'One Direction' a big hit in Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay went head-over-heels Friday night for the latest ‘British Pop Sensation,' One Direction.

The musical act played to a sold-out audience at the 1-800-ASK-GARY AMPITHEATRE at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

Teen girls screaming at the top of their lungs could be heard for miles near the concert stage. The five-boy band's two biggest hits to date ‘What Makes You Beautiful,' and ‘One Thing' have become staples on local radio airwaves.

Ashley Ward attended Friday's concert with a large group of friends. Why?

"Their personality and they're really hot," she said. "And they're British, that's a plus."

Hey, it worked for The Beatles.

Annabel Russo has known about the band for over a year and was anticipating a concert appearance in the Bay area.

"I remember the first day I found out [they were coming] my dad was sitting on the couch and I screamed," she recalled. "He said he would try his hardest to get tickets and the next day I had them."

Rabid fans such as Ashley and Annabel lined up in the hot sun Friday afternoon several hours before the show was scheduled to start.

All were decked out in attire showing the support for ‘One Direction.' Several of the adoring fans caught a glimpse of a couple of the boys playing soccer near their tour bus in the back of the arena.

Friday's concert-goers had fans of all ages, not just teens.

"I love their sound; they way the make people feel about themselves with their songs, "said Stephanie Devereaux, who attended the show with several other members of her family.

As for ‘One Direction,' they got their start during the seventh season of Simon Crowell's British Version of ‘The X-Factor' television show.

Now they are a household name – even if some of their biggest fans get a little flustered when talking about them.

"One Direction is just perfection," is how 13-year-old Lexi Boynes describes the group. "It's everything. A list. There's just too many things."

Friday night it was clear it was more than ‘One Thing' that kept the crowd's attention.