fandom.
"We have a real appreciation for these people who traveled all over, not just the U.S. but the world, and chose to come to our shop, then waited three hours to get in. How incredible!" Williams said.
Contact features and entertainment reporter Belinda M. Paschal at bpaschal@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Twenty One Pilots fans flood Columbus shops tied to the band
