Bieber busts Jozi ticket bank

TICKETS to Justin Bieber's concerts next year are selling faster than any international act that has ever performed in South Africa.

Promoters Big Concerts announced yesterday that all 62000 tickets to the 18-year-old As Long As You Love Me crooner's FNB stadium gig were sold out in just three hours yesterday morning.

Today is Cape Town's turn. Big Concert's CEO Attie van Wyk predicted that if tickets were not sold out by 5pm, all 55000 should be snapped up by tomorrow.

"I think Justin Bieber must be the hottest act in the world right now. In the 21 years I have been with Big Concerts, nothing has moved as fast as this. By 9.15am, Computicket's inventory was clean and we kept feeding them more, but we quickly had nothing left."

Despite a year that has seen stars including Sting, Usher, Lady Gaga, Michael Buble, Il Divo, Adam Lambert, Roxette, The Eagles and Linkin Park tour South Africa, it does not compare with what 2011 brought to the promoters' coffers - or what next year promises.

"Last year was bigger. It was huge because it was following the World Cup," said Van Wyk.

"The stadiums have opened a lot of doors. We were able to budget proper income and proper offers on par with what international artists get elsewhere. Next year, we already have four stadium shows - Red Hot Chili Peppers sold out, Bon Jovi is almost sold out, Metallica is almost and now Bieber."