Some Shoppers Singing the Blues

It happens every year, says sales associate Nicholas Lutz.

“It’s just a mad rush,” said the employee of the Costa Mesa Virgin Megastore. “People just lose their minds over this CD.”

Thousands of Southern Californians stood in line for hours Sunday to buy a copy of Star Lounge, a compilation compact disc promoted by radio station Star 98.3 and featuring various musical acts performing acoustically.

Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow, Seal and Tori Amos are some of the acts on the disc that sells for only one day a year at Virgin Megastore locations. Proceeds benefit three charities.

At the Virgin Megastore at the Block in Orange, racks were removed and the store was closed for most of the day to prepare for singer and songwriter Tori Amos, who put on a free half-hour show for 500 fans. She was there to promote the benefit CD as well as her latest effort, “To Venus and Back,” which was being sold pre-signed.

Some patrons weren’t pleased by the long lines. They said the sale could have been better organized. David Anderson, 28, of Newport Beach complained that at one point, there were no limits on how many CDs people could buy. He said some were purchasing multiple copies, and rumors were abounding that the CDs would then be resold for much more to the customers who lost out.

“This is just so irritating,” said Anderson, who said he arrived at the story about 10 a.m. to find a crowd.

Some customers didn’t seem to mind the wait.

Last year, Sharon Gustaves tried to buy the sought-after compact disc but got to the store too late. It was sold out. This year, the Long Beach woman didn’t take any chances. She dragged her two daughters and her husband out of bed and they were on the road by 8 a.m. so they could join hundreds of others lined up outside the Costa Mesa store.

Four hours later, Gustaves, with her patient family in tow, finally got what she wanted.

“I had no idea I would have to wait this long,” she said leaving the cash register holding two CDs. “I’m sure we’ll enjoy it, though.”

As for her friends who would be getting one of the CDs for Christmas, she said: “They’d better appreciate it.”

Police and store officials in Costa Mesa and Orange said there were no problems associated with the frantic sales.