I know, I know, I know – this definitely is starting to look like a Stray Kids blog because here I go again! It’s only that way because they’re a great distraction from the project this blog is supposed to be about. I’m not obsessed, I promise. Hyper-fixated – perhaps. Overwhelmed – likely. Distracted – definitely.
But my worry I’m trying to write away today is whether when the time comes to fight for tickets to the tour, any tour, do I buy one or two?
Last summer was the Summer of Concerts for me and my daughter. She went to her first ever show which was Tyler the Creator’s Chromakopia. That was her pick. Then we saw Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, that was a joint pick. And finally, we saw Stray Kids DominATE World Tour which was most certainly my pick and she reluctantly hung out with me. As reluctant as someone who had the train fare, accommodation, food, ticket and outfit paid for by someone else! But it was worth it. We saw three amazing shows, she got to experience live music for the first time with some absolute beasts of performance and we had some great mother daughter bonding time.
And now the time is coming to seriously think about Stray Kids next tour which is most likely my next concert purchase or I need to think about any concert that comes up where I want to go more than her.
I do have friends I could go to concerts with, not long before the Summer of Concerts, I went to see Janet Jackson with a friend but I generally don’t share music tastes with them. I think if it was a throwback early 00s RnB type of thing, I could have a line round the corner of people to go with, K-Pop, rock or much of the other random shit I Iisten to – not so much.
So, do I take a freeloader with me? A freeloader I love and adore but a freeloader nonetheless. At least I wouldn’t have to share my light stick!
I’m a big girl and maybe I should go on my own. Solitude breeds fortitude or some shit, I don’t know. I have a few solo activities on my bucket list which include going to the cinema (I’m doing that this weekend for the first time, it’s to see Stray Kids – shut up!), dine alone (I had a lovely lunch at Prezzo a few years ago), go to a concert and travel abroad for at least 5 days.
I’m a shy person so my main worry is that I won’t feel comfortable enough to let go if I’m by myself. I know many people do it, I’m not being a radical here considering going to a concert solo but it’s a really big deal for me. I’ve always seen watching live music as a communal thing. And of course it still is when your in a crowd of thousands but if I haven’t overcome my shyness and started chatting to people or I happen to be around a not-so-sociable group – which is unlikely in a group of STAYs, I will really be alone. Can I handle that?
I don’t want to ruin my own experience because I’m…welll, me.
What I do know is that my bank account would appreciate it. Tickets can cost anything from £25 to £1000 depending on what package you get, what stadium or arena you’re in and whether you’re buying direct or in secondary sales. Going by myself gives me greater flexibility in what I can pick while I’m playing chase the seat around an arena on Ticketmaster, it also can make it more difficult because I can’t book a seat and leave an empty seat next to me which I think might be more likely on my own.
I can spend more on my ticket. I think it was about £165 each not including fees or insurance for DominATE which was the most expensive of the three shows we went to see. Maybe I could spend £300+ on a better seat. I don’t want to but I could. I promise you I didn’t want to spend the £165, my top budget was £125 but in the excitement and pressure of just trying to get a ticket I went over my top estimate.
I don’t regret it, the show was amazing. All three shows were and I would love to share that with someone but they’re so dang expensive. I go alone, I get a better spot. Maybe I get lost in the Pit. Maybe I get VIP. But I have to talk and dance with strangers (if I feel confident enough), all my pics of me will be selfies or taken by kind passerbys. I travel alone, I dine alone, I party alone.
Now, if I can get my 14 year old daughter a job between now and then…
Anyway, this all depends on the tour coming to Europe at all and as we stand, that’s an unknown. So, all my musings may not even matter.
Do you think I should do it? Would you?
Keep moving!
Leave a Reply