Tickets for the May 1 Elvis Costello concert fell just shy of selling out yesterday, as students lined up outside Holyoke Center Ticket Office as early as 3:30 a.m. to secure seats for the show.

Due to the overwhelming turnout among undergraduates, almost 2700 seats were sold in eight hours, according to organizers. The 100 remaining tickets to see Elvis will go on sale today at 9:00 a.m.

"No one involved with the concert expected such an overwhelming response," said Jeffry A. Nachmanoff '89, co-chairman of the Student Production Association, the arm of the Undergraduate Council which planned the concert.

"It really says something about the fact that students at Harvard are ready for a concert," he added. The May 1 concert in Bright Hockey Center will be the first major rock concert at Harvard in three years.

"The Harvard community is ready for a concert,"said Undergraduate Council Chairman Richard S.Eisert '88. "No one expected the concert tovirtually sell out on the first day."

The last concert at Harvard, which featuredREM, failed to sell out even after the ticketswere made available to students from othercolleges.

Students who endured up to four hours ofintermittent rain and cold weather said the chanceto see Costello was worth the wait.

"I got on line about 8:45 and had to wait overtwo hours for a ticket," said Mark N. Diker '88"But no wait is too long for Elvis. He's notPresley, but he'll do," he added.

Freshman Mark R. Warshaw '90, stood in line forover four hours to see his favorite musicianappear at Harvard.

"It was drizzling and cold, but it wasdefinitely worth it to see Elvis," said Warshaw."People were even taking trips to Au Bon Pain forhot chocolate and food.