Tracey Sheasby has two requests for anyone buying a concert T-shirt at Summerfest: if you’re waiting in line for 10 minutes, figure out which size and style you want before it’s your turn and, above all, for the love of Ozzy and Jimi, don’t just ask for "the black one."

Sheasby started selling concert merchandise for a local company called Milwaukee T-shirt Vendors during the Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary in 2003. "I’ve been working there ever since," she says.

Robb Heilman owns the business, which continues to have a partnership with Summerfest today.

Over the years, Sheasby has met many musicians – both famous and up-and-coming. Sometimes the person who drops off the band’s merchandise turns out to be the lead singer, something Sheasby doesn’t realize until he or she is front and center on the stage.

There are misconceptions, however, that all "merch girls" are groupies or that they can give away free stuff or arrange for concertgoers to meet the bands.

"Selling merch is a business and we inventory every single piece down to the last keychain," says Sheasby. "At the end of the show we have to account for every single piece or it comes out of our paychecks. So, no, we cannot give you a free shirt or get you backstage."

However, Sheasby often receives free promotional items from the bands including bottles – her Jane’s Addiction water bottle is a prized memento – lunch boxes and "weird stuff."

Sheasby has worked so many Summerfest shows in the past 14 years she has lost count. She’s also unsure of how many concert T-shirts she owns, but it’s so many that recently she had to make a "massive purge." She held onto her favorites, of course, which include a Rick Springfield "Jessie’s Girl" baseball-style shirt and a Motley Crue tee that says "All bad things must come to an end" that claims to be the metal band’s final tour even though it.

In general, Sheasby says the nicest fans are "Weird Al" showgoers, closely followed by heavy metal fans who often defy the stereotype of being loud, hard rockers.

"I will work any heavy metal show. The fans are polite, they say 'please' and 'thank you,' they stand in line patiently and sometimes they even tip you!" says Sheasby.

The worst, she says, are usually the parents of tweens.

Sheasby, who has a full-time I.T. job, takes vacation time every year to work at Summerfest.

"One of the reasons I like to do the Summerfest gig is because I usually spend eight hours a day in front of a computer and I get the chance to get out, talk to people and, of course, listen to a lot of great music," she says. "I’m definitely doing this more for the music and the experience than the money."

Sheasby also likes the physical space of her job. It allows her to be a part of – and yet separate from – the crowd.

"It’s the best of both worlds," she says. "You are ‘isolated’ in the booth with tables between you and the crowd and yet you get to interact with people and have a great spot to hear the music."

Sheasby says she gets to pick which shows she wants to work based on her admiration for the band. Luckily, she and her coworkers have different tastes in music, so they usually get their first choices. This year, Sheasby was most excited to work the P!nk and Brian Setzer shows, as well as The Shins on the last night of the Big Gig.

"The best part of the job is that Milwaukee T-Shirt Vendors is a family-run business and all of the employees like hanging out and truly feel a part of the family," she says. "And we get to work with ‘Funk.’ I’m sure you've seen him: he’s the older gentleman with grey hair who wears cut-off ‘Daisy Duke’ shorts. Funk's the best."