On September 4, I was lucky enough to see one of my favorite bands, 5 Seconds of Summer perform at the Irvine Meadows Ampitheater. The night was filled with screaming, singing, dancing, and meeting new people.

My sister and I waited for an entire year to go to this concert. The day started off when I woke up around 11am and jumped quickly into the shower. We had to be by the venue by three in order to get a decent spot. We bought $25 tickets, and for $25, we had the very back. But the good part about it was that you can choose anywhere to sit. After showering, I put on a dress, put up my hair, and did my makeup. By 2:30, we were on the road to Irvine. When we got to the location, (it was around 3:45), our parents dropped us off and we headed into a huge line that was growing bigger and bigger. We weren’t allowed to go into the venue until 6:30, so my sister and I stood there in the line,waiting to be let in. While we were waiting, soundcheck was happening. From outside of the venue, we heard them playing a couple songs and talking to the crowd. Even though it was still early, my sister and I, along with a bunch of other girls, started singing along. While in line, we also made friends with two girls. For an hour we fangirled, and looked on Twitter for updates. Before the line started moving, they asked us if we wanted their tickets. My sister and I looked at them in disbelief. The tickets they were giving us were a section closer than the ones we originally had, and they were the front row of the section. I asked her how much, but she gave them to us for free. She then told me that they got pit tickets earlier, and they just wanted to make someone else’s day. She sent us the ticket bar, and just then it hit 6:30. We said our goodbyes and wished each other to have a great time. My heart was beating like crazy for some unknown reason. I’ve seen 5SOS multiple times and I’ve even met them, but for some reason I was so excited to have fun during this concert. We made our way up to our seats and sat there, while the opening acts came on.

When 8pm hit, my sister and I were still seated in our seats. We were in an open air venue, and the dark sky was now above us. From our elevated position, we saw houses and the Ferris Wheel shining from the Irvine Spectrum. The sky was clear and the air was fresh. Suddenly, the venue lights shut off and a guitar started to play. The whole venue screamed out loud. My sister and I looked at the stage, and Luke started to sing “Carry On.” I stood up from my seat and sang along with him, and took a moment to look at the amphitheater around me. With Luke’s deep, calming voice singing in the back, flashlights are flooding the place, swaying back and forth. As the song progressed, the rest of the members appeared and began to sing. The entire night carried on like this. It was full of screaming and singing. They sang some of my favorite songs such as “Jet Black Heart,” and “Disconnected.” Near the end of the concert, they said that if we screamed loud enough, they would play extra songs. They do this at every concert, and they usually play “Girls Talk Boys,” “She Looks So Perfect,” and “What I Like About You.” For some reason though, they played another song along with the usual ones. They sang the song “San Francisco.” The only other show they played this was at none other than San Francisco. Not expecting this, my sister and I looked at each other and screamed, and began to cry. As they finished the song, they played the last few songs and walked out. As the stadium lights turned on, I was brought back to reality. I couldn’t feel anything, but joy radiating through my body.

SLFL: Irvine was a complete success, and I would do anything to go back to that day. For those of you who have favorite artists or bands, I strongly suggest that you go to one of their concerts if you are given the chance. The feeling of a concert is electrifying and it helps you escape the world for a short while. So for those of you who are wondering if you should go to that concert to see the person you’ve been wanting to see, go for it! There are concerts and  new friends out in the world waiting to meet you. I hope that each and every one of you will one day have the chance to experience this! Also, if you’re interested in checking out 5SOS’ music, there will be a link down below!