It was a tale of triumph and tragedy at one Dunedin workplace yesterday when everything was put on hold during a frenzied attempt to buy Ed Sheeran tickets.
A palpable sense of tension could be felt in the Dunedin LJ Hooker office five minutes before the start of a 24-hour ticket pre-sale period.
The five-minute countdown to the sale was marked by silence as 10 of staff members balanced phones and keyboards in desperate attempts to secure as many of the sought-after tickets as possible.
Trista Townsend, who spoke to the Otago Daily Times on Monday about her promise to take her sons Jonty (11) and Harry (9) to the concert, said she felt sick with nerves as she waited in an online queue to secure tickets.
As excited shrieks rang out from successful ticket buyers, a few expletives could be heard from colleagues who missed out.
Successful ticket buyer Amelia Hermens joked the wait to get tickets was ''worse than having children''.
Of the 10 people who attempted to buy tickets, five were successful.
A tearful Trista Townsend was not one of them.
She ''desperately, desperately wanted tickets'', and would try again next week when general tickets went on sale.
''I've gone from happy to sad to nearly tears,'' she said.
Colleague Pam Mulder jumped from her seat after securing tickets.
''It's just fantastic. Apart from the fact he is absolutely gorgeous, his music is fantastic.''
Geraldine Hermens said the wave of emotions people experienced while securing tickets was like finalising a house sale.
Tickets will go on general sale on Tuesday.
